http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Santa-Cruz-Department/Samaipata/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from South America , Bolivia , Santa Cruz Department , Samaipata en-us Mon, 04 Jan 2010 18:14:53 +0000 Mon, 04 Jan 2010 18:14:53 +0000 Que PasoSo we survived the 18 hour busride from La Paz to Samaipata.. Wait did I say Samaipata What I meant was the busride from La Paz to SANTA CRUZ Although the guy we bought the bus ticket from claimed that the bus went to Samaipata it did not and in fact never does it even pass Samaipata. WOW.. Can you imagine outandout lying to someone like that So we took a taxi from Santa Cruz http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Santa-Cruz-Department/Samaipata/blog-408853.html Im here made it ok long fuckin flight though. the next day i passed out til like 3 in the afternoon. I saw some guy puttin a jacket on it was raining off and on and i was hungry as shit so I asked him if he was going to town and if I could tag along. He said sure. His name is Simon a polish guy my age 28. We walked in to town got some food a bombass steak fries salad beer and e http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Santa-Cruz-Department/Samaipata/blog-403392.html Again we must apologise for not updating the blog it is actually about three weeks behind our actual travels so we will try to run through what has happened through part one of Bolivia we are returning for part two in November and our first leg in Peru.Backtracking to the last entry in Brazil we crossed the border and headed to Santa Cruz via the Death Train a 24 hour nightmare journey th http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Santa-Cruz-Department/Samaipata/blog-337432.html A pity really that I rushed through La Paz from bus stop arriving from Titicaca to bus terminal leaving for Santa Cruz La Paz is really a beauty when you get the first glance at it from above in the afternoon sun. Undescribable so I won't even try. And I didn't stay anyway...I took a sleeper bus to Santa Cruz which was sort of a waste since the roads are so bad that you can't sleep anyway http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Santa-Cruz-Department/Samaipata/blog-281542.html It is now about six months since I left England and it is time to bring things up to date. In February Jane left me in Cuzco to return to the UK and welcome the daffodils and the snow. I made a short trip to La Paz with friends and to the small town of Coroico that I enjoyed visiting so much during my last stay in Bolivia. Then I returned by plane to the city of Santa Cruz and from there to Sa http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Santa-Cruz-Department/Samaipata/blog-272227.html Early March Got an overnight bus from Sucre to our next port of call Samaipata a small village in eastern Bolivia. Unfortunately there was no toilet on this bus and I spent most of the night avoiding sleep for fear of wetting myself. Thankfully the driver stopped at about 3am when it appeared that half the bus had the same problem as myself. Bodies scattered in all directions to use the natural http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Santa-Cruz-Department/Samaipata/blog-253779.html Here we are in high up Samiapta 1400 meters above sea level. The oxygen is thin the air is cool the mountains breathtaking. But unfortunately the oxygen wasnt thick enough for my poor Ohio body and I eventually became aware of the wonderful gift of altitude sickness. At first I felt as if I were high everything went by so slow and everything was wonderfully wonderful. Then fever hit dizzi http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Santa-Cruz-Department/Samaipata/blog-249757.html Hi again everybodyWell even though Christmas and New Years seems so long ago I thought I should give you an update on all the action I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas and New Years and you are now settling into holidaysworkwhatever else you may be doing. Quick note I am on a dodgy computer and cant get any photos to upload so this is a very boring text only entry I am afraidI s http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Santa-Cruz-Department/Samaipata/blog-233828.html We saw in the New Year in Samaipata. In Quechua it means ldquoRest in the Hillsrdquo so thatrsquos exactly what we did Not much has changed in the 2 years since we were last here and so it still retains the tranquil charm that first attracted us.We stayed in the wonderful Andoria Hostal where we met lots of great people. Hostal owner Andres has decorated the place with his own travel photo http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Santa-Cruz-Department/Samaipata/blog-233149.html Our second to last stop on our way back to La Paz was Samaipata... a little town set in the foothills of the Andes situated beside a few national parks. Apparently its where the people from Santa Cruz go for holidays and its definitely a winner. We arrived and were told we could camp in the backyard of a Belgian guy's house... he seemed fine with the idea and we had a great night sleep. The n http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Santa-Cruz-Department/Samaipata/blog-187232.html There were several reasons why we didnt jump in one hop from Santa Cruz to Sucre. One being that wed heard some interesting things about the town and some old Inca ruins at El Fuerte the fort. The second being the Splurge caption in the S American Lonely Planet. Now by now weve come to loathe this very out of date piece of travel guide however we did check the website of Finca la Vispera http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Santa-Cruz-Department/Samaipata/blog-144151.html Christmas Eve in Bolivia...what can I say the sun is shining its about 25oC with a nice breeze and still were missing home....must be mad. It just doesnt feel like christmas......then I guess it is only one out of our lives and we are in a beautiful country. Shouldnt complainOk forst of all I should appologise for the lack of intersting pictures or any at all for that matter. The bloody http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Santa-Cruz-Department/Samaipata/blog-113353.html Santa Cruz is the biggest and the most modern city in Bolivia.We found there the best night life in Bolivia.From there we headed to a really nice and laid back town called Samaipata near the national park Amboro.Just after arriving to Samaipata we heard the bad news from back home about the developing situation in the border of Lebanon and the Gaza strip.Ever since that moment the trip hasn't b http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Santa-Cruz-Department/Samaipata/blog-81515.html Having spent so long in Sucre I was looking forward to getting back to nature a little bit. Thus I headed to the small town of Samaipata about 10 hours northeast of Sucre. Only problem was that the bus would arrive there at about 4 a.m. and drop me at the side of the road or that was the plan. Predictably they forgot about me but luckily I was on the ball and managed to get the driver to s http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Santa-Cruz-Department/Samaipata/blog-57364.html This is Sara to narrate our last 3 days in Saimapata and all our exciting travels back to La Paz. Matt woke up on the morning of March 21 feeling very under the weather with a cough sounding suspiciously like the one Jill had. He decided that it was prudent that he did not go and we both concurred. So after having another wonderful organic breakfast at our dream hostel La Vispera Jill and I set http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Santa-Cruz-Department/Samaipata/blog-48386.html Well after a throughly frustrating attempt to post a entry last night where the computer shut off 3 times while I was attempting to post I am back to try again. As Samaipata has only one real internet option Im stuck back at the same place. Anyway we made it here safely and had our first of three one day tours in an attempt to find Sara more birds. Based on the last few weeks I foresee m http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Santa-Cruz-Department/Samaipata/blog-47796.html Im back in Samipata and its hot hot hot woopie finally Today I visited the Amboro nationl park. Its absolutely huge and covers areas of rainforest semi tropical forests and mountains. I visited a region called the Volcanes which arent the lava spewing type of mountains but just weird huge beutiful red mountains nestled together and surrounded by gorgeous forests. I went with two french http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Santa-Cruz-Department/Samaipata/blog-15433.html Id had enough of the cold and the fog so I decided to head to another village further west called Vallegrande. Its a good jumping off point for visiting the canyon and village where Che Guevara was captured held and finally executed. I thought it would be quite an interesting trip and a good thing to do before it becomes too much of a tourist attraction. I took the local bus which was crowded http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Santa-Cruz-Department/Samaipata/blog-15431.html So here I am in Samipata its a little village 3hrs to the West of Santa Cruz and is meant to be the perfect place to chill out for a couple of days or so lonely planet says but its absolutely freezing. Theres a fog thats engulfed the whole valley so its wet and cold all the time and its meant to last until Tuesday Bugger I came here for some sun Also I have left most of my stuff in Santa Cr http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Santa-Cruz-Department/Samaipata/blog-15197.html FOOD DRINK Bolivian wine 'Kohlberg' very good. Hot choc with breakfast yum. Food in the best restaurant for under 3 quid. None when it was needed on a long bike ride. AREA Beautiful little village where the locals from Santa Cruz escape to for their weekends away. Amazing mountainous scenery all around the town long walks long mountain bike rides up and down the hills to waterfalls. 'El http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Santa-Cruz-Department/Samaipata/blog-9172.html