From The Red Hot Amazon to the Freezing Cold Salt Flats... Viva Bolivia!

A quick thanks for the happy birthday shouts, cheers, it means a lot.

I have been covering some miles over the last couple of weeks. Firstly took a flight to a place called Rurrenabaque on the Bolivian Amazon. Mind you I nearly missed the bloody plane as I was in the wrong part of the airport - not my fault the tour agency wrote the wrong place down. The airline had to send a maintenance truck over pick me up - bless 'em. Managed to arrive no worries in Rurrenabaque even if the runway was just a field! Went straight on my tour into the Amazon which started with a three hour drive on a dust road, then a two hour boat journey. Mind you, the boat journey was great as there was loads of wildlife, like crocodiles, pink dolphins and loads of birds. We stayed at camp by the river which was quite comfortable and the food was lush. Did a night time boat ride which was cool to see the crocs eyes looking at you and bats swooping down close to you.
Next day we went searching for anacondas in swamps and bogs, this time I had wellie gogs on but yes, it got so deep in parts it flowed over. To top it off we saw no anacondas as it was a little overcast so they were in hiding,what can you do when your wellies let in!?! I had to laugh as when we got back to camp the guide saw and caught, a couple of snakes. Spent four hours looking for any kind of snake in their prime habitat with no luck and they are there, right where we were staying - typical! Enjoyed the next day as we got to swim with the pink dolphins. They were a little shy but a good experience especially when you are in the water looking at the crocs looking at you. Also got to do some fishing for Piranas which I managed to bag a couple. They have some nashers on them I tell ya! The other people on the tour were cool, so managed a night on the lash with them when we got back to Rurrenabaque. It was good to have some nice hot weather especially at night, great to go out on the pop with just a Tshirt on. Was not long though untill I was back in sunny, but cold La Paz.

After a few more days in La Paz, I went to Uyuni which is the jumping off point to the highest salt flats in the world. Again, did a three day jeep tour to the salt flats and multi coloured lakes. You spent a lot of time in the jeep but the views were amazing. The salt flats were cool, with the bright white salt going on for as far as the eye could see. But the scenery after the salt flats was just amazing, it was hard to take photos to do it justice. The amount of different colours to the landscape is hard to describe. The highlights were Lake Verde which was a bright green colour with a volcano backdrop and Lake Colarado which was bright orange. My god, at night and on the third day it was bloody freezing especially with the wind which was blowing a hoolie! Hard to take photos when you are being blown off your feet and your eyes are full of tears. Still the whole three days with the scenery was amazing. My birthday here, I will remember as mainly being stuck in a jeep for fourteen hours apart for food stops & photo stops with a one year old kid, screaming his sodding head off! You people with young children have my sympathy. I could not even get a hot shower when I got back to Uyuni on my birthday night so, I had a few beers and wine smelling like a dog. No change there then.
At the moment I am in Potosi which is a nice spot - with red hot showers. Next stop, Sucre then probably Argentina...
Oh yes - I shall be on touch again soon with stories of big steaks, fine wines and lush women, until then my friends -
be good... the bear

Happy Birthday Bear!

A quick post to wish Bear a very Happy Birthday from all back in the UK!

A new album of photos of Lake Titicaca & THE worst road you've ever seen as featured in Bear's last post: Peru is done & Lance Armstrong is back in the saddle! have been uploaded.

Click here to check 'em out.

Earthquakes in Peru.

Had a message from Bear yesterday (Sun 19th Aug) to say he's been in the middle of the Bolivian Amazon & as you can image out of touch with the outside world. He's just arrived in a town with internet and found out about the devastating earthquakes in Peru. Fortunately he (& George) had been and already left the affected area(s). Although Nazca was pretty close apparently. So this is just a quick note to say he's OK and everything's cool.
Indiana Bear rides on - The legend continues...

Peru is done & Lance Armstrong is back in the saddle!

Greetings from La Paz, Bolivia.
Well after a good six weeks in Peru I finally left for Bolivia. Managed on the way down south to stop off at Nazca to do a flight over the famous Nazca lines which was good as I managed to get the seat next to the pilot. Good all round view but he would not let me have a go at flying, but hey you gotta ask. My last stop in Peru was Puno, close to the Bolivian border and on the massive lake Titikaka. Puno, as cities go was not the best, but I did find one descent bar even if it was so cold at night the beer did not flow so well. The reason I was there though was for a tour on the lake and it did not disappoint. Took a tour to two islands the first one was made entirely of reeds even the local boats were made out of reeds. In fact they even ate the sodding things. After getting used to the fact I would not fall through into the lake I enjoyed my time there and managed to get some good shots. The next island was a standard solid ground affair but still lovely views from the walk we did to the main square. In the main square there was a bonus of the locals doing a dance in traditional dress. A good day had by all ended by a nice sunset on the way to Puno…
its tough at the top.

My first stop in Bolivia was again on lake Titikaka in Copacabana (not Barry Manilow country) Unknown to me it was a National Holiday, Christ it was bedlam! More people than you could poke a stick at and the town had turned into one giant market. Eventually got a good room actually but right opposite was some spare ground where they had a stage set up for a local live band. I thought it wont go on long its cold at night they will be done for midnight latest. Four sodding thirty they are still bang at it, so loud its sounds like they are in my room with me. I would not mind but the band was dreadful, whoever told them they could sing wants lynching. After that brilliant nights sleep (not) I was up early for another session on Titikaka. Spent the day on Sun Island where I got transport to the north of the island then walked for four hours to the south. The views were lush of the other islands and the deep blue of Lake Titikaka and in parts the snow capped mountains in the back ground. The towns and cities were average around Titikaka but the lake scenery was well impressive.

My next stop after the lake was La Paz which I like, its more modern in the centre than I thought it would be but it still has an edge to it in places. Spent a few days in La Paz then I did a mountain bike tour from La Paz to Coroico in the lowlands. Yes, I was back on a bike and dangerous – never mind the actual road. You start up at around 4.300 metres then motor downhill for fifty kilometres or more to Coroico. At first the road is tarmac so no worries I’m leaning into the corners like my mate Barry Sheen! Then later on you hit the old gravel road and it gets a little serious as you see the road ahead hugging the mountain sides with sheer drops. If you slipped off the edge it would be an E.T moment - one flying bike! I had a glance a couple of times over the edge as I was motoring down Christ it was unnerving. I was in my element off roading, flying down the mountain roads at one point I did not notice my group had stopped and went flying past, my guide had to radio ahead to anther group to tell them stop me. Mind you I was thinking Christ where is everyone I am flying on this bike and I ain’t caught them up, you get that? I loved the whole day as you even stopped for photos on route - my kind of tour. Eventually got to Coroico where I was the only one staying there, the rest came back to La Paz. What a good decision I made the hotel I stayed was lush with swimming pool, sauna, bar and the room I got - let the good times roll! I had a balcony with an amazing view over all the mountains. I could sit there with my camera and a beer and take photos of the mountains, it don’t get any better than that, not for folks like us.
With being low altitude, the weather was well hot, great to wear flip flops and do a little sun worshiping by the pool, oh yes again with a nice cool beer in hand.
Well I’m back in La Paz ready for the next stop... The Amazon.
For now - laters... the bear.