A step back in time: return to Bolivia

Ok, so things don't always go to plan, especially when you're travelling. We were really keen to volunteer at the Inti Wara Yassi animal sanctuary, so much so that we travelled over 40 hours by bus from Buenos Aires to get to the tiny town of Villa Tunari (somewhere between Cochabamba and Santa Cruz de la Sierra), only to be told that the Park was full. This was very frustrating as we'd emailed what we thought was the Park - actually just an office in London - to tell them the date we were coming. 'Just turn up and feel free to volunteer whenever you wish', they said. Unfortunately for us, a group of 14 GAP organisation volunteers just 'turned up' a couple of hours before us and, as fate would have it, it just wasn't meant to be. Well that's not entirely true. There was the option of joining the construction team for 15 days, but we were told there would be very little interaction with the animals, which was the whole reason for our coming. Nevermind, that's the way the organisation works and we may make another attempt in another month or so.

So after 14 hours of bus travel that required a sports bra - gotta love those unpaved Bolivian roads - we're back in our favourite Bolivian city: Sucre. The plan was always to have a month of Spanish lessons and we chose Bolivia after experiencing the uniqueness of the Argentine accent (and the dent Argentina made to the hip pocket!) Luck finally went our way when our contact at the Academia LatinoAmericana de Espanol agreed to bring forward our starting dates for Spanish lessons at short notice. So here we are, back in the White City!


A couple of weeks ago we bumped into a Danish traveller we'd met in La Paz at a bus terminal in Buenos Aires. His response to our plans was: 'What? You're going back to Bolivia voluntarily?' I was surprised at this because I love the country. It has so much to offer with it's unique culture and diverse landscapes, it's such an interesting place.

Coincidentally, my Mum recently referred me to an article in the Australian newspaper online (Mum's are great aren't they?) It was in the travel section and the topic was Bolivia. Entitled 'In slow motion', it acknowledged Bolivia as the black sheep of South America in terms economic progress. The author, however, also labeled the country 'the sweetest, most unspoiled and engaging country in South America, the continent's hidden jewel'. I kind of like this perspective.

Bolivia is a fascinating world of its own. The women are particularly striking. They wear their long braided black hair in pigtails, often under bowler hats, teamed with knee-length Spanish-style skirts, wrapping themselves in brightly coloured shawls that carry anything from household goods to children. In Bolivia, if you need anything - a camera or even a new toilet seat - you don't go to the local department store, you hit up the black market. Need to exchange money? Just have a chat with the old man standing on the corner with the wad of cash in his hand and the minute 'money exchange' sign. And don't expect a print out of your bus ticket, or a receipt of any kind that isn't handwritten.


For some, I can see why Bolivia may appear backward or stuck in the past, and might not be the first stop on the South American itinerary, but I think those people are missing out. It's true, the poverty is at times overwhelming and confronting, but that's not what defines the country. In my opinion, Bolivia's true colours are to be seen in a scenic bus trip between cities, a wander through the local fruit market, or an afternoon of people watching in a plaza.

So did I come back to Bolivia voluntarily? You bet I did and it's great to be back.

Farewell Argentina in true Argentina style: meat, wine and a different kind of crowd surfing

It’s been well over a month since we arrived in Argentina and we’ve loved our time in the beef and wine country. Having decided to head back to Bolivia to learn Spanish, we’d been dreading the 37 hour bus trip from Buenos Aires to Santa Cruz de la Sierra. But, come the end of Carnival, it was a reality, a next day reality! So, with no sleep at all, we caught a bus back to Buenos Aires and, having a mere twelve hours left in the big city, we did the essentials. We had our last taste of street food - a choripan (sausage sizzle), smothered with our all time favourite, chimichurri. This was followed (after a long siesta) by a final meal at the amazing San Telmo steakhouse, Desnivel, accompanied by a good bottle of local red.

The following day on our way to board our 9.15am bus, we were given one last parting memory of Argentina, provided this time by our ride on the metro: peak-hour. The backpacking way means we take public transport whenever we can, and this includes when we’re laden with our heavy packs. So you can imagine the look on our faces when, 45 minutes before our bus left, we physically couldn’t fit on the train. It was impossible. There were just too many bodies crammed into each carriage. So we waited for the next one, hoping for a change. Same deal. This time, however, the urgency of getting to the bus station on time took over. Like front rowers charging a scrum we did the same to the pack of unsuspecting passengers on their way to work. Surprisingly, us and our packs (which made us four people, not two) made it on unscathed. So my parting memory of Buenos Aires - and Argentina - is not the meat or the wine, but standing like an upright sardine in a can, swaying with the movement of a sweaty crowd as the train took corner after corner, hoping desperately that no one person would send us all falling down like a set of dominoes.

So thanks for the memories Argentina, I’ll miss you!

Before heading to Sucre, we’re off to spend two weeks volunteering at an animal sanctuary called Inti Wara Yassi, near Villa Tunari in Bolivia. I have a feeling that the monkeys and pumas there aren’t huge users of the internet, which means the blog’s going to have to have a two week siesta. Not to worry, sure there’ll be plenty of material in the making over the next fortnight. Until then xo