We caught a Trans Titicaca overnight bus from Cuzco to Copacabana. We booked it online via http://www.ticketsbolivia.com/ The journey itself was uneventful; albeit when we first seated we were video recorded in case bags went missing. So I was paranoid the whole trip. We reached immigration in the morning. We got out of the bus, went to get our passport stamped in Peru side then strolled through the gate to Bolivia.
Walking cross country
Once we reached Bolivia side, we get stamped some more then boarded the bus back to Copacabana.
First day - 12/12/2015
We stayed in Hotel Onkel Inn Torres de Copacabana. We were dropped off in the city centre and caught a taxi to our hotel. It looked new, and half of it was still being built. But it felt like it was already falling apart. But then, it felt like that for 90% of the city. I was intrigued how most of the buildings seem unfinished. And the whole place looked a bit.. neglected. I thought it was supposed to be a tourist spot?
Second day - 13/12/2015
At least the hotel had a decent spread for breakfast. Then we were off to Island of the Sun. For some more hiking. Since 4 days hiking in Peru was not enough.
Lake Titicaca - the world’s highest navigable body of water. Most efficiently done by one leg.
We were lost for a bit, then we were directed to a random house to pay a fee before we could continued on walking. We walked for about 1 km, before this happened again. I guesstimate in total we had to pay 5 times along the way to walk around the island.
The ferry to take us back to Copacabana was late. I was so worried that we were going to miss our bus to La Paz. But my worry was groundless. Running late seemed to be the norm for any type of Bolivian transports.
We arrived in La Paz around 10.30pm. I booked a hostel nearby the bus stop (Hostal Perla Negra), but we couldn't find it! We walked around with our massive backpacks. I could feel the piercing death stare on my back. Fabs thought we were about to get robed, drugged, killed, and mutilated. At last he couldn't contain his wild imagination and we resorted to hail a taxi. Then, we realised it was only 2 min walk up the stairs from the station.
Third day - 14/12/2015
Breakfast was appalling. No hot water in our room, pipe blocked, and Fabs wondered whether there were bed bugs. But then I chose this place because of its location and paid little attention to its amenities.
Today was La Paz appreciation day. What a city. So chaotic. So cramped. So dense. And so interesting. I never went to a city using cable cars to connect the suburbs instead of metro. Why do we build tunnels underground when we can have cable cars?! I couldn't see any high rise buildings. Maybe that's why.
So flat oh so fine
We caught the cable car to the highest suburb. Apparently the higher the 'burb the more dangerous it is. Hence, as soon as we arrived at the highest station, we U turn and went straight down. To the cemetery area.
Interesting layout for a cemetery
As we were getting quite edgy (lunch time), we hailed another taxi to take us to the lowest area we could go in the city. The transformation of the roads were amazing. Gone the graffiti and homeless looking people. This area were all about office workers.
Lunch was at Sabor Gaucho (El Arriero), really good Argentinian restaurant. We ordered lunch special which included chips, salad, soup, meat and the whole restaurant for about $20. Then we headed to Plaza de Monticulo. We got lost yet again, as we didn't know how to to get in the park. And once we got in, we couldn't figure out how to get out.
Once we went around the park for about 5 times, we decided we had enough and head back to the bus station to catch our bus to Uyuni. We used Todo Turismo, which was one of the fanciest overnight bus I`ve been. I couldn`t recommend them enough. Tea, dinner, some more tea, chocolate, the food stream were endless.
Fourth day - 15/12/2015
Uyuni. The reason we came to Bolivia. We joined Red Planet Salt Life tour after much research. The front lady looked like she just bit something really sour, but thankfully our guide (perfect English) and driver (perfect Spanish) were really nice. Today was about one site after another.
Train cemetery
Dry salt lake - wear shoes, I wore jandals. Not a smart move
First hotel was made of salt - bags on bed because the ground are sandy salt!
Fifth day - 16/12/2015
One thing I learn - when one drinks beer in Bolivia; you need to pour a bit of your precious liquid to the ground. This is to say thanks to Pacha Mama - mother earth. They do this too with coca leaves before chewing them. Anyhow, another day on the road.
Llama = sheep here
Lunch on side of the road
All this time on the road, you might wonder, where does one go when the nature calls? Well, when you are in nature, you gotta blend with the nature my friend.
Pink birds, lake and amazing scenery!
Geothermal activities in the dessert - OH&S pretty slack here
After much driving, we settled in this little house out of nowhere. We only had electricity from 6pm, and lights off from 10pm. Food was served and we were told there`s no bathroom to shower. However, there`s a natural hot spring just across the road. We couldn`t see this so called hot spring as it was pitch black outside, but we trust our guide by now; so we went for a wander out in the cold. Then we found it. And it was AMAZING. It was HOT. And the sky, it took my breath away. We could see the milky way. No photos could do justice of what we saw that night.
Sixth day - 17/12/2015
The bad decision day. We were given a choice, to be dropped off in Chile or to go back to Uyuni. And I chose Uyuni. GRAVE mistake. If there's one advice I can give out about Bolivia, it will be this. Get dropped off at Chile.
View on our way to Chile border. Salvador Dali`s inspiration
We dropped off some smart people at the border, then we were driven a good 6/7 hours back to Uyuni. I reckoned I ate 2kgs worth of sand through my nose whilst our driver chewing his coca leaves along the way happily.
My little nostrils couldn't handle it
At long last we were back to Uyuni. Time to jump into our fancy bus to go back for another ride to La Paz.
Seventh day - 18/12/2015
Arrived at our hotel completely knackered, dusty, sweaty and I was pretty sure, smelly. We arrived into our hotel at Casa de Piedra Hotel Boutique. It felt like Hyatt after the hostel and the road. And it allowed us to check in at 8am! Shower, rest and wifi time!! We emerged from the room to go for lunch at Pacena La Salteña. Where we ordered our food using body language and paid this sweet lady at the front; then sat down and proceed to gobbled down numerous yummy empanadas.
Fabs did his contribution to this trip by suggesting the Red Cap `free` walking city tour. We met the tour in front of infamous San Pedro jail. The lady that run the tour was funny and really informative. Definitely worth doing and way better than us wandering around lost by ourselves.
Market sort of days
We went to the witch market, normal market and food market. We had some snacks and juice, sat around Plaza Murillo while she filled us in the history of Bolivia. At this point, I was getting used to Bolivia. Its hectic, disorder, cramped spaces, ladies with their cute bowl hats; but after this tour, I think I like Bolivia. We ended up in a Irish bar and paid donation for the walk while drinking possibly the most expensive beer in South America.
All those walking made me hungry yet again, so we ducked back to the food market and grabbed some chorizo sandwich that supposedly famous. It was sooooo good. I just love this chili concoction Bolivians perfected. A bit like salsa but spicy. It was delish.
We then headed back to our hotel for a nap and got out from our room (you guess it) for food. We walked straight to this night market and settled for Bolivian version of KFC. We went there because we thought it must be good food judging by the sheer amount of people in there!
Massive crowd!
Those fried chickens were a good closing meal in Bolivia. Time to pack our bags and continued on to Fabs's birth place: São Paulo.
