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Published: October 22nd 2019
**** IT HAS BEEN FOREVER since I even logged into TravelBlog sadly **** I just logged in and noticed this blog was left "unpublished" so all I'm gonna do is hit "publish".... SOOOO um... sorry about the 5 year delay. LOL. and extra apologies for not finishing this trip! But in other news... I will have a blog about the Maldives coming up! 😊 😊
Hiya!
I left off with us at the geysers in Bolivia. I said I'd include photos, but they did not show up! So.. see photos of the brightly bubbling goop within the Earth! Also, I left out one of my favorite parts.. the flamingos!!!! We had seen a total of 4 flamingos.. 3 flying, and one lonesome in the lake near the hot tub. All too far to really see that they're actually flamingos. 4 was a long way from the "hundreds" Kitkat promised. It was that kind of "yes, I've seen them", "I think I've seen them", "are those really them", "I'm gonna tell myself, and others, I saw them" kind of things.
Our last morning in Bolivia was an early one. It was freezing. This was the morning after
we so brilliantly bought ourselves a bottle of wine, each.. we didn't have cups remember. For a couple brief hours there, it made perfect sense. 😊 We had to be ready at 4:30, or some other ridiculous time right around there. The hot tea seemed to make things better, but nothing could ease the bone chilling cold. We scuffled around and were soon ready to go.
Blah, blah, here and there about the day... but soon we came to a lake with about 30-40 flamingos. An improvement! However, I seriously think they were frozen. I think the lake had frozen over, and they were stuck, hard as a rock. Perfect statues of pinkly colored ice. They were far away, but there was zero movement. Not from them, and not from the water. Flamingo popsicles, like you could pick one up and use it as a bat. There was room for more improvement.
The sun began to rise and we were cozied in the 4x4. As you may guess, the wine that had us so chatty the night before, had us deathly silent today. But after a few pit stops for sights, and the most beautiful landscape, we were
pretty alright. I know I've said we've seen beautiful sights, but the natural landscape of Bolivia is beyond gorgeous. It is so untouched. Mountainous volcanoes, deep contrasting colors of dirt and sand. The beauty of the Earth is simply amazing. I took about a 2 minute video which you can link to on my FB page. 2 minutes. That is a sliver!
If Bolivia could get its shit together, they could be one of the most desirable destinations in the world. I say that without a doubt. However, they are too corrupt, too selfish, too greedy. It is difficult to explain because I don't know that much about it, but I do know they aren't using their resources to the full capability. And well, if it was a major tourist destination, they would have to step up their food game by MILES. The absolute worst food there, and not because I got sick, but because it was just that dang bad. I don't think I will ever get over the hotdog, llama, egg, spaghetti meal! EVER! Imagine a cartoon character with his eyes popping out here.
Ok, back to story.. we are still on these long dusty roads,
not paved, but actual tracks to follow. Out of the Salt Flats. We curve around and get to this long open track, huge red lagoon on the right, big mountains behind it. So we'd seen the blue lagoon and are now at the red lagoon, which is actually red. And what do you think is in this red oasis? Flamingos. HUNDREDS of them!!! Hip Hip Hooray!!! We stopped and walked up along the bank. I think the most surprising thing to me, was to hear them. At the zoo, they're just sort of there. Here, they were loud. Naturally, making bird sounds. They were a bit frightened by us, so as we walked close they walked away. A few flew off here and there, which was exciting, but for the most part they just yelled in bird language to one another. I loved watching them come in for a landing, and take off. Flamingos, real life, wild flamingos, in Bolivia.. I had no idea. We were truly amazed, but not too amazed that we couldn't take dumb photos pretending to be flamingos.
Also, a highlight in my life is when I watch Netflix and the "sleep" screen pops up
with all the different photos.. you know the one with all the flamingos in the red lagoon? Yeah, this is what I'm talking about. It makes my heart happy ever time I see it. On our way back to the trucks we even saw, what we assume to be, a flamingo egg! Yew!
After the red lagoon, we made the short trek to the green lagoon. Blue, red, now green lagoon.. all checked off the ever popular list of things I didn't know I wanted to see. The green lagoon was more of a turquoise lagoon this day. The color varies depending on the amount of wind, which disturbs the minerals.. can be more turquoise or darkish emerald, so the scientists say! Just beyond the water is a sizable volcano, almost a perfect cone shape. Again, the scenery.. can't describe. According to the scientists, again, the water temperature can get as low as near -70F!!!!!!! -70!! but because of the chemicals and minerals, it stays a liquid. Science lesson over for today!
Leaving the lagoon, we were on a slender road between the lakes, just breathtaking people!! You really should go, and bring a jacket, or 4! Next,
the border. We were to cross into Chile. We'd heard it was nothing but a hut, so the first hut we saw, we tried to ask our blinged out driver if that was it. He laughed. We kept on a bit more, gazing out the window, and off in the distance there is a box on the top of a hill. 4 walls with a door and a roof, I'm not certain they even had a window. Border patrol. Yet again, I was nervous. Being from the US can be particularly difficult at border crossings. I had my visa, and everything in order. I, however, did not have a translator. Kitkat had to pretend like he was a group member, or part of the drivers, otherwise they will charge him extra for being a tour leader that is not Bolivian. Last time he crossed here, he was charged an extra $150 US. We were told not to talk to him or make eye contact with him. We were also told to expect a fee. This is not a government fee, but a fee to the worker manning the "station". He is out in the middle of nowhere, literally. If he
doesn't let you pass, you have nowhere to go, except on the 3 day trek back across the flats. He could make up a number of reasons to hold you in Bolivia.
We were nervous. Kitkat also said that if they ask for the group leader, not to point to him, but to one of the drivers, who are Bolivian. The not so mute perv was the first in line. Disaster. He immediately says Kitkat is our guide. We stood back in horror as Kitkat had to come in and speak to him. All the useless drama aside, he let us pass. We had to pay 16 extra Bolivianos, but I let him keep the change from my 20. The bastard.
While at the border, there was a couple that did not realize they needed transportation to the city. They thought their driver would carry them into Chile, not the case. So, we let them bum a ride. Aussies, of course. My favorite. We went up the hillside and saw the, yes, I know.. most superb sight looking over Chile. It was like we could see the whole splice of the country. The clouds were perfect, the light
was spot on, the diced up squares of land were neatly arranged.. it was lovely. We had crossed the "border" but were technically still in Bolivia. It was about a 40 minute ride to the Chilean border. We filled out paperwork along the way, but when we arrived to the actual office of immigration, no one was there. We had to call the patrol and actually wake the man up from his nap. It was like a ghost town, everyone having an afternoon siesta.
We were in a place called San Pedro de Atacama and this happened to be the weekend of Chilean independence. (like US July 4th, ya dingy) I think this little area is usually quite calm and relaxed, but this weekend there were plenty of people out and about. We stayed on the main street, which was nice for a change. It was one main road, with several off streets, walkable from end to end. Cute little shops, bars, restaurants, the norm. They did have zigzag banners of small Chilean flags over head, I think for the celebration, but either way, I liked them.
Since this was our first day in Chile, we all needed
I don't know
this isn't even what they were doingto exchange and/or get money. There was one ATM. One. The line was about 20 yards deep. We went to exchange our Bolivianos and low and behold the no longer Mute started arguing with the guy over the exchange rate. I'm all for "fair trade" but at some point you just have to give in and go with whatever the money man says. Confrontation is not my favorite. Eventually we made it to the ATMs but they were only in Spanish or Portugese. After a try or two we found English, but that wasn't really the concern. The exchange rate for 1 US dollar is around 630 Chilean pesos. To add to the lack of math skills I possess, I needed to calculate exactly how much I might need. We were only going to be in Chile for a couple of days. I wouldn't need that much, but we were going sand boarding, to another "moon valley", girls gotta eat, yada yada. So lets just say I got out $150 US... meaning I needed to get out about 95,000 pesos. Do you know how nerve wracking that is? Typing in way more thousands than you have in your account? ha.
Alas, it all worked out!
By standing in the ATM line, we missed the cut off for laundry service. When we first got to the room, we unpacked into piles of dirty, wearble, and pretty cleanish. Sadly, there really isn't any clean clean anymore. Having missed the cut off, our room was a wreck. Backpack living is tough, but the key is to every week or two, unpack it and repack it. This was a failed laundry attempt, but repacking success. We hadn't had "fresh washing" since Sucre. Remember the town with my favorite zebras in the world, and also the worst massage/pedicures in the world? Yeah, then.
We went for dinner and drinks that night. I can't remember exactly what I got but I remember it was good. Our little group had perfected the dinner drinks. It always worked to where just enough people wanted wine, that we got a bottle, and just enough people wanted beer, that we got more than just a glass! The clicker, Bec, the not mute Mute, sometimes the Turk, sometimes Russell, Swissa, and I usually sat at one end. Kitkat begrudgingly sat near the middle and GermyWormy and 2nd direction sat
on the other side. I always tried to place myself as far from Germy as possible.
The Clicker coined the name.. the Yorkies for their half of the group. 2nd Direction, not including Russell, is from York, England. So, Germy is like Cruela Devil and Wormy, plus the 3 boys are her Yorkies! This kills me. Absolutely kills me. Hilarious. So, for the most of the rest of the trip they were just combined to "the Yorkies". Germy would get upset if any of them tried to hang out with us. She'd pout and go off with Wormy to eat donuts. I cannot make this up.
After everyone was finished eating, Germy pulled her usual.. "we're gonna stay and finish our drinks". Everyone else was ready to go. This is when you A) leave whats left of your drink behind or B) buck up and finish that thing. I mean, really. But she couldn't do choice A bc then we would all go somewhere and the Yorkies would hang out elsewhere. For some reason, which I don't think I'll ever understand, they rarely ever made their own decisions. If she was staying, they were staying. We tried to
find a bar, but really there were only restaurants that served drinks. You had to pay extra if you were not eating. Eventually we all ended up at the same place, boo. It was good though, we were outside around firepits and supposedly there was going to be music.
What music? It didn't really matter at this point, we were just enjoying ourselves, but mostly the beer. Then, and only then did the "music" begin. It was a Michael Jackson impersonator. Yes. It was like a karaoke night, but more. It was very awkwardly entertaining! After the performance, he walked around to collect tips. We didn't know what was going on, but we just went with it. Then we started talking about where we would live if we could and go if we had all the money in the world and so forth and so on. The English Turk said he would move to New York, Bec said she would move to England. I said I'd come live with her, but would need a visa. So, the Turk and I decided we could get married, gain the respective visas, and live our lives abroad in each others country. Logical,
right?
This is when the Clicker proudly announced that he is a Priest, Minister, or something. Yes, we inquired as to how this happened. Apparently one day at work the google machine popped up an ad to become a priest within minutes. Thinking about him doing this makes me laugh so hard. Of course, he does it. Bored at work, next thing you know.. Priesthood. He wrote us a marriage license on a square napkin, we signed our names, and that was that. This was all fun and games until the grumpy side of the table thought we were "taking it too far". Y'all, it was a franking joke. Germy got jealous bc we took a prom pose like photo. Even though there was much pressure from the audience to kiss, we did not. They ruined all our fun, and eventually I got the teeny napkin and threw it in the fire to make sure everyone knew we were freaking joking! I guess I'll never marry an English Turkish man living in NY, while I live in England with my napkin marriage license. The struggle... is real.
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Home and Away
Bob Carlsen
Welcome back...
we've missed you. I look forward to reading about your visit to the Maldives