Cusco to La Paz

We had just heard the news that our good friend Mr. Bean would be joining us in La Paz.

After 2 weeks, this is just what Betty had needed all along and finally she had gained back enough strength to leave Cusco.

First stop - the deepest Canyons in the world at Cotahachi and Colca, where huge condors fly between the cliffs decending 3400m to the river below.

Next stop - Arequipa, where we picked up a Yank and an Irish who deceided to join us on the road to Bolivia.

Last Stop - La Paz - where we would arrive at the airport the night of the 17th of October - ready for Beano’s arrival at 530am the next morning.

But of course it would never ever ever be so easy..

About an hour or so from Puno, on the beautiful Lake Titicaca, Betty started to think maybe she wanted to stay in Peru forever. 

First we lost 4th gear.

Then third.

Then 1st.

Second was now our only hope and in 4 hours we had made it to Puno.

We had missed Beano’s early arrival but we would make it all in good time.

Or so we hoped..

Getting away early the next morning we pushed Betty round the corner and down the hill to get her moving and locked into 2nd gear.

It’s 2 hours to the border at Deaguadero.

We made it in 5.

Apart from Bono overstaying his visa by like a month, everything at the border went smoothly.

We had made it - at least across the border - now to get to La Paz where we had the address of a mechanic who we knew could heal all Betty’s woes.

Now just after midday, even in 2nd we would make the 100km distance to La Paz at least by nightfall, check Betty in to Dr. Ernesto’s and all would be fine.

At dusk as we rolled into La Paz, we lost 2nd..

We were only 20 mins away.

We organised a tow truck, Betty got hitched, and we were off again.

Then the tow truck ran out of fuel.

Then the discovery that there was no fuel in town - apparently a common problem in La Paz.

So we tried to cyphon Bettys fuel, but because she was hitched up at 45 degrees managed only to get high off the fumes - which wasn’t all that bad… 

So then we took her fuel straight from the fuel pump and after being covered with gasoline, Harls finally plugged the pump once again, we trasferred the fuel into the tow truck and once again, we were off.

This time we made it - through very possibly the worst traffic jam in the history of motor veichles, but by now it was past 10 o’clock, way past Ernestos’ bed time, so we parked Betty up down the side alley, paid a security guard a few bucks to keep an eye on her, and hit the town - direct for the Palacio Del Inca, where Mr. Bean waited patiently in good old room number 9..

When Bono arrived at Hotel Betty, things rose to as new level.

With a Bono, and a Bean, who knows where things might lead..