BOLIVIA TRIP
For the past two weeks, the Antipodeans group has ventured from our comfort zone in Peru to cross the border into Bolivia. After a 12-hour bus ride via Puno to Copacabana we spent (relative to the three different groups) from 1 to 3 nights in Copa. Staying in honeymoon suites overlooking Lake Titicaca or living in hostels on Isla del Sol. The time in this waterside town was spent with day trips to Isla De Sol, boating across Lake Titicaca, enjoying the cheap shopping, good food, beautiful scenery and lazing in hammocks by our hostel. Our pit stop in Copacabana broke up the long trip to La Paz, Bolivia. Embarking on our second leg, with La Paz in sight we checked our passports and walked across the border, for some of us with ice creams in hand. As we wound down the bends into La Paz city we were met with a tessellation of earthy coloured houses, back dropped by the idiosyncratic Bolivian mountainside. We found La Paz to be a more industrial, bustling and hybrid city than Peru. Staying in The Wild Rover, an Irish run hostel/pub, for some it was a first hostel experience, for others a welcome back to the life of travelling. We explored thoroughly the markets and the cheap clothing, bags and souvenirs. The Witches Markets were a very peculiar sight, complete with hanging baby llama carcasses and potions. The highlight of La Paz for all was undoubtedly challenging and conquering the Worlds Most Dangerous Road. We flew down Death Road on our mountain bikes, dodging the daunting cliff face, at times at a worryingly close radius. The view was beautiful, and dangerously distracting; luscious green mountainsides, sheer cliffs with a drop of over 400metres. The ride was thrilling, our instructor entertaining and the day unforgettable. When we had made it to the bottom, the relief of a wild life sanctuary, promising showers, all you can eat, the infamous free t-shirt and a visit to see the animals was very welcomed. A few of us took on the zip line; three separate flying foxes accumulating 1.5km. The weary group then boarded the bus to drive BACK up the Death Road and to our beds at the Wild Rover. We also celebrated the last of our placement birthdays, Brookes! This had come after a solid week and a half of birthday parties celebrated in Cusco since late September for Isabelle, Cat, Milly and Sam. With our usual ritual of cake and dinner followed by an unforgettable night out for some, Brooke’s birthday was held in style. By the end of the week we were all together in La Paz, only to split into two groups (one of seven and one of twelve) to sight see in Bolivia. On return to Cusco, many stories were shared of our experiences in this beautiful country of Bolivia.
SALAR DE UYUNI
The group of twelve spent two nights and three days exploring the beautiful Salar de Uyuni. The tour travelled in two cramped Land Rovers across the Salar and through the dusty (and bumpy) Bolivian countryside. Visiting the skeletons of the train cemetery, natural rock formations including the famous Rock Tree, countless lagoons brimming with regiments of flamingos and of course the Salt Flats. Standing a top incuhasi, the Fish Island, an Oasis in the middle of the Salar covered in hundreds of cacti promised a view that stretched the entire salt plain. Against a cowboy blue sky, the white desert, a huge salty expanse stretched right to the feet of the mountains in the far distance. Strong winds whipped our hair with salt as cameras snapped constantly the grandiose mountains, the ever-stretching salt plains and the perfectly balanced colours of the lagoons. Despite the freezing temperatures, we dreamt of the girls steaming in the jungle…
PAMPAS JUNGLE
18 hours away from La Paz by the real Death Road, the muggy and bogged bus ride whereby six of the girls headed to the jungle and arrived in Rurrenabaque. They were to spend their 2 nights and 3 days in the jungle fishing for piranhas, boating down the Amazon, surrounded by thousands of alligators and other exotic animals such as the giant rat-like Capiburja- not the most beautiful thing. And whilst animal spotting they saw a lethargic sloth, manoeuvring himself down his tree. Catching piranhas was a sure highlight, with Brooke hooking the first feisty fish with a huge chunk of meat. Sitting out on a frail deck perched by single tree trunks whilst watching an impressive Amazonian sunset was a defining memory for the girls. A typical yet cringe-worthy experience of the Pampas was undoubtedly the swarm of enormous black bugs to the light that they would have to brave in order to use el bano. The inescapable humidity characterised the stay; dipping their feet in the Amazon as the boat travelled along by day was a welcomed relief to the sticky temperatures. Our health has been mas o menos, many more additions to the clinic and a lot of bronchitis making it’s way around the group. We have kept the clinic running on revolving doors. At Corao, some were lucky to be entertained by the Schools annual concert, the kids dressed colourfully in their traditional dress performing dances and songs. The front security wall has been finished and work has begun on the water reservoir. With a few money issues we are all pleased that we have made some progress, ready to show some initiative and get done what we want to see completed. With only a month or so to go, there is not a lot of time left together here in Cusco and a lot still to be achieved!
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