Nostalgia for Abundance

The barren landscape inspires a sense of nostalgia for the vibrance of life and color. Any hint of red in the rocks or green in the crispy tufts of tenacious grasses draws the eye. Water is rare and usually a colorful brine, thanks to the myriad of minerals in the mountains and salt flats. While non-potable to humans, we are drawn to it nonetheless thanks to the flocks of four varieties of flamingo, coots, and Andean ducks which feed off microorganisms living in the high altitude lagoons. One of the more optimistic sights was the puffy white clouds, purveyors of fresh water--or depending on the time of day, snow.


Train Cemetery, Uyuni, Bolivia

Despite the desolation, the wildness was rare and beautiful. I was so fascinated by the views that I nearly a,ways had my face pressed against the backseat window of the 4x4, often rapping my forehead against the panes when we hit particularly rough washboards or potholes.




Converted to a playground with yours truly on the swing! Thanks for the wide-angle shot, Will.

Despite the raw beauty, like nothing I have ever seen before, three days in the Altiplano proved to be enough for me and I have three indications why:

1. I miss trees. And plants. Or anything green and living.
2. Water costs a fortune. We have iodine and a steri pen, but they are not equipped for desalinization.
3. My skin cannot stop peeling from the brutal sun (hardly any ozone at altitude), relentless wind, and bone-dry air despite hourly applications of sunscreen, petroleum jelly, long sleeves, hat, sunglasses, and hydration. I feel like a snake shedding my skin, except that it doesn't come off in one clean run like a banana peel.



TRAIN QUOTES
Asi es la vida... (Such is life). Se necesita una mechanica con experiencia... (Needed: a mechanic with experience).

On the bright side, I no longer have daily headaches from the thin air! Hurrah, I have finally produced enough red blood cells to keep from losing brain cells and being stupidly oxygen deprived--oh, but what I hope I didn't forget in the mean time.... I will never know!