So waking up at 5 a.m. in a hostel with toilets that are flushed maybe once or twice a day that otherwise has no running water isn't really the best way to start a day. If it's about -10 or -15 degrees Celsius that doesn't help either. (Aunt Char, I kept the temperature in Celsius so Grandma won't realize how freezing cold it is in this place when the sun isn't up. Don't spill the beans by converting this for her ok. Thank you.) But this really was an awesome day, particularly due to the hot springs at Laguna Colorado. Honestly one of the best feelings I can remember was getting in that hot water while it was still freezing outside. It was like when a hot tub overflows into a pool, but instead of a pool, it's a lake with the sun rising over it that was under consideration for the list of the new 7 natural wonders of the world. (I checked. The voting is over and it didn't make the cut. Bummer I know.) Anyway, it was a pretty awesome place. We started out in the morning with the geyers.
This place reeked of sulfur, but it was pretty cool. There were bubbling pools of whatever kind of nasty liquid it is that gets hot and boils at geysers.
As you can see in the background, the stuff was splashing all over the place.
Laguna Colorado. I could have stayed here all day. This is the natural hot spring in the bottom left corner that overflows into the little streams in the middle and out to the lagoon way off in the back. It's supposed to be red at a certain time of day. I believe it's because of a kind of algae that lives there.
More Laguna Colorado.
This is the stream from the middle of the first picture.
Yeah I took a ton of pictures of this place. I was trying to take one that would do it justice but I guess you just can't.
On the road again.... I like how the clouds shadows are cast on the mountains. This is actually the only cloudy day we had.
Laguna Verde. It looks kinda green here, but under different conditions of sunlight and probably some other stuff, it's really really green. It gets its color from minerals in the water and apparently nothing can live in it.
And finally here's the whole group. From left to right: Conrad, Caroline, Brad, Ellis, Me, and Phil.
We drove through Laguna Colorado on the way back from Laguna Verde, which was good because I couldn't get enough of this place.
Ok so driving through this pueblo, seeing llamas literally all over the place, the hills around it, and this stream that ran through it made me feel like I was in the Bolivian Shire.
The Ringwraiths wouldn't dare cross this torrent.
Can't you just picture hobbits living in the sides of those hills?
"Do you remember the Shire, Mr. Frodo? It'll be spring soon. And the orchards will be in blossom. And the llamas will be nesting in the hazel thicket. And they'll be sowing the summer quinoa in the lower fields... and eating the first of the papayas with cream. Do you remember the taste of papayas?" J.R.R. Tolkien.
Ok I'm done now. I promise.
Alright! more fun rocks to climb all over!
We drove through this nice little area on the way back. There were llamas, alpacas, sheep, all kinds of birds, and these rare things that looked like deer crossed with llamas.
Look at the little guy!!!
Ok that's it though. There was a lot more to go of the drive back but we all pretty much passed out for a good part of it anyway. Once we hit the main roads there wasn't much more to take pictures of.
In conclusion: really cool trip, otherworldly experience at the salar, best view of the stars you'll ever see, lots of crazy rock formations to explore, geysers, hot springs, and amazing views literally wherever you are throughout the trip. Oh and there's a really good pizza place in Uyuni for when you get back.
I don't think I forgot anything big. I highly recommend checking this place out to anyone looking for a more exotic, out of the way sort of vacation. Some people keep going from Laguna Verde into Chile and continue on with more stuff. But bring warm clothes. Definitely bring warm clothes for when the sun goes down.
Next stop, almost certainly Isla del Sol, located in Lake Titicaca this weekend.
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