CCRSM - Monthly digest

Bulletin n°154 - 2007 November

Bulletin 154 – November 2007: Summary

Front & back covers :

Photos sent back by travellers in central Asia, Bolivia, the balade du Loir a la Loire in France (report on page 8), Senegal, Uzbekhistan.

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Communiquons! Echangeons! Editorial by the President, Jean-Pierre Pillot.

Jean-Pierre Pillot "An association is a group of members united by their desire to share knowledge and experiences".
In the case of our association, those who’ve already crossed continents will show the way to those who want to follow in their footsteps, and who, in their turn, will pass this information on to others.
The bulletin, the Yahoo Forum and the website allow the transmission of information to everyone. That is vertical communication.
If you have any information you would like to share with other members, journals, photos, technical information etc, please send it to bulletin@camping-car-monde.com.
Everyone involved in the production of the bulletin has access to the above mailbox. If possible send text as a Word document, without any formatting (font and font size do not matter) and photos in their original format, uncompressed.

Horizontal communication is that which links members directly to each other. A considerable amount of this is already taking place very successfully within the club, and an up to date members directory will encourage this sharing of information even more. With this bulletin you will have been sent a membership renewal form. Once we have received completed forms from all our members, we can produce and distribute the membership directory.

This will then enable you to get in touch with each other: – Because your contact details are correct; – Because your recent trips are a mine of information for other people’s planned trips; – Because your planned trips are similar or identical to those of other members and you can work together to develop them; – Because your knowledge of your vehicle may help another member with a technical problem; – Because your skills can and should be used

Don’t hesitate to contact other members. You’ll receive a friendly reply and you’ll exchange information with each other on a range of topics.

So, in order to improve communications :

Please return to me as soon as possible the enclosed membership renewal form. I would like to be able to produce the members directory in January. Naturally, we’ll take into consideration the fact that some of you are on the road.

Pick up your pens !

bulletin@camping-car-monde.com
Jean-Pierre Pillot
CCRSM, 8 rue Pierre-Antoine Le Moiturier, 21000 DIJON, FRANCE
- Please send any hard copy text, photos on CD-ROM, postcards etc to me at the above address.

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Voyages : Elke and John Wildhaber are in Bolivien

Zurich – Salta (Argentina)

Accompanied by my daughter to the airport we check in with 59 kg, allowed 40 kg + 4 kg, laden with 30 kg of spare parts The overweight cost us 1´300 CHF or one thousand Dollars!! After a nice conversation and 8 kg of change into the hand luggage, the very nice lady let it slip. Our hand luggage (4 peaces) weighed 31 kg!! The consequences are that the hand luggage was checked in all details and even has to undergo an explosive test, this in Zurich and Frankfurt!! In Buenos Aires the midday flight to Salta was cancelled without prior notice and so we have to wait for 7 hours for the next connection flight. This excused the excess luggage of now 26 kg!! It was late at night, very cold and so we take a hostel in Salta.

We find our Mani (RV) in good condition, stay over the weekend with our hosts in the countryside. The following week the few repairs/replacements are quickly done and so we enjoy our time getting adjusted to the new way of life again. We find our harmony in our new home, verify our route and get good information from Tobias and Gudrun, Germans travelling for one year in South America.

Salta (1´200m)– Border to Bolivia (3450m)

We take the scenic route to Jujuy and to Tilcara, shout colourful photos along the Quebrada de Huamahuaca, rock formation famous for its colour variety and visit the touristy place Huamahuaca, where the monk in the church tower -made of stone- showed up at 12.00 o’clock for a couple of minutes. Further we drove on good roads to the frontier of Bolivia, where we cross La Quiaca/Villazon without problems. For the first time a car insurance was required.

Villazon (3´450m) – Potosí (4´065m) – Sucre (2´790m)

The washboard road (400 km) to Potosí is good in parts and they are working on it, 50 km are paved roads and the whole way with very low traffic. Nearly a 100 km we drive alongside of a finished paved road, but due to bad construction and lack of quality, the road is closed down. The temperature rises up to 30° and falls at night to 5° below zero, a difference of 35°, the humidity is between 8 and 15% ! The vegetation is very scarce; we see herds of llamas, vicunas, and donkeys, domestic animals on the streets but only few cows and horses. It is springtime and all the farmers are cultivating their soil. The fine dust, and dust is everywhere, gets in every place. People are a sort of reserved, but helpful and sometimes taciturn. But it is a joy to see the women’s top huts, peeping out two black plaits, and their colourful clothing, a joy to see that all again. Only one kid tried to throw a stone towards us, but he missed.

Today, tomorrow and after tomorrow is fiesta de San Bartholomé y Los Chutillos, the most important festivities of the year in Potosí. The Saturday parade from 09.00 to 18.00, with over 80 groups, each between 20 and 200 participants, very colourful clothing, full of joy and dancing with one’s lifeblood to primeval, but few varied music. Over 50 groups’ of Potosí typo carnival display their culture and local dance on Sunday with just the same effusive enthusiasm. Today, the festivities name is called: Fiesta de la Integration National !

On Monday we visit the cerro rico and the mines. Today 16´000 mineworker work in 500 mines under very poorly conditions and most of it is done by hand! Coca leaves with bicarbonate (catalyst converter) and alcohol is consumed to endure this hard work. And still today mercury is used to separate the silver, tin from the rock. Water is greatly needed for this process and therefore the water is immensely polluted. A water purifying system is in construction, the water can not be used to cook, unless chemicals are added. The profits of these mineworkers are high, even lawyers and people with university degrees work in the mine, not least because the prices of minerals are today at the highest level. But the average death age is 35 !

Students are not happy with today’s political and economical situation, because the right wing and conservatives obstruct the left wing government in every possible way, Sucre, the capital fights to get back all the constitutional bodies from La Paz, Santa Cruz is emerging to receive autonomy from the central government. In one or two weeks there should be a nationwide strike. The students think that it is not very far of from a civil war. We already heard this last October in Jujuy. Under these circumstances we try to reach Santa Cruz as soon as possible and leave for the Jesuit Reductions in the North of Santa Cruz.

Already the next day we get trapped in a road block for over 6 hours. So we doe not reach Sucre in time to find a suitable place to stay, but we have luck and can stay at the health centre. The following day we experience a lot of protest marches. Everybody advises us to leave the town. Sucre is called the white city and really it is worth a visit. After Internet, having a stroll around the town, completing our store, refuel we head towards East.

Sucre – Road of Ché Guevara – Santa Cruz

In a little village we give away some of our gifts (35 t-shirts) to school kids (between 1st and 5th class), not beforehand we talk to the teachers if that is convenient and desired. The morning starts at school with a song in Castellan and Quechua produced by each class, afterwards all students introduce themselves. We talk about school and the importance of learning and education in general.
Enough of talking the school kids plays cat-and-mouse-game and finally after lunch we hand the t-shirts over: Red T-Shirts everywhere were to be seen from a distance after we left. The ripio was acceptable, mountainous, mostly built on rocks; we have to cross a river about ten times (a bypass is shortly in use). As the season is dry we manage very well and road is now in the wet season with 4 x 4 accessible, we are on the Ché route!!

In Oro, a little village on no map happens what I thought is impossible: The edge of the road gave way and we land on the side with Mani. Everything went so quickly, that we only realised, when I was lying on top of Elke. What a shock and what a fiasco !
The satellite telephone did not help, as the mayor of the next village asked me to come and see him. Luckily the teacher who just arrived to give school organised a transport to Villa Serrano (maximum 2 to 3 cars pass per day). The mayor offered a camion and a chauffeur to help and I had to organise the equipment, shovels, picks and a cable winch and 4 people to help me. Luckily the mechanic joined the troop, only after buying 1, 5 kg of coca leafs, bicarbonate, cigarettes and alcohol. After 10 hours at 12 at night we returned and started digging up the road in order to pull Mani up on his wheels again. In the morning we tied the wire rope and hoped to lift it up. But the wire rope was not strong enough and so we had to lift it up with our jack and secured it with a stone tower in front and at the back of Mani. In the river we got a lorry full of big stones and so after 20 hours, Mani stood on his wheels again. After checking the system, I could start the motor with no problems. But oil left through the air filter. I asked our MAN mechanic in Switzerland, if that has any impact: He denied. We have quite some damage, which means a lot of repairs in Santa Cruz. Within one week, we had a new window put in; the damaged side repaired with fibreglass, beat out the damaged cabin and newly painted. We think we had really a lot of luck altogether.

Around Oro it is fine for fishing and at nights you see white foxes and other small animals. In La Higuera, where Ché got shot by the military, is a big bust on his honour. On the 08.10.2007 there are 40 year celebrations of Ché`s death, participating: The President of Bolivia, Venezuela, Vice-President of Cuba and perhaps the president of Argentina. We visit the Mausoleum and the Museum in Vallegrande.

In Samaipata we visit “El Fuerte” the most East post of the Inca Empire, again a strategic position to defend themselves against the warlike Guanranís.

Santa Cruz – Frontier to Brazil

We go to Buena Vista, to explore the Parque Nacional Amboró for 2 days. We leave for the Missiones via Montero, partly on a wild and romantic, but terrible road. We cross the Rio Grande in the riverbed and over a few pontoons, tide up together (privately organised, costing 100 Bol., we paid 34 Bol, as we do not have any more Bolivinaos with us!). From Los Troncos we have paved road until Concepción. The Missiones in San Javier and Santa Anna are the only original reductions, just well worth seeing them, especially Santa Anna. Concepción and San Ignacio are rebuilt and not authentic, overloaded with glamour, not in any way alike the originals and the in the sense of the Jesuits. Today, Franciscans from 4 different countries are managing the Jesuits Reductions. San Ignacio became very touristy and the place is not at all helpful, as church ward tells us, they earn too much money !

We leave for the frontier on ripios (312 km). 40 km before San Matías, one leaf and the bolt brake. On a farm nearby we get help, as I have a bolt, but not a leaf. A farmer is organising it from San Matías the following day. We drive into the yard to stay and wait what is happening! Nothing happened. The following day Elke and I take the 2 broken leafs, 3 km to the road, early in the morning to catch a bus, The first vehicle cam at 10.30 and said the bus will be coming at 10.45, and so it was, we left for San Mathias (40km). We have our passport stamped to leave Bolivia. From there we have to take a taxi to Cáceres (85 km). Finally we find the suitable length of the leaves, but only for 4 tons (we have 6 tons). So we asked for a double layer and took a taxi to the bus station. Now we have 3 peaces of leaves, very heavy and not so easy to carry. The bus leaves at 17.00 to the border of Bolivia. From there we have to take a taxi from the frontier to San Matías (7 km), where we stay in a hotel for overnight. The following morning we take the bus at 08.30 and the mechanic from the farm and I carried the 3 peaces 3 km and 40° in the shade through sand, a I think I will never arrive alive!! The mechanic and I fixed the suspensions and at 17.00 we are finished. Sweat and dirt and tiredness show up. But we are very happy to manage it with our means we have. A shower with water from a nearby draw well and everything looks bright again.

We leave for Brazil (19.09.2007), hoping with less adventure!!!

John + Elke

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Voyages : Central Asia

Continuation of the account of the trip through central Asia undertaken by the following members: Fenech, Lahaye, Pairault and Balmain. They received a warm welcome wherever they went.

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France : Walk before AG, from river Loir to river Loire

Marcel le Corre’s report of the « balade » from the river Loir to the river Loire which took place in September before the AGM.

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Voyages : Genevieve and Michel Casenave continue their journey in Argentina and Bolivia

Genevieve and Michel Casenave have now arrived in Buenos Aires for a 2007-2009 tour and write about their travels in Argentina and Bolivia. See their website http://www.casenavenroute.com for more details and photos.

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Voyages : Richard and Marie-The Grandjean traveling in India

Richard and Marie-The Grandjean left France at the end of July and are now in India, being unable to enter Nepal due to political problems.

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Unsorted subject

Download free guided tours

Visit the excellent site www.zevisit.com to access and download free information (also available in English and as podcasts and videos) about over 500 places to visit in France and Europe and links to over 70 tourist offices.

New club members

List of new club members with contact details

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Travel Award

Do you want to join these trips?

A group travelling to Uzbekhistan 20 June to 1st August 2008 is looking for 2 or 3 more vans to join them. Contact Andre Helmbacher if you want to know more on andre.helmbacher.54@hotmail.fr

Jean-Pierre and Nelly Malaus are hoping to travel to China in a campervan from March to October 2008 (can be changed) and are looking for travelling companions. They speak English, Turkish and some German. If you are interested, contact them on jpmalaus@club-internet.fr

Michel Lejosne is travelling to Mali, leaving in early January 2008 and is looking for one team to accompany him. He can be contacted on mlejosne@cegetel.net

Useful Info

Information by Andre Helmbacher

Information relevant to holders of French driving licences.

Information by Jacques Berlivet

Details of a series of evening events in Paris relating to world-wide travel.

Information by Jacques Mahaut

Ex-President Jacques Mahaut, who compiled all the previous bulletins during his presidency finds it strange not to be busily preparing the bulletin now that the baton has passed to the new editorial team.

Reminder

A reminder that a subscription renewal form was enclosed with the bulletin and that it should be completed and returned as soon as possible so that all the information can be compiled into a members contact list.

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Forum

The Club manages a Yahoo Forum similar to the anglophone Yahoo Forum.

New subject

Recently there was a lively discussion on the French Forum on how to reward local people who helped you while travelling, what sort of gifts could be offered to them without insulting them or going over the top etc. Many people tried to find out the cost of living in the countries they were to visit so they could buy appropriate gifts before starting the journey. Does anyone know of a website which provides information on the cost of living by country ?

And always internet via satellite

This provides information about a website, Sat2Way, offering two new services for 2008, available in the second quarter of the year. Road2Sat is relevant to motorcaravanners and Cap2Sat is intended for sailors.

Come back from Israel

Jeannot and Gudrun Dinee have just returned from a wonderful trip in Israel and would be happy to provide members planning to visit Israel with information, including which stamps to avoid in your passport if you wish to enter the country.

In the next bulletin :

– An interview with Carlos Ibanez
– Account of a motorhome exchange between France and Quebec
– Account of some of Les Brook’s journey
– And lots more …

How to make a pizza in a frying pan :

Pizza

Ingredients : 150 g flour, 2 eggs, half a sachet of dried yeast, 2 soup spoons of olive oil, salt, 150 ml milk.

Topping: a red or green pepper, 2 tomatoes, 10 olives (optional), 2 slices of ham (or chorizo type sausage), 80g cheese, a big onion, oregano, salt and pepper

Method: Mix the ingredients to make a smooth dough. Put the dough into a hot well-oiled frying pan and cook on a low heat for 10 minutes. When the dough is firm and half cooked, turn it over like a pancake. Continue to cook it, adding tomato puree, oregano, cheese, cubed ham, onion, red pepper (previously gently cooked in olive oil), diced tomatoes. Garnish with the olives and season. Sprinkle with grated cheese.

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