Found at the very heart of South America is a gem of a country: Bolivia.
Bolivia, bless her soul, has some chronic bipolar personality issues to deal with.
On one side, she has low-lying landscapes lush with vegetation and life; they are warm and humid, yet filled with energy and prosperity. Dividing her personalities are the massive mountain ranges of the Andes. A short flight, or – if you’re feeling up to it – a long and treacherous bus journey will take you across to her other side.
Here, her high altitudes result in bitterly cold temperatures, and the vast landscapes are devoid of life except for a few resilient species. Here you will see scenery unimaginable by even the best science-fiction writers, and pervasive blinding brightness easily comparable to the white landscape of Antarctica.
Having experienced both her sides; I find it impossible to take preference. Each steals your breath away (literally) and you’ll find yourself gobsmacked by the beauty wielded by her double-edged sword.
Since my arrival in Bolivia I have experienced toe-numbing cold, peeling lips, altitude sickness that made me want to pluck my eyes out, oxygen deficiency, pounding headaches, sweltering humidity and heat rashes. We have occupied toilets so revolting that you would rather crawl out from the bowl of the infamous ´Trainspotting´ toilet than hover your rosy bottom over them. We’ve had to learn to be so sparing with loo paper (now referred to as ‘white gold’) that just one sheet will do…if any at all. Luckily for me, I have yet to suffer the dreaded Boliviano bum Bulimia.
It has been eight days since we arrived in Bolivia. We have been in the Amazon rainforest. We’ve played with Toucans, watched sloths, and have been surrounded by huge snow-capped volcanoes. We’ve tasted famous Boliviano chocolate in the Spanish colonial plaza of Sucre – known as the ‘White City’. We’ve seen mountains made up of seven unique colours; stood in the middle of the largest salt pan in the world, and swam in bubbling hot springs surrounded by ice. We’ve watched thousands of pink flamingos feed on algae in the blood-red Colorado Lake. We’ve seen Llamas, Alpaca and the wild Vicuna of the Altiplano. We’ve stayed in a hotel made of salt and stood alongside loud sulphurous geysers.
Bolivia, despite my ailments, you have been much more than a pleasant surprise… I thoroughly look forward to more of your company.
Up next, Rurrenabaque in the Amazon Basin.
For more about my trip, go to my blog www.wherethewildthingsgo.com
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