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Bolivian Protests, Gravel and Fuel status as at May 9th 2013
I'm currently in Tupiza, Bolivia, having gotten here from Puno via Desaguadero, La Paz, Oruro, Potosi.
I'm not a fan of things Bolivian, so I'll be glad to be out of here. But I thought I should give you an update on the whole protests, fuel, gravel thing as I could only find this info in patches. Had I had it all in one place I would have gladly ridden the 1000 km extra and gone around Bolivia through Chile - but that's just me - you might love a bit of undefined chaos. First the good news. Puno to Tupiza is all paved, and I am told it's paved all the way to Villazon and then onwards in Argentina. Here endeth the good news - La Paz to Oruro is being upgraded to dual carriage way. This means that section is 1/3 gravel where they are working, 1/3 town (i.e. more than one house) where the limit is 35 km/h and 1/3 normal road, where the limit is a mighty 80km/h. The only speed trap I saw in 10k miles of South Am was in Bolivia.....so plan accordingly when looking at sunlight these short winter days - I averaged 40km/h an hour this section. Oruro to Potosi is pretty unpopulated so you can go at a speed more appropriate to the conditions, but do watch out for the llamas! Also, it seems Potosi to Uyuni is all paved, though I didn't ride it. Second, the protests. As of right now (May 9th 2013) there are EXTENSIVE miners protests all along the main route. To get from La Paz to Tupiza I passed 4 - Caracollo, just after Oruro (Cala Cala or Poopo not sure which), on the exit of Potosi and one on the entrance to Tupiza. Estimates of blockades between Tupiza and Vilazon currently range from 0 to 2. It's worth adding that even the locals have no idea where the blockades are - my hotel in Potosi insisted the road to Tupiza was clear despite the first blockade being at the exit of Potosi a mere 2km from the hotel. The rules for what happens to a foreign plated bike at a miners' blockade are largely undefined. I went around one blockade (1 hour wandering around an unroaded desert trying to find a route through). At another I had a crowd of 20 miners grab the bike and I somehow managed to smile my way out of it. At a third I went to speak with them first and they said it was OK to push the bike through but not ride it. As I've made it through 4 so far, you can obviously get through, but it costs at least an hour a pop by the time you figure out the best strategy. And because of the chaos, it's a bit of a russian roulette whether you get through - the crowd is completely unmanaged and somehow congeals to an opinion - that opinion could well be "let the rich western guy wait like the rest of them". Try as I might I could not find a leader to speak with. It also seems to be a pretty fluid situation - I have a feeling the blockade at Potosi was fresh as the queued up traffic there wasn't that big. However, if the situation continues longer, fuel will become a real issue, and being able to get through the blockades will become moot unless you have a Bolivian sized jerry can. Furthermore, at two of the blockades there were miners playing with dynamite (what else is there to do??) with explosions going off as I went through. And on top, 1 km from the blockade there's always a phalanx of police dressed up in full riot gear. Like I say - a fluid situation..... Finally, on the fuel. Yes you pay three times the local price (which by the way is completely fair as I can't see why the Bolivians should be subsidising your fuel - all you're paying is a fair market price). However, to do so, the petrol station needs to fill in lengthy paperwork (minimum 15-20mins each time). As a result a lot of them can't be bothered to sell fuel to you. Certainly more of an issue in big cities - I didn't even try to get fuel in La Paz. My bike has a 300 mile range and I have been fine with my "start stopping at every station you see after 100 miles" strategy and I have been fine so far, but there are sections with 200 miles where there is no fuel. For what it's worth, I managed to get fuel in Patacamaya, just after Oruro, just before Potosi and in Tupiza, but only 1 out of the three stations I stopped at had and was willing to sell me fuel. Your best bet is the tiny station in the middle of nowhere - they don't get enough business to be able to turn you down. Avoid the big cities. So all that and the bribes, and I'll be kissing the Argentinian soil when I get to it tomorrow.... Happy riding. |
howzit,
about the fuel- a friend of mine traveled through bolivia with a chilean plate and he simply offered the people at the gas station 1 bolivian for every liter they sold him at the regular bolivian price. and if that doesn't work, you can always try and buy some in a jerrycan and then fill up from that. p.s. there's this site (now under construction, worked until a week ago) of the bolivian transportation board that shows which roads are open and which are problematic. it's not always up to date- it's always best to ask the locals, but it's another source of info. |
And just to complete the saga...
Tupiza to Vilazon was blocked in three different places - two before the border and one at the bridge which is the actual border. These were a lot trickier to pass - I managed to get into Villazon by fording a river and going cross country for about 10 miles. The miners explained in no uncertain terms with their sticks of wood with nails protruding that they would perforate my tires if I tried to cross the blockades. But the real fun was in Villazon. There is a place where you can cross the river which is the border 50m down from the official, blocked crossing on the bridge. This I did and promptly presented myself to Argentinian customs saying I would like to enter. They said I had entered illegally and impounded the bike. This happened at 4:34, at which point the "how much is the fine" aduana man said his weekend was starting, so I need to go back on Monday to see if the fine is worth paying. The good news at least is that I'm free to leave Argentina without the bike..... So to cut a long story short, I would strongly advise you not to enter Bolivia , and esp. South Bolivia until the situation is resolved..... Happy travels. |
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I should cross Bolivia at the beginning of July, hoping that protests will be finished; I'll look for information before leaving, but considering that even now that the news is fresh, it was not easy to read news about it (on Google News, only a couple of articles, seraching explicitely for Bolivian miners protests) I'm afraid that there could be the chance to enter in the country convinced that everything is ok, whilst something is going on apart this, please, could you tell me which temperatures did you find? road blocked by snow or similar? many thanks and hope you will solve the bike seize issue, kind regards, Nelik |
We are hoping to go into Bolivia in July also. We will be leaving the Santiago area around the 5th or 6th of June and heading North, so this is of a lot of interest to us.
Thanks for sharing. How do you think they would view tourists in a foreign registered truck/camper? I don't think i could switch it off and push it anywhere :-) Anyone else got any more info? Merv. |
As of today, the Villazon border crossing is now unblocked (it was blocked for a total of 6 days). I have no idea whether this is because they've agreed to be friends and all the blockades are gone or not and have no intention of finding out ;-)
On temps. There's a 20C temp swing each day, and night is I think around freezing, no snow anywhere, but maybe different in July. I sat down and did my sums over the weekend and figured by the time I ride the bike to BA and ship it to London and sell it, I end up with US$600 in my pocket. It's highly unlikely given this the fine will be worth it, the aduana man hinted it will be of order 20-30% of the value of the bike, which I'm sure they will not value at US$600. But given all this I go into negotiate with aduana not caring too much either way, which is always a good position to be in. I'm lucky this happened 6 days before the end of my 4 month trip..... |
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It could be a matter of one hour discussing and excusing and explaining, etc but finally I cannot imagine that they will really seize your bike ... it should be also a problem for them, where to store it, what to do with it etc, so it could be simply a way to convince you to give them some money You just made your sums, so try to find out the maximum you could give them and then on Monday, after some discussion (not immediately, otherwise they will think you could raise further money ;) you will say "Men, I can pay XYZ dollars for the fine, this is my maximum, otherwise enjoy my bike, I'll leave without it!" thanks for weather information and good luck with your adventure ;) kind regards, Nelik |
We are currently travelling in Bolivia (in La Paz at the moment) and can confirm the country is in blockade season. We have got through recent truck driver blockades in Sucre and Potosi (they didn't mind pedestrians and bikes gooing around the trucks, but no cars/trucks/buses), then a villagers blockade near Cochabamba (only pedestrians allowed through but they agreed to let us pass on our bike for some reason).
My understanding is that the current blockaders are public sector employees (ie teachers etc) not miners, although the miners may have joined in as well for all I know. Most of the main roads are blockaded during weekdays, but not usually on weekends as this would interfere with their social life too much. So we rode from Cochabamba to La Paz on last Sunday without any blockades. Plenty of protests in La Paz last couple of days with the usual noisy fireworks and occasional stick of dynamite, main road into La Paz has been closed and police everywhere. But all the locals, shops and markets are still going about business as if this is normal - I guess it is. We also sometimes had problems getting gasoline until we got a 5L container. The problem is they don't always have the foreigner receipt book for gasoline and even if they do, they don't like filling it out. Most of the stations on the main roads now have government cameras to check they are complying with the government rules. Now we just park a short distance away from the service station and walk in to fill the container. Provided they have gasoline, it always been quick and easy and although I don't mind paying the foreigner price (9 B/L), I am almost always charged the local price (3.7 B/L). Trouble is when we need 10 or 15 L they don't always like filling the container a second time. An extra 1 B/L can help or sometimes the next service station is easier, but this all takes time out of your day. Despite the problems we love Bolivia, if it was easy where would be the adventure? If it was the same as home, why would you leave home? s445203 - We also like Argentine, but don't think all your problems are now over, just wait until the first few times you have to line up for 30 min or more to get money from the ATM or all the ATMs are empty or line up for 1 hour or more to get gasoline or there is no gasoline and then you line up for 30 min or more in the supermarket checkout and then they have no change. Bolivia may then not look so bad.... Sorry to hear about your bike, that is a bummer. John & Alanna Skillington |
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Watch for speed traps on the La Paz to Puno section if you go that way - it cost me 100 Bolivianos, unofficially of course. The limit is 80km/h between towns. For all who are curious, my bike is free after getting the fine down from US$2000 to US$200. However, the victory is somewhat pyrrhic - and I wish I had just left it with them to write all their endless reams of paperwork. It cost me 4 days delay, two of which were spent inside the La Quiaca customs office waiting around (it was a sight to behold, but not fun), and I've just realised I may have a paperwork problem with the stamps and shipping back to London, which means I might have to detour via Uruguay and get a new entry stamp costing me another half a days work. All this for a bike that's worth $600 after I pay the shipping..... |
Why are you complaining so bitterly about Bolivia again? Sounds to me like you had a fine time there, but ran into serious (and expensive) difficulties in Argentina. Also sounds to me like there's more to come.
I liked both, and had no noteworthy difficulties in either. If I judged countries on the basis of highway blockades and extortion attempts I'd have long ago written off Panama and Mexico along with much of South America, all of Africa, and (in the old days) Cook County, Illinois. Here's hoping it all works out for the best. Mark |
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I'm more annoyed with myself for not spotting the Aduana's game (the fine was the time, not the money), but either way, an adventure was most definitely had and lots of stories to tell so I'm a happy camper despite my Bolivia experience. And can completely see how others can love it - different countries for different peeps. Love and peace to you all. |
Just a thot. This is the route the Dakar 2014 is going to take up thru Villazon, Tupiza (and then Uyuni and west). If the strikers were smart they would threaten to strike on Jan 12 and 13 and make a mess of the situation! doh
My thot is that the ASO (Dakar org) has only approved the bikes and Quads to go thru Bolivia because they may have to change their minds at the last minute and cut Bolivia out of the Dakar! Or maybe there will be a 'Decreto Supremo' that no protests are allowed!! |
I am currently in Sucre and have been told that the blockades are over. I will be leaving tomorrow for Potosi so hope it is true. The gas thing and the blockades are just part of the charm of travelling and learning foreign countries. How boring would it be if we never had any great stories to tell or friends back home.
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