The Pampas and the Andes

This is the second book I have read, of three of the travel books by WT Blake I own. The two I have read a fairly formulaic, and have no reason to suspect the third wouldn't align. This one is published in 1951, and covers travel in 1950.

These are not overly exciting books - they cover a journey undertaken by the retired military man and his wife, and are presented in a detailed and accurate way - which I could describe as measured. Blake and his wife (referred to as “R.” throughout the book) take things in their stride, they are seldom too ruffled, and seem to take personally any suggestion that ‘something can't be done' essentially setting about to check themselves, or prove it incorrect. This does set them up for some over-adventurous route-taking on their journey... but I am getting ahead of myself.

On this journey the couple have undertaken to drive around a part of South America, covering Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina Chile and Bolivia. They sought about for a vehicle in Britain for the journey, wanting to purchase new and ship it each way. They ended up with a 1950 Standard Vanguard (google for images), which many deemed totally unsuited, and not able to match up with an American vehicle, recommended for travel in South America - which of course motivated them all the more.

We get the usual narrative mixed with poor roads / road conditions; river crossings; toilets and the foul condition of; hotels and poor condition of; visa difficulties (and helpful assistance in resolving); fleas, bed bugs; as well as information about all the helpful people (of which there are more than unhelpful) along the way. In the mix is a bit of culture, very little history (except where applied to the people the interact with) but in general just a linear description of the journey.

One of the things that always surprises me it how many vehicle agents there are in other countries - this isn't just the case in this book, but in many books featuring British (or American, I guess) cars, they seem to have an agent in every major and some minor cities of the world! Where they didn't have Standard agents, Ford seemed to be the go to. These agents undertook repairs as well as more general services to check the vehicle over, and always seemed to form a bond with the long distance traveller.

While I certainly won't be recommending you rush out to mid a copy of this obscure book, it is definitely a harmless way to spend a few hours as a voyeur on a car journey through part of South America in 1950!

3 stars