The Return to La Paz

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The drive back to La Paz was long and filled with non-stop 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 Altiplano--we leave Bolivia in a couple of days, and those days will be spent in La Paz. This time, the whole journey was done in daylight--a beautiful, sunny day.

The strange formations we'd seen at twilight on the way down to Uyuni were just as strange in the daylight. In the hours before we returned to the paved road, we saw lots of wildlife, including three rheas running away from us. A hill of sand-dunes, which had been hidden in the dark the last time we passed this way, stood out against the horizon. Once we reached Oruro, it felt like we were on the home stretch. It was strange to pass the turnoff to Pucuni and not take it.

more photos below

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