I woke up late, had breakfast at 8. Prepared the stuff, helped some kids to inflate a tire on a small bike and by the time I left it was 10 a.m.
I asked someone to help me with a short movie in front of the monument of the tropic, continued and met a cyclist from Switzerland, David. He was also touring, going North, with the wind. I think he was faster uphill, helped by the wind, than I was downhill, struggling against the strong Southerly wind.

Due to an emergency situation I let the bike on a rock and had the first flat tire since the departure from Lima. When I was about to leave (not knowing about the flat tire) a guy on a bike stopped to ask me if I need help. I was OK and told him so, but he insisted I was not and pointed to my flat rear tire. huh ? Mathias (that´s his name) helped me to change the tire and we continued together, he´s going in the same direction. Had lunch together and helped each other against the wind. In Purmamarca I go to see “Cerro de siete colores”, a nice geological site. Short info is on wikipedia, in Spanish. Mathias is from the area since he has seen the place, he’s waiting for me while I go the few km out of the main road and back.

After a good late lunch we decide cycled some more not to push all the way to Jujuy, since it was getting already late and the sky looked menacing. So we decide to camp in a small village, Volcán. After looking into the old railway station at a small handicraft  fair and after looking outside the old station for a place to camp safely, we found the local school and we get permission to camp of the sports court, which happens to be covered. We are also sheltered from wind, so it looks like a good place.

Had dinner “in town”, in a tiny bar/restaurant were we happened to meet a couple travelling.