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Hullo everyone from a very laid back Bolivia. That bus ride was really something unbelievable. However, all the shaking about and rattling and rolling did some amazing alignment for my spine and I have no aches and pains in the back at the moment. It did leave me with a two day headache of note though. At one point I had decided to recline my seat and try as best I could to catch some shut eye, but when I was flipped up half way to the roof I decided better of it. A bed and shower have never looked or been better than when we were ushered to our room. Unpacking my bags, which all looked like they had been dragged behind the bus through the desert, I found several mashed bananas, spectacles with arms detached, and a very soft and soggy apple juice container, minus the apple juice. I couldn't help thinking of all my princess friends who would have enjoyed the journey with me?
Graeme has given you the rundown on his plight with organising the trip. We truly did not realise how difficult it would be to make ourselves understood without Spanish. So off we go to the salt lake. Absolutely stunning is all I can say to describe the expanse of whiteness that surrounds you. The mountains or islands as they are called all look as though they are floating mid-air in the mirage effect caused by the reflection of the sun off the crystals of the salt. We were taken to visit the salt mine village and saw the processes involved in the production of salt - still very primitively done, but very interesting none the less. We then hit the very colourful stores to buy what we could. Since Amber had been I have always said I would definitely buy myself a jersey if ever I made it to Bolivia. Mmppfff......so many choices, but none that made me say definitely that one. So I return home jersey-less, unless I find one elsewhere in the next 5 or so weeks. I cannot believe a whole week has passed.
We were then taken for lunch at the centre where the Bolivia Dakar race started. Disappointment number 1. We saw the lunches that other tour groups were being offered and really looked forward to ours. What we got was dry cooked rice, seriously over cooked llama chops, and a salad of no consequence. After watching the young folk doing their perspective photography for a good long while (our phone screens turned pitch black in the glare of the lake, and so we could not take any such photos) we were loaded into our vehicle again and sped across the white expanse towards the fish islands. So called because as you approach them their mirage effect makes them look like fishies floating above the salt surface. The island was filled with cactuses and served really as a loo break and more perspective photography. Loo experiences in Bolivia cannot be explained for fear of making you want to charge for the loo.
From the islands we were sped across to the volcano where we would spend the night. We were also meant to see flamingos at the foot of the volcano, but they had decided they had better hunting grounds to haunt, so flamingos were not to be part of our experience. We were then taken to the village to settle down in our accommodation. It was however, a ghost town. We discovered to our horror that the agents had not reserved accommodation for us and so we shot from one village to the next only to find ghost towns all along the island. Turns out the villages were celebrating the end of the school year with a fiesta and no-one was available to take care of tourists. Eventually, a place was found at the furthest village and we went in to find relatively decent rooms. My only concern was the availability of hot water and was assured by hostess that there was hot water. What she failed to tell us was that it had to be paid for. So in all my anticipation of a really comforting hot shower after a long hot day on the lake, I was met with a mere trickle of ice cold water. The wind howling outside was ice cold too. Supper was a soup that looked and tasted like colour water with some vegetables floating around in it. This was followed by some non-descript meal of slap chips, chopped vienna sausages, vegetables and lunch time llama all mixed up together. Yum!!! I popped some panados and an altitude tablet since my sinuses were bleeding rather profusely and slept a dead sleep under very warm blankets. Tried the shower again in the morning and decided to just wash the golden locks in cold water rather than the entire body. So after breakfast - scrambled egg on very stale white bread rolls, we made our way to the volcano to climb up towards the crater.
First went to a cave to see a family of mummies preserved there, then started the climb. Besides my not being very fit, the altitude thing really paralysed me. Mountaineering definitely is not my calling. My lungs collapsed, my heart thumped, my head throbbed and my legs simply said howzit!!! I decided to do the walk at my own pace and sat down for a while to recover. Got up again and walked 2 metres only to have to stop again. I repeated this process about 5 times and when I grew a lump in my throat I decided that this was not a life or death situation and made my way down again and sat on a rock in the most peaceful quiet and spent some time chatting to my Saviour and friend and then did a bit of work for my venture in Venda next year. We were then taken for lunch. Chicken schnitzels deep fried and floating in oil. Took half a dozen serviettes to soak up all the oil. Then back on to the lake. We stopped at a very interesting spot with inexplicable circles of raised crystals. Our tour guide then insisted that he would be able to get Graeme's phone to take perspective photographs for us. And he did manage to do so. What a champ.
Then we were taken to the geysers which were interesting, but hardly anything to write home about. Then back to Uyundi to buy our tickets for the midnight train out of here to La Paz. Came back to our hotel and they have been kind enough to host us in the common room, offering us a shower at a small cost. Repacked our bags and Graeme had to purchase a new hand luggage bag, since his did not survive the amazing bus trip here.
So, lots of love to you all until next time.
K & G
A short note on my side about Bolivia. Man, there is no ways South Africa- even the Mamelodis of South Africa can be called third world. This place is as poor as can be. The service delivery is non-existent, the roads are mainly dirt, and you have to pay for everything, including toilets that don't flush, have no water in them and when you leave you very sheepishly slip out leaving a few landmines in the bog! You can't flush with paper so the soiled bog roll goes into an open basket next to the loo. Needless to say, you don't stay in there long! That said, there is a real buzz in this place, as there was in Salta at 9pm. Hundreds of little stores along the street selling anything and everything- except of course the things you want! Circled 3 blocks for an hour just trying to find a carton of milk- all they have are sachets. Also bought a small carry-on bag as mine was falling to pieces.
Drawing money has been tricky - I have 5 cards with me and invariably 4 of them won't work somewhere. At least one HAS worked! Food has been fine - not too different from home. Pasta plentiful, had some llama too, trying to avoid white bread where possible and sugar- that one is not easy. Off to catch the train in about 3 hours (midnight express - hopefully less bumpy than our bus ride!) to La Paz. The good thing about the tour we were on ( pretty bad in most areas, as Kathy has said) is that we met two girls who came up on a similar route to where we are going and they basically told us not to go to two places we had on our itinerary. All our plans have changed. Now going to three islands on Lake Tantanica before heading to Cusco where we will now spend an extra day. That gives us a day before we go to Machhu Pichu which will be great. So we have avoided a few more horror stories on our trip hopefully by heeding their advice.
Anyway, that's the wrap folks. Hope you are well and enjoying the slowing down of the year end as you move into silly season. Certainly no sign of Christmas in this place. The closest we get to nativity is looking up at this amazing sky at night and actually seeing the stars! Trust they will guide us as well as they did the magi of old!
Chow for now!
G
- comments
madelyn This surely sounds like an adventure!!!!!!!! :-) thanks for sharing, great to be able to follow your journey with you..
Colleen Read with great interest. Thanks to you both and lots of love.