Category Archives: Bolivia

South for the flight home!

purmumarca 1

Now its time to head back south to get a flight home from BA June 19. What we found out about the still continuing road blockade is that they are protesting a lack of public transportation. The blockade started ironically on the same day that the new 250 million dollar cable car system from this area El Alto to the center opened.… Read the rest

Posted in Argentina, Bolivia | 4 Comments

The DEATH road Bolivia

death road 30

The big event for today is the famous DEATH road or Yungas road of Bolivia. This is a 69 km road to Coroico from the RN 3 about 56 km from La Paz. Leaving La Paz the RN 3 ascends to 4650 m (15,260 ft) at la Cumbre Pass and then descends to 1200 m (3,900 ft) at Coroico.… Read the rest

Posted in Bolivia | 3 Comments

La Paz Bolivia

Leaving Copacabana we headed the 143 km to La Paz.

Screen Shot 2014-06-04 at 10.53.23 PM

The views of Lake Titicaca and the snow coverd peaks of the Andes were awesome.

la Paz 1

la Paz 3

la Paz 7

la Paz 6

la Paz 9

The first step was to go 30 km to Tiquina where you need to get a launch to the other side of the lake at this narrows.… Read the rest

Posted in Bolivia | 2 Comments

Back to Bolivia if the road is not blocked again!

Leaving Chivay we headed back over the pass to 4800+ m and back to the highway northeast to Puno in 284 km. This route is also over a second pass to 4500 m. The view of the city and lake Titicaca are stunning

Screen Shot 2014-06-03 at 9.52.19 PM

FILE1275

DSC04874

DSC04878

DSC04881

DSC04877

DSC04882

We stayed in the same hotel and ate at the same good Chinese restaurant.… Read the rest

Posted in Bolivia, Peru | Leave a comment

Back across the border to Puno Peru

 

puno 7Buying gas here in Bolivia can be stressful since we have had people tell us they have been denied gas. It is true that the price of gas is highly subsidized here and so the price for the locals is low.… Read the rest

Posted in Bolivia, Peru | Leave a comment

Tiwanacu

Now we need to get back to Peru ASAP. This meant back tracking the 156 Km on the RN 5 to Potosi and then go 303 km north on the Pan-American to Oruro.

Screen Shot 2014-05-26 at 5.17.54 PM

tiwanaku 7

The entire distance is under construction with constant desvios (detours).… Read the rest

Posted in Bolivia | 8 Comments

Sucre and Tarabuco

The 156 km drive from Potosi to Sucre is paved and incredible over the high mountains and plateaus.

Screen Shot 2014-05-11 at 3.33.19 PM

sucre 7

We passed through another toll and the ladies there were very interested in where we had come from.

sucre 3

sucre 4

On the way there were several castle like buildings in the middle of nowhere.… Read the rest

Posted in Bolivia | 3 Comments

Potosi Bolivia

potpsi 85

The good news for today was that the 210 km out of Uyuni to the north and Potosi was paved! There is a 5 Bs toll here too. Leaving the salt we had 20 km of the dirt and then smooth pavement.… Read the rest

Posted in Bolivia | Leave a comment

Uyuni and the Salar de Uyuni

solar de Uyuni 78

The next day we all went out to the train cemetery to check out the metal. This is a major attraction, which is 3 km outside of the town of Uyuni along the old tracks. In 1892 the tracks were completed and this town was a major hub for trains carrying minerals to the coast.… Read the rest

Posted in Bolivia | 4 Comments

The border to Bolivia and getting to Uyuni!

Uyuni 31

Today we are in for a big day with crossing the border to Bolivia (country number 16) and 210 km of dirt to Uyuni.

Screen Shot 2014-05-11 at 3.31.48 PM

In the morning we were up at 630 to make it to the border early as we expected a huge line up after the closure the day before.… Read the rest

Posted in Argentina, Bolivia | Leave a comment