My chattering teeth keep me awake most of the night. Angel comes to rouse us at 5:30...it's going to be a full day.

We eat a simple breakfast of yogurt and cereal and hit the road by 6:30. Hemmy's sickness is getting worse, causing her to fall asleep within seconds of getting in the car. And as nice as the French couple is, they are perfectly happy to talk amongst themselves. While normally I'd find it rude to wear headphones around people, right now I'm so glad to have music!

Map of the tourist circuit

Angel fetches lunch supplies from the roof

First we visit the ruins of San Antonio. It's sort of unclear why the town is in ruins. Angel tells us that after Spanish rule ended, all the residents moved to the current San Antonio de Lipéz, where we'd spent the night. He also tells us that people still come to pay tribute at the graves of their grandparents...leading me to wonder just how old these grandparents could be.

The scenery is stunning with the usual clear blue skies, but the real highlights will be later in the day. Looking out the window, I start feeling like the paramo will never end.

Our lunch spot gives us a taste of the alien landscape to come further down the road. The ground is formed of springy grassy bumps, with streams running among them, Lunch consists of a corn/onion/tomato salad, rice, potatoes, beets and these exceptionally delicious meat patties. The wind is strong here, but lunching perched up on the rocks is incredibly pleasant.

Laguna de Kollpa

Eventually we come to the first weird and dramatic sight of the day—Laguna de Kollpa, a solid lake of baking soda. Is this how we get baking soda? Where is the Laguna de Kollpa in the US? Are we importing baking soda from Bolivian sources? I don't know how to ask, and am doubtful Angel knows the answers anyway.

Next we visit the Aguas Termales, the sole reason some of our fellow travelers decided they could get by without showering the previous night. Everyone from the other car jumps gleefully into the hot springs like it's summer camp. Hemmy, Gilles, Sonia and I, wearing our multiple warm layers topped off with puffer jackets, look on in disbelief. There's no chance of me removing my scarf, let alone stripping down to a swimsuit.

Instead we explore the wet, sinky area around the hot springs, and are rewarded with the sight of a huge herd of vicunas gingerly making their way across the lake. I feel this is time well spent, but for future reference I note that there actually is a changing room in the small building by the pool.

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