The MiniBus Diaries

Lindsay · Post by **Lindsay** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 1:27 pm

Hola from La Paz, Bolivia

Paul from gabriola Island introduced me to the site. Thought you might be interested in seeing our recent trip around South America in ¨The Albino Rhino¨our 95 Turbo-D. The van performed fantastically - with the exception of alternator problems - and is the ideal vehicle for travelling around South America´s mostly paved roads, and most scenic unpaved roads and parks.

http://lindsaysimmonds.com/blogMay06.html
(unfortunately due to server space limitations the first half of the trip - including all of brazil - has been de-archived, sorry)

We are in the process of deciding whether to bring the van back to canada.... or sell it here. We bought the van in Bolivia for us$8k, after it was bought by a slimey used car salesman in Iqique , Chile, then transformed to right-hand drive in one of the three centres for ¨transformadoras¨in Bolivia, nationalised and put in the car lot in Santa Cruz. There are literally 1000s of ¨transformadora¨delicas in this lowland city - operating as minibusses and family vehicles, but here in la Paz (alt 3750 mts.) diesels are not very popular.

nuff said, hope you enjoy the stories....

Green1 · Post by **Green1** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 2:41 pm

our 95 Turbo-D

We are in the process of deciding whether to bring the van back to canada....

unfortunately, I think the choice has already been made for you...95 is too new to get around the 15 year rule for importing...

Post by **BCDelica** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 4:55 pm

Hola,

Thank you for sharing, Rhino's adventure's are very enjoyable. Great pictures too, I wonder what they do with the bull kelp?

:D

Breadman · Post by **Breadman** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 5:58 am

welcome to the club, glad you joined. i would be more envious if it was january and reading of your adventures, but it seems okay being that it's summer time here.
paul