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Latin America - part VI

La Paz, El Salar de Uyuni, Tupiza

Hector Yague
2005-10-12 11:08:59

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name was Tobacco and mine's Terrible, but despite the name I reckon mine was better tamed than hers. Anyway, so off we rode into this wonderful region in south Bolivia for hours and I had a terrific day! Like I said, the landscape is reminiscent of USA's Colorado Canyon and it does indeed take your imagination to the Wild West, with plenty of tall, spiky cactuses and sharp rock formations about, passing between deep creeks and apache-infested esplanades (well, at least they were apache-infested in my imagination!).

Since I am not an experienced rider, I did suffer after 7 hours on the saddle from an incipient pain in the lower-back, otherwise known as arse. In the evening, Conny and I went out for a dinner and a bottle of wine. Not sure whether it was the wine or some other factor, but I missed my 4am out-bound bus hehe.

Yup, I enjoyed the horse riding day here in Tupiza very much!

And the day after, on the 25th of February 2005, I entered into Argentina on my way to Buenos Aires to meet my very best mate from Spain, Pancho, who will be exploring Argentine with me during the following weeks. By the way, Argentina is going to be the last destination in my trip before flying back home; it's been a long and never-to-be-forgotten year, but funds are running short by now and I do reckon it's about time to drag my ass back into a "normal reality".

Not without sadness, I realize that my journey around the world is about to finish...

Country's high-light!

El Salar de Uyuni during the rainy season with its perfect kaleidoscopical illusions is flat down otherworldly.

Country's thumbs up!

* The so-claimed Most Dangerous Road in the World, in the Yungas, is a hell of a decent with mountain bike. As fun as it gets!

* Riding a horse in Tupiza's Wild West-reminiscent surroundings

* Getting rescued and taken care of by that local woman in El Salar de Uyuni with Garret and spending the evening playing soccer with the kids after getting stuck in the salt flats for such a long time. It felt like a real adventure

* La Paz, a vibrant capital that, as opposed to the rest of the main cities in Latin America, I enjoyed for a change

* It's a rock-bottom cheap country. It truly cannot get any cheaper for the budget-conscious backpackers: single room 3 euros, lunch at a blue-collar worker's canteen 1 euro, etc

* Busy destination in the backpacker trail, so making friends and going "social" is everyday business

Country's thumbs down!

* Getting stuck in the Salar and -almost- digging ourselves into some dangerous situations. Nasty place to get lost in

* Bolivia's transportation network is downright medieval. A 200 km ride could take up to 6 hours or more

* As opposed to Peru, Bolivia's cuisine is very very limited: meat, rice and potatoes. That's about it!

* Bolivians themselves. Don't get me right, they are friendly and stuff, but my experiences with them trying to arrange something out of the ordinary were unsuccessful. They don't seem to gasp the idea of improving or exploring new ways to new heights if they are not in their day-to-day routine

* Not having the chance to visit the Andean snow-dusted peaks in the north of the country. It is the rainy season here and the trekking paths were all knee-deep muddy