- Date
- 17 August 2001
- Lodging
- Tirol De Paraguay
- Distance
- 395 KM
- Total
- 203762 KM
Four border crossings today – out of Brazil and into Argentina, out of Argentina and into Paraguay. No problem departing Brazil, but almost two hours getting into Argentina, even though we’ve entered and departed, and have documents proving this, several times in the last six weeks. A couple of self-important officers, with an audience of colleagues, searched both our cars, crawling underneath to poke and prod thin pieces of pipe in search of smuggled goods or drugs. One even crawled on top of the GWagon to stick a slight piece of metal pipe into the 20-liter jerry cans feeling for hidden narcotics at the bottom! I guess the inconspicuous yellow Mercedes sensation and massive GWagon covered in 101-country stickers appear to be smuggling machines. After this ridiculous search, which allowed perhaps 50 other cars to cruise through without inspection, we faced no delays in the afternoon leaving Argentina or entering Paraguay.