Argentina - Bolivia

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Well not had much luck getting to an internet cafe (that works) since the last time I bloged so I have tried to put in as much info as possible without taking up to much of everyones time when you come to read it so hear goes.

monday 7th to saturday 12th july
We arrived in Cordoba and decided before arriving to visit a couple of the neighbouring towns so we headed to the bus station and was informed that La Falda, Alta Gracia and Villa Carlos paz cost more to get to than paying for an overnight busSo we decided to chill and spent the week visiting Cordobas sights such as "Plaza General" "Igles Catedral

Sunday 13th july
Arrived 9am in Salta and its lovely and sunny so I love it already. A little tired after our 12hr overnight bus from Cordoba so we droped our things of the Hostel and chilled in the park with our crusty"bus sandwiches". The park is very nice with a large pond with pedalos and lots of activities for children also a market running the street so its got a real nice vibe to it. We livend up towards the evening and we had bumped into a few others that we met in Rio, so we all joined in with the hostels BBQ night (decision was made at all you can drink wine) Fab night Steak, salad and wine for 25paso each(4pound) we drank thd went on to do so with the beer where gona regret it in the morning!

monday 14th july
Oh what a fab night its just my head im sure this one dosent belong to me. The Exxes hostel we are in is prob the best so far they actualy do things to keep you entertained and offer trips(they have friends that do everything) and bikes somedays FREE! Its built so its hanot to be sociable and the kitchen is fab and no strict time for breckie, They realize some people want a long lie some days. We managed a lie in the park but Steve couldent take it any lger so we had a siesta and that made us feel fab so we bought supplies from the lare supermarket across the road and ate in and got drunk all over again!

Tuesday 15th july
Went up the cable car 6paso one way (as you can walk bk down) up to"Cerro san berardo"1454mts high. At the top there was a man made water fall and a cafe with amazing views of the city (a little expencive) We took our own lunch and there was plenty of places to sit and eat, we picked the only spot a film crew set up at and im stuffing myface with a cheese and ham buttie trying to look sexy that went wrong when the content of my sandwich was late discoversd down my top(wondered why i was still hungry), not the best claim to fame. In the evening the hostel bought out a "Hubba bubba" its like a pipe with flavoured smoke but its leagal and harmless (pointless really) but fun. we had a old sing song with a guy from Sweeden playing his guitar and he knew songs like Abba and Madona so we where all well away after a bottle of wine or two, I tought I sounded like Whitney but better and we sang the night away.

wednesday 16th july
Oh why dose someone always have to kill the illusion. One of the girls filmed us lastnight and i sounded more like Bridget jones singing "all by myself" than the wonderful Whitney i led myself to believe i sounded like and to add insult to injury I was doing some mad swaying motion that im quite supprised dident lead to serious injury. So to make myself feel better andto kill the beer munchies we headed for "ICE CREAM" ita the best one I have ever tasted yum yum and huge. that dident stop me eating a sandwich straight after "Fatie want a cream cake" so much for starving myself to look good tonias we are testing the salta night life with some of the guys we met in Rio who arrive today. Up early tomor for our bus to Tilcara oh joy!

Thursday 17th july
Bus 28ar$ 3½hrsto Tilcara turned into 7hrs as we broke down a few times and the air con dident work Steve sleep most of the way and I stayawake due to the fact that everytime I tried to close my eyes I felt sick (must be something I ate) cought my reflection a few time and dident like the whole drupy eyed wonkie mouth look I had going on. We finaly arrived difficult to find our hostel as on what seemed like waste land dumped our stuff and headed foe a cactus picture, No luck as all had been walled in and the place was closing bummer! Not that we wouled have paid to get in so Steve had seen one a little walk away in the dry river bed and we nearly killed ourselfs trying to get it but we got our picture. Theres funny stone sculptures around to that we had to pose with. In the evening we discovered a nice resturante where a group of students each from a different part of south America played music which was inspired by each country it was interesting. Off to La quiacq tomorow the Argentinian side of the border to Bolivia.

friday18th july
Bus 21ar$ 4hrs to La Quiacawe are going to catch the train tomorrow from Villazon to Tupiza if we can get train tickets as there apparently scarce so fingers crossed. Tried to get tickets for the train today but no one couled tell us what time the border closed not even the border police but they let us go through without an exit stamp as we where coming back in an hour but after walking past the train station unaware twice then realizing it was closed anyway we gave up and headed back. Thankgod the border was still open. Up early tomor to buy tickets.

Saturday 19th july
Crossed border no problem it was busy the other direction thank god and we bought our tickets 2nd class 20b$(1.30) no problem yaaay. Coffee hot and strong the market was the best one I have had since arriving in south America. Villazon is very limited service wise and the locals are so typical Bolivian with the hats and skirts. Amazing difference to say we only crossed a bridge and its so much poorer looking. Killed time in a lama cafe and when I say lama I mean everything was made out of the shape of a lama. The lady gave us blankets so we spent 3hrs drinkning coffee and tea.Finaly on the train 2nd class just like a semi cama so fine for us and views amazing just anoying that the locals must do the trip regular so therefore close there blinds pain! Right side of the train had the best view though so worth requesting if pos. Arrived in Tupiza at 6;30pm its 2900mts so cheap to get drunk whoop whoop!Met by hostel worker and she told us we had been put in different buiding(no kitchrn) and straight away she tried to sall us the salt flats trip so we sat there for 45 min whilst im looking totaly disinterested and steve is politly listening she paused for breath and we said we where NOT interested. Then we escaped but she tried to get us everytime we came out of our room which unfortunatly was next to the entrace door to the hostal there is no escape!

sunday 20th july
No where open and no cash machine so we had to change Travelers checks at 10%!n(MISSING)ot good. Nice resturants and a pritty place so so far so good we even poped into another hostel named the Mitru with a pool (your legs would disolve in) and a large sun terrace inc Breckfast Scrambled eggs and bread rolls inc hot drinks (self service) so we are moving tomorrow cant wait. Ended up eating in a dodgy cafe as the locals tell you what you want to hear such as"yes were open until 4pm" but you go there at 2pm and there closed its a pain! There is no supermarkets just little shops so stock up on everything before coming here.

monday 21st july
Temp is so strange here its red hot in the day and minus freezing at night im even wearing tights for bed but trust me fashion goes out the window at this altitude. The hostel gave our room away so we where not happy and after frets that we would sleep on the sofa in reception they finaly said a room had come available lucky for us it was a better room with a 3rd bed we could steal the sheets from and a shared sun terrace with mountain views oh this is the life! Only down side is you cant Skype from here Gutted as had plans to skype Friend on her Wedding day Gutted!

Tuesday 22nd july
Feeling adventurous so we walked up a big hill called "La cruz"Altitude made it difficult so we took it easy plenty of stops and water. The views where worth it and we spent about 1hr at the top taking them in and no one elas came up so we had real peace and quiet. The alltitude went to our heads though as we took some real silly pics oh but why the hell not. We booked horse riding tomorrow at 1pm for 3hrs 90b$ each

Wednesday 23rd july
We chilled and made my friends wedding banna before we headed of for our afternoon ride. Milton our guide collected us from the hostel (who we booked with) he dident have helmets but got them no problem when we asked. My horse was perfect and well behaved but steve got the bolter so the guide swapped with him but if Steve took his feet out of the stirups he couled have walked the horse himself (very funny) This horse wasent being good either so the guide had to stay with him and me and "Pajarro" enjoyed the views through the vally and on to "pueto del deablo" gateway to the devil (now we know where steves horse came from) then onto "Georglificos" "Valle de la mochos" and ending at "El canon del inca" The rock formations and colours changed so dramatically you cant describe it. We fed the horses apples before heading back. Cant wait to go again prob on the beach in Australia whoop whoop.

Thursday 24th july
Market day Perfect for buying your warm clothes for Uyuni and the salt flats. Steve got a ski style jacket for 75b$ and I got one for 95b$ but sizes are very limited mostly big buy ok if wearing all you own underneath. we also bought gloves 20p and hats 1.90p. Steve got hie 5th pair of sunglasses since we started so im sure he wouled have broken them by the next time I blog. So we had a good do.

friday 25th july
Tried to buy train tickets but got told to go back tomorrow (beware its a ticket system like at a butchers) Called my Friend to wish her luck on her wedding day missing things is the only down side of traveling.

saturday 26th july (BRYONY AND RICH WEDDING DAY)
Dident sleep a wink as to excited for my friends big day so we chilled and took our CONGRATULATIONS sign up the hill to watch the sunset. Champaign turned out to be cider so all we needed was some larger classy!

Sunday 27th july
Traveled to Uyuni and arrived midnight the hostel had given our room away although they knew we where arriving late and offered us one for double so wa had to take it the hostel was minging and staff very rude not worth staying in even though cheap (Avenida hostel lonly planet)

monday 28th july
Lots of companies selling salt flat trips we booked ours for 630b$ (52 pounds) each and it was 3days 2nights and they included sleeping bags(thankgod) also they alloud you to store your bags at the office which helped. So we left at 11.30 1hr late but typical Bolivian style. There's six of us in the jeep, plus our driver Ivan, and Chef Lidya. We had a Chilean couple (Pablo and Veronica) and an English couple called Aled and Francesca so it should be good. First day headed for the salt flats, very surreal. Looked a bit like snow. Took some funky pictures then headed to visit fish island, basically a load of cactus! First night, twin room shared toilet. Extra for a hot shower. Food been good so far, lunch was meat and rice. Evening meal, spag. bol.
Very cold night, didn't sleep much. Up at 0630.

tuesday 29th july
Hot drink - yeah! Brekkie good, bread and jam, plenty of it. First sight "Volcan Ollague." We saw it from a distance as it's still live. Next stop "Arbol Piedra" a funny looking rock, very famous though. Then headed off for lunch at the white river, our first flamingo sighting. I got an in flight picture but I promised I never chased them. Can't get used to paying for the loo. 5Bs! They should be paying me! Lunch pasta and chicken (so they can have that). Paid 60Bs x2 to get into National Park where we happened to be staying. Visited the red lake as the sun was setting. Dinner was Pique a lo Machio - local tackle, not bad. 6 bed dorm, no roof so its gonna be a cold one! 4am start tomorrow!

wednesday 30th july
Crap sleep again. So cold and windy as we're approx. 4300m. Set off to watch the sunrise over the geysers. Were not informed this was actually from the jeep. Had a picture next to a mini volcano. Jeep going extremely slow uphills. Just hope we don't break down! We headed for the hot springs. FREEZING cold. Stripped off and dived straight in. Gorgeous. Just don't want to get out of the bloody thing! Record time for drying and dressing though. All you could hear around you was "I have my pants on backwards." (Just hope they're not thongs or that could be painful) Definately worth going in though, but be warned we actually had icicles at the end of our hair! Time to warm up with breakfast. Headed for the border, dropped off the 2 Chileans. Mostly driving. Stopping off for lunch but I think my bum is actually bruised! Took us longer due to the lack of speed from the jeep , but overall an excellent trip.
Found a hostel. Purchased tickets for Potosi. Leaving 10am, 30Bs.

Thursday 31st july
Up all night with "travel belly." Not good but decided, as I've nothing left in me would risk the journey. Worst journey of my life. No toilet on bus, one stop and no toilet there either! Arrived in Potosi - finally! Jumped a taxi and got the last room in the first hostel we tried, and it had operational plumbing - bonus!

Friday 1st August
Asleep by 7pm last night. Shared my time between the bathroom and bed. Woke up thinking I felt OK so headed out to do some sightseeing but dizziness and aching sent me back to bed for the day. Steve headed to buy bus tickets for Sucre. 20Bs for 3 hrs leaving at 8am. Hope I feel OK

Saturday 2nd August
Up 6.45am. 20 minute walk to bus station. Journey went fine, beautiful scenery and tarmacked roads. Past the town from "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid." When we neared Sucre the driver pulled in behind a lot of other vehicles and started taking our bags off. After further investigation (as the drivers tell you bugger all) we discovered there was a road block. Informed it was a 2km walk in to Sucre so off we went. After approx. 1km, two locals off our bus stopped and we asked them how far to Sucre. They informed us approx. 10km. Taxis tried to rip us off. Luckily, her dad was picking her up in his truck and she offered us a lift for 5Bs. Along the way they picked up 4 other travellers. A little squashed to say the least. But they dropped us in the center and were very helpful.
Found a hostel with a great sun terrace so we can have a few chilled days as its right next to our room. Should be a nice sunset too. Great for drying all our washing - as we stink! Looked into road block thing further. Discovered its due to a referendum apparently its hard to get out of anywhere in Bolivia as maybe starting riots etc. Who knows? I'm a little panicked as this is the old Capital and it tells you to stay away from big crowds. Independance Day is on the 6th ie. BIG PARTY but we will wait and see!
If we survive we will blog again in approx. 2 weeks!!

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Photos

Cerro San Bernardo
Cable Car in Salta (Don't look down)

Hubba Bubba Night
Hmmmm. Minty Fresh!

Tilcara
Funny Sculptures!

Train from Villazon to Tupiza
Choo Choo!

Tupiza "La Cruz"
Halfway up the hill, taking a rest!

At the top of "La Cruz"
These views are what its all about

Practising horse riding
The Altitude has gone to our heads

The altitude pushed me over the edge!
I look like the girl crawling out of the TV in "The Ring."

Giddy up Horsey.
Trekking through the valleys.

Puerto del Diablo.
Gateway to the Devil.

Mr. & Mrs.
Congrats Bryony and Rich on becoming Mr. and Mrs. Willy!

Salt Flats
Balancing on a beer can (move over Steve)

Volcan Ollague
I'm glad we're this far away! Have you seen that thing smoking?

In-Flight Flamingo Photo
I swear I never chased them!

Red Lake
Aw, aint it pretty?

Hot Springs
I hope no-ones wee'd in here!