Las Fresas Hit the Road

After two years in the Peace Corps we’re hitting the road in an Emerald green ’95 Chevy, bought for $5,000 in Peru. Our plan is to travel South America living off the bounty of soft serve ice cream, five flavors to be exact, although strawberry is obviously our signature flavor. Our return to Bolivia is like a pilgrimage to the land we were exiled from, to visit friends and do all the things we didn’t get to do, maybe get some closure and listen to LPs with Bill Green, It took a while to get moving, we’re taking our time in the traditional South American pace.

We spent two weeks in Ecuador, fixing up our truck with the ice cream machine, attaching the fulgon and painting it, traveling every day and touring every mechanic shop along the way. We stopped outside of Cuenca to visit Garrett and have a good old fashioned cuy roast.  (That's guinea pig for those of you playing at home.)  We finally managed to cross the border to Peru (on the third try). We’ve become “Police Whisperers” charming the pants off every cop and customs officer we come across. We are a bit suspicious after all with our truck plastered in Lebo’s crooked stars and Michelle’s childish handwriting “Helados Las Fresas,” the machine in the back and two puppies up front. Although when Soledad pees on David’s feet it distracts them enough to let us pass with smiles and waves. Funds are low due to all the technical difficulties (see box) but we did make $170 in two days selling in a few coastal barrios in Ecuador and almost $200 in a beach town in Peru. When “The Fund” isn’t in the red gas, food and lodging is paid for through the sales, so we plan on working our way down Peru to give ourselves a nice cushion for later on. We’re in Northern Peru still and think it will take about two weeks to make it to the Pachamama. We probably won’t make it to Oruro for Carnival as originally planned but we’ve come to realize that plans change quickly, all you can do is be flexible and jump rope (for heart.) Bolivia or bust!

On the side of the highway fixing one of many flat tires.

Fresa and Soledad spoon on the floor

Happiness is an ice cream cone

Getting that tire fixed and put back on