Peru-Bolivia 2017: A Month in the Andes (page 6 of 8)

Hi Isabelle, just "settling" for Peru would be more than enough to fill your trip, with so much to see... I had even initially thought about spending the whole month in Peru, but my wife really wanted to see the South Lipez and the Salar. And what my wife wants, her personal tour operator makes happen!

As for travel times, they’re part of the journey itself. Every time, we’re so happy to see and experience these wonders of our world that the inconveniences don’t even feel like inconveniences—just me thinking, "Next time, do better with your planning, Bruno."...

Thanks for following along on this trip, and see you on your travel journal!

Thanks for following along! Feel free to reach out if you're planning your own trip—I’d be happy to help!

Cheers, Bruno

Hi Pascale,

As I was saying, the PM definitely falls into the "Wow, really?" category—just like Iguazu Falls in Brazil, Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio, the Great Wall in Beijing, or even the Cape of Good Hope... So, fog or no fog...

Vietnam is for the end of the year. I’d be tempted to say "same as usual," but that sounds pretentious, so I’ll just say as long as our bosses and my banker let us go... Another turkey to plan for December 10th with the kids...

Thanks for sticking with me this far!!

I went to Lima’s Plaza de Armas, and the only day the military were controlling access was on the national holiday. The next day, I could enter without any problem or check.

Listen, I don’t know—we were "screened" both days we went... Any particular threat? End-of-year celebrations? I couldn’t say, but it felt weird, especially since the screening seemed really "selective," based on who you were...

In Arequipa, it’s such a shame you didn’t do Colca Canyon!

And so many other things we had to choose from!! But choosing means missing out...

Thanks for stopping by this travel journal. Bruno

Hi Muriel, And thank you for following this travel journal. As for your mental block about South America, it could be worse, right? 🤪

I’ve solved the problem: one year on the left, the next on the right, and the third down below! Good travel principle, don’t you think? For up above, we’ll see later—I’m cold enough at home for now....

Hi Bruno,

I read your journey with so much excitement and interest—no surprise there, since I’m heading to Peru, Bolivia, and Chile from September to the end of October. I’m pretty resourceful and not easily scared, but I’m doing this road trip solo, so I’d love to know if there are any sketchy spots I should avoid?

Thanks for your reply, and kudos on your travel journal!

Jeanne

Hi Jeanne, Lots of posts here mention safety concerns in Peru or Bolivia. Issues must exist, judging by the amount of police we saw, especially in cities (Lima, La Paz, Cusco...). Personally, we never felt in danger, except maybe once in La Paz in the evening. That said, we stuck to tourist areas and "normal" hours. Just stay a bit alert, avoid flashing valuables, and you should be fine!

Thanks for your comment—you’ll see, these countries are magical! Bruno

I came to say hello at the start of the travel journal because I was really looking forward to reading it, since I’m leaving at the end of August 2017 until mid/late September.

Now that the journal is finished, I’m back to thank you all one last time.

I read everything! :) And it’ll definitely help me.

Thanks!

I have a little advantage over you: I'm the wife and personal tour operator for my husband, so that makes choosing destinations and places a lot easier 😉. During trips, he focuses on enjoying himself and taking photos—gotta keep him busy somehow😛.

As for the travel journal, I’ve never been a great writer, but I figure since reading them is so enjoyable, I should contribute too 🙂. So maybe I’ll give it a shot after Kruger Park—if my husband takes nice photos, I’ll have less to write .

See you soon for new adventures... Vietnam next!

Hi Marc-Antoine, Thanks for taking the time to read this, and have a great trip!

The upside is that we get to travel much longer than our other halves while planning these trips! I can’t wait for the Kruger return! See you soon

Hi Bruno,

I really enjoyed reading your travel journal—it let me revisit some places I’ve already been and discover others I haven’t. I was especially moved by your rough night due to illness, having gone through the same kind of hassle at the Palacio del Sal in the southern Lipez. But like us, what stays with you are the magical spots you find that make the trip truly worth it. Thanks for sharing!

Hello! Thanks for following along and for your message! We always wonder if anyone’s actually interested.... Of course, in the end, we only remember the beautiful and happy moments!!! Cheers, Bruno

Hi Bruno, Of course travel journals—and especially yours—interest people! The proof is me, even if it’s true I don’t always have the courage to leave a little note... and I’m wrong about that, I know! I’ve followed your latest adventures with pleasure and enthusiasm, even if I don’t have any plans to visit that part of the world in the coming months... but I’m traveling vicariously, dreaming... and little by little, I’m building new projects 😉 So thank you and bravo for this trip report: we always enjoy joining you on your journey, and we love the photos... See you soon, Christine

Hi Christine, Oh wow, that’s so nice! 😊 Thanks for the message—I’ll admit I was wondering if I’d managed to get many people excited and if I’d shared even a little of my happiness from visiting these two countries.... Let’s catch up on your South Africa travel journal when we’re back! 😉 Bruno

Thanks Bruno for sharing, even if the country doesn’t really appeal to me, I really enjoyed following your trip! 😎

Hi Régis, Choosing a destination is definitely not something to debate... And who knows, one day, out of curiosity... Thanks for stopping by anyway! 😛

And who knows, one day, out of curiosity...

Machu Picchu really draws me in—the rest, not so much

Your trip reminds me a bit of our journey in the region over two years ago

I’d read your travel journal and drew inspiration from it, especially the decision to skip Nazca...

Especially in Bolivia, particularly to discover the Salar de Uyuni and the Sud Lipez, which we didn’t get to.

WHAT?! You went to Bolivia and didn’t do the Sud Lipez?!! Seriously?! 😏 Of course, you’ve got to go back and visit that slice of heaven...

I see that apart from your last week in Cusco and the Sacred Valley, you enjoyed good weather.

We even got hot. Obviously, as soon as the sun set...

So contrary to what people think, southern Bolivia is doable in the heart of the austral summer. I imagine you didn’t suffer too much from the cold at night in the refuges of the Sud Lipez.

No sleeping bag needed at night—just a T-shirt was enough during the day, and storms were pretty rare. The main issue that can come up is the mirror effect on the salar due to rain, which can prevent 4x4s from accessing it since the "salt roads" get washed away, making driving dangerous.

Thanks for stopping by! Glad you liked the travel journal, and see you soon for more adventures!!

Best, Bruno

Every trip is a discovery, filled with highlights. The Inca Trail in Peru and the Sud Lípez in Bolivia were definitely unforgettable moments. But I also really love these "Hispanic" countries (Mexico, Argentina, etc.) and their "way of life"... A thirst for civilizations and countries completely different from one adventure to the next....