I made plans with the Swiss girls and some new friends from Argentina, who are need-greating in Sucre, to do the South-west Bolivian desert and Salt Flats tour. Then after the tour I would "jump" the border to Chile.
Here are some more photos of one of the coolest and most diverse places in the world. Going even a second time was worth it.. the place changes so much. And now that it's the rainy season, it was even more beautiful the second time.
Took the trip with these fun, awesome people. From left to right: Tiziana, from Switzerland, Esther and Jorge Barros, from San Martin de Los Andes, Argentina, Natalie, from Switzerland, and Natalia, who I call "Natali dos", also from Argentina.
Jorge trying on my sunglasses. He loves saying "What's up man!"
Everyone ready for the Bolivian "photo shoot" at the train cemetery
and a photo shoot it is. At the train cemetery. Or "tetanus playground" as my Bolivian mentor friend from NY, Kandra, originally put it.
Planking was a huge hit apparently. Haha... Jorge was a natural from the start. And some did their own original versions. We decided to call planking in Spanish "una plancha" or "hace una plancha"
The Salar in the rainy season was something worth coming back a second time. A thin layer of water accumulates on the surface of the salt ground and creates a giant mirror.
Famous Salt Hotel
Back to Isla Incahuasi. Cactus heaven.
The stereotypical, two-armed cactus.
Llama Drama ! How rude...
That incredible moment when you see the sky on the ground while walking on a thin layer of salty water is surreal.
Shortly ahead, the water gradually gets higher. Now it looks like a huge ocean! It literally came out of nowhere. Natalia decides to plank on a stray salt mound island.
Next stop was a place I like to call "Urban Barrel Heaven" So many choice spots to hit. So much swell. #pitted #alwaysbarreled ... Natalie from Switzerland catches on and gets barreled.
The landscape still doesn't get old
Flamingooooooos
Natalia and I go Vicuna spotting. These little guys are in the Llama family. You can tell the family resemblance by their faces. They aren't as popular and don't have the majestic locks as a llama, but I still like them. They are like the Andean version of deer.
Laguna Colorada. Personally, my favorite spot of Southern Bolivia
This time, visiting the Laguna Colorada was a different experience than the first. Tiziana, Natalia, and I decide to venture to the "Islas del Hielo" at sunset to check it out. The hielo, isn't actually ice.. it's the white, chalky mineral, Borax. It just looks like a frozen glacier. This was probably my favorite moment of the tour. The Laguna Colorada is a red lake and at sunset is has a golden glow. It was another surreal moment. We were joking around that since we're missing the snow and winter back home, we at least get to experience our own version of winter on the "Islands of Ice" even though it's just weird Borax.
Geysers at 5:30 in the morning and at 16,000ft... the highest elevation I've experienced so far.. it's a bit chilly
Finally after three days of touring with these guys I had to say goodbye. It was time to cross over to Chile. I was gonna miss them. They are my awesome Bolivian family!
Definitely worth while going back a second time in the rainy season. The landscape in Bolivia is constantly changing and it's amazing each time. Always something new. Now off to a new country....
Cool! I'm loving the salar. It's neat to see natural wonders we don't have here - unless u go 2 Bonneville
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