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South America

Middle of Nowhere: Uyuni Salt Flats

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Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt flat on Earth, is a major highlight on any Bolivian driving tour. Measuring a whopping 12,106 sq km, the salar is an expanse of blinding whiteness that was formed by the evaporation of a giant prehistoric lake. The terrain looks deceptively firm in all directions, but it’s not uncommon for vehicles to bust through the salty crust and get stuck in the soft mud underneath. We had heard stories of people in 4×4’s being stuck for days with no other vehicles around to provide a tow. So when our American friends, John and Paula, told us they would join us on the salar, we were happy to share the adventure with them. (more…)

Janice November 8, 2016 Bolivia, Pan-American Trail, South America
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The Road to Bolivia’s Amazon Basin

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Last January, I met a Winnipeg author named Daria Salamon at a hostel in Salento, Colombia. Daria was at the tail end of a one-year backpacking trip with her husband and two school-aged children. They had already explored three continents together and she was documenting their journey on her blog (Daria Salamon). As we chatted about our travels, she mentioned that her family saw pink dolphins in the Amazon Basin. I thought I misheard what she said. (more…)

Janice October 23, 2016 Bolivia, Pan-American Trail, South America
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Peru to Bolivia via Lake Titicaca

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Straddling the border between Peru and Bolivia is Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake. Its surface elevation sits at 3800 m (12,500 ft), which is 21 times higher than that of Lake Superior. Gregor and I have seen plenty of high-altitude lakes on our mountaineering trips, but never one as high as Lake Titicaca. We were looking forward to seeing this famous lake with our own eyes. (more…)

Janice September 27, 2016 Bolivia, Pan-American Trail, Peru, South America
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The Back Way to Machu Picchu

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Every country has a “must-see” attraction. In France, it’s the Eiffel Tower. In Rome, it’s the Colosseum. In Peru, the big “must-see” is the 15th-century Incan citadel, Machu Picchu. When friends and family found out we were going to Peru, they asked in excitement: “Are you going to see Machu Picchu?” Well, t’yeaah. I mean, who goes to Peru and doesn’t see Machu Picchu? As travellers before us can attest, seeing Machu Picchu is only half the fun – getting there is the real adventure. (more…)

Janice September 7, 2016 Bolivia, Pan-American Trail, Peru, South America
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Cusco and the Sacred Valley of the Incas

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After spending several weeks in Peru’s dry and dusty coastal desert, Gregor and I were totally ready for a change of scenery. Up to this point, we hadn’t yet seen any of the majestic Incan ruins or fluffy llamas or traditionally dressed Peruvian natives that I had expected to see at every corner. If I’d actually done my geography homework, I would have realized that all that good stuff can be found in the country’s higher-altitude regions to the east. So we left the sand and sea behind and ascended the winding roads to Cusco, the former capital of the Incan Empire. (more…)

Janice July 13, 2016 Pan-American Trail, Peru, South America
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