Every mile, worth the while

I've once again, fallen behind in my updates. Since I last wrote, I was in Peru, raced through Chile and have just arrived in Bolivia after one heck of a border crossing! At the risk of omitting certain Flourishing details, but simultaneously saving you from scrolling for hours, I'll simply list some of the highlights :).

Pachamama

• Arriving early that morning, Gabe and I started bargaining for a taxi to Urubamba when suddenly I heard my name and to my surprise, it was the driver that I had used the whole summer for my Rustic kids. He was heading that way - what luck!
• When our bus pulled up, I was once again pleasantly surprised to see many of my favorite villagers awaiting our arrival and I received a line of hugs and kisses. It felt like seeing family!
• We were invited to the home of the mayor for his birthday and attended a special mass.
• Rather than take a seat inside one of the caravan of trucks, I rode standing up in the back with the rest of 'my people', exchanging smiles and catching up on our way to Camicancha.
• The big day began with 4 soccer games between the two villages. Older ladies, with their skirts a'swishing, younger girls (yes that was my group ;), older men and then the younger boys. I have missed competition SO much and I had a ball! I also earned the honor of MVP of my game! :) Both villages munched on snacks, drank of the free-flowing chicha and laughed and cheered on the players.
• Next came the FOOD! Three under-earth ovens had been prepared and everyone received a heaping plate of lamb and vegetables. It was a very special afternoon, to see everyone seated, eating together after an afternoon of friendly competition. Bonds were made and the process has begun!

Cusco, Peru

• Back in Cusco, I spent time with several friends coming in and out of town as well as a few locals. It was nice to see Kyle, Ian, Angela, Juan, Gabe, Alex, Ximena and Frank!
• Salsa at Inca Team was amazing! Ive never danced in the round like that and let me tell you, it's just nice to be in the hands/arms of a guy that knows how to move you! ;)
• I explored the outskirts of Cusco, the oldest continuously inhabited city in the Americas, hiked the hills and strange abandoned monuments. Unfortunately, to see any of the most "important" sights in Cusco you have to buy a tourist pass which is about $40. It's a real limitation if you dont have the time or transport to see them all.

Arika, Chile

• A nice quiet town with a beautiful plaza and pedestrian mall. A cliff right downtown offers a nice view of both the ocean and the city and the beaches were clean and nearly devoid of people!
• Chile seems to like to force tourists into groups, so I yet again joined a tour to the world's highest non-navigable lake, Lago Chungara. Absolutely Breathtaking! At least 4 mountains were reflected in the lake, each very unique, from a conical snow-capped mountain to a pastel fang-like range. Llamas, vicuñas and other cute wildlife abounded. Upon our return we wound around, up and over hills and watched the peachy-raspberry sunset deepen into a pumpkin-cherry jubilee before giving way to a crystaline star laden night sky. Ahh, the complex beauty of this, our Earth!

San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

• First and foremost, this is the most expensive city in Chile and one of the most expensive in all of South America! Hot during the day, cold and night, a desert old-west feel to the town inundated with travel agencies and restaurants.
• That being said, I ate some of the best food that I have had during my entire trip, including a tastebud befuddling mushroom quinoa risotto with carmelized ginger cinnamon tomatoes coupled with a bottle of Chilean Carmenère! Yum!
• Ian and Jordan, my San Pedro travel buddies and I braved the 4am start time for a sunrise trip to the world's 3rd largest geyser and geothermic field. -7degrees C greeted us and I seriously thought I may lose a toe or two before Jordan had the brilliant idea of setting the box of hot milk on top of my feet - I owe him a toe or two! :) The geysers and fumaroles gurgled and spouted all around us and as the mornings first rays lit them up, it was other-worldly!
• That same afternoon we rented bikes and rolled out to the Valley of the Moon. Again, I was expecting a rocky scene, but this truly was like we were on the moon! We scrambled through caves (I admit having more than one nerdy moment, jumping around corners with my imaginary phaser :) and finally watched the sunset or rather burn into the horizon - one of the most incredible sunsets I have ever witnessed! Plus the 30+ kilometer ride felt great!

Bolivian Border

• I could not get a consensus on how to get into Bolivia without taking another tour so I winged it only to find it was a lot more complicated than I thought!
• The Chilean and Bolivian border posts are an hour apart and once into Bolivia, because I was not with an agency, the man took my passport from me and stuck it in a drawer. After much time waiting around, icy winds whipping around this shack, literally in the most desolate landscape that I have ever seen, I managed to get my passport back and join a jeep that took me to another jeep that took about 8 hours to get to Uyuni.
• Along the way, the road (which at times was just two parallel tracks barely etched into the desert) had collapsed and a semi truck had tipped over. A crew was busy trying to flip it upright and our driver didnt know what to do. There was an ambulance in our way and it would take hours to find another way through. Both myself and an englishman asked our driver to talk to the workmen but he just sat there mumbling that he couldn't. After nearly half an hour wait, I finally asked if I could get out and talk to them. I walked up, politely said that I understood they were busy, but if the CAT could smooth the sunken road a little and the ambulance could scoot over, we could pass. He was surprisingly nice, like the fact that we (and another two or three jeeps) were waiting hadn't occurred to him and just 5 minutes later, we were back on the move!
• I finally arrived in Uyuni and after paying several fees (the ride, the transfer, the park...) I tried to get my visa, that they refused to give me at the border and the immigration office would not accept my USD (America is the only country that must pay an absurd $135 upon entry because of our unfriendly visa regulations towards Bolivians!) because they had microscopic rips in them! It was ultimately frustrating, but eventually I got bolivianos to pay the fee as well as the extra fee since I was in a "tourist border town" - what rubbish! Bolvia has certainly drained me, I hope it was worth it!

I plan on spending a couple weeks in Bolivia, starting with a tour of the world's largest salt flat (the second is in Utah - represent! ;). Then back up into Peru. I hope to write more often, but you never know with these bloody internet connections!