Bolivia and Kelly

For the past two weeks i've been in Bolivia, and most of the time I spent with my friend Kelly who flew all the way down from Canada to check out the sights of this incredible country. It was a bit of a whirlwind trip, but between us we accumulated:

- 1 wrong airport

- 1 delayed plane

- 1 late bus

- 1 happy reunion in the midst of the arrival of a famous Mexican pop band

- 1 lost bag

- 1 brand new bag with brand new clothes and gifts

- 2 stomach bugs

- 2 colds

- 2 hot showers, 1 freezing cold one, and 3 lukewarm ones

- 128 km down 3500 metres of biking (in one day!)

- Befriending a fox, monkey, anteater/raccoon, parrot and numerous tourists

it was a great trip!

We started out in La Paz (Bolivia) and biked down the "world's most dangerous road" (named that way due to a past history of car accidents, not bike accidents). We started at a frigid 4700 metres stepping on snow and ended up sweating at 1200 metres 64 km and 6 hours later. The road is a mix of pavement, dirt, and loose gravel and at times comes perilously close to 600 metre drops, or skirts under waterfalls or over road washouts. But, everyone made it home in one piece and we got a free t-shirt!

Our route through the mountains

Don't worry mom, we went safely!

Then we headed down to the southern altiplano, where we joined up with a tour through the Uyuni salt flats and beyond - a completely surreal experience. The salt desert goes on as far as the eye can see (and beyond, it's over 10,000 km) and the combination of brilliant white, dusty salt and the bright blue sky is stunning and slightly blinding.

My shoe doubles nicely as a car, in the right circumstances

We stayed the night in a hotel made entirely of salt (salt brick walls, salt beds, salt tables and chairs) and it kept us strangely warm in the -18 degree weather. Of course "warm" is relative, as you can see that I'm fully bundled up.

After driving through the salt we ended up in a landscape that resembles what I think the moon (or an unpopulated planet) might look like - all flat land, barren mountains, large craters and scattered lakes of the most brilliant and unreal colours. After driving for hours and seeing no other signs of life, we arrived at a lake filled with pink flamingos, which did not seem to mind the frigid wind whipping the lake surface.

Among this expanse of flat land we came across random enormous rock formations that resemble images such as a human face or tree, or parts of a Salvador Dali painting.

On our last morning we drove right through active geysers at a height of 4,900 metres, spewing sulphuric gases, whistling like kettles, and filling the sky and covering the sunrise with steam.

After filling up bags with wonderful Bolivian gifts, Kelly took off back to Canada and I headed to the winter solstice festival at the archaeological site of Tihuanaco. Apparently over 10,000 people go every year to welcome in the sun and with it, the Aymara New Year. Among those gathered was Evo Morales, the Bolivian President, who generated a lot of attention and (it seemed) adoration from everyone as he raised the two flags and sprinkled the ceremonial fire with coca leaves and fruit.

At the first sign of the sun, everybody raises up their hands to welcome in the energy of the new year

And then I headed straight for the birthplace of the sun itself- la isla del sol on lake titicaca. The island is surrounded by impossibly blue waters which in turn are ringed by snow-capped peaks and the whole setting was absolutely gorgeous.

I walked under our dear friend (the sun) for a few hours, crossing the island before settling down to a plate of freshly-fished trout. Amazing!