Getting closer to the boarder

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Paul really wanted to be in 2 countries for his birthday but we didn't quite make it. We spent most of the day in another bus. We caught the bus and we were the only 2 on it and we were still commenting on how could a bus company make money on an empty bus when we pulled into another bus station and had to change onto another one that was nearly full. The bus waited 45 minutes until all the seats were taken before it left. During that time men came on board and tried to sell watches and sunglases and kids were selling soya milk and black maize drinks in pre/used fizzy bottles.

As we travelled up, up, up rocky mountains and down into the most amazingly fertile valley with a tropical microclimate the bus conductor started talking and giving everyone a lecture and eventually we figured out he was selling Marca powder, 3 packets for 10 sols. Paul had been had by the conman in Valpairiso and paid 40 for a packet of capsules. This meant he was really conned back then and he was not happy. We came across vegetation that looked like NZ

We had a lunchstop at a restaurant but we preferred to buy food off the children selling outside. They sells bags of chocolate cereal and bags of maize, fried with salt, a bit like popcorn without being properly popped. There was also some fruit for sale, bags of the soft skinned yellow passionfruit and papaya and oranges and lemons.

The toilets were sort of long drops, but were squatters, places to put your feet and quite a small hole to aim at.

Back on the bus and we passed acres of rice paddies and later that afternoon we arrived at Jaen. This is an interesting town. There are hundreds of trishaw type motorbikes and no/one is allowed to walk without these bikes coming up and tooting at you. We had a walk around town to find out where and when the bus onwards left from and we saw no/one that looked like a tourist. Paul gets looked at all the time, he thinks it is because he is so tall, but I think it is because he walkks around with his shirt untucked. The men here all wear long trousers with a long sleeved shirt, all nicely tucked in with a tidy belt, their hair is always tidily combed and you often see them smoothing their hair down.

The hostel we went to only had 1 room left with a single bed. It was soo hot we took it because we couldn't be bothered finding another place. Just on the corner near the hostel was a street vendor selling chicken and chips for 1 sol. It included a chicken nibble and fried entrails, chips and mayonaise over. Paul says the innards were very tasty. I have seen chickens for sale in the market with some innards and the uncomplete eggs of differing sizes included with the chook.

We looked for a restaurant that would have meat, for the birthday tea. No luck, we ended up at another chicken and chinese place. I had wantons again, this time the sweet and sour sauce had peaches. Pineapple is so hohum here, they are very cheap and for sale everywhere.

Because it was Paul's birthday he had the pillow and we tried to sleep with the heat and the clunk and whir of an old fan, knowing that we had an early start the next morning.

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Comments

[Nicky]

Update
Great to catch up on travels my computer kept opening at your last instalment and had to refresh to get current message dad had read it and filled me in - keep up the good work and belated happy birthday Paul.