Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Well...where did we leave off...?
Brad is currently driving around La Paz in a Collectivo beeping his horn and I am sat here in my newly acquired bowler hat, coloured scarf and long, black plaits. WELCOME TO BOLIVIA!!
So since last Sunday the following events have occured: Sandboarding on Sunday in the desert (more akin to sandfalling in our case). According to seasoned snowboarders sandboarding is similar to snowboarding off piste, ie bloody difficult! Unfortunately in the desert they do not have lifts either so half the time was spent puffing up a stupid sandhill. It was so much fun!!
The sunset in the valle de la luna was also pretty stunning, but I think we are starting to get slightly numb to beautiful sunsets...come on we need something REALLY special!
So Monday (Brads bday) was the day of the Salar de Uyuni and our three day trip into the Bolivian wilderness. We had heard horror stories of breakdowns, minus 30 degree nights, bad food and rubbish groups. Alas our group of 11 was the best you could possibly ask for and our tour company Estrella Del Sur were faultless.
So day one consisted of white lake, bright green lake (which became greener as we watched, we thought it was remote controlled or something...), red lake, hot springs, vicunas, flamingos etc. Amazing! Night one was spent trying to drink wine at altitudes of 4500-5000m and playing a very serious game of pass the pigs! So at around 9.30 (I know, we were hardcore) we went to bed. Sleep alluded most of us until around 4 am - bloody altitude and concrete beds. It didnt help that we had a crazy Frenchman screaming something in the night which sent me and (the also awake) Brad into absolute hysterics...
Next day up early and lakes lakes lakes, cool stone tree and rocks, lakes etc (we actually told him to drive on at lake 4, we had "sacared" plenty of fotografias by then. We also had an amazing NSync and Backstreet boys music session in the car, which the girls loved and Brad and Fabien (the frenchie) also loved but pretended they didnt.
That eve was spent in someones house I think, Brad and I blagged the honeymoon suite, which meant we got a double bed and some awesome mint green silk heart pillows! The second night also brought hot showers, but I think Bolivians think hot showers mean just hot, we pretty much scalded our heads!
Next morning up at 4 30 (after another terrible nights sleep) for the sunrise on the Salt plains. Check out our photos, stunning! we took lots and lots of crazy photos (which involved shrinking ourselves to the size of a doormouse). Finally we checked out a train cemetary, basically a dumping ground for trains but the Bolivians love to make a tourist attraction out of nothing and lunch at our guides house.
That night Brad and I were persuaded to go on the cheaper option of the 11 hours bus to La Paz rather than the train. After several nights of sleep deprivation I thought just get me on some kind of transport. Well the "discount seats" were the front two and meant everytime anyone got on and off the bus brads legs got hit by the door. He also had a few Boliviano ladies draping their sexy scarves across him and shouting in his face. And the roads, my god, they were worse than Kenya, literally dirt track for about 8 hours.
Soo now we find ourselves in La Paz. This is a real South American city, colour, hustle and bustle, noise, smells (think day 4 Rock Werchter Claire and Phil). We have conquered the whole thing in 3 days including the Coca museum, witches market, a prison run by the inmates and some very dodgy underground night clubs! We met up with some friends from Buenos Aires who have been stuck here for 2 weeks waiting for a replacement passport, unlucky for them but good for us as they have directed us to some cool places. The city is at around 3500m above sea level and that combined with hills and soo much smog mean you feel about 90 years old trying to make your way round the city.
So tomorrow we leave for Copacabana to see the birthplace of the Inca Empire. Until then guys, keep in touch!! Brad is very grateful for his birthday messages and has decided that he is decidedly more popular than me based on number of facebook messages!
Love to all!
Us xxx
- comments