Bolivia

My initial impressions were terrible! Feeling like absolute shit after a 16 hour bus ride, walking across a sketchy border crossing (though definitely crossed worse) and arriving in a dirty, smelly, cold city. Not to mention really feeling the effects of the altitude! Not what I was expecting.

From the border town of Villazon, I headed straight to Uyuni. I was feeling as though I may just die from the cold, exhausted, and still feeling like I had the flu (due to the altitude, or lack of sleep, proper meals or not enough water over the past 3 days of travel...) This place SUCKS!!! I miss Argentina! :( 
Thankfully, after a good (but cold) nights rest, and finally adjusting to the altitude I was feeling a little bit more like myself, and good thing because I was off to do the Salar de Uyuni tour, the largest salt flats in the world.

Having such a horrible first impression of Bolivia my expectations for the tour weren´t very high. It wasn´t but a few hours outside of the city that we arived at the salt flats. Words can´t really explain how amazing this place was! As far as the eye can see, white salt flats with beautiful mountain ranges in the background! Definitely have never seen anything like this!!!! 
Mind blown! Bolivia has just moved up in my books!!!

Picturesque views of the Andes, Chilean volcanos, absolutely stunning lagoons, flamingos, hot springs, and geysers at over 5000m above sea level! It was all so breathtakingly beautiful, it is hard to believe it´s REAL! 

Railway to Chile

Lake Colorada

Freezing cold at over 5000m above sea level (Still smilig though!)

Geysers 

Hot springs!!!

Chasing Lamas! 

Having only a few scary moments where our jeep boke down in the desert and a small car fire, we finally were headed back to Uyuni after the most amazing 3 days! Driving back I was slightly confused as to why our guide kept stopping to chat to passing cars, but shrugged it off as nothing important. About an hour away from Uyuni our guide turns to us and says ¨Bolivia is in a state of war, but don´t worry, I am taking you to a safe place¨ and then turns the car around... (mind you he spoke very little english so perhaps something was lost in translation?) BUT WAR!?!?! WHAT!?! 
Unbeknown to us it wasn´t war (thankfully) but strikes/protests. Apparently very common here. We were forced to spend the night in a village near by, hoping that tomorow we will be able to pass through the blockade. The next day we all crossed our fingers, toes and held our breath as we drove for hours in the desert trying to find a passing (otherwise we would be forced to spend another 2 days stuck!) About 5 hours later we made it!!!! Nothing like a little drama to make this a memorable experience! :)

Now originally my plan was to make my way to Potosi (the highest city in the world) and slowly on to La Paz. However, now with all these blockades I was risking getting stuck alone in towns with not much to do! So quick switch, I was headed to Copacabana, on Lake Titicaca. At least if I got stuck I was near Peru and with friends. Much better option! 

Arriving in Copacabana was such a relief! Four days on the Salar tour followed by an 18 hour bus trip, I never wanted a shower and bed so badly! (Actually I probably have said that a lot...but it was true, I was dirty, cold and exhausted!) 
Copacabana was a beautiful, quiet little island town. It reminded me a bit of Pai in Thailand. A hippie town. Perfect place to relax! Easy to stay here forever, especially when there is good food and everything is so CHEAP!!!!! 

Pigs trying to steal my apples!

Our impromptu fishing trip!

My friend Ed and I on the Isla de Sol

After a bit of relaxation I was ready to head to La Paz. A place I have been warned sucks you in! I was only planning to spend a few days there, don´t think i´ll get sucked in...

I was wrong...a week flew by and all I can say I accomplished was cycling the death road. (Which, however, was quite the accomplishment considering I am NOT a biker, and I was lucky to have RAIN! YAY added DANGER!!!) Otherwise, I was far too hungover to manage anything else. Eventually my friends and I dragged our semi-permanent drunk selves onto a bus to head to the jungle! 

Most sane people fly from La Paz to Rurrenabaque but we refused this expensive luxury and instead chose the much cheaper, much more exciting option. A 22 hour bus ride descending over 4000m on none other then the DEATH ROAD! Having survived it once already why not try our chances at it a second time!?
Definitely ranked up there with most scary bus rides of my life, but I am happy to report we all made it, shaken but alive! And now we were finally at a lower altitude (can breathe easy again!) and warmer weather!!! 

The jungle trek was amazing. Lucky us we seem to bring the rain with us, so we were extra dirty, trekking through the jungle in mud knee deep, crossing rivers balancing on logs, oh and did I mention we do this while carrying all our stuff, sleeping gear, food, etc! Big accomplishment for me was when I held a giant tarantula! Nearly had a heart attack BUT I did it...and unfortunately I am still terrified of spiders...damn. 
So when I said before that I never wanted a shower more in Copacabana I was wrong. NOW I NEEDED a shower. I was literally covered from head to toe in mud and smelt pretty bad. Thankfully so did everyone else! Loving it!!! :)

Back to La Paz and onto Peru. And what better way then round 3 on the death road. This time was actually a breeze. 22 hours flew by and before we knew it we were home. To the city where breathing is a challenge and living a vampire lifestyle is a necessity, where you consume more alcohol then food and where missing your bus OUT happens often. La Paz IS a trap! What was supposed to be a quick stop over turned into days...

I finally managed to get out. Took me just less then a week this time! (yay me!) And now it´s off to Peru! I already miss Bolivia. A country I hated when I first arrived, but now has become one of my favourites I´ve visited in all my travels! I look forward to my next visit here. There is still so much I need to see and do!!! Perhaps I may be back sooner then you think...I hear Peru is expensive :S  

Iguazu and Salta

Leaving Buenos Aires was very hard when I felt so at home there and with such great friends!!! But it was time for me to continue on this great adventure! Now for the hard part. Getting anywhere, doing anything, when I still don´t know how to speak Spanish. Thankfully the girls taught me all the important things...you know...the usual things you learn in another language..the swear words! I´m sure i´ll get far with this knowledge! haha JUST KIDDING! I know a bit more then this..thankfully!!! Still, wasn´t going to be easy!

I took a bus from Buenos Aires to Puerto Iguazu where Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay meet with a spectacular waterfall! I couldn´t wait! Unfortunately it was going to take a painful 20 hours of my life to get there...it´s times like these I wish the invention of the telaporter was finished! But I have to admit, compared to INDIA this was a 5 star ride! So I really shouldn´t be complaining!

Other then the waterfalls there isn´t much else to do in Puerto Iguazu, so I didn´t plan to stay here long. I spent the first day just wandering around, making friends!!! (YAY...definite improvement from my experience in India that´s for sure) and getting everything sorted for the next day! WATERFALLS!!!!!

Pictures don´t do this place justice. It was absolutely breathtaking! Sorry Niagra Falls, but Iguazu has you beat!!! (Not only in size) And to say it is merely a waterfall is an understatement. This was a MASSIVE set of numerous waterfalls right in the jungle. Definitely worth the long bus journey!

Just a small taste of the waterfalls! 

From Iguazu it was off to north west Argentina, as I make my way towards Bolivia! Another painfully long journey and I arrived in Salta! This is a cute little town, with some of the most beautiful churches and landscapes. It´s like stepping back in time! I love places like this! Unfortunately, I was having too much fun to remember to take any pictures! I have to really force myself to remember to  do this!!! Sometimes I get so caught up in moment...not that that´s a bad thing, but I would like SOMETHING to remember each place by. Oh well...there is always next time :) 

Today I am off to Bolivia!!! I am so excited...though I´ve been warned this border crossing is not the safest..so FINGERS CROSSED IT ALL GOES SMOOTHLY! Wish me luck :)

Just say YES! (Why not)

Making the decision to go to South America wasn't easy. I was stepping so far out of my comfort zone. Choosing a continent known for its violence and drugs. Knowing zero spanish and might I add going alone. Yes, sounds a little crazy, but I have always dreamed of coming here, and I wasn't going to let a little thing like fear get in my way!

Fear is a strange thing. It's an emotion induced by a potential threat which causes us to pull away or hide. Sometimes for good reason. But I feel more and more people are missing out on so much in this world when they let fear control their life. Obviously I'm not saying you shouldn't listen to your natural instincts, or go diliberately putting yourself into a dangerous situation, but just open yourself up to a little unfamiliarity. Amazing things rarely happen in your comfort zone.

So there I was...in the Sydney airport trying to figure out what I was going to do... (It was only now starting to really sink in that I was on my way to SOUTH AMERICA!!!!) when I met Rosario, Helena and Juan. They are from Buenos Aires and had just spent 3 months traveling Australia, and Asia and were on their way home. They couldn't believe I was coming to Argentina ALONE...nothing planned and not knowing how to speak Spanish. But that's what I was doing.

I don't know what possessed them to invite me (a complete stranger) to their farm for Easter holidays, but I am so thankful that there are some people out there just as crazy as me!!! I don't know too many people who would be lucky enough to experience Argentina the way I have been, or even to make such good friends so quickly. For having just met these people, I feel as though we have known eachother forever. And here I am, in Argentina where I thought I was going to be completely alone, but being surrounded by more family and friends then I have my entire 16 months of travel. Strange how things just have a way of working out when you least expect it! Life is amazing. And to think, non of this would have happened if I had decided to "play it safe" and not take a little risk in life! :) What's the point of living your life cautiously, if you are not actually living it at all!

The Cabrera Farm in Cordoba, Argentina:
Who would have thought that I was going to be spending Easter holidays on a beautiful farm in the middle of Argentina, surrounded by friends and family. For a moment it's almost as though I feel like I belong here. That I was always from here. I have to pinch myself every now and then to remind myself  THIS IS NOT A DREAM!

Meet the Cabrera Sisters (From Left: Rosie, Helu, and Mechu)

"It's impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all- in which case- you fail by default" J.K. Roawling

Aussie Aussie oy oy oy

After my first few months in Australia I have to admit I wasn't too impressed. It was winter in Melbourne (and you know how much I HATE the cold), and it was expensive. But that wasn't what I didn't like. It was how much Melbourne reminded me of Toronto. Only difference is now I was living in a city with no friends and my parents weren't just around the corner. I began to feel more and more confused. What was I doing in Australia? Why did I come here? More importantly, why was I still here if I was not happy? Here I was living in an amazing apartment downtown Melbourne, but feeling empty. How could this be so!? I was living in AUSTRALIA! But that's just it. Living for me doesn't consist of an apartment in the city, working, watching days go by. Traveling is my passion. And as much as Melbourne is a great city, it was the idea of settling that ultimately pushed me into a depressive state. I am not ready for a life like that. Where everyday just melts into the next. I need more excitement, more adventure!

Right when I needed it most I had a visit from a familiar face from Canada. (Michelle does not realize just how much her visit meant to me!) Together we explored the great red centre of Australia! It was my first real taste of what a diverse and exciting place Australia really was! And this was exactly the push I needed to get me out of my slump. It was on this trip that I realized just how important travel is to me. It is when I am traveling that I feel most like myself. 

After Michelle left I packed up my things and hit the road. Freedom once again. And what better way to start my crazy adventure then hitch hiking to Sydney!! Once in Sydney a friend and I went off on an even bigger adventure! Living out of a car, traveling to new and exciting places everyday, camping and enjoying life the way I wanted to. This was exactly what I needed. I finally felt like I was back on track. And with a visit from my dad I felt like everything was finally falling into place.

From the amazing Great Barrier Reef to beautiful beaches. From wine country to the red desert. Fields of kangaroos, forests of koalas, to an ocean of deadly creatures. Australia truly is an amazing place with so much to see and do! But it's amazing how much time can slip by without you realizing it! I've spent 10 months in Australia!!! And I've only scratched the surface of this massive continent...but I just didn't feel that same excitement anymore. Something was missing. I can't quite explain it, but I just reached a point where it was time for me to move on.

It's not that I was finished with Australia. There is so much I still want to see and do. I know I will return, but for now I need a change. These months I spent traveling along the coast of Australia were some of the best times! I will forever cherish these memories. And as always, the goodbyes are the hardest part.

I leave Australia with great memories, and even better friendships. As Jason Aldean puts it..."I'll see you when I see you, another place... another time."

Next stop…South America!:)