Temporary Solution.

17.01.2014 – 19.01.2014
118 726 km since the beginning of the journey
Argentina, Salta.


The next morning I walked through the morning town of Cachi to the car service. Yesterday I was told that by eight o'clock everything would be ok and so it was as - at nine the welded driveshaft was waiting on the table. All together the price was 100 pesos - which means less than about 10 Euros.


The work looked pretty decent and I acquired how long it could last - how many thousand kilometers, or how many months or years and the response was that not for a long time but to Salta should be reached. That's good, Salta 's a big city.

Next, it was necessary to get back to the car, the car was, after all, in the mountains by the roadside, but from the service I learned from the workers that soon a bus or “collectivo” would leave going to the direction of Salta and they were ready to take me together with the cardan to the bus stop. The bus came about in a quarter of an hour, was quite decent, although not new, built in the eighties of the last century, or a little earlier.

The bus driver looked a bit surprised seeing a gringo with a laptops bag and driveshaft, but without any unnecessary questions the driveshaft was placed into the trunk.


My car was in the same place and untouched, as left on the previous day, even the warning triangle was hanging at the end of a tow bar, as yesterday. And one of the rear tires was flat, in fact it was already half empty when I turned the driveshaft off yesterday, but then I did not have time to deal with the issue as the locals took me to Cachi.


The tire changing took not much time and then I remembered to take a picture of this 3011 m high place too.




Some pictures of the welded spot as well and then then next – the process of the driveshaft fixing. About 15 minutes later I could get out from under the car.

This installation is not rocket science, you just turn the nuts on. Theoretically, it should now be ready to be used again. In theory many things are possible, and many things are not possible, but in life it is practice that counts. Meanwhile a car with Paraguay's license plate stops and asks if help or water is needed, and then another Argentina vehicle, but now I can manage myself. Thanks!

Next I found a wider place to turn the car around and trying to avoid any abrupt gear changes and other sudden movements, began to drive down the hill. Because who knows how long this welding will withstand.


In a next roadside tire-repair service they found a small hole in the deflated tire and after a while it was repaired and has lasted till now.


Another familiar shape of a vehicle.

Already 10 km before Salta I stopped the car at every car shop and service that could have spare parts, but soon it became clear that no sense to look for the necessary items from anywhere else than Salta. To make the long walking and searching story short - at the shop " Mundo Transmision" they said that on Tuesday they would take accurate measurements and work it out. It would be nice if they can handle it in a week.






Graffiti.








One of the few shops with the Mazda logo on the wall, but there is no official Mazda representation in this country. And neither was even in Brazil, although quite a many necessary parts were bought there. But they are represented in Bolivia and Chile. The countries are right here, when to look at the map.



At least there is internet at this camping. Having written the blog you try to upload it and in the meantime the new day arrives. Finally by the morning you succeed.

GPS tracking - the journey up to Salta in January 16.


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Salta is a beautiful and interesting city and deserves a separate post.