A white Xmas

---

last time it was all words no pics - this time its the opposite; well virtually!

We have been travelling through Bolivia which was largely very scenic but has little infrastructure that actually works - a beautiful disaster one might say! Reliable electricity has been scarce, so internet was beyond our reach for quite some time. Indeed, toilets you didn´t have to build yourself were becoming a fascination for all aboard the truck!

I survived the world´s most dangerous ride, which was not nearly as exciting as anticipated as fog and rain obscured the 800m, unguarded drop offs for most of the ride. Suffice to say 320 people died on this road in 2006, but none of us did. A fatal accident on the way back to La Paz at which our guides used their roping skills to recover the body sobered us all up though......

We have reached northern Chile which by contrast is much better equipped for the 20th century. Xmas was on the Uyuni salt flats (hence the white xmas), New Years was another beach camp south of San Pedro - an event that saw some of us bonfire-walk at midnight with varying degrees of success. New Years day was largely spent gazing westwards at the Pacific, quitely contemplating what this trip has shown us and has yet to reveal.

Unfortunately the various ways we store photos means that the ones attached are relevant to the last post. Santiago looms before us and as we are leaving Carmen (the truck) after 55 days aboard, we will have enough free time in a modern city to hopefully catch up before we sail for Patagonia.


Thanks to all for your best wishes for xmas and new years - they were very much appreciated. More news coming in less than a week!

Love

DnR

---

Photos

Outside Chivay
Grownups taking photos, delayed adolescents engaging in a snowball fight. Five minutes later all the grownups had become teenagers and even the inside of the truck was a battleground. Which was funny until the snow melted..........

Lunch on the go
or at least what it looks like when you have 5 kitchen staff and 12 llamas to race ahead and prepare it for you! Note the beautiful weather.......

Queuing for chocolate
was the big event as far as the locals were concerned. The Agent gave out the goodies, I helped keep order. Pretty much par for the course really...

Will there be enough?
as it turned out, all the kids got at least 2 cups of hot chocolate, so relief all round.....

Going in for seconds!
The girl in blue makes a dash up the flank for another bun from the Agent. Although successful this time and once more, she was turned away on the fourth attempt. God loves a trier!

Final descent
The captivating valley we came down after our highest pass was crossed. The green fields you can see in the background are 2500m above sea level........

On top of the mountain
with Nancy and Huw. Nobody else climbed it, which was good (I don´t share well) and a shame (the view of Machu Picchu was outstanding).

Above the city of the gods
Hot, sweaty, breathless, it was all we could do to hold cameras steady!! More traditional views show the craftmanship of the masons much better.

You have to stand on it
to prove you have been there. This is a rule many conservation-minded European countries have increasingly ignored, fencing their monuments off unreasonably. South America however remains on message with this turistico requirement (and blissfully adult about risk too - you should have seen some of the unfenced cliff edge drops in this place!)

Low waste packaging
is the norm in the local markets. Quite a change from Sainsburys!

Comments

[ruth]

health and safety
......remember david and rebecca how important it is to think about health and safety at work but also at home (and on foreign trips doing dangerous things). I do not want to hear about you on the news so don't do anything that wouldn't trigger a hasle notice or toolbox talk.... - love you - Ruth xxxxx

[Nicole]

Hello from Perth
Wow!!! You certainly are in God's country and seem to be having a holiday of a lifetime. I enjoy reading each and every one of David's posts and the pics are just amazing. I bet this is a far cry from SBC :) I'm glued to my seating waiting for the next chapter in your epic adventure. All the best to you both for 2009. Nicole