A JOURNEY IN BOLIVIA 1988
He said he could take us to Zudañez and Presto. After a short negotiation, we agreed to go with him to Zudañez for Bs 160, for two days. As far as we are concerned, the car rental company could go to hell.
Wednesday, August 17th
We had breakfast with a couple of young Swiss, who traveled by bus and train through Argentina and Bolivia. At a quarter past eight the taxi driver was at the door with his son and his car. We left for Zudañez. When leaving the city, the driver made three crosses. Apparently he was expecting a tough journey. After driving thirteen kilometers we climbed a mountain to the left of the road, where we first found Parodia and a little later also a form of L. cinnabarina. The driver and his son had diligently helped in the search. When we got back to the car, the left headlight of his car had been stolen.
Two kilometers further we made another stop. There was a bulbous plant that looks like a crocus. We had already seen this plant at Anzaldo and Aiquile.
The road was not bad, but extremely dusty. This created a kind of suction in the car, which caused even more dust.
Past Yamparaez we showed a few women a picture of S. canigueralii. They said they knew similar plants far in the mountains. They were going to find them for us. When we returned later, the plants would be ready for us.
Somewhere from this area -
In Tarabuco toll had to be paid again. We took an egg sandwich and continued the journey.
Then the driver spoke to a man who was walking along the road with a bag on his back. This man claimed to know espinas pequeñas with red flowers and was willing to point them out to us for a small fee. We went for a walk with him, further and further to an area where we would certainly not expect any sulcos. At one point he pointed to a lobivia. We indicated to him that we were not looking for it now. He knew that, he said. A moment later he pointed to a tephro cactus. We didn't want that either, but he knew that too. Eventually we ended up at a small
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