Cuidad Bolivar - Tollgate truck stop - 95 km
I was reluctant to leave our cosy accommodation, but it was time to move along.
The map indicated 120 kilometres to El Tigre. Armed with this information, we
descended the steep hill to the river and left Bolivar via a substantial bridge over
the Orinoco River.
Fifteen kilometres out of Cuidad Bolivar, a sign indicated El Tigre was 165
kilometres away, making it a total distance of 185 kilometres. I wondered what
happened to the 120 kilometres indicated. At sunset, a toll gate appeared,
providing a spot to pitch the tents. A toll gate has never made the best spot to
overnight and this one was no different. It was noisy with a strong oil smell, but
water and toilets were available, and a few street vendors provided food.
Tollgate truck stop – Anaco - 108 km
As one can imagine, there’s no sleeping late at a truck stop, and we were up and
away early. Plenty of rusty shrines lined the road, which didn’t come as a surprise,
considering how Venezuelans drove.
Vendors sold interesting nibbles, mainly cassava flatbread made from the cassava
root. The bread was immensely popular and accompanied most dishes. However, I
considered it slightly dry and chewy.
This must’ve been a day for things to break. Not only did my front hub appear to be
at the end of its life, but one of my sandals also gave in, and it wasn’t like I had
another pair. Fortunately, cable ties did the job, and I hoped it would see me
through to the next big town.