Alena;
So as P described Bolivia did not get off to an auspicius start but after chilling in Tupiza we were ready to start our first tour. After all the independent travel in Chile and Argentina it’s difficult to contemplate a tour as it smacks of package holidays but actually once we get going it’s really nice to just be looked after and to switch our brains off and relax!
Although generally Bolivia is cheaper than the rest of South America there are loads of amazing tours that we want to do and lots of hidden wee costs (ie, you need to pay to use the horrible toilets, leave bus stations, etc). It seems easier to just pay for tours rather than try to battle with public transport and national parks.
We are on a 4 day tour in a 4×4 with a lovely couple from finland, Daniel and Eva. The views are incredible from day 1, really different to Patagonias snow covered mountains. This area is high altitude with loads of cacti and llamas crossing the roads. There are mulitcoloured mountains and crazy rock formations. We see several lagunas which would previously have had 4metres of water and now only have 20cm for the flamingos and other wildlife that inhabit them. It’s crazy to think that while stonehaven floods bolivia is in such drought, climate change is undeniable here.
Our cook and guide are amazing and look after me when I become unwell on the 4th day with special tea and warm blankets!
poor me!
We get to play with photography on the salt plains which is really fun and we think our next expenditure may be an SLR camera but god knows when we’ll be able to afford that!
Accomodation on the tour is basic but the second night is especially eventful when we are worken by an unidentified animal falling from a hole in the thatch roof onto Pablos head!! really did not make for a restful night.
Thanks to Ps organisation we have a bus booked out of uyuni and we are soon on our way to La Paz.
la Paz is actually not as bad as we’d expected after hearing loads of tales of robberies and other scams and we end up staying in an irish hostel where we meet some great people, we don’t get to speak spanish but the food is good!
In a mad moment we book a trip to the Huayni potosi which is a 6089m mountian (higher that mount everest base camp!). We head up quite nervous after hearing stories of hospitalised backpackers and altitude sickness.
The first day I find really difficult and am beginning to think I won’t make it. My extrmely unhelpful guide tells me that this is quite normal for vegetarians which woulds have been nice to know before we paid all that money! I don’t fel too unwell but any exertion kills me. For the medically inclined I’d say my resting O2 sats were 80% dropping to about 12% on minimal exertion!!!
By the end of the second day after stopping on the mountain to cry I decide that I won’t mange the final section and kleave it to P to fly the flag for Scotland (Madi, Jen, you know how much that killed me, grrr). p is a total hero on the mountian but I’ll let him tell his own story…
Hi you two, it all sounds really exciting, different and pretty scary in parts. Keep having a wonderful time…lots of love from all of us here in Scotland….xxxx
Hey you two, it’s always great to read how you re both doing.miss you loads.
me and andy recently conquered our own little mountain as well, the 2 of us no longer smoke, andy is hitting the gym 6 days a week and I’m going more as well.
Actually, that’s more of a little hill compared to the mountain you both where on!!
Hollie misses you both too, she’s doing good, looking lean and not peeing everywhere
well, gonna go just now. Let me an andy know a skype time and we can arrange a talk night
)
by for now, take care
Jill (and Andy and not forgetting Hollie) xxxxxx