Bolivia Tour Day 1

18th February

Believe it or not, but this is the border crossing!

Again, believe it or not, this is the toilet!

You go behind the bus and find the pretty sight and smell of poo.

You just have to do it as there is nothing else to hide behind in the desert! haha

Registration, Immigration and all that nonsense that is required when you leave one country and enter another. All very nicely organised by our Tierre Mistica tour group. Everyone were excited and upbeat about going to Bolivia. The bus was jammed packed with tourists like ourselves so the trip promised to be fun. Arriving at the Bolivian border high up in the mountains at an altitude of around 4000m, breakfast was served (a ham and cheese sambo). Very remote setting that consisted of a burnt out bus being used as a toilet. So into the four wheel drive and up to the Lagunas Blanco, Lagunas Verde and the Hot Springs. The beauty surrounds us, and the lakes are covered with flamingoes all doing their thing (which is just standing around and filtering water for food).

David and Angela

A little hot spring in the middle of the desert. While me and Hazel sufferd from tierdness, Norm & David relaxed in the hot spring

Flamingos!

 

We take a hot dip in the natural hot spring before departing further up the mountain. The headache starts from the alltitude as we rise to around 5000 m. The eyeballs feel like they are being gouged out, and everyones mood drops as we fight the pain. Paracetamol is being eaten like sweets at this point, but not to fear, we were warned about this kinda thing.

The FAKE Llamas

 

Arrival at our bed for the night high up in the mountains with a Bolivian family. They serve us tea, they give us food, and they even get their kids to put on a bit of a show just for us. It is all very much good fun, as we play cards and chat to new found friends on this trip. After dinner we all get down to some serious sleeping in our clothes on stone beds, as it gets very cold here.

Angela & David