You're hot then you're cold...You're up then you're down!

Since leaving the relative familiarity of Brazil it has been a rollercoaster of highs and lows in emotion, altitude and most noticeably temperature. There have been mind-blowing views, epic journeys and great friends made but all too rapidly they have melted into cold, lonely moments when I've wished the ground would swallow me up as we go our separate ways. 

My first long bus journey on my tod, travelling over 1000miles from Brasil to Chile in just 2days, got off to a shaky start as my 2nd bus journey e-ticket had failed to arrive in my inbox. Arriving at a busy bus station in Argentina in the dark I managed to explain, in dodgy Spanish, and pay some money to have my ticket printed - phew! I was rewarded with the most luxurious night bus for the 2nd leg of my journey. If I ever fly first class I imagine it will be rather like that bus - fully reclining leather seat with no neighbour, hot meals and wine served by very friendly butler - and a great British film! 

Another up and down day broke up my 2 night bus journeys as I went on a working ATM hunt in a very grey Salta. My hunt was in vain as apparently money is not needed on a Sunday. Things soon turned around as I met an Aussie couple who very kindly gave me cash to get me through my day in Argentina and so I was able to visit a very interesting museum displaying a preserved Inca child sacrifice - not so great for the child admittedly! The following night bus may well have been trying to preserve me as the oxygen level and temperature plummeted as we rose 2000m through the Andes to San Pedro de Atacama - the driest desert on earth! 

Getting fairly lost finding my hostel, having a banging headache from either altitude or too many buses and being chatted up by various travel agents on my arrival in the little town left me feeling rather vulnerable but a great steak sandwich and observing the stars of the Southern Hemisphere and inspecting the moon, Saturn and Alpha Centauri through telescopes soon made for it. The next day I finally met a nice guy who wasn't trying to flirt with me to accompany me for a day of exploration. There were tough ups but fun downs and looking around on my bike trip around the stunning desert landscape of Valle de la Luna followed by a float in Laguna Cejar - cold on top, hot on the bottom - defying the laws of physics. 

The highlight of the past few weeks was also one of the most physically testing parts of my trip so far. Driving into the frozen landscapes of the Edouardo Avaroa reserve - the snow-capped volcanoes, different coloured, flamingo-filled lagoons and bubbling geysers were incredible but the negative temperature and 5000m altitude was not so pleasant. Sleeping at 4500m in -15c with no heating (6 blankets and 5 layers of clothing) was a challenge but the great company and card games certainly helped. Despite this cold there were still moments of warmth in the brief thermal springs dip and getting into the roasting jeep after every photo stop. Our lovely Bolivian guide's apt musical choices such as Coldplay's 'so high' and Shakira's 'try everything' also helped keep my mind off the frequent desperation for the toilet - The Bolivian economy is definitely boosted by their campaigns to make you drink lots at altitude and then charge more than London train station prices to use barely functioning, few and far between toilets with an extra fee for that luxury that is loo roll!

After 3 days touring the altiplano and the Salar de Uyuni the emotional highs were abruptly cut down in Uyuni itself by the realisation I had lost my bank card, had no cash or phone battery and protests across Bolivia were preventing buses leaving for most destinations in the country 

After sorting out the situation with a little help (well quite a lot) from my Italian friends, blocking my card and finding a night bus to La Paz, things went from bad to worse in the worlds highest capital city.

It's energy, markets, Aymara culture and mountainous setting certainly intrigued me, maybe a
little too much as I decided eating at the local food stalls and going up the cable car to the poor area of El Alto were both good ideas. Ultimately, I had my camera stolen and ended up with food poisoning for the next 5 days. One of those days I wish I could repeat to make completely different decisions. My next destination of Lake Titicaca was pure paradise at 4000m - deep blue lake, huge cloudless sky, a barely inhabited island (just a few Aymara with their donkeys and llamas) - unfortunately tainted by my stomach cramps and weakness from being so sick.
Looking back at all the photos I've taken in Bolivia I'd definitely agree with the statement that travelling is only glamorous in retrospect, as your memory, and your Facebook albums, hide all the cold showers, hot-tempered bus drivers and luke-warm food. But maybe all the lows make the highs just a little bit higher.