http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/tannismc/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from tannismc en-us Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:47:38 +0000 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:47:38 +0000 The drive back to La Paz was long and filled with nonstop chatter from our driver. After spending a couple of days bumping along the Southwest Circuit the unpaved portion of the road seemed much smoother than it did just a few days ago.This was to be my last time seeing the Altiplanowe leave Bolivia in a couple of days and those days will be spent in La Paz. This time the whole journey was http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/blog-464451.html The first glimpse of Laguna Colorada and its flamingos was in the midst of the stormy weather when we arrived. After a brief stop we went on to find accommodation planning to head back to the lake later in the day.Just an hour before sunset the storm cleared and the sun came out. We made it back to the lake for the last light of day and saw hundreds of flamingos at dusk before the sun ducked http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/blog-426225.html After a delicious breakfast in San Juan we headed out across Salar de Chiguana which is smaller than salar di Uyuni. The Salar is surrounded by volcanoes although I don't know if any of them are active. It was funny to have our driver point out to the three geologists in the vehicle that the mountains were volcanoes and he even used hand gestures to show what an eruption looks like in case we http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/blog-424487.html My first glimpse of the Salar was just after twilight on the bumpy road to Uyuni. Stretched across the horizon was a white band glowing even under the crescent moon.When we drove out onto the Sara the next morning it was s blindingly brightI couldn't take my sunglasses off. We stopped to get out once the last bit of the road disappeared and we were nearly surrounded by salt. When I stepped o http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Salar-de-Uyuni/blog-420074.html It was a long day to get from La Paz to Uyuni. I did most of my organizing and repacking last night so I could go out for an early breakfast at my favourite caf before our driver picked us up. Even with our earlierthanusual start it was still nearly 10am before we were out of the canyon and through El Alto onto the open road.It was strange to go through the toll booth at Konani instead of s http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Uyuni/blog-417542.html Not much is known about the preIncan civilization that lived along the ancient shores of Lake Titicaca but they did leave behind an impressive city in Tiahuanaco. Even though much of it is still being excavated and even more of it was pilfered by the Incas and later the Spanish for their own building it is still an interesting site.The sun was hot on the day we went. It beat down on the earth http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/La-Paz-Department/Tiwanaku/blog-415591.html The visit to Salla was just a quick one so we could see the area where a lot of geological work had already been done. After two nights there we returned to the paved highway and went south. This took us further away from La Paz. At Konani we again turned toward the Cordillera Real this time on a paved road that took us to Puchuni. On the horizon are the snowcapped mountains of the Cordillera. http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/La-Paz-Department/Estancia-Palluma/blog-408458.html Our first forayinto the field was the small village of Salla almost due east of Patacamaya as the crow or condor flies. After a couple of days in La Paz to acclimatize our driver picked us up and we headed out of the canyon and onto the Altiplano. My poor head still hadn't adjusted to the altitude but the throbbing was considerably less when all I had to do was sit and look out the windo http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/La-Paz-Department/blog-406732.html First Impressions Our plane landed at dawn and once we were through customs and immigration we stepped out of the airport to an incredible view of Huyana Potosi in the early morning light. I wasn't expecting the colours to be so richthe blue blue sky and the golden earth.The first views over the rim into the canyon where La Paz is were amazing. Driving down I was impressed with how clean La http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/La-Paz-Department/La-Paz/blog-405350.html October of this year was a long month for me and I needed a break. Money's been a bit tight these days since I returned to University in September but thanks to credit card points I was able to book a flight to Vancouver over my Reading Break in November and only pay the taxes and surcharges on the flight.November isn't necessarily the best time to visit Vancouver as it tends to be wet and http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/Vancouver/blog-346288.html Note This is a journal entry from when I was an exchange student in 19941995. The photos have been scanned from the original prints.The day after acquiring a painful sunburn spending a sunny day at a school friend's pool I headed to the South Island on my way to walk the Milford Track which will be worthy of at least one separate blog entry on a trip organized by Rotary for the Youth Exchang http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/blog-318344.html Today I had to go to Heritage Park in Calgary for some research related to a volunteer position of mine. I've lived in Alberta all of my life and I can't remember if I've been to Heritage Park before. If I have it was about twenty years ago. Not that I haven't seen my share of 'living history' museums across the Canadian Prairiesif I have been to Heritage Park I can't remember it because the http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Alberta/Calgary/blog-309625.html Note This is a journal entry from when I was an exchange student in 19941995. The photos have been scanned from the original prints.I went to Hamilton for the weekend to attend a wedding with my host family. I drove up with my host sisters and we made a few stops on the way there and back at places they thought I would like. It was an awesome weekend.Going to Hamilton we stopped on the way http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Taupo/blog-302878.html Note This is a journal entry from when I was an exchange student in 19941995. The photos have been scanned from the original prints.Living around the Pauatahanui Inlet for a year was amazing. It is such a beautiful place whether enshrouded in mist or peppered with yachts for the Sunday Regatta. I loved to look at it by moonlight when it was all silvery and peaceful.The weekly Rotary meetings http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Wellington-Region/Porirua/blog-286178.html Note This is a journal entry from when I was an exchange student in 19941995. The photos have been scanned from the original prints.We went up to New Plymouth for one night. We were meant to have a game in Wanganui on the way up but it was cancelled so we had time to stop at Mount Taranaki where we played in the snow left behind by an avalanche.There is a saying in this part of the country http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/New-Plymouth/blog-285999.html DisembarkingYesterday we did our cleaning and packing as we sailed back to Placencia from Lagoon Cay. We were greeted at the dock by a couple of brothers who were selling the souvenirs they 'made.' They were smart guys to be there as it was simpler to buy from them as run around to any stores.After about an hour in the sweltering humidity all the dive gear was returned our stuff was off the http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Stann-Creek-District/Placencia-Village/blog-277335.html This is the last caye that we'll visit on this trip. We've anchored at the entrance to a peaceful lagoon where manatees are known to live. After dropping the anchors one of the guys went out in the dinghy for a tour of the lagoon and he saw something brown in the water and then it turned all cloudy and muddy. He rushed back to the boat for a camera and a couple of us went back with him.When http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Belize-Barrier-Reef/Lagoon-Caye/blog-274190.html The wind was in the wrong direction to sail here from North Long Cocoa Cay so we motored here yesterday. The breeze was nice and for the first time in several days we're not uncomfortably hot and sticky. We saw dolphins on the way and got here mid to late afternoon.South Water Cay is inhabitedit has three or four resorts separated by fences. Five of us went to the island to explore a bit http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Belize-Barrier-Reef/South-Water-Caye/blog-273162.html There wasn't enough wind to sail from Ranguana Cay so we motored here to North Little Cocoa Cay. When we arrived here a couple of us went out in the dinghy to drop the second anchor and have a quick tour around the Cay. When we got back I hopped out of the dinghy and tied it quickly to the boat while we all figured out how we would spend the afternoon. I meant to check it and make sure it wa http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Belize-Barrier-Reef/North-Long-Cocoa-Caye/blog-272275.html This has definitely been a very different vacation for me. Not only am I traveling with other people but the style of travel is very different. Instead of the everyday adventure of figuring out where to go what to do and carrying all my belongings on my back I'm sleeping in the same bed every night and I don't have to carry my valuables on my body 24 hours a dayWe haven't been on the boat http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/Belize-Barrier-Reef/Ranguana-Cay/blog-269720.html