Tupiza & Tarija, saying goodbye to my parents and Bolivia.

October 12, 15:12

Only ten more minutes in the car and then we are in Tupiza! We are driving through the famous red mountains surrounding the city. Absolutely beautiful! The day has been rough, though. We left at 7 in the morning and only had a few little stops now and then. Mostly to look at llamas, one lunch stop in a dry lake bed, and one at an abandoned city of ruins, said to be the first Spanish town in Bolivia. It was a crazy tour, but I am so, so happy we are almost at the end. As beautiful as the landscapes are, they have been very similar. And 4 days in the car, even when not driving yourself, are so tiring. Not to mention the guide we have on this tour. All he did was point at rocks and say: ‘Look, that looks like a monkey’, ‘it looks like a bird’. Just shut up and tell us something interesting about the history and the environment. We think that if you get an English-speaking guide, the ‘quality’ of the guide drops. So if you ever find yourself looking for a tour through the Eduardo National Park and the Salt Flats, go with a Spanish-speaking guide. The level of English of many guides isn’t good enough to tell something interesting anyway. So, might as well save some money and get a better guide.

October 13, 15:22

Alright, the plan is this: my mom and I are going out to buy snacks and drinks. My dad is going to shower, cause he still smells like horses. And Mike will meet us in half an hour at our hotel. We went horseback riding this morning, through the canyon just outside of Tupiza. First time on a horse, for all three of us, so we were a bit nervous. Unnecessary so, cause it was so much fun! The horses knew exactly where they were going and were listening super well, so it was very easy. And now, this afternoon, we’re gonna relax by the pool and play some cards. The ultimate vacation feeling. I hope Mike can handle the intensity and competitiveness of our family when playing cards. It can get tense.

October 14, 17:38

We are getting ready to go out for dinner. My mom found a place online, so we don’t have to go on a hunt anymore, which is very nice. We arrived in Tarija around 13:00 and then immediately went for a stroll around the city. It feels like such a nice place! People are having a drink outside on terraces, the streets are clean, the temperature is nice, and locals are super friendly. I love it!

Although we are feeling a bit emotional right now, cause it’s the last full evening with my parents. Tomorrow they have to be at the airport around 19:30. Time has gone by soooo fast these past two weeks. It was so nice to go backpacking with my parents! Showing them what I have been doing all this time. And what a privilege to be able to do this with both my parents. I’m super grateful and happy we got to/ are doing this.

October 15, 15:08

The most beautiful thing just happened. We were on a wine tour today with a group of other people, including a Mexican family of a mom and two daughters. During the ride back from the last Bodega to the city, we started talking about their vacation and my travels. I told them that I had been away for 8 months and that my parents were here to visit me, cause I still didn’t know when I would be home again. They responded with both admiration and worry. The mom told me she would pray for me, then searched for something in her bag. It was a cute little bracelet. She told me she always takes one with her and gives it to the people that God tells her to give it to. Then she gave it to me. It has the words ‘believe in magic’ engraved in it. It’s just the most beautiful thing. And for it to happen on the last day here with my parents makes it even more special.

October 16, 15:49

It’s the last day in Bolivia. Tarija has become my favourite city here, next to Potosí, maybe. It’s so nice to be in a city again where there are nice restaurants and cafés with terraces. And the people here are just so friendly! I absolutely love this place. When we were in Samaipata, our guide, from Tarija, told us that the culture is more comparable to Northern Argentina than the rest of Bolivia. And if that’s true, I’m gonna have a great time in Argentina. Tonight I will take the bus to Salta. And I am pretty excited to be sitting in a bus for the night, cause I have a single seat which can go down almost 180 degrees. So I can chill, read, listen to music, and cry a little. Cause the trip with my parents was over too fast, and it was just so nice to have them here with me. I’m sad it’s over.