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South American Adventure
  • Happy Days Travel
  • Mark Wade
  • Happy Days Travel
  • Mark Wade

South American Adventure

This epic eight-month overlanding trip through South America has been a long time in the planning! We will be visiting Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, Peru, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Brazil. Exciting times! 😊 Meer informatie
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  • South American Adventure

    Drive to Sucre

    18 december 2024, Bolivia ☁️ 5 °C

    We were up at 4.30am for a 5am departure.  So, we arrived in Oruro in the dark last night and left again in the dark this morning!  We will never know if the town had anything to offer!

    We were still at an altitude of almost 4000 metres, and as it began to get light, we could see we were driving across miles and miles of dry, high, dusty desert.  It was very sparsely populated and desolate.  It was incredibly bumpy and very slow going as we picked our way along an unmade road.

    Later, we wended our way through the mountains.  It was still slow, but the scenery was better, and there was less dust!  We passed through Llallagula, the location of the largest tin mine in Bolivia.  The spoil heaps around the town looked like pyramids!    Meer informatie

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  • South American Adventure

    Truck breakfast

    18 december 2024, Bolivia ☁️ 15 °C

    We stopped for a truck breakfast at a beautiful viewpoint. We had a stew of red peppers, onions, garlic, and tomatoes using some of the veg Mark should have used in his ratatouille last night, along with baguettes and scrambled eggs. It was lovely, but there wasn’t enough for everyone!

    After breakfast, the scenery was even more spectacular as we drove through the mountains.    Meer informatie

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  • South American Adventure

    Dinner in Sucre

    18 december 2024, Bolivia ☁️ 20 °C

    We arrived in Sucre at about 5.30pm.  Ritchie couldn’t get the truck close to the hostel, so he parked a few blocks away, and we walked there.

    As soon as we had checked in and dropped our bags, we went out in search of a restaurant for dinner.  We found a restobar that served a range of international dishes.  I had lasagne, and Mark had a steak sandwich.

    Afterwards, we stopped to listen to some music in the main square and took some photos of the Christmas decorations.    Meer informatie

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  • South American Adventure

    Exploring Sucre

    19 december 2024, Bolivia ☁️ 20 °C

    Sucre is Bolivia's most beautiful city set on a valley and surrounded by mountains.  This is the proud heart of the nation, and its whitewashed buildings are well-preserved vestiges of glorious colonial architecture.  The city centre was declared a World Heritage Site in 1991.  It was here that independence was proclaimed.  While La Paz is the seat of government and treasury, Sucre is recognised in the constitution as the nation's capital.

    After breakfast this morning, we set out to explore.  We walked up through the main square (Plaza 25 de Mayo), taking photos of all the white buildings as we went.    Meer informatie

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  • South American Adventure

    Museo de Arte Indigena

    19 december 2024, Bolivia ☁️ 20 °C

    I really wanted to visit the Museum of Indigenous Art, but Mark wasn’t up to climbing the hill to get there, so he stayed at the bottom while I went on alone.

    At the top, there is a mirador affording great views over Sucre.  I met Solenne and Emmanuel there and chatted with them for a few minutes before going to the museum.

    The museum focuses on the woven textiles of the Jal'qa and Candelaria cultures.  It is a fascinating display.  The rediscovery of forgotten ancestral weaving practices has contributed to increased community pride and revitalisation.  I enjoyed watching a lady weave a very intricate pattern.    Meer informatie

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  • South American Adventure

    Sucre's cemetery

    19 december 2024, Bolivia ☁️ 20 °C

    As I left the museum, I bumped into Derk, so he walked with me to meet up with Mark.  He left us to go to the main square.  We walked on to the city's municipal cemetery.  This immaculately maintained graveyard is evidence that inequality doesn't die when we do.  Mausoleums of wealthy colonial families and their descendants, interspersed with arches carved from poplar trees, as well as picturesque palms, are larger and definitely more elaborate than most living residents' homes!Meer informatie

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  • South American Adventure

    Market and lunch

    19 december 2024, Bolivia ☁️ 22 °C

    From the cemetery, we made our way to the market where we managed to buy our Secret Santa gifts for Lena and Solenne, as well as some fruit and snacks for the truck tomorrow. 

    We then went for lunch.  I ordered soup and a sandwich, and Mark had a snack board of meat, cheese, and olives.

    After lunch, we wandered back to the hostel.  We spent the evening watching the Vicar of Dibley Christmas specials 😀    Meer informatie

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  • South American Adventure

    Drive to Potosi

    20 december 2024, Bolivia ☁️ 15 °C

    We were up for breakfast at 7am ready to walk back to the truck at 8am.  It wasn't a long drive to Potosi, but it was all at altitude, and it seemed to take a long time.

    The scenery was very lush and green, but all of the rivers seemed to be largely dried up, which is unusual during the wet season.Meer informatie

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  • South American Adventure

    Arrival in Potosi

    20 december 2024, Bolivia ☁️ 16 °C

    From unspoilt countryside, we reached the industrial outskirts of Potosi.  It was very dusty and unappealing. 

    Potosi was once the wealthiest city in the world due to its prolific silver mines.  The conquistadors never found El Dorado, the legendary city of gold, but they did get their hands on Potosi and its Cerro Rico, a 'rich hill' full of silver. Indeed, the city was founded in 1545 as soon as the ore was discovered.  Very soon, the silver extracted here was bankrolling the Spanish colonial empire.  Once the silver dried up, though, the city went into decline, and its citizens slipped into poverty.  Tiny quantities of the ore, plus tin, lead, and other minerals, is still being extracted by miners in some of the most abysmal conditions imaginable.  It is possible to do a mine tour.  Some of the group are doing this tomorrow, but we have opted out.

    We couldn't get near our hostel, so we parked in the bus station on the edge of the city.  We were transferred to our accommodation in a bus provided by the same company that is running tomorrow's tour.

    Once we had checked into the hostel, nine of us went for lunch to El Fogon as recommended in the Lonely Planet guidebook.

    Later, I tried to catch up with some posts - I am so far behind!    Meer informatie

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  • South American Adventure

    Exploring Potosi

    21 december 2024, Bolivia ☁️ 9 °C

    Breakfast was served at 8am this morning.  As usual, I was awake hours before!  The staff had laid a big table for us fully laden with American pancakes, jams, spreads, several varieties of fresh fruit, bread rolls  scrambled eggs, freshly squeezed orange juice, and strong black coffee.  It was the best breakfast of the trip by far!!

    After breakfast, Mark didn’t feel up to walking very far, so I went off exploring by myself.  I headed for the city's market as my first stop, but I was too early, and not much was open.  I had to be satisfied with taking photos of the surrounding streets.    Meer informatie

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  • South American Adventure

    Potosi Cathedral

    21 december 2024, Bolivia ☁️ 13 °C

    From the market, I walked up to the main square (Plaza de 10 Novembre) and visited the cathedral. It was built between 1564 and 1600. The original building lasted until the early 19th century, when it mostly collapsed. Most of what we see today is neoclassical construction, and the building's elegant lines represent one of Bolivia's best examples of that style. I found the blue and pink interior a bit much, but I did love the stained glass.Meer informatie

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  • South American Adventure

    My walk continues

    21 december 2024, Bolivia ☁️ 14 °C

    From the cathedral, I made my way to the Museum and Convent of San Francisco.  Unfortunately, it was closed due to an imminent wedding, so, again, I had to be satisfied with taking photos outside. 

    I then went to the supermarket to buy a roast chicken and some salad to have for dinner today and tomorrow.  I also bought wine for Mark to have over Christmas because this is the last opportunity we will have to shop.

    Back at the hostel, we chatted with a few of our group, had our meal, and then watched Billy Elliott 😀.    Meer informatie

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  • South American Adventure

    Drive to Uyuni

    22 december 2024, Bolivia ☁️ 7 °C

    0nce we'd left the industry and mining landscape of Potosi behind, we were once again driving through incredible scenery!  Unfortunately, it started to rain, so photography wasn't easy.

    After a toilet stop amongst amazing rock formations, the landscape became more desert-like with herds of hundreds of llamas grazing on the stubbly grasses.Meer informatie

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  • South American Adventure

    Ritchie's surprise stop

    22 december 2024, Bolivia ☀️ 18 °C

    From time to time, Ritchie stops somewhere that is not on the itinerary.  Today was one such occasion.  Thirty minutes before we arrived in Uyuni, he stopped the truck so that we could visit Pulacayo, a virtual ghost town that was once the site of several thriving silver mines.  The last of these closed in 1959, and today only a few hundred hardy souls remain in the village.

    Aniceto Arce, the 22nd president of Bolivia, was the original owner of the mines.  In 1890, he commissioned the construction of the first railroad in Bolivia to connect the mines with Antofagasta.  Today, visitors can pay 10 bolivianos (about £1) to view a collection of decaying steam locomotives that were originally imported to transport ore.  They include Bolivia's first steam engine, El Chiripa, and the train that was robbed by legendary bandits Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, including a wooden rail car that bears the bullet holes from the attack.

    It was fascinating to look around.    Meer informatie

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  • South American Adventure

    Arriving in Uyuni

    22 december 2024, Bolivia ☀️ 22 °C

    Back on the truck, we had the ceremonial switching on of the Christmas lights! Some members of the group had put decorations up this morning.

    We drove on to Uyuni.

    Uyuni is an isolated town in a desolate corner of southwestern Bolivia. It is surrounded by desert-like landscapes and has an air of a place lifted straight out of a spaghetti western with tumbleweed blowing through the dusty, sandy streets. Despite appearances to the contrary, Uyuni caters for hundreds of tourists every week as it is the jumping-off point for tours of the nearby salt flats.

    Uyuni is also an important military base.

    We arrived in town at about 3.15pm. Our hotel was surprisingly good with a friendly atmosphere and festive decorations everywhere. After checking in, we had chicken salad left over from yesterday and spent some time doing posts.

    At 6pm, Nikki and Ritchie called a meeting to explain the plans for Christmas. Nikki gave us all Christmas hats and chocolate Christmas trees, so I guess Christmas has officially started! We will have a 4am start when we leave here on Christmas Eve, the aim being to get to our camp in San Pedro de Atacama late the same day, rather than having to cross the border on Christmas Day. We will all be very happy if this works out!    Meer informatie

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  • South American Adventure

    Breakfast and exploring Uyuni

    23 december 2024, Bolivia ☀️ 10 °C

    We didn’t sleep well again!  We were both still very tired when we got up for breakfast at 8am.  Breakfast was excellent!  It was buffet style with more choice than we have ever had, including omelettes, sautéed potatoes, tomatoes, different cooked meats, fruit, yoghurt, homemade muffins, toast, bread rolls, homemade jams, juice, and coffee. 

    After eating, we had time to go and explore the town a little.  We were early, so not everything was open.  They were just setting up a street market, which looked like it was going to be good.  We couldn’t linger, though, as we had booked a day trip to the salt flats, and we had to get back to the hotel for the pick-up time.    Meer informatie

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  • South American Adventure

    Train cemetery

    23 december 2024, Bolivia ☀️ 14 °C

    Our guide came to the hotel on time and explained to us the plan for the day.  We then transferred to 3 4x4s and headed for our first stop, a train cemetery.  Before we left town, we stopped to pick up our picnic lunch.  As we set off again, we had to stop at a shop for the 'party car' carrying Sam, Meghan, Jono, and Shanda to buy beer!  

    We then drove the short distance to the train cemetery.  We were a bit worried that it would be the same place Ritchie had taken us to yesterday, but our fears were unfounded.  This was a collection of locomotives and carriages used in the local mining industry until the early 1970s.  When they became obsolete, they were abandoned in the semi-desert outside Uyuni and left to rust.  Looking at them today, it's hard to believe that they were in working order just 50 years ago!  The amount of salt in the atmosphere here has hastened their decay.

    We enjoyed looking around.  We weren't tempted by the ubiquitous souvenir stalls set up in our honour!    Meer informatie

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  • South American Adventure

    Salt factory and photo stops

    23 december 2024, Bolivia ☀️ 17 °C

    From the cemetery, we went to Colchani, a village where most of the residents earn a living from harvesting and refining salt, and from selling salt and other souvenirs to tourists.  The estimated annual output of salt from Colchani is nearly 20,000 tons.  All of it is for the domestic market, 18,000 tons for human consumption, and the rest for livestock.  Families refine salt at the back of their homes.  We had a look around one of these small factories.  It's a fascinating process.  We bought some flavoured salts (with chilli and garlic) for the truck.

    We then drove on to the Salar de Uyuni itself.  

    An evocative and eerie sight, the world's largest salt flat is 12,106 square kilometres and sits at an altitude of 3653 metres.  When the surface is dry, the salar is a white expanse of nothingness - just blue sky, white ground, and you.  When there's some water, the surface perfectly reflects the clouds and the blue altiplano sky, and the horizon disappears.

    Our next stop was to see some bubbling pools where the sulphur breaks through.

    We then drove on to the Dakar Rally monument.  Made completely out of salt, the statue marks the fact that the Dakar Rally was held here in South America four times between 2016 and 2020.    Meer informatie

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  • South American Adventure

    Lunch

    23 december 2024, Bolivia ⛅ 20 °C

    From the Dakar monument, we walked the short distance to the Playa Blanca Salt Hotel.  It is now closed to overnight visitors, but you can still look around.  You can also use the bathrooms.  At 5 Bob (around £1), they are the most expensive long drops we have ever used!

    Outside, there is a collection of international flags that is added to by tourists from all over the world.

    We then drove out into the middle of the salt flat and found a deserted spot to have lunch.  Our three drivers set up tables and chairs, complete with tablecloths, china, and glasses, and served us a lovely meal of meat, vegetables, rice, and salad, followed by watermelon.  

    After lunch, our guide produced a toy dinosaur and offered to take our photos to show off the bizarre perspective caused by the bright blue skies and super-flat landscape.  Ours didn't turn out too well because he couldn't see my phone screen in the bright sunshine.  He said I should have bought an iPhone!  While the others were having their photos taken, we took a few selfies wearing our Christmas hats to post on social media. 

    The 'party car' then proceeded to take photos of themselves naked on the flats!  Enough said!!    Meer informatie

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  • South American Adventure

    Isla Incahausi

    23 december 2024, Bolivia ⛅ 21 °C

    We then drove to the spectacular Isla Incahausi located in the heart of the salar, 80 kilometres west of Colchani.  This hilly outpost is a remarkable sight!  It is covered in Trichocereus cactus and surrounded by a flat white sea of hexagonal salt tiles.Meer informatie

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