Blogs from Bolivia, South America - page 561

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South America » Bolivia » Potosí Department » Uyuni February 5th 2006

From San Pedro we took a 4WD tour across the border and over the Andes and altiplano to the city of Uyuni in Bolivia. San Pedro is at 2300 meters and during the first hour a bus took us to the border control at 4100 meters and the effects of the high altitude were quickly noticed. After crossing the border we changed from a bus to jeeps and started the most amazing off-road ride of our lives. Beautiful colored lakes with lots of flamingoes, snowcapped mountains, volcanoes, bare rocky landscape, oddly shaped rocks and geysers. There's so many amazing things to see around here. On the first day we drove to Laguna Blanca, Laguna Verde, hot springs, volcanic field, and Laguna Colorada, where we stayed the night. After a difficult night at high altitude we drove ... read more
First pit stop
Windy, eh?
Driving through rocky landscape

South America » Bolivia » Potosí Department » Uyuni February 5th 2006

Before I started my travels down in South America, I had many visions of the obstacles I would face over those two months. Fears of theft (and worse), endless challenges with communication, and threats to my health from illness and questionable food were top in my list. And while we have found all of these concerns to be well justified, it has been our constant struggles with transportation that has proven to be the greatest challenge of all. The greatest agonies we have faced have been the result of endless waits for buses, or, often worse, the bus rides themselves. These hardships didn´t really begin until we tried to leave Arica, Chile for Uyuni, Bolivia. We had to wait four days before we could catch a ride to our first stop in Bolivia, forcing us to ... read more
Buses are Great!
Sun is Rising While Bus is Sinking

South America » Bolivia » La Paz Department » Yungas Road February 5th 2006

Fast-forward a few days to La Paz, Bolivia... Izzy and I had been planning on doing something called the Choro Trek, a 2 or 3 day hike, depending on how energetic one was, through high altiplano, fording rivers down to jungles and stinging insects... As you know, we had spent a good deal of time walking round getting supplies for our Choro trek - mangoes, peanut butter, bread, honey, dried fruit, tent, tarp, etc... and getting quite excited. To celebrate, we went out to a Lebanese restaurant whereupon I promptly contracted explosive diarrhea. Nix those plans. By morning I had faded to a trickle of water, albeit every 10 minutes, so there was no chance of going anywhere. We had been planning on doing it in 2 days - 8 hours the first and 10 the ... read more


It was another long 8 hour drive to Uyuni from Potosi. As we approached the town coming down from the mountains, we were treated to a spectacular sunset, surrounded by huge bolts of fork lightning, nature in its true glory, and a spectacular photo moment, although I couldn't catch some lightning! We got the hotel, which was very pleasant compared to the hotel in Potosi, and were delighted to find it had a really cool Pizza restaurant joined to it. The establishment was owned and run by an American, who was also Chef, so we had an amazing Pizza for dinner, some wine and then bed. Another 8am start on the Sunday morning, our group was picked up by Land Rovers, and driven out through the desert towards the Salt Lake. We stopped on the way ... read more
Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
Butch Cassidy & Sundance Kid
Sunset over Uyuni

South America » Bolivia » Potosí Department » Potosi February 2nd 2006

From my last entry we were actually delayed leaving La Paz. We boarded our bus and packed up at 8am, only to hear that there was a protest from locals in a town called Ureros, which was 4 hours away, and the main road to our next desination of Potosi. They had closed the road because of this protest, which are apparently quite common. So we spent an extra day in La Paz, which was fine by me, so me and a couple of lads found an English bar and had a great breakfast and an English cuppa, and we watched football, Man Utd v Blackburn on tv. Then just went shopping again, its very very cheap here, and then had a good night out, ending a great day. Te next morning we were up and ... read more

South America » Bolivia » La Paz Department » La Paz February 2nd 2006

Hola once again. A little bit more frequent with some updates but im just getting to lazy to write these things. Anyway - Bolivia Its really cheap! Great! Apart from being cheap its also full of argies with their bad trousers. Sorry Chris forgot the photo but will get one on here soon. The first stop was Copacabana not the beach in brazil but the hippy place on Lake Titikaka. The place is all about peace, love and boats, with a bit less peace and love and lots of boats. Unfortunately I decided to take another boat trip to some Island in Lake Titikaka. Another 5 hour round trip with some great views of water! but made a great choice to dash to La Paz. Running off the boat I grabbed my stuff, jumped in a ... read more
Border
Isla del sol
Lake crossing to La Paz

South America » Bolivia » Santa Cruz Department » Santa Cruz February 1st 2006

Well our time in Bolivia is finally coming to an end, as we hope to have our Brazilian visas and be heading towards the boarder tonight. Up to this point, I would have to say that Bolivia has been my favourite country for many reasons including the food, the costs, and the people. Some highlights include learning that Jordan has the power to stop rain from falling by blowing towards the sky (according to our guide in Tupiza) and learning that yes, in fact, I am a Latino. At least the mafioso guy in Santa Cruz was convinced. They told him I was from Mexico, and from there on out my nickname was Chihuahua. Food: The number of awesome, cheap restaurants we found in Bolivia was simply amazing. Yes, two of the restaurants don´t necessarily serve ... read more
La Paz
Coroico
Salt Flats

South America » Bolivia » Santa Cruz Department » Santa Cruz February 1st 2006

First of all, Can´t believe today is February, just looked at the date and was surprised. As everyone knows, we are in Santa Cruz for the second time, chilling for a few days until our VISA´s for Brazil arrive, they should be ready in 2 hours if all goes according to plan! Last night we tied one on for Ryans birthday! Started things off right with Champagne and Fillet Mignon for breakfast, then we went to the Internet cafe call center so Jord could phone the FOX in Vancouver, was pretty funny, I had it on the live web cast (although it did cut out at the end -reliable Bolivian Internet) but thanks to Tara we have an mp3 of the whole thing, which I will try and post a link to on this blog when ... read more
Home
I´m back
B-day Boy!

South America » Bolivia » La Paz Department » Yungas Road January 31st 2006

Let me begin by stating that Death Road is probably a lie - I just didn´t know where I was and thought that sounded good. Rachel and I began our day at 7am in order to be at our tour office by 8am. The other three on our tour, Gozo, Caralina, and Manuel, were also there on time. Unfortunately, the people running the office weren´t. I began to get nervous, but about 10 or 15 minutes later they did show. We eventually took off, which meant we drove to the border and waited an hour to get our passports stamped to leave Chile. We then drove an hour or so and went to get our passports stamped to get into Bolivia. We were to meet a desert type truck there and change cars in order to ... read more

South America » Bolivia January 31st 2006

As soon as we entered Bolivia we noticed people wearing Bowler Hats. Never men, just women. They were as common as the ´aguayo´(sheets that women carry their goods/babies in on their backs). The hats would not always fit - often being too small, balancing precariously on the ladies heads. We observed Bowler hats throughout most of the country, only in Santa Cruz do the majority of ladies not wear them. We were speaking to a Canadian gentlemen and he put forward what he believes is the reason for the hats. At the turn of the centrury (around the time Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid were shot in Bolivia by the army) an English gentlemen opened a store here selling hats. Due to a mix up owing to his lack of Spanish numeracy skills, he ordered ... read more
hat2
hat3




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