Today we climb the last pass that separates us from Oruro, the next big city. We leave Uncia early and arrive fairly quickly in Llallagua, a city bigger than Uncia. We find a caldo to take away for lunch, it's a kind of cream soup with lots of meat and an egg.
After a short descent we attack the pass which rises to more than 4400m above sea level. The climb is going pretty well, some portions are very steep but most are quite easy. We eat our caldo 30min from the top of the pass, it's warm and nice, we take the opportunity to take a nap. Arrived at the top we start a descent which will finish tomorrow, 20km from Oruro. The start of the descent is steep, then it softens.
We arrive, as expected, early enough in Huanuni, a good-sized mining town. As usual we're observed by many in an insistent and uncomfortable way. We find an alojamiento that has no room for us, so we'll check on a second advised by the first. The second alojamiento is closed and nobody answers, we're told to wait, the owner shouldn't be long. We wait a little and then look for a third alojamiento that no longer exists. So we come back to the second and wait patiently for an hour. The
owner makes us visit the place: two single beds without sheets and a
shower that may work for a price twice the average. François
is tired of the filthy alojamientos and Bolivians who are taking us for fools, we leave to look for the last alojamiento of the city. The owner of the latter has no room for us either.
In a rage, we decide to ride a little to reach the nearest village despite the late hour. We can't go far, the sun goes down in an hour. In the village of Viluyo, we ask the school, the mayor, the soldiers checking cars and the health center a place to sleep, but no one wants to let us sleep in these places, not even in the school playground. Frustrated and stunned by such little hospitality, we pitch our tent next to the health center, at the sight of the soldiers for more security. The nurse at the health center accepts that we take a shower, but only Floriane will benefit from it, the nurse leaves right after her shower.
