Our Bolivian adventure continues......
We finally got to Copacabana after a short bus journey - for a change to the long and enduring ones of past trips. The next day we took a boat to Isla Del Sol - another island in Lake Titicaca - but in the Bolivian side. It was the birthplace of the Inkas, and their religion. We spent a full day trekking the length of the island - which takes around 5 hours, and on a clear day you get great views of the snow capped Andes. Where are the Andes? at the end of your arm-ies of course! People ask how long the Andes are - usually as long as your sleeve-ies! (please don't stop reading). It was a great day and we were absolutely knackered by the end of it.
We next took a bus to La Paz. At 4000m above sea level it is the highest capital city in the world. We just spent a few days doing some light sightseeing here as the altitude was taking its toll and the very steep cobble stone streets make it hard to get anywhere quickly. We did mooch around the local market and saw some dead, preserved baby Llama's for sale....supposedly you bury them under your new house to ward off evil spirits. Personally, I'd rather just have a Yucca plant as a house warming gift.
After a few days and couple of episodes of altitude sickness we moved onward to the Salar de Uyuni Salt flats in the south of the country - up to 5,000m above sea level. The bus journey was overnight along dirt tracks, and we only got stuck once, and had to wait for half an hour to get towed out.
We immediately set off on a three day off-road trip around the salt flats and surrounding mountain area. The first stop was the train cemetery, where hundreds of old mining steam locomotives had been left to rust away in the desert. Very strange place but a good photo opportunity.
After that it was onto the the salts flats which were stunning and the most bizarre landscapes we have seen so far this year. Just endless miles of completely flat, white salt crust. It didn't taste bad but we wouldn't put it on our chips in that state. It is the perfect conditions for comedy - perspective photo's!
A word of advice for anyone wanting to go, make sure you bring your sunglasses as it is blindingly bright. After this we stopped in a salt hotel where everything is made of salt, (even the beds) apart from the toilet and showers. The food tasted a bit funny though, a bit salty, and there was no salt shaker on the dinner table.
Next was the Andies mountains where we saw volcanoes, steaming geysers, hot springs, high altitude lakes that change colour from green to red, wild Flamingo's and Vicuna (a realtive of the Llama).
We also crossed several deserts (including the Salvador Dali desert) and saw the famous stone tree.
The geysers were really impressive and gave off a mysterious fog, which also smelled strongly of rotten eggs (i was standing downwind of Pete though....). On our return we recieved some good news - City had beaten Liverpool 3-0! After a long journey back, and a flat tyre - luckily only 500 yards from the town centre, we arrived in time for our overnight train to our next country, beefy Aregentina (yum for Pete - chicken for Urvy).
Hope everyone back home is well!
lots of love
from your favourite crusty travellers, Urvy and Pete xxxx
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