Saying goodbye to the great bright white plains of salt, day two began with a bit of a drive through the typical, dusty, bumpy, dirt roads we are accustomed to in Bolivia now. Stopping in San Juan, the last place with civilization and shops for the next two days, for any last minute supplies I got rid of the last of our Bolivian coins. From here it was brazen desert heated by the sun during the day and reaching below freezing at night.
The landscape changed pretty dramatically. For the first hour there was still a light covering of salt on the ground but this soon turned into sand with sparse bracken bushes and looming snow-capped mountains in the horizon. Passing vicunas and llamas we drove for a few hours listening to classic 80's hits in both English and Spanish.
The landscape changed pretty dramatically. For the first hour there was still a light covering of salt on the ground but this soon turned into sand with sparse bracken bushes and looming snow-capped mountains in the horizon. Passing vicunas and llamas we drove for a few hours listening to classic 80's hits in both English and Spanish.
We had been told to wrap up warmer today as we would be climbing up to 4700 meters to check out some of the volcanoes. Jake and Tim began to chew on some cocoa to fend off any altitude sickness before the climb. It was
interesting as we were going up the highest we had been, minus the quick pass we drove over on our Colca Canyon tour in Peru, (I know I am sure I say this every blog!) but none of the drivers were cocoa chewers. When we had been in
Rurrenabeque, which is at sea level so no need to take cocoa to counter the effects of altitude sickness , our guides were all heavy users of cocoa, but here at almost 5kms above sea level no cocoa was chewed.
interesting as we were going up the highest we had been, minus the quick pass we drove over on our Colca Canyon tour in Peru, (I know I am sure I say this every blog!) but none of the drivers were cocoa chewers. When we had been in
Rurrenabeque, which is at sea level so no need to take cocoa to counter the effects of altitude sickness , our guides were all heavy users of cocoa, but here at almost 5kms above sea level no cocoa was chewed.
Stopping at a lookout point of Volcan Ollague we could just see smoke billowing up from a side vent. We climbed up and over the volcanic landscape of craggy rocks for yet more photos. Higher up this required some effort even with our cocoa chewing. The road up here was also more defined. Instead of just following other tracks, a loosely packed gravel and sand road made for a more comfortable ride.
But not for long as we detoured off-road to Laguna Canapa. The lagoon had a slight tinge of sulphur smell but definitely not as bad as Rotorua. The lake was the first of a series home to flamingos. A beautiful and elegant bird, they seemed out of place in the first lake which was a bit dark and dirty looking. When we first arrived the air was still with not a breath of wind which made for some amazing photos of the calm lake reflecting the birds and mountains like a mirror.
Stunning scenery The next lake, Laguna Hedlonda, was stunning with the mountains providing a strong backdrop for the blue lake and the hundreds of bright pink flamingos. At the first lake the colour in the birds was a bit dull but the birds in this lake had more pronounced pink streaks in them with faded baby pink feathers. The colour comes from the pigmentation or the carotoids in the algae and shrimp that the birds eat. The less vivid the colour the poorer the health condition of the birds. I think the birds in the first lake must not be getting enough nourishment from their diet which doesn't surprise me looking at the
water quality.
The third lagoon visited is full of arsenic water so there were no flamingos and we didn't stick around for photos. We also briefly visited Laguna Honda which means deep lake in Spanish.
Driving over the Andes and past volcanos to our next destination was a bit of a wild ride. There is so much to feast your eyes on and although feeling a bit droopy I managed to stay awake savouring the incredible landscape around us. After avoiding several icy patches on our way we knew it was going to be pretty chilly at our next destination. Ensuring all the layers were on we pulled up with the dozen or so other tour cars in the Valle de Rocas. If you are a geology/geography geek you would have already loved this tour but these crazy isolated rock formations in the middle of a vast sand covered altiplano are something else. Scrambling up the rocks provided a much needed break from sitting down in the jeep and we got some fun photos including next to the famous Arbol de Piedra (Stone Tree).
Rusty red lake The last stop on the itinerary for the day was at Laguna Colarada or the red lake. The deep crimson red of the lake is caused by pigmentation of the algae (lots more flamingos here too) and red sediment contained within the lake. The final lake visited is also close to where we called it a day. Our driver however pulled up at two different lodges to see if they had room, being denied at each one as they were full. We were starting to worry thinking we might be spending a night in the snow in the car and pondering whether it would have been better to have the speedy drivers if it meant we got there earlier and guaranteed a bed. Third time lucky, Miguel found the other car from our tour parked up outside another place where we were welcomed into our rooms for the night.
After lugging around our sleeping bag for the past 6 weeks Jake and I were finally able to use them. At 4700 meters it was freezing! Our sleeping bags are pretty small and lightweight whilst also being very warm but it has been kind of annoying carrying them around for no purpose. We had originally thought that we would need them on some of our night buses but generally we had blankets or in the case of Bolivia we always wore a lot of warm clothes so never needed them.
We were all waiting for dinner and hoping it would come before 9pm like it did the night before, purely so we could hop into bed. Of course once dinner did come out we all stuffed ourselves on the beautiful vegetable soup that came out and then had to play the waiting game before hopping into bed. None of us wanted to be getting up in the middle of the night to make the mad dash in the cold to use the bathroom.
Frosty morning We were all waiting for dinner and hoping it would come before 9pm like it did the night before, purely so we could hop into bed. Of course once dinner did come out we all stuffed ourselves on the beautiful vegetable soup that came out and then had to play the waiting game before hopping into bed. None of us wanted to be getting up in the middle of the night to make the mad dash in the cold to use the bathroom.
Although warm enough with our sleeping bags both the Aussie girls and Jake and I didn’t get much sleep owing to the American/Bolivian couples snoring competition. Whenever I would doze off then be awoken by a loud grunt I would wish it was 5am and time to get up already. By the time our alarms did go off and the couple hopped out of bed the four of us were not in terribly good moods. The morning didn’t get much better with cold cereal and yoghurt for breakfast when all we really wanted was something hot to warm us up. Eventually some hot water was brewed and a dirty black coffee later we were feeling a bit livelier.
Miguel had pretty much started the car as soon as we had woke up to warm it up. Even then, inside the car it was still cold enough for ice to have formed on the windows. I was very grateful that we didn’t have to spend the night in the car trying to keep warm.
Ahhh Bliss!!! Miguel had pretty much started the car as soon as we had woke up to warm it up. Even then, inside the car it was still cold enough for ice to have formed on the windows. I was very grateful that we didn’t have to spend the night in the car trying to keep warm.
We were up early to catch the sunrise at some geysers. By the time we got to the geysers the sun was trying it’s hardest to peak out over the mountain but was not bringing any heat with it. Having seen geysers back home before Jake and I both only hopped out very briefly and ran back to the jeep to it for the others in order to keep my fingers from falling off from frostbite. I was looking forward to our next stop for the morning- a hot spring. Until then, as we drove down the mountain, us girls sang along to Miguel’s music which ironically seemed to have a common
theme of sunshine in all the lyrics and at least in our minds we seemed to be warming up.
The hot spring was a pretty small pool and was empty when we first arrived. There was snow still on all the peaks around us but we stripped off and quickly slipped into the steaming waters. After two days of being frozen to the core it was bliss. Even when it filled up with other travellers, it was amazing defrosting away last night’s horrible sleep. Our last moments in Bolivia spent high in the altiplano, appreciating the natural beauty surrounding us, soaking in a natural thermal bath.
theme of sunshine in all the lyrics and at least in our minds we seemed to be warming up.
The hot spring was a pretty small pool and was empty when we first arrived. There was snow still on all the peaks around us but we stripped off and quickly slipped into the steaming waters. After two days of being frozen to the core it was bliss. Even when it filled up with other travellers, it was amazing defrosting away last night’s horrible sleep. Our last moments in Bolivia spent high in the altiplano, appreciating the natural beauty surrounding us, soaking in a natural thermal bath.
This was pretty much our last stop and Mr and Mrs Snorer swapped cars with another couple who were also transferring to Chile. A few quick photos stop later of Laguna Verde (Green Lake) and some more rock formations that were the inspiration for a famous artist I didn’t quite get the name of and we were at the Chile/ Bolivia border in the Andes where we would transfer into a Chilean bus. After more than a month travelling around this country I feel we still only got a glimpse of it but I am sure my love/hate relationship with Bolivia will bring us back here again for more adventures. Until then it is time to say adios Bolivia and hola to Chile!
Next stop: San Pedro de Atacama, Chile