ARICA - IQUIQUE

The next day, Sunday May 8. An easy ride down the
Pan American for the press vehicles. Monotonous on
the highway. Tomorrow will be a very different story.
At every regional boundary (Chile is split into 12),
there are checkpoints, but not just for the racers.

All north south traffic must pass through these points,
show identification and sign in. If a person does not
keep to his itinerary or show up at the next checkpoint
in a timely manner, they authorities go looking for him.

Chile is a true police state because there is a SPEED
LIMIT on the highway. 110 kmh ! What other country
would restrict the movement of it's citizens in such a manner?
The good old USA of course !

The country also has the prices of the civilized
world, gas is $1.35 a gallon as opposed to 20 cents in Peru.

In mid afternoon we cruise into Iquique through a
throng of TV cameras and lights. Iquique is a
funky old oceanfront town that looks like a cross
between New Orleans, the Caribbean and Germany
in the natural setting of a California coastline devoid
of all vegetation.

Sunday afternoons are for futbol. Today's game:
a viscious match between Arica and Iquique. A tie
of 1 -1 avoids the inevitable riots that usually develop
should the wrong side win.

There's a big feast complete with touristic folk
music that evening. We will need it for the hell we
are about to go through. We sleep well too, as it will
be several days before the next real bed.