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Published: December 4th 2011
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Today we crossed the border into Bolivia. A short drive just to the edge of town was the Chilean border post where a short line had already formed. It seemed like about 20 minutes when it was our turn but we were informed that we left our bus without his permission (something to do with not clearing customs first) so we had to go back to the back of the line. Sounded like a big ego and a small you-know-what. Anyway, to not cause any trouble, we did and it took us over an hour in line to get our permission to leave Chile.
There were quite a few transports with cars crossing the border, many from Paraguay, one even had a person in one of the cars! We were told that many stolen cars make their way into Bolivia, and this check point was no exception.
Back in the bus to get to the Bolivian border. This was much more efficient. A quick stamp in the passport and we were legally in Bolivia. We traded our minibus for 2 4x4 AWD vehicles, not in the greatest shape and one of them just recently been in an accident, with
missing driver side side-view mirror and plastic as make shift window. Most of the 4x4’s seem to be Toyotas, with the occasional upscale Lexus or Land Rover.
Travelling by 4WD vehicles we headed up into the high Andes in the Siloli Desert and saw a number of colourful lagoons, their colours determined by the mineral composition.
Laguna Blanco – borax
Laguna Verde (4400m) – copper and arsenic
Laguna Salada – salt
Another lagoon we stopped by was at the base of Cerro Polques for lunch and an optional dip in a hot spring pool called Termas de Polques. The drivers/guide also doubled as cooks and the fried chicken filet, purple onion/tomato salad, mashed potatoes and watermelon hit the spot.
Along the way we also saw Rocas de Dali, a hillside dotted with rocks, so named because it appeared to have been meticulously placed by Salvador Dali himself.
We then crossed over a 5000m pass and kept going to a geothermal area called Sol de Manana at about 4850m above sea level with a geyser basin with bubbling mud pots, fumaroles and a strong smell of sulphur fumes. Some of the larger bubbling areas
would throw mud up to a distance of a couple of meters.
The last lagoon of the day was Laguna Colorada (4278m). It covers an area of some 60 square km and it derives its rich red colour from algae and plankton which thrive in its mineral water. The shoreline is fringed with white deposits of sodium, magnesium, borax and gypsum. The colours are most vivid when it’s windy as the algae is churned around in the water. The algae is an important food source for flamingos which come here to breed starting in November. There are three flamingo species, Chilean, James and Andean.
According to the local guide:
Chilean – blacked-tipped white bill, dirty blue legs and red knees
Andean – largest, yellow and black bill, yellow legs
James – smallest, yellow and black bill, dark-red legs
So much for the association of flamingos, palm trees and the tropics!
On the way back to our barrack-like dormitory, the other 4WD got stuck on a sand bank because the driver tried to go over it at a sharp angle. We got out to push but to no avail. A few other 4WDs stopped
but no one could do much than what we were already doing. Some other vehicles stopped, not to offer help, but so that their passengers could snap some photos. Then a Brazilian in a VW Touareg stopped to help. I wasn’t sure what was said but to make a long story short he went to get help and came back with another Brazilian in a jeep with tow rope. In the meantime the driver jacked up the car to put rocks underneath the tires to provide more traction and we were busy bringing rocks to him. It was surprisingly hard work at that altitude and with howling wind that had picked up. All the pushing we did prior to the jeep’s arrival was futile, but the combination got the 4WD going. It was good timing because it was getting cold and the sun was setting fast.
Our simple accommodation was at 4340m. We had the best vegetable soup but I didn’t have much appetite after that, and only had a bit of spaghetti and left the processed half-slice of peach. A couple people were down for the count because of the altitude; thankfully I just had a bit of
a headache. In a room with six guys, ie some snoring, and no heating I slept surprisingly well.
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