Southern Bolivia

Back on terribly sandy roads full of unevenly spaced washboards. Not quite the picturesque riding as found in the salar, but the incredible countryside I was riding through made it worth the chattered teeth and shaken brains. The first night out, the only ¨city¨ within one hundred plus miles, happend to be the ¨City of Rocks¨.... Literally a city full of sandstone boulders creeplily staring down at me in odd shapes one could easily find representation in whatever theme you prefer. To me they appeared as a variety faces beckoning to be climbed on, a paradise of boulders. After sending a few of the easier routes I could find, the tent went up, dinner started, and gazed out meditatively into the seemingly neverending sunsets found in southern Bolivia. That night I parted from the tent for a good ol midnight relieving, and looking up from 12000ft, the stars have never appeared brighter-a real visual symphony. God does great work.

Back in the saddle the next day and the roads were even worse, but as I have experienced, that only means the scenery gets better.True again. The highlands of the National park were unlike any territory I´ve seen yet. Entering the park, I was going to practice the art of drive-by-control-check-without-paying as its worked in the past- all I ve gotten was a stern whistling at, but the two gentelmen in charge were onto me, and the gate was down, their guards were up. The thirty Bs. fee was paid, and after sitting down for some friendly conversation and info gathering, I was invited to join them for almuerzos (lunch). Freshly prepared soup and llama meat, well worth the entrance fee. After lunch we made a few pratical joke calls over the two way radio in the control tower, and I was off to explore the Park.

First stop Laguna Colorada:
Red and pink water, white twisters of salt dust, and pink flamingoes were all in excess here, not to mention the surrounding 5000+ meter peaks in all dierctions. Very neat, so neat in fact that one of the flyers given to me at the control check was a ballot promoting votes for Laguna Colorada to be one of the new seven world wonders!

Up and over 15,000 ft on once again, "carreteras duras" (rough, gravely roads) with winds blowing snow in the form of needles at 40mph-stinging any part of skin exposed. This felt like a martian world- reds, yellows and multiple shades of grey in every direction, snow, wind, and sunshine rotating in twenty minute shifts... I sensed some martian activity going on, and followed a two track down and around a few hills and volcanic float to discover some geysers and a short hundred or so of bubbling mud pits. No dinosaurs...or martians. The blistering hot steam coming from the pits, warming the cold air around it got me excited for my next stop, and hopefully camp spot for the night- the Polques hot springs.

Down from the pass, fingers started to warm, the land showing similarities of Earth, and life began to show its face again in the form of more flamingos, an occasional emu, vicuñas, and of course llamas. That evening I watched the sunset from a thermal bath looking over a saffire blue lake observing the eating habits of flamingos, very impressive. Set up camp only 1km away. Two plus hours of mineral moisture soaked bones wasn´t enough for me, I had hopes of a sunrise soak as well! With that thought in mind I whipped up some soup and tea, took in the brilliantly bright stars for a while, and slept like a baby.

I awoke twenty minutes before sunrise, tent covered in thick frost, water jugs partially frozen, and moto facing the hot springs instead of toward the way I would be heading out on. Threw on the boots and headed over to the pool. Beautiful sheets of steam covered the landscape as flamingos continued to graze in the warm mineral streams surrounding the lake. I plopped down into the pool just in time for the sun to rise- a miraculous minute of beauty, a great start to what would be my last day in Bolivia, and hopefully my first day in Chile.

On my way to the border I stopped by Laguna Verde, known by its´green water. On this particular morning, a green cloud hovering above the lake was annoucing its location. By the time I reached the lake, the cloud was gone, but two volcanoes were exposed - both in this world and in the relfective world of the lakes´ green water. I did the dance(meat paste) , had some lunch, and gave my farewells to this gorgeous country.

Bolivia will always remain in my heart as one of the most beautiful and remote places I´ve been blessed to experience. Graicas a Dios. Chau Bolivia.