Then When: Uruguay

On our way from Peru to Uruguay we stopped over in La Paz, Bolivia. Bolivia is a country with many natural wonders, like the salt lakes, lake Titicaca and Moon Valley. The modern buildings mixed with colonial time cathedrals and building styles gives La Paz interests to all aged travelers. La Paz is also the highest national capital in the world, at elevation 3650m, and fits the name given "The city, that touches the sky". The city was built in a canyon created by the Choqueyapu River.

Bolivia had some similarities to the rest of the countries in South America. Its easy to get food, accommodation and transport..if you speak Spanish! And sometimes it's really better to not know what is being said! Everything in South America is fairly cheap and you can do a lot of traveling if you are willing to swop comfort for character!

La Paz, Bolivia

We arrived late at the Montevideo bus-stop in Uruguay and because we were getting on a bus in the the early morning hours, we decided to sleep on the floor.We were woken up several times by officials, who asked us to sit on the chairs and every time I just smiled and spoke in Afrikaans and they were so confused that they left us!

Uruguay was very camper friendly. Campsites cost a lot less than in South Africa and the people are very friendly to foreigners. We camped at a small campsite close to the famous beach called La Calavera beach Cabo Polonio. At the campsite the Latinos danced and sung in the evenings, while the most soothing Latino music played all day. The campsite was stacked! With rows and rows of two and three man tents. I was still sick from the Salmonella and the owners of the campsite really went out of their way to find a remedy.

Camping in Uruguay

The limited shade nets the campsite provide over our tents helped, but could not prevent us from being cooked out of our tent before 7 o' clock. We packed our bags and hiked to the ticket office for the 4x4 trucks that take you over the dunes to a very popular beach called La Calavera beach Cabo Polonio.These trucks race over the beach and dunes to a place that feels like an oasis, without the palms. You drive untill there is no one in site and as you drive along the beach and blue water, spots start to appear in the distance. As you get closer these spots turn into other trucks, small shops, then the next spots turn into umbrellas and the last into people lying with skimpy swimwear in the sun! Paradise!

Que for the 4x4 Truck

Truck taking us to the beach

We were the only people on the beach with that much luggage! We used the rain cover of the tent to create a little shade. The sun had a negative effect on the parasite in my stomach, as my stomach was cramping and burning as if I swallowed a warm coal.

The water was fantastic and the people beautiful! We could not believe that our trip has gone by so fast! I could still think of many things to do if we had a little more time. Especially with Brazil so close by!

La Calavera beach Cabo Polonio

Beach shelter at La Calavera beach Cabo Polonio

La Calavera beach Cabo Polonio

View from our tent is giving us a sign , "Not allowed"

Our trip has come to an end after a month of unrivaled adventure and scenery. We camped in the most beautiful scenery, made friends, made memories, River rafted in Chile, climbed an active volcano, did a bicycle down hill race in the jungle, hiked in the mountains, climbed to marvelous Machu Picchu, stayed in the Amazon, danced to Spanish music and experienced irreversible change in ourselves. Life is different for everyone, but to me it is a daring adventure, a leap into the unknown, and some times you are fortunate to go traveling!