My vacation

Much has happened since I last blogged. I apologize for not keeping up with my weekly updates. I’ve been super busy ever since I took my first official vacation!!! (big smile) I had super fun visiting volunteers along the way to my final destination of Monteagudo.

I visited Sucre city first, and it was during Semana Santo (All Saints Week(end)). Sucre is about a 10 hour bus ride southeast from the city of Cochabamba which is the city closest to me. However, my bus ride took 12 hours! There was a huge mix-up from the beginning with the bus company reserving several seats in double the amount of names! There was a lot of showing of recibos (receipts), talking to the police, etc. It took us an entire hour just to get to the tollbooth that’s only 20 minutes outside the city.

I’ve loaded some pics of the happenings while I was in Sucre. The other pic is of the city. Isn’t it beautiful?! I took the pics from a plaza that’s home to a yummy café that unfortunately was closed while I was there. However, I’m sure I’ll get another chance to visit it.

Next stop, Monteagudo!!! From Sucre to Monteagudo is another 10 hour bus ride southeast of Sucre. Of course it took us about 12 hours because of a landslide that blocked the road. You can see from the picture that these roads are mostly dirt or mud (when it’s raining) carved into the side of a huge mountain or hill. Traveling around BO is a bit dangerous, but everyone knows to check the weather and ALWAYS ask the bus companies of the road conditions BEFORE buying your ticket! From the pics you can see the tiny road a huge bus drives on around the hill and the drop off to the right of the road. A bit scary, but asi es (that’s how it is)!

So, I forgot to take pics of Monteagudo which a super cute town of about 10,000 people. It’s the center hub of surrounding communities and one of the more developed towns I’ve seen in BO. It’s out in the middle of practically nowhere, but it has everything you need.

After a couple of days in Monteagudo I went out to a little town of Huacareta which also happens to be the center hub of surrounding communities, but literally is out in the middle of nowhere! To get there it took us about five hours. It was a super bumpy bus ride where we had to cross many little creeks that I was afraid if it rained hard enough would rise to the point of no crossing for my return back home. Luckily it rained slightly so not to affect them. Here’s a pic of a bus stop along the way to Huacareta. Cute, huh?! (ha!)

I took a total of seven days of which two full days were spent in a bus for my first official vacation of my service. I had a great time and wish I would’ve took more pictures. Next trip, I’ll do better.