11 days left...

Our trip is winding down fast. The past couple days Kim has been layed up in La Paz. She´s having another stomach issue, and is now getting better. Luckily we found a good hotel (with a sweet shower) and have done nothing the past few days. The down time has made me realize how soon we will be back in the States. Bolivia has been difficult to explore between road blocks and sickness so it gives us more reason to get back down here some day. We are still planning to do the El Choro Trek when Kim is healthy, and we´ll have a bit more time to explore Sucre or another area near La Paz.

The thought of coming back home is weird. I´m probably ready, but at the same time feel very comfortable down here. I´m excited to see friends and family and enjoy the Northwest summer. But I´ll miss the simplicities of life here. Travelling around with just a backpack filled with my necessities and living cheaply. It has not always been comfortable. We´ve been too hot, too cold, on hellish bus rides, in dingy hotels, and much more. But I ¨enjoy¨ (or maybe the better word is appreciate) being in these situations, probably for the same reasons I enjoy climbing and skiing; it makes me feel more alive. While travelling there isn´t such thing as a routine day. We´re moving around, changing plans and always seeing new sights. And even when we were in Trujillo we would have a weekly routine but walking through the barrios to teach each morning could never feel normal. After growing up in Libertyville and living in Seattle it is impossible to feel numb to the living conditions of the people in those places. Anyways we have done a lot. The time has gone fast at times and slow at other times. It probably will take a while to digest everything we´ve seen and done on this trip. But luckily I´ll have some great pictures and stories to share with all you when we´re back.

Salar de Uyuni and Southwest Bolivia

This past Friday we took a 12 hour, bumpy and cold night bus from La Paz to Uyuni. Then we quickly booked a 3 day tour around the Southwest Corner of Bolivia. We piled into a Toyota Land Cruiser with 3 other travelers and set out. The first day was spent exploring the Salar de Uyuni. It is an enormous salt flat. That night we stayed in a salt hotel... the building was actually made out of salt blocks! The next day we drove on passing smaller salt flats, volcanoes, lakes and expansive deserts. The final day started by exploring a geyser basin at 4900 meters at sunrise. Then we took a dip in a hot springs to warm up, and went back to Uyuni via a long, and often bumpy, road. We were mostly expecting to explore the Salar de Uyuni, but were pleasantly surprised to get to see so many other sights. It was a fun trip and we were definitely ready to get out of the Land Cruiser by the end.

Once we got back to Uyuni we found out there were roadblocks in Potosi, so our plans to go there and on to Sucre changed. We spent an extra day hanging out in Uyuni waiting for a bus to get back to La Paz. And by hanging out I mean playing cards, reading, and having a bit of tea... there isn´t much to do in Uyuni! But we made it back to La Paz and are now planning our next trekking adventure.

We took a ton of pictures and here are some of the good ones.

Crazy perspective photos on the salt flat... Kim holding a mini Brian by the head.

The Salar de Uyuni from the Isla de Pescado.

More fun pictures on the salt flat.

Flamingos.

La Piedra de Arbol (the Tree Rock)

Amazing sky.

Reflections in a steaming lake.

Reflections of Laguna Colorada.

Pictures from Isla del Sol

We took a lot of pictures on Isla del Sol, and here a few of the best ones... enjoy.

The three of us on Isla del Sol.


Kim and Laura chilling with a view at our hostal in Isla de Sol.

A condor flying by us... gorgeous!

Laura´s 15 observations of South America

15. Everything is extremely cheap
14. I am tall
13. Brian´s purse is cuter than mine
12. It´s cold, but you still get tan (or burned)
11. I cannot breathe in high altitude (or I´m out of shape)
10. Getting from one place to another in a van with less than 12 people in it, is impossible
9. I don´t remember any spanish and would be lost without Kim (and Brian too)
8. The sunset is BEAUTIFUL
7. People wear blankets instead of coats
6. Anything you need can be bought on the street
5. I like coca tea
4. There is really a place called Copacabana (it´s not just in the song Kim keeps singing)
3. Llamas are real
2. It´s ok not to shower every day (especially when its cold)
1. I have the best brother ever!

Laura (If you come and visit you get to write your own blog too!)