6-27
Took a bus to Patacamaya from La Paz and then switched to a minibus for the journey to the little village of Sajama. There is only one minibus a day, and I just made it by 10 minutes. The minibus had seats for 15, we managed to squeeze in 23 people. Most traditionally dressed women with their cool hats. It was a gorgeously scenic drive to Sajama with towering volcanoes all around as we drove along the mostly flat and rolling altiplano that at times looked like badlands. We drove passed lots of traditional mud villages and tons of llamas and alpacas as well as some ancient ruins. Back when Peru and Bolivia were more or less joined as one, Bolivia was known as Alto Peru (high peru) and it is easy to see why.
When I got to the tiny village of Sajama (4250m, 13,940ft), I took a little walk in Sajama National Park which is surrounded by huge glaciated mountains and volcanoes. I also explored the tiny traditional village of Sajama and climbed up the bell tower of its old mud church. At this altitude and in the middle of winter, it is freezing here. The room isnt well insulated and even though I have 3 thick blankets and 2 lighter ones I shiver a lot when I first go to bed, so I even sleep in my fleece, which is very unsual for me. I of course could have gotten my sleeping bag out, but once I was under the covers, I didnt want to get out. In the morning the windows were all iced up from my breath.
6-28
Today I did a big hike in Sajama NP. I first hiked to what they called geysers. Instead it was more of a big field of bubbling and boiling water holes and some steaming fumaroles. Maybe one could have been classified as a tiny geyser. Along the way I had tremendous views of the 3 volcanoes that dominate the sajama altiplano valley: Sajama (the highest peak in Bolivia at 6520m/21,386ft), Pomerape (6240m/20,467ft), and Parinacota (6350m/20,828ft). The latter two sharing the border with Chile. On the way, I also saw a herd of wild Vincuñas. I also wanted to visit some hotsprings. The normal way would be to walk all the way back to town and then head out to the hotsprings. To cut off distance as I was quite far from town, I went crosscountry over a couple of ridges at about 4700m (15,400ft) or so and into another canyon and then back down to the Sajama valley. The hotsprings were perfect: that perfect temp where you are warm and comfortable but not too hot. I could stay in there forever! The spring was really big and quite deep, almost like a swimming pool, and it of course featured 360 degree views of volcanoes. On the way back to Sajama I went through a huge herd of llamas and alpacas that must belong to the village of Sajama.
At night I had trouble finding food in Sajama. I was the only tourist in the whole town as this is off the beaten track. The only tourists that really come here are packaged tours to climb Sajama. The first night I was able to easily get food bc my hospedaje served me dinner. The owners of my hospedaje had been in La Paz both nights, so the place was run by their little son (10 years old!!) The first night they had asked when I first arrived if I wanted dinner, so they were able to prepare dinner for me. The 2nd day, I assumed they would make it for me again, but I guess In needed to tell them early and when I came back in the dark from my hike it was too late. There was one other tourist hotel, but thy also werent serving. There was one restaurant in town, but it was closed. Luckily a man saw I was looking into the restaurant and he called the Señora of the restaurant and she came over and made me some food.
6-29
The only minibus out of Sajama left at 6am. So we set off in the dark and cold for the 40min or so ride on the dirt road to the international highway. I got dropped off there. It was still mostly dark and freezing. I stood there in the cold (in my shorts bc my pants were wet and dirty) just waiting for the sun to rise. Luckily some guys packing a truck with soy at a random building nearby invited me into the shed. It was marginally warmer than outside until the sun came up. The intl buses from La Paz to Arica, Chile were supposed to come by around 9am. Between 9 and 10 the 3 buses came by, but they all flashed me the full signal as they flew by. So I decided it was time to hitchhike. I was thinking I may have an email regarding the Lab Job so I wanted to get to a town with internet before the Denver office closed. There wasnt much traffic on the road at all. Really only big semi trucks.
At first I was a little picky not putting my thumb out for old looking trucks or the big gas trucks with the big red signs painted to on them: Peligro Combustible or Peligro Inflammable (Danger, combustible or flammable). Once over the pass, we faced a huge descent, so I was wary of older trucks. However, after noon, with little luck and little traffic and the thought of having to set up my tent on the freezing altiplano,eating crackers and getting water by breaking ice in the nearby lake, I became less picky. After 8 hours of my thumb out, first in freezing cold then in brutally intense sun (no trees on the altiplano and at 14,000ft and within the tropics zone (we are at 18 degrees south), I finallygot a ride. With a nice trucker driving gasoline to Chile, but in a fairly nice looking Volvo rig. He was a nice guy and we had some decent conversation in spanish. Being picked up at 3, I figured I would still make it to Putre before the Denver office closed (theyare 2 hours back). The road and pass (Tombo Quemado, 4660m/15,284ft) were very scenic. Right after the pass was the border patrol. I have been on a lot of beautiful Andean border crossings on this trip, but this one may take the cake. The border was right on a big lake (LagoChungara) with 2 perfect volcano cones towering over it (the 2 P volcanoes that I saw from the otherside). There were other mountains around including a volcano with smoke coming out of it. I was through immigration in 10 minutes, but unfortunately, bc he was a trucker, it took my driver and his truck and hour to get through.
From the border, we entered Lauca National Park, and we descended past a couple more lakes and then had to wait a full hour for construction. We then descended through an ice covered steep canyon. The intl road goes close by Putre, but not to it. So I was dropped of 5km from Putre. Putre was so cloe, but a steep canyon was between the road and the town, so I was looking at an hour walk with all my bags on a winding up and down road in the cold. And the sun had just set, so I would be walking in the dark for part of it. Luckily, however, only a half click into the walk one of the contruction trucks passed by and picked me up. From the little village of Putre, I still had a nearly 1km walk to a highly recommended hostel (by Heidi from the jungle).
I finally checked in and got to the internet, by about 5:40pm Denver time, so too late for the Lockheed offices likely. But I did have an email that they requested a 2nd interview with me. It was sent wednesday at noon (I had last checked my email at 8am on wednesday in La Paz), and when I called no one was there. I am hoping the 2 to 3 day delay isnt a problem. I really want that lab job!!
6-30
Since I arrived too late lastnight, I couldnt book any tours. So today is just a chillout day in tiny Putre. It's an Aymara village (the same people living across the border in Sajama NP.) and quite rustic. This whole area all the way to the ocean used to be Bolivia, but when valuable guano and nitrates were found here, Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia in the battle of the Pacific and thus completely landlocked Bolivia. From my nice hostel, I have a good view down the precordillera. Back behind and up towards the Andes, you can see some snowcapped peaks from Putre. Putre, is at 3520m/11,550, so it's not quite as cold, but it still freezes hard enough at night to get ice on the creeks. There isnt much to do here except for tours into several national parks in the area, so hopefully I cant get one, though I am the only gringo tourist in the town at the moment, so it may be difficult. I guess I will just hang out and relax until the interview (skype works surprisingly well here and I dont want to risk that it doesnt work out in the big city of Arica...internet doesnt always make sense here. My worst skype connection to my mom was in Buenos Aires).
Took a bus to Patacamaya from La Paz and then switched to a minibus for the journey to the little village of Sajama. There is only one minibus a day, and I just made it by 10 minutes. The minibus had seats for 15, we managed to squeeze in 23 people. Most traditionally dressed women with their cool hats. It was a gorgeously scenic drive to Sajama with towering volcanoes all around as we drove along the mostly flat and rolling altiplano that at times looked like badlands. We drove passed lots of traditional mud villages and tons of llamas and alpacas as well as some ancient ruins. Back when Peru and Bolivia were more or less joined as one, Bolivia was known as Alto Peru (high peru) and it is easy to see why.
When I got to the tiny village of Sajama (4250m, 13,940ft), I took a little walk in Sajama National Park which is surrounded by huge glaciated mountains and volcanoes. I also explored the tiny traditional village of Sajama and climbed up the bell tower of its old mud church. At this altitude and in the middle of winter, it is freezing here. The room isnt well insulated and even though I have 3 thick blankets and 2 lighter ones I shiver a lot when I first go to bed, so I even sleep in my fleece, which is very unsual for me. I of course could have gotten my sleeping bag out, but once I was under the covers, I didnt want to get out. In the morning the windows were all iced up from my breath.
6-28
Today I did a big hike in Sajama NP. I first hiked to what they called geysers. Instead it was more of a big field of bubbling and boiling water holes and some steaming fumaroles. Maybe one could have been classified as a tiny geyser. Along the way I had tremendous views of the 3 volcanoes that dominate the sajama altiplano valley: Sajama (the highest peak in Bolivia at 6520m/21,386ft), Pomerape (6240m/20,467ft), and Parinacota (6350m/20,828ft). The latter two sharing the border with Chile. On the way, I also saw a herd of wild Vincuñas. I also wanted to visit some hotsprings. The normal way would be to walk all the way back to town and then head out to the hotsprings. To cut off distance as I was quite far from town, I went crosscountry over a couple of ridges at about 4700m (15,400ft) or so and into another canyon and then back down to the Sajama valley. The hotsprings were perfect: that perfect temp where you are warm and comfortable but not too hot. I could stay in there forever! The spring was really big and quite deep, almost like a swimming pool, and it of course featured 360 degree views of volcanoes. On the way back to Sajama I went through a huge herd of llamas and alpacas that must belong to the village of Sajama.
At night I had trouble finding food in Sajama. I was the only tourist in the whole town as this is off the beaten track. The only tourists that really come here are packaged tours to climb Sajama. The first night I was able to easily get food bc my hospedaje served me dinner. The owners of my hospedaje had been in La Paz both nights, so the place was run by their little son (10 years old!!) The first night they had asked when I first arrived if I wanted dinner, so they were able to prepare dinner for me. The 2nd day, I assumed they would make it for me again, but I guess In needed to tell them early and when I came back in the dark from my hike it was too late. There was one other tourist hotel, but thy also werent serving. There was one restaurant in town, but it was closed. Luckily a man saw I was looking into the restaurant and he called the Señora of the restaurant and she came over and made me some food.
6-29
The only minibus out of Sajama left at 6am. So we set off in the dark and cold for the 40min or so ride on the dirt road to the international highway. I got dropped off there. It was still mostly dark and freezing. I stood there in the cold (in my shorts bc my pants were wet and dirty) just waiting for the sun to rise. Luckily some guys packing a truck with soy at a random building nearby invited me into the shed. It was marginally warmer than outside until the sun came up. The intl buses from La Paz to Arica, Chile were supposed to come by around 9am. Between 9 and 10 the 3 buses came by, but they all flashed me the full signal as they flew by. So I decided it was time to hitchhike. I was thinking I may have an email regarding the Lab Job so I wanted to get to a town with internet before the Denver office closed. There wasnt much traffic on the road at all. Really only big semi trucks.
At first I was a little picky not putting my thumb out for old looking trucks or the big gas trucks with the big red signs painted to on them: Peligro Combustible or Peligro Inflammable (Danger, combustible or flammable). Once over the pass, we faced a huge descent, so I was wary of older trucks. However, after noon, with little luck and little traffic and the thought of having to set up my tent on the freezing altiplano,eating crackers and getting water by breaking ice in the nearby lake, I became less picky. After 8 hours of my thumb out, first in freezing cold then in brutally intense sun (no trees on the altiplano and at 14,000ft and within the tropics zone (we are at 18 degrees south), I finallygot a ride. With a nice trucker driving gasoline to Chile, but in a fairly nice looking Volvo rig. He was a nice guy and we had some decent conversation in spanish. Being picked up at 3, I figured I would still make it to Putre before the Denver office closed (theyare 2 hours back). The road and pass (Tombo Quemado, 4660m/15,284ft) were very scenic. Right after the pass was the border patrol. I have been on a lot of beautiful Andean border crossings on this trip, but this one may take the cake. The border was right on a big lake (LagoChungara) with 2 perfect volcano cones towering over it (the 2 P volcanoes that I saw from the otherside). There were other mountains around including a volcano with smoke coming out of it. I was through immigration in 10 minutes, but unfortunately, bc he was a trucker, it took my driver and his truck and hour to get through.
From the border, we entered Lauca National Park, and we descended past a couple more lakes and then had to wait a full hour for construction. We then descended through an ice covered steep canyon. The intl road goes close by Putre, but not to it. So I was dropped of 5km from Putre. Putre was so cloe, but a steep canyon was between the road and the town, so I was looking at an hour walk with all my bags on a winding up and down road in the cold. And the sun had just set, so I would be walking in the dark for part of it. Luckily, however, only a half click into the walk one of the contruction trucks passed by and picked me up. From the little village of Putre, I still had a nearly 1km walk to a highly recommended hostel (by Heidi from the jungle).
I finally checked in and got to the internet, by about 5:40pm Denver time, so too late for the Lockheed offices likely. But I did have an email that they requested a 2nd interview with me. It was sent wednesday at noon (I had last checked my email at 8am on wednesday in La Paz), and when I called no one was there. I am hoping the 2 to 3 day delay isnt a problem. I really want that lab job!!
6-30
Since I arrived too late lastnight, I couldnt book any tours. So today is just a chillout day in tiny Putre. It's an Aymara village (the same people living across the border in Sajama NP.) and quite rustic. This whole area all the way to the ocean used to be Bolivia, but when valuable guano and nitrates were found here, Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia in the battle of the Pacific and thus completely landlocked Bolivia. From my nice hostel, I have a good view down the precordillera. Back behind and up towards the Andes, you can see some snowcapped peaks from Putre. Putre, is at 3520m/11,550, so it's not quite as cold, but it still freezes hard enough at night to get ice on the creeks. There isnt much to do here except for tours into several national parks in the area, so hopefully I cant get one, though I am the only gringo tourist in the town at the moment, so it may be difficult. I guess I will just hang out and relax until the interview (skype works surprisingly well here and I dont want to risk that it doesnt work out in the big city of Arica...internet doesnt always make sense here. My worst skype connection to my mom was in Buenos Aires).
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