Bolivia - Salar de Uyuni, Potosi, and Sucre

The adventure was about to begin-Bolivia! I had as muchn respect of this country as of Laos or Cambodia. And it turned out to be just as easy and safe to travel as in Asia-use your head and you are safe-of course there is bad luck...Two jeep left for the three day trip to Uyuni crossing the biggest salt desert of the world-the Salar de Uyuni. Our jeep was the better one, composed of two Germans, one Irish, one Suisse, and one Norwigean. We were a good team and stayed together even after the trip to spend some time in Potosi. After crossing over to Bolivia we came to the first of about 110 lagoons-the Laguna Blanca. We had to pay entrance for the National Park but did not have any cash. You know that you need it but then withdrawing money always gives you a feeling you do not want to feel. Anyway, some really weird Spanish couple of the other jeep helped us out till we got to the next ATM at the end of our trip. The lagoon was filled with flamingos. The next day was just filled with other lagoons and more flamingos and loads of driving. Yet driving was not as we know it from the rest of the world-no roads. We were heading through the desert and had to trust our 23-year old drive that he would find the right way. He did and so we arrived at our second hostal where we played table tennis and continued our Perudo game, a Peruan/Chilean (they never know who really introduced it first) dice game, and were happy to find a shower that even had warm water. All freshin' up we left for the highlight of the tour at 4:30a.m.-the Salar de Uyuni. It is a vast salt desert-just salt and salt and salt. In the middle of the ancient lake was an island full of cacti. It used to be the peak of a volcano just across the "lake" which was now lying there surrounded by salt. We played soccer, me the German being about the worst of all, resulting in me having to run the most-on 3660 meters. Now I know what it means to be out of breath. We took funny pictures-somebody standing on me, me being in somebody's cap...

In Uyuni we missed the bus to Potosi by ten minutes and had to wait another eight hours. The bus was small, not too comfi, and the road bumpy. However, after having heard all the stories about Bolivian roads I did not find them to be too bad-had a far worse experience in Cambodia. I will be back in Bolivia in a week or so, maybe there is more to come. On the bus I gave my seat to a 12-year old with her 2-year old sister. Now capable of the Spanish language we talked for about three hours with breaks how life is in Bolivia, how she lives with her family etc. She went to Uyuni to buy goods for her dads shop in Tica Tica-three hours away. It was an interesting conversation and I learned a lot that you cannot find in books. Potosi also was a nice experience. I bought my first and probably last dynamite...also coca leaves and a bottle of water. Of course, this was stuff to give to the miners that are still working under conditions of the Middle Age. Yet, asking the question if the miners are still happy, the answer was: "Yes!". They are working over 4300 meters and can just survive by eating the coca leaves. Dear Mister President: Do not make Bolivia abolish the coca cultivation. Raw we just have a mixture of vitamines! ;)

Sucre as well as Potosi is full of colonial style buildings-just so beautiful. To Sucre I went just with Moira and we spent a couple of days there in a nice, also colonial style hostal. We explored the city and went up to a cafe from which we could oversee the whole city. Sucre is supposed to be the most beautiful city of Bolivia and I sure understand where they are coming from. From there we took a really tireing busride all the way to Iquique in Chile, Moira heading down to Santiago and me up to Arica-the gateway to Peru. The first bus was to let us off at the bus terminal in Oruro. Arriving at the city at 4a.m. the busdrivers told us, that this is the direct bus to La Paz and that they do not go the busterminal but would let us off out of town. The first time I got really pissed yelling throughout the whole bus yet knowing it would not have any success anyway. It is just a little bit dangerous to find a reliable taxi in the red light district taking you do the bus terminal. But we managed well. After one night in Arica I took a train to Tacna in Peru, being pleased not to cross another border with the bus which takes a lot more time. From Tacna I took a bus to Arequipa to meet up with Melanie, a friend from uni-time. I guess I just had to much fun with her giving me another hard good bye. Arequipa is really beautiful city yet have not taken any pics...Tonight I am leaving for Cusco/Machupichu-I am really excited for it...

San Pedro de Atacama

This post is gonna be more about pictures than words. San Pedro is the most touristy town I have ever been to providing the exit point to explore the dessert of Atacama-a salt dessert. The place is nice with a church and other buildings that go along with atmosphere. When we got on the bus in La Serena we picked up (another) swiss guy who is now doing all the excursions with us together and will accompany us tomorrow to Bolivia-a country I am looking very forward to visit.

Our hostal is cheap-notebly-but the inner patio with hammocks makes it a good place to chill out and escape from the 35º of heat. In the end it does not feel to bad as it is very dry heat with a cool breeze. Now the fotos of our excursions and San Pedro...

San Pedro


Valle de la Luna



Geysier El Tatio

Santiago and the Valle de Elky

There I was-sitting in the bus with destination Santiago de Chile. One last time Chile. I found out that also men can have charm influencing business. At the bus terminal of Buenos Aires you have about 2.000.000 providers offering services to Mendoza and Santiago. As Santiago is in Chile I went to the international section to buy my ticket. I found a company offering me Cama (which is normally more expensive as Semi-Cama) for 167,40 Argentinean Pesos without me even asking for a 10% discount. After I found out that Semi Cama would only cost 150 AP to Mendoza I went back and now I did ask, if she could do something for me. The lady behind the window smiled at me and said she could if I paid cash. So I got an amazing service for the cheapest price. After two hours we needed alone to get out of Buenos Aires we received a brownie and coffee. Dinner was lasagne, a tortilla, salad, and of course desert. At 5a.m. they served breakfast-croissant, bread, jam, butter, and of course a coffee. I was impressed yet I still wished that I could be in Buenos Aires hanging around a little bit more with Andrea and Vera.

We explored the city, its cafes, malls, and waterfront. Buenos Aires is a great city! Millions of poeple, parks, old houses, new houses...Amazing. After two days of heavy sight-seeing we decided to take the other days a little more slow, doing almost nothing but talking, cooking...

Early in the morning after I arrived in Mendoza-which is close to the Argentinean border-I had to unfortunately realize that I had to go with my beluved sucky bus company Andesmar to Santiago. Good busses but baaaad service...After another seven hours I arrived in Chile's capital. I met up with Ina straight away to go and get my yellow fever shot for Bolivia and Peru. After I found out on the bus to Santiago that in Buenos Aires the vacination is for free, I was quite pissed off that I had to pay 25 Euros. I stayed at a couchsurfer's place and was very close to believe that it might be my second couchsurfing disappointment. She was not there. Once she arrived 45 minutes later she told me that she just forgot about me...But after all she was a very good host with a huge apartment. I did not really do much in Santiago. Nobody could tell me where to go. I thought it to be rather strange. I met up with Ina + friends, chilled in cafes, climbed the Cerro xxx and just before I left for La Serena also the government building. I had a good time eventhough I first though that Santiago is nothing like Buenos Aires. It is not but I had to find out that it also got its charm. Really, there is not much more to tell-I slept a lot. On Sunday night Moira, the cousin of Cri (who married the Chilean guy in September) and I borded the bus to La Serena. All busses going directly to San Pedro de Atacama where fully booked but it gave us the option to split the 23-hours bus ride and to visit the Valle de Elky. We slept about five hours the most on the bus. Semi-Cama and little space-welcome to the world of TurBus. A little exhausted we gave in our backpacks and took another bus to Pisco at 7a.m. The bus ride was two hours and took us deep into the valley where grapes are cultivated to produce Chile's hang over giving national drink "Pisco". More fascinating than the vineyards were the huge cacti and the colorful flowers growing on the wall of the houses. It was hot and now I knew that the desert was not very far away. Moira and I walked a lot and took in the landscape. We hitch-hiked to a river which was more than freezing. We met a French dude and a Chilean woman both living in France. From here on I was to meet a lot of French speaking Spanish and even German-I was confused. We hung out with the two of them. We were lucky to find a ride very quickly to take aus to Monte Grande, from there another to Vicuña, and then a camion taking us to La Serena bus terminal. Luckily, there was a mall-modern-next to the terminal and so we used the toilets there to brush the teeth and clean up a little. Before our bus left to San Pedro at 21:45h-TurBus of course delayed-I bought this 350gram Nutella glas cheering me up whenever I need it ;)

Some more of Patagonia-It is a privelge!

So there I was-all by myself again. I spent a couple more nights in Puerto Natales staying at a friends house. She used to live with me in Maguya 2-my home in Puerto Varas. Then she moved with her boyfriend to Puerto Natales-him working in Torres del Paine. During the day I was more or less bored. I still did not manage to find a good book as bookstores down there are very rare but at night we caught up on good old times and talked about God and the world. Finally it was time to move on-Punta Arenas, the port of departure for the Mare Australis. Destination: Ushuaia-southern most city in the world. Route: Straight of Magalan, Cape Horn. Definately one of the highlights of my short journey through part of South America.

To safe some money I hitch-hiked all the way to Punta Arenas. Luckily, I did not have to wait too long. Three guys from the Netherland picked me up and took me all the way to Punta Arenas. All of them seemed to have an impressive career-two of them living in Germany-Hamburg and Freiburg...We chatted a lot and after about two hours of "race car style" driving we arrived at the Seno Otway Penguin Colony. They say there are about 11.000 penguins nesting this year from October till March. Well, our count was just a bit under 11.000: 28 alive, 1 dead. But still-it was my first time I saw penguins in the wild (except for those we saw of the Navimag Ferry). From there it was just another 18Km to Punta Arenas-the wind blowing amazingly strong. I asked the lady from our hostal in Puerto Natales if she knew a good hostal in Punta Arenas trusting her when she said yes-"A good one, if I did not know it personally, I would not recommend it to you." Well, it turned out that the hostal was in the red light district of Punta Arenas where the sailors have a good time until their next departure. I decided that this would not be good for me and moved to another hostal close to the pier-two days more and the adventure begins! The two days turned out once more to be very boring as there was not really much to do in this city, eventhough I liked it more than Puerto Varas. I got addicted to the computer and spider-solitaire. Things had to change and so they did!

As I always do, I checked-in last at the office of Crucero Australis. I got a cabin A-which is the third best option of the ship. In the end all the cabins are equipped equally, they are just on different decks. Up to this point yet I did not have any idea what this meant in reality-nothing! People pay more and get the same. At 18h I arrived at the pier, luckily enough to meet my dear collegua Pame and husband from Protours. We boarded together and were impressed by the high quality and luxury. It is a 4*+ Hotel swimming through the canals of the fjords of Patagonia. At 20h-welcome dinner. We had the same table assigned and shared it with a Spanish couple-very nice-we spent all day together-excursions; breakfast, lunch, dinner; and the evenings in the bar.

The first day I got up at 5:30h to watch the sun rising. It sure was beautiful but expected a little more color. I went up just in flip-flops and it was a.. freezing cold-the punishment for lazyness. After breakfast I was looking forward to our first excursion: Bahia Ainsworth. Mister Ainsworth was a British Master of the boat Adventure, exploring this area. We got on deck with our life jackets and were prepared to desembark with the Zodiac boats-small boats for 13 men. They explained a hundred times what to do and not-they must be really afraid that somebody falls into the 5º water-annoying. The ride on these boats was good fun. We had a two hour walk through the Evergreen Patagonian Forrests and took a closer look to flora and fauna. We also listened to the quietness-nothing. When everybody was quiet you heard nothing-just water and birds. Amazing, a place on earth with no noise, no houses nothing-just you yourself and mother nature! Before we hopped back on the boat we enjoyed hot choclate, coke, or a whiskey. The good thing on board was - everything gratis. Just good enough for a backpacker. After lunch of the same day we once again changed from big to small and surrounded a small island watching penguins, cormorans, and other birds. And because I liked those Zodiacs sooo much they let me go two turnes-one in German and one in Spanish with my table number 6.

On the second full day the morning was quiet. Not much to do-just enjoying the panaroma. I was almost the only one on the observation deck for most of the time. The others were inside enjoying a drink or two and taken a look at the landscape from the warmth. Not enough for me-if you do not feel the breeze and cold you do not feel the whole excitement. After lunch we once again changed from big to small Zodiacs and got close to the Glacier Pia. Amazing-another highlight of this cruise. Lucky as we were we could see massive ice floes crashing down into the water. The sound of this event is similar to a fire cracker explosing-strong forces-WOW. We also climped up to a lookout. After I had some health problems I was more than happy to not feel my knees hurting for every step I took. Back down we enjoyed a whiskey with a piece of Glacier Ice in our glases. Back on board the hot shower was number one of the priorety list. And here we went-all the way down to Cape Horn. All of us praying that the weather would let us desembark. It depended on the wind. The usual case is wind from the South-West in which case the only bay to climbed onto the island is protected. Just rarely they have wind from the North which in many cases does not allow to explore the Cape Horn with its monument and light-house.

7:00h in the morning-up on deck. Cape Horn-so close you could almost touch it. Wind-almost none. Would we be lucky?! I went to the reception and talked to one of the crew members-chances 50:50. I went to the back of the boat-the drivers of the Zodiacs already in there position to be heaved down. Oh, I believed we could do it. But then-wind wind wind wind wind wind wind. 92knots (approx 180km) and how could it be differently? From the North. We waited an hour for the weather to improve but soon came the announcement that the wind would not calm down all morning. Puuuuh, what a disappointment!!! Now I have just fotos from off-shore but indeed was really surprised how much adrenalin was released for just being close. That took most of the disappointment. After a sh.. load of fotos and playing with the wind "you are so strong I will not fall over when I lean against you"-which really worked - we had breakfast not knowing that in about two hours at least half of the 88 passengers would throw up. We got into a bad storm of 100knots giving us waves of (only) three to four meters but yet giving the a good shake for about four hours. As on the Navimag I did not take a sea-sickness pill, self-confident that I could handel the situation. I enjoyed the first three hours of the event more or less giggeling about the people all white in their faces. Isabel, the Spanish lady of table number 6-by the way the best one of the cruise-walked very alegant to the trash bin, getting rid of all possible. Later I just asked her if she was the first one using it. She said yes and gave me a smile. A little later lunch...I was hungry but had to concentrate that the same would not be happening to me. I ate small portions and felt that if this goes on for much longer I would fail my mission to resist with drugs. But then, I just ate my dessert-the wind stopped, the waves-no more, the boat cruising all quite. In less than a minute I was back to normal and had to laugh when the others said to me later that I was very very very white in my face as well :) From here everything was calm and as it should be. Another highlight just about to happen. The "Street of Glaciers" - along the canals we had five glaciers coming over the top of the hills-each being called after the origin of its first climbers. Spanish, "Romanche", German, French, and Dutch. At each glacier tipical music of the respective country was heard of the loud-speakers and food being served. I really did not agree with the Prinzen "Koenig von Deutschland" is tipical as well as the Bavarian music but oh well, this is just our image. Served were sausages and of course-beer. In the afternoon we did another desembarking to a look out at Bahia Wulaia the home of the Yamana. At about midnight we arrived at Ushuaia-spending the last night on board.

The day was slow. Pame, Claudia, and I were looking for an accommodation and I went to the national park Tierra del Fuego, doing a three hours hike. I enjoyed it a lot and once again observe the flora and fauna of this area-impressive, untouched, and just beautiful. From there started a journey of 52 hour journey to Buenos Aires. I used busses, hitch-hike (lucky enough to get onto a truck providing a good view of Tierra del Fuego and the Atlantic, taking breaks in Rio Gallegos and Puerto Madryn-access point for the Peninsula Valdez. I got the advise to take a full day excursion to the peninsula but the prices told me not to. And after all I had seen penguins, see elephants, seals, and other maritime life. The only thing more would have been whales-but to be honest-remembering the boringness of whale-watching in New Zealand told me rather be on time for Andreas Birthday in Buenos Aires and safe the money. So I went to the bus terminal and asked if they have availability for the nightbus-not being to positive as busses are full most of the times depending on the route. The guy said "No!". I kindly asked him to have another look into the computer and nice as he was-he did. And mira voz, one seat available that was apparently occupied in the morning. Now as I believe in destiny I was sure that I made the right decision.

Now I will be four days in Buenos Aires before I head back to Chile. And I am very happy to be reunited with my two Swiss girls - Andrea and Vera - with whome I have explored the Torres del Paine two weeks ago...