At my website there are links to everything :-))))
http://fuel.papo-art.com/
Argentina
writes…. (Nov 1999)
Came across your web information sheet while doing some research for our next long distance bicycle tour. We just completed Argentina to Alaska and can provide you with some fuel information regarding some of the countries you had listed in question. We use a Trangia so are more aware of alcohol availability than other things, but will try to give other fuels where we know.
Argentina, Chile, Boliva, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Belize and Mexico:
Meths is called 'alcohol' (pronounced al-col) or alcohol pura (somtimes alcohol de quemar)
In Argentina and Chile it can be found in Farmacias, but ask for 96% (96 grado) or you will end up with a 70% mixture. In smaller villages you could always find it in the biggest (or only) shop, though often in tiny bottles.
In Bolivia and Peru you can find it in pharmacies no problem. Also, can check in liquor stores, though less common.
In Ecuador you need to go to paint stores with your own container. They keep it in big drums and simply top up your bottle.
In Colombia the pharmacies carry both 70 and 96%, the 70 being much more common. It can be frustrating finding 96%, but if you perservere you will find.
In Belize you can find it in Ace hardware stores as Denatured alcohol.
In Mexico it really varies, depending on the state. On the Yucatan you can buy it in some grocery stores as Alcohol Pura, a drinking alcohol from cane, that is 96%. In Chiapas it is very hard to find. All their alcohols seem to be 70% grade or below. In the other states north of Chiapas you can find it sometimes in pharmacies (though watch out for the grade) and in liquor stores, again alcohol pura, but ask for 96%. They also sometimes have a stand on a street that sells only alcohol pura at 96%. If you ask around, particularly at hardware or paint stores they will usually direct you.
Generally if the pharmacies don't carry the right grade, ask in hardware or paint stores we found that someone there always knew where to find it
writes…. (Jan 2007)
I tried in the past to contact the site owner and couldn't, as Doron, to have an answer. At that time I wanted to add in the column 3 the name for Argentina: solvente or, less common, bencina.
Also I'd like to make some comments:
1. for Argentina the comments on alcohol are right if methanol and ethanol are both included because "alcohol de quemar" is methanol, while alcohol or alcohol puro is normally the name for ethanol.
2. The names are not necessarily the same in the countries described. In all of South American countries the language is spanish but with little differences. As example in Chile de diesel fue is called diesel but in Argentina we call it gas-oil; they call alway bencina the coleman fuel, we call solvente; we call nafta the car fuel and they call it bencina but if you say nafta in Chile they will understand. And so on. The names are fine for Argentina, but not sure for other SA countries
3. Kerosene, or kerosén or querosene or querosén is Ok.
Regards,
Juan
writes…. (Sep 2009)
I have been in Ecuador for over 3 weeks now and have looked all over for white gas. I could not find it, but instead used lighter fluid. This works ok, but is very expensive as cooking fuel:
Komet brand,USD 4.50 / 100 mL, Available from Case de Los Deportes, San Gregorio 115-5 y Avenida 10 de Agosto, Quito Keep up the good work! Neil
(Additional update :) )
The fuel I was talking about (white gas) is fuel number 3. Maybe you could remove ´Ecuador´ from the table , as I tried for a whole month to find it.
I am in Peru and can find bencina (column 3) everywhere!
Cheers, Neil
