This is the first time I’ve traveled in the Bolivian countryside with someone who has their own truck. On previous trips I have traveled the same roads on foot, which is definitely the best way to see things and get a visceral feel for them. However, it’s grueling and time consuming. Plus, you can’t carry much in the way of gifts and books when traveling on foot. In the past, I’ve also shared rides with others in the beds of livestock trucks and pickup trucks, and squeezed inside crowded vans.

Traveling in Carlos’ pickup truck I was fortunate to have an attentive driver – he even made sure my seatbelt was buckled!

I learned that Bolivian vehicles have two different fuel burning options: gasoline and natural gas. Depending on the steepness of the incline, the driver will choose one or the other. Natural gas is cheaper.

Carlos learned a lot about rural driving and auto mechanics on the job. At one point while bringing books and supplies from the city his hood popped open, blinding him. Luckily he was able to pull over without further incident, though the hood now needs repair. We also experienced the car overheating, the horn getting stuck in the ‘on’ position due to a melted cable, and an hour’s worth of navigating loose farm soil at the end of a driveway. That last situation required about six of us to figure out how to build tracks out of loose boards to get back to solid ground. Never a dull moment! And we always had our walking shoes ready…!

Here are some of the views from our travels.