Post 100: Cherries of Bariloche & Route 40

Fellow adventurers,

Our last few days at the lovely site in the woods along Lake Nahuel Huapi were very enjoyable and relaxing for the both of us. It was certainly quite an interesting change in pace for us. I really enjoyed the complications that came along with camping without the proper supplies, and even reveled in some of the most difficult of moments we had.

Our second to last day was mainly spent away from camp, exploring more of the lake. After breakfast and exploring our options, we decided to take the local bus to Llao Llao (pronounced “Ciao Ciao” in the local dialect) and go on a nice hike. Llao Llao is on a peninsula between the main lake, and another lake named Moreno. Our original intent was to go on a hike through the northern end of the peninsula, but we became a little lost on the way and ended up on another by the name of Arryannes. This one took us through many very tall oak trees and dried bamboo tunnels past small paths that led to beaches with magnificent views of the surrounding mountains.

The end of the trail dead ended at a deeply forested road, with a sign presenting us only two options. “Llao Llao – 5 kilometers” was our only choice as the other was unrecognizable to us. Many attempts were made at hitchhiking, but unfortunately for us, most of the traffic was headed in the opposite direction. We entertained ourselves picking wild raspberries and cherries as we walked the entirety of the five clicks. June found great joy in the cherry trees she recognized from her adolescent years on her grandfathers farm. It took a little convincing to get me to try them, as I have never been fond of cherries previously, but I am glad I expanded my horizons.

On our last day in Bariloche, we extended our stay on the campground. In the morning I prepared our fire for breakfast, and throughout the day made sure it was burning bright. I even managed to save it through some light rain with a piece of corrugated metal to cover it from getting dampened. June discovered some more cherry trees in the mid afternoon, and we preoccupied ourselves with taking every piece of fruit they had to give, with the permission of the camp staff of course to use their wooden ladder. In all, I think we took nearly 10 pounds of beautiful fresh cherries. Some were given to our immediate neighbors, the camp staff, and anyone else who showed an interest in them.

We had our final camp side dinner of delicious grilled chicken, grilled veggies, and potatoes right before the rain started to set in upon the lake. It poured for most of the evening as a violent storm passed. There was a 5 AM bus we needed to take to meet with our tour bus which was departing at 6:45 for Perito Moreno. The evening storm made packing up our dirty, wet tent in the early, dark morning hours even more of a hassle. We awoke at four in the morning to get everything together before just barely catching the bus into Bariloche for our first leg of the long trip down the famous Route 40 to our final destination in El Calafate.

Everyone speaks very highly of this famous road, but we found it not much different than most we have traveled upon further to the north. The scenery remained dry and arid for most of the first day until we hit tiny town of Perito Moreno in the early evening. I suppose I have always imagined Patagonia to be completely forested and lush with green vegetation, but that is simply not the case after departing the surrounding areas of Bariloche. Our night in Perito Moreno was enjoyed in the company of two Canadian miners who treated us to some much needed beers and good conversation for the evening.

Day two of the ride was just as dull in its scenery, and even longer in distance and time. About half way through, our bus managed to break down. Luckily the problem was fixed within an hour, after a short tow from another passing bus.  We kept down the long, mostly unpaved road that lasted for hours, until finally at about 10:30 pm, we saw the silhouette of the famous jagged peaks of Mt. Fitz Roy in the distance, while the sun set behind them.

I write this to you now from El Chalten.. Tomorrow we continue on to El Calafate where we will hike a glacier the following day, and then on to Torres del Paine for a 5 day hike through the national park, and then onto the end of the world at Ushuaia. It may be some time before we have a chance to update again. I am really looking forward to the serenity of it all.

Ciao for now friends.

Gavin y June

Post 99: Road to Bariloche & Camping Petunia

Fellow adventurers,

Gavin and I left Hostel Lao when the inn keepers were setting long tables in preparation for the asado in the evening.  It looked as though it would have been a very good time had we stayed, but a 19 hour bus ride to Bariloche awaited us instead.  Our original plan was to hitchhike from Mendoza, as hitchhiking is encouraged in these parts of the country and is commonly done.  However, Mendoza is an artificially irrigated city in a desert, so we explored the possibility of taking a cheaper bus to another town halfway towards Bariloche, and hitchhiking from there.  After reviewing our bus options, we realized the difference in price was miniscule, and opted to just bus the entire way.  I am glad we did, as the long road was through a vast, empty desert.  The only bus option was one of luxury that included wide, reclining leather seats, meal service, movies, pillows and blankets.  I drifted off to sleep while staring at the many stars out my window, and a desert storm in the distance.

The time on the bus passed quickly, as most of it was spent sleeping.  The lakes we passed turned from blue to teal, as we headed further South towards the mountains.  Only there by the teal rushing streams, did the landscape begin to look less dry, and more lush.  I knew we were approaching Patagonia when I saw jagged rocks and boulders atop the mountains, which only seemed to make the mountain appear smaller.  The bus was following along the stream which emptied into the vast Nahuel Huapi lake in the National Park.  Upon arriving, we bought some local bus tickets and took a 20 minute ride outside the center of Bariloche towards the campground we’d be staying at, along the lake. 

Camping Petunia is quite a scenic campground resort.  It’s located between the mountains and the lake. Our tent is in a prime spot overlooking the beach and the lake with a view of the peninsula across it. The campground has a beach, beach bar, game center, wifi zone, restaurant, hot showers, campside light and electrical outlets, and a supermercado just a short walk away.  Where do I find this at home?  While it does offer free firewood, it’s really of no use unless you have kindling or a hatchet to cut the wood down to start a fire; not to mention there is no firepit, and fires are only allowed the brick, raised grill provided.  Argentinians also lack one key necessity while camping; s’mores.  After setting up camp, we made a list of what we’d need if we were to continue camping elsewhere throughout the rest of the journey.  That included a sleeping mat, pot, long spoon, sponge, and knife.  Sleeping that evening was not so pleasant, as the ground was very hard and our pillows consisted of our clothes stuffed in the fabric case which holds our sleeping bags.

The weather was lovely the following day, as we set out for town to pick up supplies.  The architecture in this area is much like you’d see in the Swiss or German Alps, as there was a strong European influence here due to German immigration many years ago.  In the center, one could even pay to take a photo with a giant St. Bernard dog.  We spent most of the day around town and on the waterfront, looking through markets and picking up supplies.  Over a simple dinner of pasta and red sauce at sunset, the sky was painted pink which reflected on the water to the south.  To the northwest, it was glowing amber.

Today we prepared an early fire, and I’ve been tending to it throughout the day so that we may have hot meals when we want to.  I’ve never had really any trouble in the past igniting a campfire, but it’s been quite difficult here to.  I assume it’s probably due to a lack of proper kindling, and that it’s on a raised grill.  I’ve been playing house, washing laundry and tidying up the site in the company of hawks and the campground’s dogs. Gavin headed into town to pick up more money and a few other items. Tonight we’ll prepare an asado, of chorizo, steak, potatoes and veggie kebobs accompanied with a malbec.  Although it’s gorgeous here, camping reminds me of home.  I’m feeling a little homesick today, missing my friends and family.  Hopefully I’ll be able to arrange a time to video chat with some of them.

Tomorrow we plan on taking a teleferico up a mountain, and hiking down.  I look forward to the mountain air and the aerial views.

June y Gavin

Post 98: Maipu & Mendoza days

Fellow adventurers,

The weather in Mendoza was hot and dry.  The smell of trimmed grass lingered in the air around the lodge.  Gabby and I spent much time in the back yard among the fruit trees and the little pool, feeling the grass beneath our feet and the vast, open sky above us.  The property reminded us of the summers at the farm we grew up on.  The evening we arrived, we rode bicycles we rented to the nearby market, and picked up some pasta and Chorizo to make for dinner, along with wine and beer of course.

After breakfast of fruit breads, eggs, coffee, juice and toast, we ventured out on our bikes to the surrounding wineries, famous for their Malbecs.  Tastings in this region are not like you'd expect at home.  A tasting in Mendoza is more like a full serving.  Knowing that, we chose to limit ourselves to particular wineries, considering the heat and riding that lie ahead.  The first winery we visited, La Rural, contained a museum explaining and displaying the wine production methods of old.  Afterwords, we enjoyed a glass of Malbec, sitting among giant oak barrels.  We then moved on to the next bodega, Vina Maria, where we had 2 more glasses of red wines under shaded trees next to a 1920's era plantation house.

By this time, the boys were beginning to feel hungry, and Gabby and I thought it'd be a good idea to consume some food before drinking anymore.  We saw signs for a local beer garden whom produced their own microbrews, and headed there.  The beer garden was in a plum orchard, in which we helped ourselves to some of the ripe plums which had fallen on the ground.  It was not like the long tabled, beer gardens we have visited while on a previous trip to Germany.   Instead, there was various kinds of comfortable furniture, which we lied about on and enjoyed the pleasant shade, pizza and empanadas, and beer.  The boys were not interested in visiting anymore wineries, so we sent them on their way to the market to pick up meat for our 'asado' meal that evening, while Gabby and I ventured on.

At Tempus Alba vineyards we were able to read about their production methods, and walk about their vineyards.  However, Gabby and I were rather hot and exhausted after riding there, so we welcomed the air conditioning inside.  We shared a 3 glasses; a Malbec, Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah until it was time to leave.  An officer on a motorcycle followed behind us and others bike riders while we rode along the main road towards our lodge.  Considering it was the closing time of all the wineries, I assumed it was to make sure their were no drunk riders.

That evening Francisco started a fire, and grilled for us some ribs, steaks and chorizo for a true asado.  It was accompanied with wine, beer, bread, and Chimichurri sauce.  The meat was some of the best BBQ we've ever enjoyed.  Francisco invited 2 friends of his, and we enjoyed their company as all broke bread together.  After we cleaned up, Gabby, Jon, Gavin and I gathered a blanket which we took out into the yard.  There we lied, staring up at the stars of the Southern Hemisphere and the moon while chatting.

The following day we took a cab to a winery a further distance away, Zuccardi Familia, for a tour of a large wine production plant and lunch.  Our tour was with a large group of business students from the University of Virginia.  It was interesting to learn of how different wines are made on a large scale, from vine to bottle, and the exportation process.  Our guide also explained to us how to taste the malbec, sauvignon blanc, and dessert wines we tried.

Lunch was in a restaurant, among the vineyards on lovely property.  It was an 8 course meal with wine pairings.  The meal was excellent in itself, but perfectly paired with the many glasses of wine and champagne.  It was a great value as well, at least comparatively to the states.  From the various reds and whites, to the sparkly pink champagnes, we left full and happy to explore some of the lush, green property.  After we arrived back at Tikay Killa, Gavin and I took a siesta, while Gabby and Jon chilled out in the pool.

We were sad to leave Soki, the playful labrador, and Tikay Killa, where we really enjoyed the country side and the company of Francisco whom treated us like guests in his own home.  The city of Mendoza however was nicer than we expected. A small and walkable city, the streets are lined with shady, elm trees, and many nice shops and restaurants abound. We arrived at Hostel Lao, a consistently high rated hostel in all of South America. The hostel had a tropical feel, with a pool, palm trees, lime tree, and hibiscus flowers in the backyard.  With malbec vanilla gelato in hand, we walked along a lake located in large park, comparable to Central Park in NYC.  In the evening we cooked pasta, and watched a long lasting, fierce storm that brought with it cooler temperatures for the following days.

Gabby and Jon awoke early the following morning, and set out into the Andes to do some hiking and rappelling. The hike was about an hour and half time length total along a river towards a waterfall that the guide would instruct on how to rappel down. Gabby was the first to repel down the 18 meter cliffside. It seemed much higher than when looking at it from the ground. It was nerve wracking getting started, as you literally had to lean backwards off the cliff and begin to slacken your rope. She was concentrated, so she would not have any chance to look down.  The second time down was to better enjoy the experience. While trekking back, a storm quickly developed over the mountains, and luckily they made it back before the rain quickly swept in and temperatures dropped.

Gavin and I spent yesterday searching for a tent and sleeping bags in which we purchased, to camp the few weeks in Patagonia and Torres Del Paine National Park, which will also hopefully save us money.  Last night being our last together, we ordered pizza and sat around together.  Today we're doing the same, before Gabby and Jon depart to return to Florida.  Gavin and I depart this evening for a 17 hour bus ride to Bariloche.  Updates will become more sparse within the month, so please be patient.  They will likely be coming from internet cafes, or random wifi signals.

June y Gabby y Gavin y John

Post 97: Nacional Ballet on our last day in Santiago y the ride to Mendoza, Argentina

Fellow adventurers,

Los Dominicos is an artisan market, located further outside the city centre.  It would be our first time taking the convenient, efficient metro subway system to get there.  Gavin was not interested in visiting the market, so it was only Gabby, Jon and I whom would be exploring it.  We're quite glad we did.  After a 20 minute train ride outside the city center, we were let off at a large park leading towards a white, twin towered Spanish colonial church; the dry Andres serving as a backdrop.

Entering the market, the artisanal workshops lined the narrow, sandy paths shaded by various palms or olive trees.  In most of the stores, the artist themselves would practice their craftsmanship, using natural materials.  From antiques, leather, wood, wicker, clay, glass, wool, roots, paintings and semiprecious stones - including the rare, deep blue lapis lazuli stone; all could be found here.  Wandering through, we came across a lovely Bonsai tree garden, many of which you could purchase. With the sounds of parakeets yelping in the distance, we also came to discover their was a pet store on premises as well.  Gabby and I told ourselves, if we had lived in Santiago, this is certainly where we would shop.  Later in the evening, Gabby would wear glimmering, stone earrings, dangling from her ears, matching the hazel of her eyes.  A lovely handmade piece to take home.

Our evening would have us in the Teatro Municipal, a building from 1857 inspired by the French neoclassical style.  We had anticipated the evening to see the Ballet de Santiago perform Prokofiev's Romeo y Julieta, a favorite of me and Gabby's.  Our seats were in the orchestra.  Three stories of balconies wrapped around the stage.  Paintings of angels, set against deep blue, lie on the ceiling above the crystal chandelier.  It was a majestic theatre, set in in white and red.

The classical piece was the first Gavin had seen.  He enjoyed the "3 dimensional" backdrops, while Gabby and I devoted our attention to the costume design and the 'turnout' of the dancers.  While the choreography was slightly different, we immensely enjoyed it.  Afterwards, we found ourselves humming the music for days, and reminiscing of our own dancing days of old.

Thursday, the 4 of us set off through the Andes on a 7 hour bus ride to Mendoza, Argentina.  While I slept through most of the ride, I was glad to hear Gabby and Jon enjoyed taking in the views of the mountains.  There, they could see large irrigation pipes stemming the lengths of the mountains irrigating the surrounding, dry countryside.  We saw herds of animals, as we climbed over 40 curves ascending.  At the border, there was some time to stretch our legs and get some food.  After exchanging money, Gabby ordered "perros calientes" from a local food vendor, which translates to 'hot dogs.'  She was presented with a puzzled look from the vendor, whom instead just served her a ham and cheese sandwich.  We later realized that hot dogs here are called 'panchos', so it was of no surprise people didn't understand why we were asking for a hot dog in the literal sense.

After finally arriving in Mendoza, we took a cab to the wine growing countryside town of Maipu.  Down a street lined with fragrant orchards of olives, peaches, plums and vineyards was our lodge, Tikay Killa, meaning 'springtime' in the language of Quechua.  Bushes of lavender lined the lodge, and our wonderful inn keeper, Francisco, showed us to our rooms accompanied by his labrador, Soki.  We welcomed the fresh air, and the relaxing, quiet atmosphere that surrounded us after spending time in the bustling metropolis that was Santiago.  Arrangements were made for the remainder of our time in Maipu, in which we much anticipated.

June y Gabby y Gavin y John

Post 96: a quick day trip to Valparaiso, Chile

Fellow adventurers,

On our third day in Santiago we decided to take a day trip to the coastal city of Valparaiso. We caught a 10:30 bus which got us in around one in the afternoon. We decided to try and find our way to a tour we had heard about while renting bikes in Santiago the day prior. The only means of transport to the square was via an old electric trolley bus, which had been imported to Chile from Detroit and Minneapolis in the 1950s. It was a bit like going back into American history, far away from the mid west.

When we arrived the the square, we met our guide for the day, Al. Al was from Brooklyn and had traveled to Valparaiso six years ago and never left. He started the tour at the port of the city, which had once been a part of the sea itself. He explained that over the years since the towns founding, it had been gradually filled in, to make way for the expansion of the port of the city. He also explained to us how the city rose and fell, after the gold rush hit California in the 1840s. Of significant note was the mass immigration from England, France, and Germany. The first fire departments in all of South America had been founded in the city by the immigrants, and many noted their birth nations name, even to this day.

He showed us a famous street that had once housed the mansions of the city's wealthiest statesmen and entrepreneurs, and even showed us the inside of one of them, now in a state no where near its glory days, in need of much work. What was once a home of many large bedrooms, is now offices and separate large single room apartments, all with one shared bathroom. The walls seemed as though they had not seen care in years, cracked from earthquakes and shaded by exhaust. 

Our next stop was high in the hills. The ride to the top was taken on a very rugged, rudimentary funicular car. The neighborhood we explored was the main tourist district of the city, filled with many works of graffiti and colorful homes. At this point, we were wishing we had decided to spend the evening in the city, but the rest of the day was well worth our time and effort to get there.

The tour ended back in the city after another trolley car ride to a tourist colony further into the city. We sipped Pisco Sours and departed ways with our host from there. Pablo Nerudas famous house was up the hill a little way from where the tour ended, so we next made our way to the top to have a look. June and Gabby were the only ones to go in. I declined for many reasons, one of them being I do not like to support the memory of Communist, amazing artist or not.

Our day ended with some awesome sea food. Our original intent had been to check out "Los Portenos", but unfortunately it was closed, so we settled for a neighboring restaurant across the street that served the same type of dishes. We had Machas ala Parmasean (baked clarms with cheese), Scallops of the same type, Pastel de Jaiva (crab served in a casserole with breadcrumbs and cream), along with a local fish (Reineta) of a light variety which was excellent. We also enjoyed some locally brewed beers along with our excellent seafood.

We had purchased tickets for later, but decided to get an earlier bus home, as we did not want to get too carried away with all the fun Valparaiso had to offer.

Gavin y June

Post 95: First few days in Santiago

Fellow adventurers,

The arrival from Calama into Santiago was smooth.  We arranged to meet with my sister, Gabrielle and her boyfriend John at an apartment we had booked in the city center, in which we anticipated.  After a quick taxi ride through the city of 6 million people, Gabby greeted us in the hallway on our 6th floor apartment.  The remainder of the day was spent meandering about, looking for some things we needed; and then making plans for our time spent in Santiago.  For dinner, Gavin and I introduced our traveling guests to some South American chinese cuisine, at the local chifa.  To our surprise, the restaurant was occupied with drunk men, in which we assumed were gay.  We then titled it the 'Gaysian' restaurant, an inside joke for days to come.

The sun shined down on us, as we toured the main sights of the city center on our second day.  Luckily, throughout our stay, we would enjoy warm, breezy days and cool nights, much of like you'd find in southern, coastal California.  La Moneda Palace, or the Presidential Palace, was our first stop. It is famous for the suicide Salvador Allende during the coup of 1973.  Onwards, we headed to the Plaza de Armas, where Gabby took in the majestic National Cathedral.  Moving on, we visited the Mercado Central, a large market with many seafood restaurant and produce stands, which cater mostly to tourists.  During our time there, we were offered king crabs (the largest we've ever seen) over complimentary pisco sours to feast on in the restaurants.  We passed, when we learned of the $200 price tag.  

Along the river, which was mostly dry, runs a lovely park known as Parque Forestal.  We walked along there for quite some time, until we reached the trendy Bella Vista district.  There you are able to climb the Cerro San Cristobal, via a funicular.  To our dismay, the line was quite long, and we were too hungry to wait in the scorching sun, so we planned to return the following day to explore this vast park.  Having previously read about some Chilean cuisine, we scoured the many restaurants in Bella Vista in search of some.  Some dishes for lunch we enjoyed were Choriallanos, a dish of thickly cut potato fries, topped with sauteed onions, thick beef tips, and 2 fried eggs; and Pastel de Choclo, a corn casserole with meat stuffing.  Hot dogs are quite popular here as well, although they're much larger and come with many varieties of toppings than what you'd see in the states.  Traditionally, they're often topped with tomatoes, avocados and mayonnaise in copious amounts.

Monday, we rented beach cruising bicycles to further explore the vast city. We headed back to Cerro San Cristobal, where we made much effort at climbing the long, windy road up to the Virgin Mary statue overlooking the city.  It was a difficult feat, and one we could have more easily accomplished had we had better bikes, water, and had it not been so warm and sunny.  But alas, we endured and eventually made it to the top.  The views were expansive, presenting to us what looked to be cities, within a city. The Andes lay in the hazy distance.  Our ride down was rewarding, as the temperatures cooled and the wind blew through our hair as we winded by various gardens and tall trees at very high speeds.  

The road we took down let us off in the lovely, residential Providencia neighborhood.  We passed picturesque, gated homes on our way towards a very old famous sandwich shop, Fuenta Alemana.  I enjoyed the 'lomito' sandwich, which consisted of roasted pork, cheese, avocado and tomato.  Gavin had the a similar sandwich, but with a beef and pork fritter.  As did Gabby and John, but with chorizo and beef.  All of our sandwiches were quite delicious, and savory. 

Afterwords, we rode back towards the Mercado Central, on the other end of the city.  We took the bike lanes through one park after another, passing many couples along the way young and old, taking in the scenery and the lovely weather. People seemed so happy here and romantic with one another. It may be their latino culture, but I also wondered if it could also be due to Chile's thriving economy, in which Florus (our apartment owner), had explained to us when we arrived that it had grown by 600%-700% in recent years.  Back by the Mercado, we went into a popular bar both with locals and tourists alike, to try an 'Terremoto', or earthquake.  This rather sweet drink is pineapple ice cream, mixed with white wine and other liquors.  Tasty, but more than one would certainly hurt your head.

The next day was spent in the lovely, bohemian, port city of Valparaiso, also know as Paradise Valley, in which to be continued...

June y Gabby y Gavin y John

Post 94: Southwestern Bolivia, going through the wardrobe, and border nightmares

Fellow adventurers,

1/5/12

Day two of our tour through southern Bolivia was filled with many natural wonders. We awoke early, climbed into the 4x4 and departed from the mine town of Culpina-K, heading further south on undefined dirt roads. Our first stop was a huge rock garden, filled with boulders of all shapes and sizes. We spent time climbing the formations, and exploring the vast landscape. The weather started to turn cloudy at this point.  As we continued on down the road, we were followed by a very large storm front which seemed to taunt us the whole way.

Our travel took us past many lakes, filled with Flamingos, dwarfed by massive mountains. It was odd to see such a seemingly tropical bird at such high altitude in very unseasonable climates, but they occupied every body of water we passed. Some of these lakes were vibrantly colored due to mineral deposits from the mountains which surrounded them, from hues of yellow to deep red.

The final hours of the day were spent visiting another area with massive rock formations, some formed by erosion from the wind. These massive boulders were in the middle of flat desert, and it is assumed they were blown from a now extinct volcano, many moons ago.

We made it to the entrance of National Park in the southwestern enclave of Bolivia by 4pm, and settled down for the evening. I bought a sixer of beer and spent hours chatting with our tour guide Israel and one of the Colombians, Julian, in the evening. I discussed a myriad of things with them, including the ancient religions of the local indigenous tribes, and the difference in their way of life. Sleep was hindered by a lack of manners from other travelers, but we eventually caught some z's.

1/6/11

Our last day in Bolivia was one I both enjoyed, and would also love to forget. Our departure was at 4am, under a sky full of stars, for some local geysers. The area was full of many examples of volcanic activity. The weather was very cold, so we opted to stay in the car for some of the stops, including a thermal bath. The weather was so cold that we at times were in areas of complete ice cover, which would eventually be a hindrance to us on the border.

It was time to say goodbye to the Colombians, Julian and Diego, who were the first to be dropped off, a few kilometers before us. Finally, June and I made it to the Bolivia/Chile border, where we would spent the next 5 hours waiting for its imaginary gates to open. The remainder of the group shared goodbyes, and the other others departed for their trip back to Uyuni.

We did not know at the time, but no one was able to be let through in the morning due to icy roads on the Chilean side. We were told we would be let through if we saw cars coming through by 1pm. We passed the time chatting with other travelers, and I even played a little football. Bolivianos vs. Gringos of course. At around 12:45, a car finally appeared, and everyone responded with a cheer. Though, we really shouldn't have been all that excited, as our bus didn't arrive for another hour and a half.

This was just the beginning of our fun. The bus eventually showed up, and shuttled us into Chile. Crossing from the very poor nation of Bolivia into the very first world and modern Chile, was somewhat shocking to us at first. The dirt road out of Bolivia eventually met up with a modern, sleek and paved highway. Having just come through the poorest of South America, it was surreal to be riding through one of the wealthiest places in the western hemisphere.

Much confusion abounded at the border. First, the bus paperwork was filled out wrong and we had to rewrite it all as a group. Half way through the line when we were called to the front by our driver. We were then told to return to the back of the line because the border agents had a problem with the arrangement. Some in our group decided to try and cut back in line, leading to some anger from others already waiting. Some pushing and shoving occurred and the cops were eventually called in to separate people. We eventually got through, but not without more hassle.

The fun did not end there. It was not until well into the evening when we arrived to the center of San Pedro de Atacama. It was a must to get to Calama as soon as possible, due to our early morning flight. We managed to catch a bus within minutes of arriving, and arrived to Calama around sundown. Our next problem was some confusion with the local ATMs and a lack of knowledge about the city. We walked through Calama searching for a place to stay, and luckily managed to find a place right in the center of town for a decent price who would accept my card, and settled down for the evening. What a long and stressful day. One of the hardest yet.

more to come soon.

Gavin y June

Post 93: Delay in Potosi and the Salt Flats

Fellow adventurers,

Apologies for the lack of updates.  We've spent the majority of the past week in a desert, without any internet.

An additional day was added to our time in Potosi, due to food poisoning.  Luckily, we recovered in enough time to make the 6 hour bus ride to Uyuni to arrange for a 3 day tour of the salt flats and other geologic formations before crossing the border into Chile.  We snacked on saltines and bananas at an attempt to gain back our strength and appetites.  The ride to Uyuni had some close calls, as the bus needed to stop or dodge packs of llamas crossing the street.  As we neared Uyuni, communities became more scarce, the landscape more dry, and the road went from paved to dirt as we continued to rise in elevation.

While in Potosi, we had researched potential tour companies out of Uyuni, hoping to go with a reputable company.  After reading many reviews regarding drunk and/or negligent tour drivers in vehicles that had come under disrepair,  we realized that choosing a company would be like how many things have been in Bolivia; a 'crap shoot.'  We selected a few companies that had some better reviews than others, and set out early in the morning to find one and hopefully book a tour to depart later in the day.  After some detailed information of the tour, asking questions, and a bit of price negotiation, we decided on a tour with an English speaking guide.

The land cruiser arrived.  We met another couple from Australia whom we would be sharing the tour with, Ray and Rebecca.  Our driver took our bags and along with a few gallons of gasoline,  and secured them to the roof.  We picked up two other travelers from Columbia, Julian and Diego on the way to our first stop, a 100+ year old train cemetery outside Uyuni. Our guide, Israel, explained the reason why the trains were abandoned in the 1940s.  It was due to a mining industry collapse, and partly due to mineral depletion.

Afterwords, we headed to what would be the highlight of the journey, the worlds largest salt flats, also know as the Salar de Uyuni.  We had been told that due to the flooding rains expected of the wet season, we would only be visiting the flats as opposed to driving through them.  An oasis of sorts awaited us in the distance, as the mountains reflected off the clear shallow waters that lay upon the white salt.  The land cruiser navigated through the water, towards the center of the flats where a museum stood, constructed entirely of salt bricks.

Our shoes came off before we stepped out of the vehicle.  The water was warm, and the ground rather rough.  Often times, we needed to watch our footing.  Walking through the puddles, the ground below stretched for miles in the pattern of honeycomb.  The deep blue sky and the clouds reflected off of the water.  There's an Aymara legend, that says the surrounding mountains were giant people; Tanupa, Kuska and Kusina.  Tanupa married Kuska, but Kuska ran away with Kusina.  While Tanupa cried, her tears mixed with the breast milk she was feeding her son, forming the salt flats.  Her tears must never have stopped.  We spent our time taking many photos, with creative help from Isreal.  Half the sky began to darken, and we left before the rain moved in.

The drive to the town we would be staying at was long on a bumpy and muddy road.  Luckily, our driver drove slowly and carefully.  Even so, the tail end of the car still slid at moments.  Others were not so fortunate though.  Our land cruiser came to a stop when we approached another similar car, flipped upside down.  Luckily, and somehow, the tourists managed to escape unscathed.  We were empathetic that their things were still crushed under the roof of the car, but grateful our driver was less negligent.

The evening ended in a desolate, mining town.  We spent it eating a typical late dinner of soup, chicken and papas frites, over beers with the other delightful travelers in our group.  The accident we encountered earlier made our nerves feel a little on edge for the approaching days, but confidence in our driver and guide, as well as the mental images of some of the great geological features we'd approach, helped us anticipate what was ahead.

June y Gavin

more after the break