After the Brazilian gas disaster Neena insisted that we still see some of Brazil, so we parked the FJC with friends in Panambi, Brazil while we toured Rio and the adjacent state of Minas Gerais by bus:
So after 25 days it was great to be back on the road again. The honeymoon was short lived - the Argentine province of Entre Rios was unsufferably hot with dull boring scenery. But that was the good part.
In addition to its aforementioned merits Entre Rios boasted corrupt cops that gave us our worse trouble to date. Despite some setbacks Argentina is a very rich and modern country and there is no excuse for corruption here. I would be a little more understanding in a poorer country like Peru or Ecuador where the police are not well paid.
The "infraction" was the D-Shackle in the trailer hitch, which protruded past the bumper. Never mind that I managed to drive almost 30,000 miles through over a dozen countries with this being much of a problem. The fine was to be 330 pesos (about $100) for this violation. It offended my sense of fairness to pay this so I dug in my heels.
I sat with the Commandante in a half constructed structure in the hot sun arguing back and forth, the crux of my argument being that the vehicle was inspected at the border and pronounced safe for use. If I had been in violation it was incumbent on them to inform me at that time. I alternately flattered him about his responsibilities and shamed him about the way he was treating us. After about 45 minutes he was on the verge of tears. We were let go with a warning.
It was a Pyrrhic victory, as the sun aggravated the fever I was running. So now I am laid up in bed Rosario, Argentina.
At least I got CNN
2007 Silver Ti FJC, AT, Pre-Runner 
Linear Mode
