Isla Vibe, Bol Out
Being on the Isla (del Sol) is not what I had expected at all. Albeit, I had zero expectations, but you know, it was still stunning. When we approached the Isla via a small boat called a lancha, the reflections of Lake Titicaca cast a view unlike any other. It was a moving mirror of the sky. As the sun began to set upon our arrival, both the sky and waves were filled with colors that shut you up instantly and make you wonder how artists ever painted the sky.
This sight was likely so jaw-dropping for two main reasons: (1) it really is that beautiful or (2) it was nearly a 30-hour journey via car, ferry, boat, and foot. I honestly don’t remember how long it took. Maybe that number was a joke I made after finally getting there, but nonetheless it was loooooong. Throughout that journey, we drove through the Andes and around Illampu, the fourth highest mountain in Bolivia. This was a sight to behold as well. The entire trip was an adventure and felt like a movie. Hard to believe any of that geography is real, but there it is! Bolivia deserves more credit than it gets because every part is absolutely gorgeous, and the people are so welcoming. The people are a whole other blog post because they truly warm your heart and all it takes is a bit of courtesy each way. That’s something we definitely lack in the U. S. For example, everyone must greet the other riders in the public transport. A simple good morning/afternoon is all it takes. If you don’t then the driver will say it at you and prompt you to close the door.
Anyways, I think the biggest challenge for me on the Isla was the altitude and getting a good night’s sleep. This next part may seem like a bunch of hullabaloo to most, but to me it’s worth some inquiry. Preface: I rarely have nightmares and believe in juju (ghosts, magic, spirits, etc.). So, it was a huge surprise to me that the first week I had very little restful sleep despite our physically demanding and long days. The Isla is where human life began for the Incas, so it would be no surprise that something would be going on on the island. Lucky for me, our caretaker/friend of Anna and Carlos grew up with a witch doctor as a father. Juanita is quite possibly my favorite person in the world. She is a bada** woman who will let nothing in the world stop her. She is an incredible cook with the best soup you can imagine. And a million kinds of soup as well! Her fried chicken? Mm. To. Die. For. As the days went on, I noticed my general good fortune slipping a bit each day: a weird cough/breathing problem here and there, couple of twisted ankles, headaches that wouldn’t go away despite medicine, and others. On our walk down one evening after sunset — as soon as I thought I was getting a hang of the hike — I slip and land firmly on my butt after sliding a couple of feet. It was so weird because there wasn’t a tricky rock even though there were lots, my shoes were good, and I didn’t feel wobbly before falling. Told her about it the next day, Juanita makes some special tea, and says some kind of blessing as she gives it to me. All the problems went away the next day! Don’t know how to explain it. Gotta be magic. I am a rational person, but some things you can’t figure out even after trying everything.
This placement — and I cannot stress this enough — is nothing like what I thought it would be. Admittedly, the description was loose, and because it’s via Carlos, subject to change. However, that’s not what made it different form whatever I did expect. What made it contrast was how its mission was based in showing us the world from the ground up. Our work focused largely on personally working with organizations making a difference with little recognition or funding. Not to say that other placements don’t do this, but there was a large emphasis on just us coming as we are to help where they needed. Each meeting was tailored to that organization. So our work ranged from feeding animals, washing dishes, to landscaping, designing future projects, to visiting communities, filmmaking, interviewing, and so much more. We were so engaged with individual people and the work done at that specific location. It was very much a case by case basis. Conservation and general environmental work in the Andean region have proven that the approach cannot be generic at all. The most generic it can be is to have a standard method with which to approach each case (this is exactly what ReVerdeSer has done… more on them later).
I have loved every bit of this journey so far. I can’t wait to share more with all of you. The large number of pictures definitely do not do this country justice. Highly recommend visiting.
P.S. I am writing these posts after my return to the States, so the timeline may be a bit odd. Fret not, all the best highlights are being shared.
