With only a bit of effort and thanks to his practice, he manages to drive a screw perfectly into the board by hand. Michael tries it as well: his screw goes in a bit wonky. But it goes in and out without any trouble – and all without an electrical drill.

We had already been near Mennonite communities in Bolivia and Paraguay, but somehow never made the detour. This time, it’s just one turning away, so we are very curious.

We’ve ended up with the Mennonites in Belize. There are many of them: some more traditional, some more modern; those with horse-drawn carriages and no electricity, and those with massive tractors and perfectly equipped DIY stores.

Welcome to Springfield!

The women wear blue dresses; the men wear black trousers with braces over white shirts. Most also wear a hat or a bonnet.

There are a few wind turbines and plenty of children everywhere, all of whom are busy. We stop at a sawmill. Is all of this really supposed to work without electricity? We can hardly believe it.

Ruben is repairing a saw when we approach him. He speaks Spanish, English, and Pennsylvania Dutch. His family came to Belize from Paraguay 30 years ago. At that time, Mennonites in Paraguay were being robbed constantly. Since there was already a community in Belize, they migrated there.

He shows us the saws. The drive system? Pure horsepower – the literal kind. They have horses walking in a carousel which powers the saws. But there is a backup solution in case no horses are available: water power. Water runs at high pressure through their PVC pipes and provides enough power to run even very modern woodworking machinery. Just like in Europe, only without electricity.

For their community, electricity is a threat to the cohesion; therefore, there is a tendency to reject anything electrical.

Ruben sends us on to his brother Martin, who is a carpenter. He is currently pulling a post out of the ground with his three boys. His wife and the other three children are standing nearby. They are just as interested in us as we are in them.

We speak German with them – they learn it in school because the Bible is read in German. At home they speak Pennsylvania Dutch, (it’s called Dutch probably from the similarity to the dialect word Deutsch for German. Alongside the old characteristics of the Palatine dialect, they use many loanwords from English in their German. So, Martin isn’t a Schreiner, he does Carpenterarwett (carpentry work) and they “farm” their land instead of bewirtschaften (cultivating) it.

It’s a bit hard to understand them when they speak their dialect to us, but it still works quite well. Even in the High German they learned for reading the Bible, you can sense the 18th or 19th-century origins. In any case, we can make ourselves understood; otherwise, they would also speak Spanish and English.

“Aha, caught you!” – or maybe not?

Further along in the village, a young lad is building huts – with a mains hook-up! “Aha, caught you,” we think. But the wooden huts are not for them; they are for sale. The work is well done, and the finished huts are loaded up and sold to outsiders.

They quiz us, and we are surprised by how much they know and how they use modern technology. They order parts from Amazon via third parties, be it doors or PVC pipes. They also have bank accounts and talk to their families in the USA on the phone, though not via their own mobile phones.

That’s what the roads in South America are like. There are huge differences and conditions often change with the seasons. But on the whole, the countries are passable with any type of vehicle. You just have to choose your routes accordingly.

Motorways and toll roads

The main roads are paved and there are usually good motorways. You will make good progress, especially around the big cities. You usually pay a toll, depending on the country, a few cents as in Bolivia (although their tariffs were very opaque) or always a dollar as in Ecuador.

Tolls are usually charged on the motorways, but they’re in good condition. Only the speed bumps used to limit speed are a major hazard. Most local drivers, even those with the best off-road vehicles, brake very hard just before them, so you run the risk of hitting them from behind – it pays to keep your distance. And don’t forget that you have to expect everything on a motorway: walkers, cyclists, horse riders, cows, llamas, simply everything.

Mud and potholes

Country roads are different, they may have just been resurfaced or they may be full of potholes. The mountain roads are always a surprise – even if they’re supposed to be national roads, don’t expect to drive faster than 50km/h.

The smaller roads can have potholes and you have to be prepared for anything. But this is true everywhere. That’s where a high-riding car comes in handy. It doesn’t have to be a 4×4, but a two-wheel drive without a lift is definitely limited. And above all, every pothole (and there are many) becomes a major bump in the road.

Then there are the unsealed roads: some are brilliant, others almost impassable. This mainly depends on when they were last maintained and whether it is the rainy season. This means that conditions can change within months or from one day to the next.

The mountains slide, and there are places that are known for this. After a slide there is not much left of the original road and you can forget about getting through. However, the local bus drivers usually know what the situation is like. It helps to ask or just turn around when the road ends.

Is 4×4 compulsory?

Most routes can be done without 4×4; though if it’s very muddy or steep we’re happy to have it, but there are often alternative routes that are easier.

In our experience, your own driving ability is more important than whether you have 2WD or 4WD. Some drivers get further with their 2WD than any other driver of an off-road vehicle. So it’s worth investing in a good off-road driving course before you start your travels, as you’ll also get to know the car better.

We got stuck three times

We only got stuck three times: once because it had rained so much overnight that we couldn’t drive on the muddy country roads. We had to wait a day for it to dry. The other time it was also raining and we were going up a stretch where there wasn’t really a road – but we wanted to get to that bridge. Once we had deflated the tyres and put our recovery boards in place, we got out. Another time the road was completely washed away and we had to wait until another road was built. Luckily we were never in danger.

In Bolivia, we were stuck for a while because of protests and road closures, but we got to meet a lot of the locals in the town. In Argentina we had to turn back 200 km because we couldn’t cross the river – too much water.

So actually RAIN is the deciding factor. When it rains, you often have to wait for it to stop and the road to dry out a bit or find another route.

Road works and schedules

Roadworks are an often forgotten detail. Here, unlike in Europe, they like to close the road completely, without providing a diversion and without being able to keep traffic flowing in one lane. Then the road is closed either for the whole day – as happened in Ecuador from 9am to 6pm. Or by the hour, like in Peru when we went to Machu Picchu. That means they work for 2 hours and then take an hour break to let the cars through.

The many signs with the schedule would be great – if they kept to the time on them. Sometimes they work an extra hour – or two – or they don’t work at all, in which case ‘lucky you’. As a reminder, schedules in South America are only a guide and are never binding.

As I’m writing this, I’m waiting in line again. They need to fix a pipe and everything has stopped. All day long, from 9am to 6pm. Even though only one excavator is working. But they had already announced it at the crossroads. Two women stood there with a handwritten cardboard sign – just like the ones you draw in primary school. They told us that the roadworks had been announced on the Ministry’s website a week ago, but no one had thought to put up a sign.

We just laughed and knew that we’d be waiting for 4 hours (until 6pm) or 6 hours anyway. The detour takes twelve hours and is 300 kilometres longer.

We soon leave the land of the Incas behind us. Their culture was our constant companion – from Argentina to Colombia, we stumbled across Inca stones.

But before we say goodbye to this empire, let’s look back at what this advanced civilisation meant for the region. And why we learn so little about it in school in Europe – except that it was great, built Machu Picchu and had a lot of gold.

Tawantinsuyu – The land of four parts

The name ‘Inca’ often stands for an entire people. In fact, the Incas were originally a small tribe in the neighbourhood of Cusco, that believed they descended from the sun god Inti. However, within just 100 years – roughly between 1438 and 1533 – they created the largest contiguous empire that ever existed on the American continent: Tawantinsuyu.

This ‘land of four parts’ stretched from what is now the southern border of Colombia to Chile and Argentina. The empire covered over 2 million square kilometres. It was characterised by a multitude of indigenous peoples, languages and landscapes – connected by a central administrative system and a gigantic road network.

They conquered areas where other impressive peoples lived, who are even less well known in Europe. The Chachapoyas in northern Peru adopted the quadrangular architectural style of the Incas, the Uros fled from the Incas to their reed islands on Lake Titicaca and in Samaipata they took over a sacred stone. The course of expansion was immense – until the Spanish conquered the entire area.

A road network that still exists today

One of the most impressive legacies of the Incas is the Qhapaq Ñan, the Royal Road System. It is estimated that it comprised more than 40 000 kilometres of roads that meandered through the Andes, along the coasts and into the jungle. Many of these roads are still passable today, some are still used by locals, others are hidden and forgotten next to modern roads.

We also came across Inca trails ourselves – in search of snakes in the cloud forest in Ecuador, we travelled through deep gorges, known as chaquiñán, which were created by centuries of walking. Of course, the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is one of them. Although we didn’t walk it. Instead, we marvelled at the extremely precise architecture of the Incas in Pisac.

Unity through administration, not language

The empire was multicultural, but the Incas created a unified administration that held the empire together. In contrast to Europe, they knew no money, so no taxes were levied. However, the people had to perform hard collective labour. Especially the peasants, as the nobility and clergy had privileges. Nevertheless, they were well organised and distributed their goods and services throughout the empire so that disasters could be relieved and everyone was fed.

Quechua was made the administration’s language, although it was not spoken by everyone. However, it was so widespread that Quechua is still spoken today in many parts of the Andean region – not only is it an official language in many countries, but the number of speakers is even increasing.

The fact that an empire of this size and efficiency could exist without writing is a remarkable aspect – and could be one reason why the Inca Empire is often only dealt with superficially in European history lessons. The first written sources come from the conquistadors. Without written sources of their own, without chronicles from the perspective of the Incas themselves, much has only been preserved from Spanish reports – often distorted and incomplete.

The focus in European history lessons is on the fall of the Inca Empire, as the Europeans left their traces behind up until today, and not its rise.

A legacy that remains

On our journey through South America, the presence of the Incas was not always obvious – but it was constant. We continually learnt more about what ‘Inca’ actually means. We drove through the valley of the Incas’ last resistance, we walked along an old Inca trail, and we constantly saw the agricultural terraces that are still being cultivated 500 years later.

What remains is the impression of an empire that has not simply disappeared. It was defeated, yes – but it never completely dissolved. It lives on in the language, the paths, the architecture and the people.

The Inca Empire was more than Machu Picchu and gold. It was a complex and well-organised network in a huge region. For us, it was an immersion into the living history of a culture that seemed conquered and forgotten, but which still strongly characterises everyday life.

Chuchini Lodge consists of 300 hectares of private land and the owners have been involved in ecotourism and conservation of the area and its flora and fauna since 1972. The ban on hunting has resulted in an increase in wildlife, as evidenced by the camera traps, which are often used by jaguars and pumas. Chuchini is considered the alternative jungle tour in Bolivia because, unlike Rurrenabaque, it is not overcrowded. Since I left, a photovoltaic system has been installed and there is now permanent electricity.

During my time at Chuchini Lodge I learned a lot from Ibis. He grew up there and is the owner and manager of the place. I had little contact with the whole guest service and catering sector before. So I first had to learn that you need a lot of cutlery and that there is a correct way to arrange it, for me, who basically eats with a spoon. Food is also served from one side, and limes should be cut in such a way that the seeds remain intact so that they don’t become bitter. Then there are the classic differences to Switzerland, such as the need to clean all dishes again before serving and routine hygiene checks.

In total, I worked at the lodge for almost 3 months and learnt a lot. There were also many highlights for me, such as seeing jaguars or the jungle eagle, the harpya. I was also bitten by a piranha and a snake, but both were worth it. I was able to save the young boa from a fire and the piranha tasted delicious when deep-fried.

I also found the interaction with the guests very interesting, as everyone has a different story and background. Working with children and young people is also very interesting as they are often curious and motivated to learn and try new things. Of course, some guests were more fun than others. I’ve also developed a better understanding of the people who work in tourism, so I’m sometimes more tolerant or more annoyed as a tourist myself, depending on the situation.

Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum)

Rambutan is a member of the lychee family. It comes from Malaysia and its flesh is sweet with a hint of sourness. The seeds must be spat out as they’re poisonous.

Star fruit (Averrhoa carambola)

The carambola’s shape resembles a star and it is often used to decorate cocktails. It is native to Asia, although it is now quite common in the Amazon. So far we have been unlucky, all the fruits we have found have been sour. Even monkeys leave them hanging because they don’t like the taste.

Kumquat (Citrus japonica)

A citrus fruit from China that is rich and fresh tasting, but very acidic, so it is often prepared as a chutney.

Cloves (Syzygjum aromaticum)

Essentially a fruit that we eat as a spice, cloves are obtained from flower buds that have not yet opened. It is mainly harvested around the Indian Ocean.

Citrus fruits

All the citrus fruits we have tasted have been delicious. They were neither too sour nor too sweet. They are all large fruits to be eaten as such or great for juices. The champagne orange, which takes its name from the champagne colour of its flesh. The seven-flavoured orange, a hybrid that combines the flavours of grapefruit, mandarin, lemon, lime and orange. Actually, they only mention five flavours, so we’re not quite sure where the name comes from. But it was the perfect fruit to eat after trying the noni.

Arasá (Eugenia stipitata)

There are different types of guava trees. The arasá comes from the Amazon and is larger than the common guava. The flesh is similar to that of the pear, but has hard but edible seeds. The whole shrub is used medicinally: the root for diarrhoea and the leaves for infusions.

Açaí (Euterpe)

There are two types of this fruit, so popular in breakfast bowls. The açaí is a palm tree that grows in the flooded areas of the Amazon. There is the solitary açaí (Euterpe precatoria), which produces small fruits, and the tropa açaí (Euterpe oleracea), which has several trunks. The fruits are consumed as a drink, candy or ice cream, and the mesocarp is used to make palm heart.

Copoazú (Theobroma grandiflorum)

We are all familiar with cocoa and copoazú is its relative from the eastern Amazon. Unlike cocoa, it has much more white pulp and fewer seeds. It has a slightly acidic taste. The pulp is used to make jellies, jams and marmalades, and the seeds are used to make skin creams. Chocolate is also made from copoazú, the cupulate, although we are still not entirely convinced by its taste.

Achachairú (Garcinia humilis)

This fruit grows in the Bolivian Amazon. It is sweet and bitter. Only the flesh is eaten, by breaking the skin and sucking the flesh around the seed, which is then spat out.

Unfortunately, there was no fruit when we were there, just like the next fruit. So no pictures to show, use your imagination!

Stachelannone (Annona muricata)

It’s also called guanabana. The soursop looks like a giant cherimoya with thorns that can weigh up to 5 kg. They belong to the same family but have a different taste. The soursop has a sweet-sour flavour similar to pineapple.

Ambaibo (Cecropia insignis)

Also known as guarumo, it is known for its symbiosis with Aztec ants. The hollow trunks of the tree are inhabited by these ants, which protect the tree. The fruit of the ambaibo has five edible pods, but is little known, probably because the taste is not overwhelmingly good.

First shortages, then rising prices

Argentina has changed a lot. The country experienced fuel shortages in October 2023, with long queues at petrol stations and a limited supply of fuel. In remote areas with long distances, such as Patagonia, it was important to fill up whenever possible.

At the time, prices were relatively low in dollar terms ($0.53/l). So even though we had to wait, we filled up as often and as much as we could.

The situation changed after Milei’s election and the adjustment of the official dollar to the blue dollar, which resulted in a price increase (almost $1.04/l) due to the inflation of not only the Argentinean peso but also the dollar. Despite this and still some queues, availability was better.

Special price for foreigners

Bolivia, on the other hand, is a special case. The country is heavily subsidised, and the fuel subsidy has been in place for 19 years. There was a small price adjustment the year after the fixed price was introduced. Evo Morales then tried to readjust the price in 2010, but faced huge protests that forced him to freeze the measure. The subsidy costs the Bolivian state $1.4 billion dollars a year.

Due to the popular refusal to raise prices, governments are trying to reduce costs by changing the energy matrix, i.e. introducing natural gas or biofuels. A shortage of dollars makes it even harder to buy fuel to supply the country, so there are often queues at petrol stations.

Bolivians buy fuel for about $0.54/l, while foreigners pay the standard price of about $1.27/l. In theory. In practice, refuelling is a matter of luck.

In search of petrol stations

In Bolivia, they have to enter your number plate into the system to fill up, but not all stations (even if they want to help you) can enter foreign plates. Then there are cameras (who knows if they work) to prevent “theft”. So sometimes you find you can’t fill up and have to find another station. Our friends (petrol car) had to go to 11 – eleven – petrol stations before they found one that would fill up.

Now, to make life easier (and cheaper), you would ask to refuel “without a bill” and agree on a price (varies between $0.70 and $1/l). The attendant then enters the number plate of another car with similar characteristics, especially one that uses the same type of fuel (petrol or diesel, as this is fixed in the system) and a tank of similar dimensions. Obviously, they keep the difference between the official price and the agreed price. Corruption? Well…

The importance of a large tank

In our case we have a 270 litre tank. This has made our journey easier. What’s more, in the three months we’ve been in Bolivia, we’ve always managed to fill up at the local price and leave a tip. We only managed to do this because we had the luxury of being able to ask at what price they were selling us diesel and leave if it was too expensive. It would have been different if we had had no choice but to take what we could get.

It is true that we are foreigners and can afford to pay the international price, besides we do not pay taxes in the country that would entitle us to benefit from the subsidy. But what you pay doesn’t necessarily reach the state. Hardly anyone we know has received a bill, even if they paid the international price and asked for it (we’re not sure, but the money probably ends up in someone’s pocket and not where it should).

Then there is the quality of the fuel. Our friends’ car stopped working, he is a mechanic and when he fixed it he found bits of metal and solid particles in the gasoline filter, of who knows what coming from the fuel. Better to have a car with a not too delicate engine.

We have definitely learnt that in South America something as simple as refuelling can become an adventure or an endless wait. We’re still going to visit some of the other countries in South America, so there’ll be more information at some point.

Almost five centuries later, the once majestic 4700-metre peak has been transformed into a labyrinth of unstable mines, so unstable that mining above 4400 metres is forbidden. Though the norm is a bit ignored since mining continues to be the region’s economic driver. The province of Potosí is rich in minerals: silver, tin, lead and zinc, as well as lithium in the Salar de Uyuni.

Scars from history

The Spanish Crown introduced a forced labour system known as the Mita. Indigenous people were forced to work in mines in inhumane conditios, exposed to caveins and disease. Nowadays, the dangers are still the same and the work, although supposedly not forced, is the main source of income for many families in Potosí.

A descent into the underworld

We visited the Potosí mines on a tour that is ultimately for tourists, but which provides an alternative livelihood for the community. The tour is surreal and risky. The security measures are what they are, and they are not improved for tourists. We entered the gates of hell.

The miners work for hours (some for up to 24 hours straight) in the dark, with only a small torch, chewing coca leaves and drinking 96% alcohol. All this is accompanied by a chaotic symphony of dynamite explosions. They use dynamite to open up holes, then they remove the minerals with wheelbarrows. The minerals are piled up outside until there is enough to load a truck.

The extracted minerals are taken to the mining companies, where they are processed using mechanical but simple methods. This process requires large amounts of water, a scarce resource in the region. According to our guide, the city only has water for one hour, while the mining companies have a constant supply.

According to the Bolivian Mining Corporation, around 12 000 people work in and for the mines. The BBC, on the other hand, puts the number of miners at around 1500, a figure that matches our guide’s. Most of them are adult men, as women are considered to bring bad luck, unfortunately there are also minors who ‘help’, despite it being illegal. Our guide informs us that “children no longer work in the mines […] they help from the age of 14”. Clearly, the practice has not yet been eradicated.