Day 5 - Dourados to Corumba

Early start again today and a page of amendments :(

And oh what an eventful day we had and i think so did everyone else!!
The mechanics are going to have a busy night ahead.

The day started off with an early Test on rough ground and although we had decided not to compete we were told that it was the only route to our destination so off we went..

For a minute the Itala thought she was back in Mongolia. We slipped and slid across this gorgeous red mud, the gps flew off the car and we got splattered from head to foot with red gunge.. Just as well we had our all in ones on - yuck...
A few competitor rallied hard past us and we thought that there may possible be a bit of carnage in the hotel car park that evening!!

The Road to Miranda .....
We decided not to take or even run on the next test. Cusco seems a long way off so with a quick shot of Barbara Shooters map and the advice of some locals we chose to go 'off route' and take the scenic route along with Barbara and Adrian who were still having some rad issues, to Miranda through the National Park at Benita.

What a spectacular run it was, we even managed to have a spot of lunch. (Sweet black coffee, a Brazilian pasty and a nag of crisps)
The heavens opened several times and although we got soaked, we soon dried off and then soaked again but it was turning into a very relaxing day.

Apart from nearly being slapped in the chops by a bird of prey when it darted from the low ground and straight at us (the horn of a passing lorry had prompted it methinks :()
No GPs, no road book flapping in the 60 mile an hour breeze. Bliss for a few hours.

Then disaster struck when we joined the main road to Corumba..

About 130 kms from the Nacional hotel, The 'Top floor' of the heavens opens, water got into the coil and the Itala came to a grinding halt at the sidebof a busy road and we were left just sitting there in the pouring rain. And it poured and poured and flaming poured. The thunder and lightening started and we didn't know whether to laugh or cry!!

The Shooters in their Model A were close behind us so they went ahead to pass the word but about 20 mins of just standing at the road side in this horrid storm with lorries flying past us, one of the support land rovers sailed by and eventually came to a stop and waited.
I had the feeling that they had wished they hadn't seen us lol coz very soon they joined us in the road and we were all standing dripping wet in the storm.
So there we all were soaked to the skin, without phone signal, our tracker has already had already died a death earlier in the day. My father had text me to say that we had disappeared yet again!! I assured him that all was well just before the disaster had struck. The storm was so bad that the sat phone didn't work either. All our gear on the car was getting drenched and so i had the silly idea of putting up the umbrella to protect the coil and navigators bag but within a few minutes one huge bolt of lightening struck and i felt a massive jolt from it. Pretty scary experience and still feeling a bit strange now..

When i told my daughter she was very concerned and said that i must see a doc so Simon sent Doc Chris to check me over but he said that i was fine just by looking at me and didn't need to check anything so i will take his word..

Anyway cut this very long story short. Charly turned in up in his truck and it was decided that he would go ahead to get a tow truck for us as David said it would be dangerous to tow as we didn't have any brakes and it was hosing it down.
By now David got bored of being soaked and was thinking of bump starting it with the support truck but we couldn't get a spark from the plugs but when Peter and Betty or should i say Richard and David lol turned up dragging behind them the lovely Maria and Jose who has developed piston probs :(
Davids mind was now made up and Richard towed us a few hundred yards and we eventually got started again but the old girl sounded pretty rough.
The locals came out to see what was going on - they must think we are nuts. And i would have to agree!!

Eventually we were up to speed again and we drove the rest of the 130 km back to hotel.
And are still trying to dry all the clothes. All the bags at the back got drenched and poor David didn't have anything dry to wear down to supper until uncle Roj came to the rescue and brought a spare set of his for him. I had offered him one of my frocks but he declined for some reason.

Anyway i think we are all sorted now and the Itala is parked out front again under cover just in case!

Jorg has just informed me that my ant hills are Termite hills and when the termites vacate the nest the snakes move in so watch out..... (Weird things see the pic below, when i took the pic i was thinking of giving the nest a nudge but got summoned back to the car quickly, thank goodness)

Jorg's navigator has had a rough time over the last few days with a pit fall lol and a small bump but he said he is having a great time but got somewhat bored with termite talk earlier and took 40 winks :))))

Will see what Day 6 brings in Bolivia.
Hope they accept our wet passports??
No more rain pleeeeeeeeeeeaze.
Rain rain go away come back another day.