what a week...what a week!

This past week I have realized how much Bolivia has to offer. My trip was fantastic! I left with a couple girls from Sustainable Bolivia Tuesday morning. Here's the breakdown of the trip:

Tuesday: bus to Oruro from Cochabamba. Soft porn was played for the movie...no one seemed to bat an eye at it, nor cover their children's eyes. Interesting. People stood in the aisle. I sat next to my co-worker on one side, and a girl with her kitten on the other (in the aisle). Never the less, an experience. Once in Oruro, we got lunch. I had pasta and it was the best meal I have had in Bolivia thus far. The waiter was a little old man with a bow tie on. We then took the train from Oruro to Tupiza, approximately 10 hours I think..can't remember. It was overnight-we were in the lower class seats which were just fine. Cost was 92 bolivianos, which equals about 13 dollars. Some of the windows in the train wouldn't go up, and therefore dust was a big issue driving thru the altiplano. We all had our faces covered with scarfs or something. Those who had obviously ridden the train before wore medical masks. Saw 2012 (the movie) and beautiful scenery (including flamencos!!!) Arrived in Tupiza at 4am and walked straight to our hostel-it was FREEZING.

Wednesday: slept in, was able to spend a relaxing day in Tupiza. It's red rock reminds me of Sedona. Much smaller, more quiet and laid back than Cocha. Ate at a great pizzeria and watched the world cup finals with all the other gringos. Walked around the town, found the plaza (does every town in S. America have a plaza or just Bolivia?) and of course, found an ice cream shop. Tupiza is said to be where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid met their fatal match.

Thursday: 9am Tupiza Tours jeep came to pick us up at our hostel, Hotel Mitru Annex (great place, super nice old man that runs it). Our tour guide, Julio "Tupiza" and our cook for the trip, Margerite, packed us in and we were on our way. Rode through mountains and hills, ranging from red rock formations to grey and green peaks and valleys. View was spectacular! Took a ton of pictures of llamas, and ate llama sandwiches for lunch. Spent the night in a small pueblo, San Antonia de Lipez, 4260 meters above sea level. We played soccer with a local little girl, the only child I saw in the village. Most amazing, starry sky I have ever seen anywhere in my lifetime. Freezing night (but it was about to get colder)...

Friday: woke up at 4 or 5am and visited an abandoned city (San Antonio). Used to be inhabited by the Spaniards in the 1400's. Saw lots of lagunas (colored red, green, and blue. Shed our winter clothes and hopped in natural hot springs-boy did that feel great! Took pictures of the beautiful scenery with an inactive volcano in the background. Saw lots and lots of flamencos, llamas, burros, vicunas, alpacas, zorros (fox). Stayed in a hostel at 5000 meters, 15,000 feet (how high it was when I went skydiving). Didn't realize what a terrible night this was going to be for me. Decided to crack open my bottle of vino blanco to keep warm (it was like 10 degrees) while playing a French card game our travel buddies taught us. Went to bed, with 7 others in the room. Awoke and was terribly ill. Spent most of the night in the bathroom, though one time I didn't make it and threw up in my snack bag on the side of my bed...all snacks were ruined!

Saturday: sick as a dog. Cook made me a special tea that contained parsley and lemon to help with my stomach, along with some anecdote I rubbed onto my stomach. While traveling to our various sites, had to stop along the side of the road in the midst of bushes and cacti to go to the bathroom. Yet again, a new experience. Went to these awesome natural rock formations, including the famous "arbol de piedra." Saw more lagunas and a small salar. Took some photos of an active volcano that separates Chili and Bolivia. By the time we arrived at the salt hostel, I was finally feeling better. Stayed in a hostel completely made of salt, including our beds, the walls, the tables and chairs (just not the toilets!). It was bright, colorful and lively and filled with others touring the Salar as well. Played more of the French card game after dinner and tea, and went to bed.

Sunday: woke up early and entered the famous Salar de Uyuni for the sunrise. Beautiful! Visited Isla Pescado (shaped like a fish); covered in cacti and natural stairs with breathtaking views. From there, we went deep into the Salar and took all the goofy pictures our little hearts desired! Stopped off at the original salt hotel, which is now a museum, that was closed because it was Sunday. They had flags outside from all over the world. Guess which flag was missing? Lastly, we stopped in Colchani, ate lunch, visited a salt museum and got souveniers. Ended in Uyuni, a really unattractive town. However, we arrived just in time for the World Cup so yet again made our way into another gringo establishment with everyone and their mom who just got off the tour. Took the 5pm bus from Uyuni to Oruro-the most rickety old bus I have ever seen. Said a little prayer we'd arrive safely...there was a drunken man pouring himself shots and loud Cholita women yelling at the driver....arrived in Oruro at 1am-we thought we were going to have to wait outside for 4 hours in the icy cold for another bus, but as we got off one bus, we saw a bus that said "Cochabamba" pulling away. We ran up to the bus, flagged it down, and snagged the last seats in the very back, where a man proceeded to throw up next to me, and the guy on the other side of me was covered in blood. I held onto my belongings very tightly! Got to Cocha at 4am, took a cab and was safe and sound in bed by 4:30.

Awesome adventure! Back to the kiddos today-it was great to see them as I was sick for a full week. Got 3 care packages today from friends and family-THANK YOU DIANE, MOM, AND SCOTT & JILL! Can't wait to deliver the "goods" to the kiddos.

I love Bolivia more and more each day!