Published: 20.07.2017
Maggi made it over the pass and we arrived exhausted in San Pedro. But there was no time to rest. On the dusty market square, we met Peter and his companions Roman and Truma.
His MAN, named "Torreo," is at 4,300 meters above sea level and doesn't make a sound. Attempts to revive it with a gas burner were unsuccessful. Kai couldn't make a diagnosis remotely, so we decided against a relaxing day in San Pedro and drove to Laguna Salar de Talar where Torreo was. But before we could set off the next morning, Maggi first received some new filters and the residents of the campsite/hostel got an exclusive organ concert from Maggi, including an XXL diesel cloud.
After a two-hour drive on a rather nasty track, we could see the MAN. It was beyond us why someone would choose such a remote sleeping place. With the help of brake cleaner and a 17-ring spanner, Kai was able to revive Torreo. It was probably just too cold for the "hot Southerner." We had temperatures in the double-digit minus range in the following nights.
After that, the convoy, which consisted of four vehicles by then, drove to a slightly lower sleeping spot.
It was bitterly cold there, but the fantastic view of San Pedro and the surrounding volcanoes made up for it, especially since Maggi was the only car whose heater worked perfectly at 3,600 meters. After a hearty breakfast, we said goodbye to the rest.