Driving on the Trans-Chaco Highway in Paraguay

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Today inAsunción,Paraguay I got up with three goals to accomplish before setting off on the Trans Chaco Highway to the north. I wanted to get a driving map of Paraguay, get cash out of an ATM, and get a SIM card for the phone. I headed to the Shopping Sol center near the hotel, and I accomplished one out of three—I found a map which can be quite difficult to do. Later on the road I was able to get the SIM card, but I’m still looking for an ATM that will give me guaraní, the local currency.

I crossed Puente Remanso (bridge) and turned right on Ruta 9 and the Trans-Chaco Highway. A left turn takes you very soon into Argentina. I have heard many stories about that road. The German speaking Mennonite refugees fleeing from Russia took that road to find a new land to settle. The road is almost straight with not one hill on the drive north. The land was greener than I expected and covered with scattered trees. It seems like the African Serengeti plain during the rainy season. There are a few estancias along the road. Their cattle are not fenced in some areas so hitting a cow is one of the hazards of driving on the Trans Chaco road. The other hazard is huge and deep pothole that threaten to break up a car if the driver is not careful.

I reached Filadelfia about 5 PM and looked for a hotel. I was happy to find out that the Goondrina Hotel has fairly good WIFI connections so I’ll be able to Skype with my sisters tomorrow and catch up on this blog. Driving here it seems you will arrive at the end of the world, but things are up-to-date in this isolated part of Paraguay

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Photos

Along the Trans-Chaco Highway
The driver must watch for cattle on the road and deep potholes that threaten the car

A Stop on the Trans Chaco Highway
Next to a restaurant on the highway there was a pond overed with duckweed and the cormorants wiating to dive.