Down goes Garbage Gut!! Down goes Garbage Gut!!

Did Joe Fraser get up when Ali got him? It's not that feasible for me to look things up at random like I would in the states or I would find out for myself. I got up....well, I'm almost all the way up again. I imagine that Fraser didn't see the punch coming either and when it connected it was instantaneous. Typically, I pride myself on my appetite and ability to eat just about anything. I'd been doing pretty well considering the places I've been and the hygiene I've seen (I'm not judging here, just stating a fact). But I might have taken this 'confidence' a little too far this past week. In case you're not following, I got a case of the liquid poo; at least that's all I think it was. It may have come from my Salar de Uyuni tour or maybe in San Pedro de Atacama. I'm thinking now because of the lack of length and quickness that it came on, that it was from somehow ingesting non-potable water in San Pedro de Atacama. (Oh, I'm supposed to describe where these places are geographically. The Salar is in the southwestish portion of Bolivia, kinda close to the border of Chile, up in the mountains. San Pedro de Atacama is in the northish part of Chile on the western side of the Andes. The Atacama desert is the highest desert in the world and also the driest in the world. One can cross the border of Chile and Bolivia and end up in San Pedro de Atacama as I did. There's the map.) All I know it's been one of the worst 36h I've had in my life. This has been much much worse than the gallon-milk challenge repercussions. Here's the scenario which illustrates my troubles as well as where I've been.

I finally left Uyuni on Tuesday after some more shenanigans provided by another tour company promising big things but not delivering. It was looking promising that Mark and I were going to be able to go on the 3d/2n tour of the area with only 4 people in the vehicle and at a bargain price. We had also gotten Mark all sorted out for getting back to the UK early. Well, Tuesday morning came up and the dood that booked us on our tour was nowhere to be found. He'd told us he'd find two other people to make up our truck and everything was going to be chill. When we went to the office that morning, the kid that opened the office had no idea what was going on. I didn't figure it out until much much later that the kid was just there to open the office and that it was the dood, Brian, that was responsible for getting us on the tour he had promised. Well, Brian had 'an emergency' come up that night and wasn't around in the morning. He eventually called in, but the plan he had for us wasn't going to go through because the kid in the office was resistant saying it was too late for the plan envisioned. After some deliberation, we were able to get our money back, again, and get a tour set up with Ripley Adventures. Me, Mark, and Laura, the other castaway from the 'Brian tour company' got a private vehicle, Mark and I paying much more for leg room.

Our tour was definitely last minute. The Land Cruiser that pulled up had seen better days. The 3 bald tires and the rust spots and parts held together with wire were scary signs. And that was just the outside. But we didn't really have a choice at this point. I didn't really want to spend another day in Uyuni and Mark needed to be off today in order for his travel plans to take shape. More about the setup--these tours typically have a driver/guide and a cook. Our guide/driver and cook was pretty much one in the same. Ok. Fine. Whatever. All part of the experience. We were off for the Salar de Uyuni.

The Salar itself is quite amazing! Mind boggling really how large it all is. It comes together when one gets to Isla del Pescado that this was a lake at one time. The salt hotel was strange and I couldn't ever imagine wanting to stay there or in a salt hotel, for that matter. Our first night was in San Juan, somewhere outside of the Salar, at this suspect residential place. Fortunately, Milton, our driver wasn't responsible for making dinner that night, but looking at the kitchen left hygiene being desired. I ate it anyway since I was hungry. Vegetable soup, baked chicken and rice. It was actually pretty good too. Soup was nice since it gets really cold out there. Really cold.

After an early rise suggested by Milton, which was followed by his getting up 45mins after he said he wanted to leave (he'd been drinking with his friends the night before, he's only 20. I can't blame him too much), we went off on to the second day. The stops we made were much less interesting to me than the Salar de Uyuni but the landscape around it all is something to behold. It's easy to see how Mars might be a viable planet for habitation when one sees the southwest of Bolivia. It really looks like an alien planet. Seriously. I think there might be hope if this exists on our planet. I might have picked up my parasite this day since we ate boiled hamburgers (a first for me. 'Using oil is better?' Milton asked Mark) and some form of pasta. Again, quite hungry I ate 2 burgers and lots of pasta, and, oh yeah, unpeeled tomatoes and peeled cucumbers. I'm not sure which of those 2 vegetables is more dangerous at time of consumption since unpeeled fruits and vegetables are supposed to be hazardous and Milton never washed his hands from...who knows when, and he was tinkering with the truck most of the morning.

That night we stopped in the park that holds Laguna Colorada, which is a red lake depending on how the wind blows. There are really really basic accommodations here and it gets effin cold as shit at night. I might have caught the bug here too. Don't know. Too many things to count. The first hospedaje had flies everywhere (we didn't sleep there thankfully). I've only seen more flies in one place on a pile of poo. We woke up really really early Thursday morning to go see some geysers as they're most active in the wee morning hours. Having seen Ole' Faithful, these are nothing. We ended the tour at Laguna Verde with it's shoreline of asbestos (or so said some Australians). An average pre-dawn temperature of -4.5C didn't help spirits. At the border, I had some difficulties b/c it was my understanding from Ripley Tours that I'd be taken to San Pedro de Atacama without any hassles. Turns out, all that was to be provided was transport to the border and from there I was on my own. Mark and Laura pitched in the B40 that I needed to get to San Pedro since I didn't have any other money.

Crossing into Chile was pretty easy and as soon as we got to the road from the border (an actual road after 5d) it was all downhill. Ears popping and temperatures rising, the passengers , including myself, of the new Mercedes Benz shuttle provided by Colque Tours, were brought into San Pedro de Atacama and through Chilean immigration. How! What a difference in the two countries just at the border crossing.

San Pedro de Atacama reminds me of some hippie town in New Mexico or maybe California or even Arizona. Immediately, it became apparent how much more expensive Chile is compared to any other Latin American country I've been in. San Pedro is no exception either. Extra pricey I'd say for my limited observations of Chile. I got a hostel dorm bed for about $18 but then decided, not knowing my bank account status,not to stay. Bought a night bus ticket for Caldera to go to the coast and the beach at Bahia Inglesa. Thought it best to keep moving closer to Santiago and the border I plan to cross than stick around.

I ate at some more budget places for lunch and dinner, and maybe I picked up the bug at one of these places or I got some water down my throat during my 2, 3min showers (water is very limited in San Pedro. I don't understand how so many people live there considering such. Horses too. Pretty strange.). Anyway, bus time rolls around and I'd bought some 'nutritious' snacks for the road (like bananas, yogurt drink-although it had sucrolose in it instead of sugar-and trail mix). Downed the yogurt in the first 30m and settled in for my ride. Everything was kosher until about midnight when the rumbles began. Thankfully I didn't have a seatmate. These all passed naturally but then the fever started up with the urges to empty my contents as quickly as possible. By the time I reached Copiapo, ~1h from Caldera, at 6:30 in the morning, I was in bad shape. The fever was in full affect and I had no real control. But, I must've empty thorough enough in Copiapo since when I got to Caldera I was able to walk the 5 blocks to the tourist office, translate for a just-learning-Spanish-English couple in the tourist office, and walk around to 3 different hospedajes before we all decided on a good cheap one (Residencial Milaray, next to the pharmacy and the police station). Even there I had something like a 15min conversation with owner Elisabeth and Sasha and Alex, the couple. After that, I passed out for the rest of the day, hoping that I could help things by sleeping the sickness out. I also medicated to break the fever and hopefully help my good bacteria. I didn't want to drop the Cipro bomb killing off everything since I know my boys can handle a lot.

After sleeping until about 6pm, getting up every so often to evacuate my system, I went to the market with Sasha and Alex to load up on liquids. Somehow I was able to get down 2 empanadas for dinner, including a seafood one, and then stayed up chatting with Sasha and Alex about possible itineraries in S. America and comparisons of countries, and a little bit of life mixed in too. That night was bad for the fever pains. Finally, I broke my fever sometime in the early morning. What a great feeling that was. I'd just passed a major hurdle, I knew it. Spent the rest of the day in bed though. Planning my last couple of weeks, and reading up on transport options. Drinking tea with an infusion, provided by Elisabeth. I tell you what. Chilean Spanish is so hard to understand. It's so much faster and messier, but somehow I managed to converse with her. Still abstaining from food, only Powerade and bottled water, I bought my night bus ticket for Santiago.

This morning. I felt hungry again and after a hot shower realized that instantaneous evacuation was just about over. Not leaving until 8pm tonight, I decided to go to Bahia Iglesia today to see the crystal clear blue water and maybe try a LP recommended restaurant. Bahia is nice. I'd imagine it's great during the summer especially if you have kids.

Came back about 4pm and had some more empanadas and am thinking now that maybe I shouldn't have. I think we're back up into the gaseous form however. Or at least I hope so or it's going to be another long bus ride. I'm off to Santiago. Good night and good luck.