Gab and I were up early to begin our seperate journeys..me to Bolivia to volunteer and gab to Ecuador via bogota. Up at 4.30am we shared an uber with a girl from the hostel that was also randomly on gabs flight..I checked in ok but, being South America, it couldn't be all smooth - apparently the pilots from gabs airline were on strike!! So not knowing what the plan was with her I had to grab my flight..I later learned that they flew them late the same night but during the day they spent time at a nice hotel with great buffets so not so bad! I changed at São Paulo (but stressful as there wasn't much time) then had about 3 hours to Santa Cruz bolivia..the flight was pretty horrid as my cold meant I had painfully blocked ears :( anyways I survived and made it to Santa Cruz, a tiny airport really (even though it's their main one)..tired, I figured out how and where to get the bus (a taxi would've cost peanuts and be so much easier but I hate the thought of being ripped off and sometimes it even feels safer being in a bus with others rather than alone in a taxi)..I got dropped somewhere in town and had to get another little bus to the bus station..super crowded and most of the time the door was open with crazy driving so surprised either my bag or a person didn't fall out...alas the challenge wasn't over at the bus station..it was chaos! People everywhere trying to sell me tickets and the only buses I could find going the direction of villa tunari left really late, meaning I'd get to the volunteer place around 2am. Alas I finally found a bus leaving at an ok time so that was lucky..however it wasn't the nicest bus - no toilet (even though they said there was), no air con and it was sooooo friggen hot/humid..so pretty stressful. Toilet wasn't an issue as I was so dehydrated. Stopped after about 5 hours and had some road side food (survived) then finally was dropped in the town I needed to go to. About 9.30pm, pitch black, hardly anyone around and I had to walk across a car bridge (with my back pack on) that had no edge for pedestrians..so dangerous..someone from the Centre found me and I was walked further along the road in the dark (and mind you the humidity hasn't eased at all, I was sweating so much) to the volunteer house..cold shower and bed (bed was rock hard, made out of packed straw, I had a bruised hip the next day).
The whole reason I'd tackled an uber, 2 flights and 3 buses in one day was to start volunteering as I had to commit to two weeks but had little time. Alas, even though I was exhausted and got up early to go to the office, that didn't really happen. I met some people, had a tour..there were capuchins, spider monkeys, an aviary, a bear and a puma but I didn't get to see them..I was then asked to pay and of course they didn't pay card and I didn't get enough cash out (almost $400 worth!!) and the only atm in town only took visa. So. In the ridiculous heat I walked in to town, found a share taxi and was shoved in the backseat with three others. Then at one town I had to change to another taxi. Highlight of the whole ordeal was meeting a lovely old man called Charlie. We had a broken English/Spanish conversation and then he insisted on paying my fare which was so sweet..luckily the atm worked..o also got some drugs from the pharmacy as my nose was still unbelievably congested and my ears still blocked :( the same thing on the way back (about 40 mins, 2 taxis, the final taxi had NINE people in it (it was a 5 seater) and I had to sit shoved in the middle up the front on the handbrake which hurt)). Anyways. Hot and exhausted I paid then had a cold shower, had lunch then was told I'd be working with the capuchins. Split in two sections (heaven and earth) I was assigned to earth because a few monkeys in heaven hate females and they're semi free (on a runner system) so it's not safe. In earth all the capuchins are unfortunately caged and mostly alone. Not ideal but they can't be with others because they either fight or get too stressed or don't know how to be a monkey because of their back stories etc etc..because of their unnatural beginnings as pets or whatever :( so pretty bloody sad. Some are aggressive and grab you through the cage but some are sweet and give you high five or ask for a scratch through the wire (have to be careful or you can lose a finger). I helped feed out and clean and met two of the three spider monkeys that were also in the earth area. These three, for different reasons, can't be with the bigger spider monkey group deeper in the jungle (I haven't been there). They're sweet but strong so have to be careful but it's nice they're on the runner and not cages. Bloody exhausted I walked in to town to get things to make for dinner. Struggled with the market style shopping due to my lack of Spanish but survived. I accidentally gave a man 6 bolivianos instead of 5 and he gave me the one back which was very sweet. Very basic little village..
My first week was a challenge but overall satisfying, albeit frustrating at times. The second night there was a massive storm, and I mean massive! A couple of times I woke up trembling from the loudness of the thunder, and I love storms! Said storm caused the wifi to go out and though they said it'd be a couple of days it's still out (a week later). Super frustrating. Anyways soldiered on..o was an hour late for work the second day because I slept through my alarm..I guess I was just so exhausted! I felt terrible but it was an accident. And after all i am volunteering my time (even though they're quite strict and often make you feel like you owe them, even though you've paid to be there and work so hard). Anyways..I helped with feeding out (they get a small amount 4 times a day which is great in terms of enrichment). I helped cut down branches with machetes for the monkeys (and tripped with the machete in hand :/ ). I washed pooey blankets by hand (some of the monkeys are so humanized they need blankets at night for comfort.:some when you give them the blanket put it over their head or sit on it and rock back and forward :(). I made friends with one of the three spider monkeys - I'd sit down and she'd come and sit on my lap. Which I thought was amazing however then she started grinding on my foot or leg and I asked the workers if she was humping they confirmed..alas I'd become a monkeys sex toy..apparently this wasn't very normal behavior, she's a very sexual spider monkey. I stopped allowing her to sit on my lad but one day she climbed on my head and I thought ok this is ok..but nope, she pinched the top of my boob sooooo hard! So now I don't talk to her :/ I was lucky one afternoon to go up to the main spider park to see the large group that lived free and semi free (on runners). The walk up was insane - about 10kg of food etc on your back, absolutely stifling heat (I have never sweated so much in my life) and climbing up up up! And the people that work in this area do that twice a day it's crazy. Anyways it was lovely to (briefly) meet some other spider monkeys (that were more 'normal'). It was like a little oasis. They were free to breed and there were a couple of young ones which although they wanted to play with the humans they were discouraged as they'd like them to be completely free one day, which is great. I had a grooming session with a couple of the spiders before I quickly made my way back down to the capuchins ie my 'station'. I can't believe no one breaks their legs heading back down, you have to step on rocks and roots and it's slippery etc etc, crazy. I had half a day off (for two solid weeks of work working from 7-5/6) so got to visit the massive boa pythons the park had..they'd been seized by the government, there were 3 massive ones and 4 young ones..they were kept in a dark room so we took them out to the sun (for their welfare) which was cool, their colouring in the sun was spectacular. I helped stopping them wondering too far (by placing a stick under their head and dragging them back a different direction). I also attempted to see the little nocturnal kinkashu however he wasn't ready to wake up so I only kind of saw him in his hammock..I also went in to town to use the Internet cafe to contact mum etc as still no wifi 
working in 'earth' I had my hair pulled three times (twice because I lent too close to the cage, and once because chepeto the spider monkey thought I was taking his food when in fact I wanted to feed him)..not fun!! A couple of times we saw adult monkeys having sex with the baby capuchin, gross..one night we had dinner at the cafe (I thought they put it on as a thank you type thing but nope we had to pay..not much though). It was lovely to socialize with everyone, we played a silly roll play game which was fun..plus I had a good chat with a vet volunteer Christian, who was an Italian staying long term..nice to have intellectual conversation with someone with the same interests! One evening after work, when we were so exhausted, we had to help move massive rocks through the jungle to the pumas (Marleys) new cage (crazy how much effort is involved for one animal, just because someone kept her as a pet when she was young!) a French couple volunteering had actually raised the money for her cage, which was amazing. Afterwards they were kind enough to give us icy poles and popcorn, we were exhausted!! Also for marleys cage one day we had to carry really heavy poles, and I whacked my shin so back on one of the spokes it ripped my pants 
but will be all worth it in the end, she will have a much bigger cage..there was also a bunch of militants that helped one day which was great.
Second week was great as I recovered from my cold and also got closer to the people and animals. I got a new roommate which was ok - a 19 year old German traveling South America solo for 6 months, very impressive! We had another insane storm which felt like the end of the world (twas so windy and all the mangos were falling on the roof). Wifi still out, obviously. One afternoon we'd planned to have a pool party but alas it stormed so instead we just got food at the cafe, drank beers and played games..which was fun anyways!! We also had a Halloween party , not much of a party as everyone has to work so early but there was sangria and food and games so good fun :) one of the nights I made a super healthy dinner of lentils and veggies and shared with three of my guy friends which was nice..poor queen, one of the capuchins with serious issues (she would constantly rock back and forth with her blanket and rub her hands todether) hit her foot bitten through her cage by one of the wild monkeys..the vet jarra sewed it up though and it's healing well. Also one day one of the monkeys from heaven escaped and then returned wet and sopey and although I'm not supposed to interact with heaven monkeys she likes me so I wrapped her up and rubbed her dry with a towel, so cute. Cheeky monkey! My last night a few of us went out for dinner (kind of because it was my last night and also just for something different). Took a while to find somewhere but we did and we shared some wine and I had some fish (courtesy of Christian) which was lovely. On the way home I stubbed my toe really bad, I always do it!! So Christian helped me clean it..
Next day I worked a half day and bid farewell to all the monkeys..jarra cleaned up my toe for me which was painful but necessary. In the afternoon I visited the aviary and met some of the beautiful birds and then afterwards went and met the cuatties (so cute, albeit super smelly and they licked all under my arms and face etc 
). I'd had some issues with the administration chick (everything I seemed to do was wrong and she treated me/spoke to me like a friggen child) and because she had a cold she wasn't able to take me to see Marley the puma (bullshit). Anyways, I also briefly saw Balu the bear get his dinner so that was cool. I bid my farewell to everyone and Chris helped me carry my backpack to town (we had gelato on the way, delicious!). Bitter sweet to leave..sad to leave the people and animals but happy to recommence my travels.
Boarded a mini van to Cochabamba, what a bloody trip! I closed my eyes most of the way but god twas mental - the road was rough and the driver would take over on blind corners etc. anyways survived, got to Cochabamba then got a taxi to the bus terminal. feeling exhausted (hadn't exactly been a relaxing couple of weeks!) I decided to try travel through the night to meet gab in uyuni. So I managed to find a bus going to Oruro. Left about 11 And got in at 4.30am. Would've been an incredible trip during the day (with the full moon I could kind of see the mountains etc, twas gorgeous). I froze my arse of as although villa tunari had been so hot and humid I was climbing and climbing to a much higher altitude and lower temp!! Cold and tired I wandered around the bus stop at Oruro..no one could or would help me. Eventually I found a mini van going to uyuni and at about 8.30am I arrived! Have no idea how I managed the night but I did :P
Met up with gab and grabbed some breakfast, was so good to see her. We were going to try do the salt flats the same day due to time restraints but my toe was very sore and I was exhausted to say the least. So instead we booked in to a hostel (which had puppies on the roof, so cute!!) and wondered the town and got some food. Nice to just rest, including a proper bed! Even watched some Netflix, what a luxury. In the morning we joined our tour (the other 4 people Asian, with one super annoying man!) and set off in a 4WD. First stop was this fascinating train cemetery..apparently the trains used to come in from Chile, brazil etc for repair but if they couldn't be repaired or there were too many trains they were just dumped there..it was awesome! Moving on we drove across the salt flats and it was like nothing I'd ever seen..literally felt like we were driving across the ocean! Awesome. We stopped at a town on the outskirts for some lunch and for me it was a definite highlight as there was a gorgeous rainbow mountain, herds of llamas, donkeys, flamingoes, dogs..the contrast between the mountains and the flats was amazing. We stopped to take some cool pics (we hadn't really done much research as most people do, i.e. what props are good etc) which was pretty fun..then for the last stop we went to where there was a bit of water on the lake so it was reflective for the sunset, so beautiful! And some more cool pics :) the salt flats were definitely a highlight and much more beautiful than I expected. In our standard rush we got back to uyuni and then found a bus going over night to la Paz. We arrived in la Paz at about 5am - I was a bit disappointed I wasn't going to see the city (just didn't have time) but did see a bit from the station (and at the end of the day it's just a huge concrete jungle with some cable cars 🤷♀️). Gab had already seen it previously and said although it was cool it was just a city! So we decided to jump straight on another bus to copacabana, lake titcaca.
We arrived about 2/3 hours later (a beautiful drive along the coast) and had some lunch in an awesome little cafe..albeit touristy copacabana was a super sweet town with a beautiful church and loads of cool bars and cafes. Alas though not much time to explore as we had to grab the ferry across to isla de sol as we'd heard it was beautiful. Talk about a massive night/day of travel! And it wasn't over yet..once at the island we were told that the best hostels were up the top..so it took us about an hour with our massive bags and at an altitude of about 4000ft we were breathless climbing and climbing..just went forever ! But we made it to the top, such an achievement. Would've have been a feat even at sea level! It was such a magical place too.:the views, the people, the animals..apparently it's the birth black of the first two incas and their sun god but the stories vary..either way a very spiritual and beautiful place :) we finally decided on a super basic hostel that had a beautiful view (there were nicer ones but for double the cost!) and then found a cafe to have some dinner and watch a storm rolling in whilst the sun set, incredible. I went to bed very early as I was beyond exhausted!!
The next morning we had breakfast in a sweet cafe and watched the local farmers lead their sheep and llamas and donkeys down the mountain to the grazing grounds. We went for a hike to some ruins and accidentally wandered too far north (there was a conflict happening between the north and south of the island and tourists weren't allowed north). A lady got cranky at us so we turned around and wandered back but nonetheless was incredible scenery and super fun bush bashing and coming across grazing animals etc. Exhausted we got our bags and made our way back down to the bottom (definitely easier than the way up!!). At the bottom we had some wine and crackers (well deserved), and randomly a guy recognized gab from her death road tour! Such a small world. We caught the ferry back, got some snacks and boarded yet another night bus..we decided to skip the Peruvian side of lake titcaca due to lack of time and also because we'd heard it was super touristy. So we crossed the border, had to wait over an hour for our second bus and then overnight to a town we'd been recommended, Arequipa..
