Thanks for all of the info! We'll be in Bolivia in about a week, hope it all works out!

Do you know what would happen if my friend failed to show his drivers licence if stopped on a bike?

You ll most prolly have to pay a fine. You could play stupid or try to tip, anyways, since you are not used to that kind of practice, it s better to play legal and buy a temporary motorcycle driving licence.

If you get to Tarija, leave me a message, i ll introduce you to the right people to help you.

Thanks again for the info Vorteks.

Are there any requirements for the temporary licence, i.e. documents? Do you have to complete any sort of test for the temporary licence?

We're heading to Iguassu Falls tomorrow and will be moving on to the salt flats after that. Thanks for the offer to hook us up. We could stop off at Tarija on the way to Uyuni to sort stuff out, then we could head to the Salt Flats whilst any paperwork was being sorted out?

Best wishes

Ben

You need your passport and cash, the rest is a question of network. We ll head to Uyuni on April 15th, may be this could be an oportunity for you to go the easy way and meet bolivian bikers, depends on your schedule...

There you could stay in the Hosteria, which is as well a wov (working volunteers, you can get free bed and food for a few hours of work). The owner is a former senator of Tarija and will be able to activate local networks.

Here is a sample of what you ll get for breakfast

https://fbcdn-photos-a.akamaihd.net/..._8031937_a.jpg

We should be arriving in Tarija on Friday 30 March... if there are spaces on the bus from Salta.

We'll head straight to the Hosteria for a vino breakfast and drop you a message!

Did I mention we can't speak Spanish?

Thanks!

Ben

Hey Vorteks, Ben,
See you there. I'm maybe two days behind you. I'm in Tucuman at the moment but will hopefully be in Bolivia by the weekend.

Dunc.

Hey Dunch,

You should cross the border at la Quiaca/Villazon and then take the mountain road down to Tarija, the landscapes are just stunning over the 160 km of dirt road and it somtimes gives true thrills watching down the ravins. If you need anything customized on the motorcycle in Tarija, or any repairs, just ask, craftmen are incredibly talented and as you know, that luxury wont kill your budget.

Ben, once at the bus station in Tarija, ask for the "parada de taxi para el valle", it s a 20 minutes 5 pesos ride from Tarija in shared taxi. From the station you ll need to take a small bus that will take you to the taxi stop, in the center of the town.

Sounds good, I've found the road on Google maps. Do you think it's time to fit a set of knobblies?

For anything standard, it s easier to find in Argentina or Chile, especially tyres. This is why bolivians are so good at...handcrafting, they need to copy what they can t afford to import.

Bolivia is a good oportunity to test your off road skills on the wild side of the Andes, so why not buying off road tyres, you can sell them back anytime if you decide to stick to the Panamerican in Peru (which wouldnt make sense imho).

Well, I just nearly dropped the bike getting it up two shallow steps to put it in the hostel courtyard for the evening, that's about the limit of my off-road skills :)

Anyway, got a shiny new set of Pirelli Scorpions, rear wheel bearings replaced and fresh oil/filter. Salta tomorrow and then up to La Quiaca.

Hi Vorteks,
I'm having trouble finding the hosteria on Google Maps. Any chance of posting coords or a link?

Thanks,
Dunc.

Uriondo, Valle de Concepcion : 25 km south of Tarija, take a right on the road to Bermejo, where you ll see a porch and different international flags. Be carefull, the curvy road is undergoing seasonal repairs with fresh asphalt.

Visit Uriondo in Valle Concepcion. Travel Tarija Bolivia. Wine Tours.
Panoramio - Photo of Plaza principal de Uriondo, valle de Concepción Tarija Bolivia
el valle de concepcion Uriondo

They are making Singani right now at the hosteria, a local brandy...might keep you warm at night :o)

I'm in Tarija. I checked into the first place that would let me bring the bike inside but will take a look for the hosteria tomorrow.
You're right about the mountain road, absolutely stunning but physically hard work to ride and I'm going to need to find a mechanic to replace a number of bolts that have shaken loose during the ride.
First of all though, I need to find someone who will sell me petrol. None of the places I tried would sell it to me. Any idea which station will sell to me?

Dunc.

Try the station south right after the control, at the road crossing between roads going to Bermejo and Entre Rios. Tell them you are going to "el valle" and need some gas. Try to negociate at 5 pesos a liter, showing them your british plate (the higher price is targeted at argentine "gauchos" to avoid traficking), if you can t, take some at 9 and we ll go together on Monday for more.

See you tomorrow if you are going to Uriondo, or on Monday, i ll go to plaza Bolivar at 10 am : 72980961

Glad I missed that thunderstorm. I bet the road from Iscayachi over the tops is no barrel of laughs in the wet :)