From Chajari to Paraguay: Mud and First Tropical Heat

Back on the road: the first kilometers are rarely easy

We leave Chajari with a mix of excitement and apprehension. Sergio rides with us for the first few kilometers on Ruta 14, a battered and busy road that immediately puts Thomas to the test. We quickly turn onto quieter tracks… until the first real trap.

An innocent-looking puddle turns into a swamp. The bike sinks up to the axles. We remove the panniers, lay the bike on its side, and after an hour of sweat and mud, we finally pull it out. Just as we’re celebrating our victory, an old Peugeot 205 calmly drives through the same puddle without slowing down. Total humiliation.

In the afternoon, we cross the three puddles without flinching, then tackle a session of riding in sand and a forced U-turn (the GPS track went straight through a military base). The Argentines remain wonderful: a car stops to offer help if needed.

We end the day in Paso de los Libres, exhausted, dirty, and happy to have a shower and a bed.

The unforgiving red earth

The next day, overnight rain has turned the tracks into a red mud skating rink. We try anyway. A driver warns us: “It’s like this for 30 km.” We push on… until Adeline falls in the wet sand. Her knee hurts but nothing serious. After 10 km in 1h30, we admit defeat and turn back.

We stay on Ruta 14 all the way to Apostoles, where the town welcomes us with its Christmas decorations. A small moral victory.

Border crossing in the rain

The following day, rain accompanies us from the morning. We wash the bikes (fatal mistake), then ride under a downpour that makes everything invisible. Leaky waterproof gear, dangerous double overtakes, zero visibility… we arrive soaked at the Posadas / Encarnación border.

On the bike, we filter to the front of the line. Argentine side: quick formalities. Paraguayan side is more old-school: documents filled out by hand on carbon paper, a focused intern while the boss tries to set up his colleague with Thomas (“She dreams of a French cousin!”). Thirty minutes later, we are officially in Paraguay.

Welcome to Paraguay: joyful chaos and unbeatable prices

Encarnación immediately throws us into the lively border chaos: shouts of “¡Cambio, cambio!”, windshield wiper sellers, tire shops, and supermarkets everywhere. We weave our way to the accommodation, change out of our wet clothes, and head out for groceries.

78,000 guaranis for a full load of supplies… ten euros. Paraguay is officially very cheap.

The next day is a rest day in Encarnación. We meet up with Louis and his partner at a nice restaurant where the main dish costs five euros. We talk about travel, then face a wave of tropical heat far more intense than in Vietnam. We sweat buckets along the Paraná River, find rain gear for 35 € for both, and finally take refuge in the hotel.

---

These few days were intense: tricky tracks, falls, mud, rain, stifling heat… but also great encounters, laughter, and that thrilling feeling of arriving in a new country.

Paraguay has already won us over with its kindness, joyful disorder, and ridiculously low prices. Next step: discovering this country that’s still largely unknown to motorcyclists.