About Melissa

Posts by Melissa Diaz:

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Reflection Time

Jason and I started our road trip on June 30th, 2017. We left Bolivia, which had been my home for the last 3 years, and decided to venture on down to Argentina with our dog, Flauta. We are traveling in a 1993 Land Rover Defender 90 that we bought in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

We started making plans for this amazing journey a year ago. We have been on the road for the two months and it has been full of exciting moments and stressful times with our vehicle. I feel so blessed for the people that we’ve run into in Brazil. They have helped us out in times of need. Shout out: Thank you Brazilians for everything!!!

Looking back on my time in Brazil, I wish we had stayed longer in Bonito. That was by far my favorite spot. I’ve enjoyed all our campsites. It was peaceful to be surrounded by nature and still have accommodations. I was surprised to have Internet in most of these places even if it was slow. Sleeping in the Land Rover was actually quite comfortable and warm. That’s a plus. The border crossing from Brazil to Uruguay was the easiest and quickest too.

On the downside, it was hard to find a place that allowed dogs in Porto Alegre. We ended up having to get a pricier hotel and pay an extra $20 for her. It’s the first and only time someone’s seen her paperwork to check her in. Another reflection was adjusting to a simpler lifestyle and living out of a vehicle. What I miss most is taking a shower back in my apartment back in Santa Cruz, BO.

We are in Punta del Diablo, Uruguay now. The plan is to take the coast on down and relax more in these ghost towns since it’s cold and it’s low season. We hope you join us on our adventures. We desire that one day you will see the places that we have seen and share your experiences with the world as well. 

Adventures are meant to be shared and there is no greater experience than an adventure.

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San Jose de Chiquitos Adventure!

img_4057October 8-9, 2016

As I’m driving the truffi back home, I can’t help but smile. I greatly enjoyed my weekend getaway to San Jose de Chiquitos. I’m really glad Kelly, a teacher friend from SCCS, joined me. She booked our hotel the night before we headed out and rested up for our 3 hour drive in the morning. We got at the terminal just in time when the truffi was heading out, super luck and it was only 60 bs. It’s first come, first serve so we were in the third aisle. It was a nice country ride there. We shared stories of ex-boyfriends along the way.

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Once into town, we hitched a taxi ride to the other side of town where Hotel La Villa Chiquitana was. It’s #1 on tripadvisor for a reason. This was a charming and peaceful place to rejuvenate from work. I loved the little details all over the place. We walked to the plaza to grab some veggie soup from the first restaurant we saw. Delicious!!! 14 bs for each of us with a bottled water. We took photos of the beautiful church right after. We also bought a few nicknacks from the locals. Cute little coin purses for me and a bag for Kelly. I found out that an abuelito mask takes a week to make. It’s a special kind of wood called topo, which is really light material. This tradition has been around for over 300 years.

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We then headed to the museum to learn more about the history of San Jose. The entrance is 10 bs and that included a tour guide. They are college students that are working on their degree for a career in tourism.

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It was pool/ hammock time for us so we headed back to our hotel and enjoyed the sunset view over green pastures and tropical birds chirping in the distance. It was then time for snacks and cold beverages. Be prepared like us and always carry bug spray. It will make your evenings more enjoyable.

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We went back to the plaza to eat dinner (fried chicken- super common). Then finally saw the men dressed in the masks, which is called “abuelito dance,” dance to local music in front of the church. All the beauty pageant ladies were there. We sat behind them in the second row. Best seats in town. We even shook hands with the mayor when he came by.

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The following day Kelly and I went back to the plaza to see the parade. We took plenty of pictures of happy Bolivians dancing to Viva Santa Cruz that the tune got stuck in our heads and we kept singing it over and over. We asked a drunk guy if we could wear his mask. I ended up buying a mini version of one as a shot glass with a necklace for Jason. I learned that the string is actually from a plant called garata and the process it takes to make that and their local alcoholic drink-pomello. It’s like wine, the longer they leave it to sit out the better and stronger it tastes. I love learning about interesting stuff like this. I love Bolivian culture and keeping traditions alive. I hope you take a bold step into the unknown and learn something new today. Cheers!

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Helpful tips for your travels:

  • You can call ahead of time so you can book your seat on the truffi from the Santa Cruz terminal at 73616326 or 73615145.
  • I would recommend going the 2nd weekend of the month since they have a traditional dance on Sunday mornings. It’s called Kuritee, which means “come again.”
  • You should totally check out their orchestra. They play at the church on certain days when they aren’t traveling all over the world.

 

 

 

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Samaipata Hike

September 9-11, 2016

 

15+ teachers decided to go for a weekend getaway to Samaipata. I took Flauta and my drone for the adventure. I was excited for Fluata to have two other puppy playmates for her trip as well. The 3 ½ hour drive was memorable because I really got to know Ana and her husband, Ismael. Even though we all work together, we hardly see each other because the campus is so large so you only really see your grade level teachers. So this was a much needed trip to get to know the new teachers.

 

Samaipata is known for its small town charm and peaceful vibe. I haven’t visited in a year, which is was too long since it’s such a beautiful place. The weather there is much cooler than in Santa Cruz and it’s a sweet place to go check out waterfalls and ancient ruins of el fuerte. I recommend getting a guide for that since the history is rich with information.

img_3396 These ferns grow a cm a year.

Saturday morning we headed out on a hike up along the border of Parque Nacional Amboro. We had stunning views at both lookout points. Flauta had a blast leading the group and checking up with me to make sure I could hack. We rested at the top of the mountain and had snacks while we waited for the condors to pass above us. Our guide shared how a female condor lays two eggs but only one is fertilized so when the baby hatches it eats the protein of the 2nd egg. We were there for an hour and he expressed since condors only have a baby every 5 years they are becoming rarer to see. He had lost hope that we’d see one, but I was still determined and I’m glad I waited because I saw it in the distance. It took it’s time to glide over us and I embraced that moment with the joy of knowing I saw something completely beautiful.

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It’s good luck to see a condor. I have so much to be thankful for because every day is a blessing and an adventure waiting to unfold. I hope you join me on future discoveries.