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!
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!!!!!
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
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
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