Bolivian rail trail (by Joe)

Unusually for South America, Bolivia presents several opportunities to travel by rail, and we`ve taken three very interesting train rides on our tour here.

We took a 22hr ride across the Bolivian lowlands from the Brazilian border at Quijarro to the city of Santa Cruz; we took a freezing 14hr overnight trip across the 3000m highland plains; and we took a pleasant 3hr morning trip down to the Argentinian border through the spectacular ravine and cactus desert lands in the south.

Bolivian rail travel is not desperately comfortable, but it is ´for real´: you share carriages with locals and get to see the reality of provincial life. And there is a charming ´old style´ touch to it all ...

For example, conductors, station staff and porters wear proper ´badges and caps´ uniforms; and on one of our trips there was even a restaurant buffet car complete with uniformed waiters, proper menus, a wine list (albeit a short one) and - to top it all - yellow plastic flowers on the tables. You could get a proper 3-course evening meal and full cooked breakfast in the morning (see Laura at breakfast - right).

Buffet car or not, there are always masses of food and drink sellers who rush through the carriages when the train stops at a station and try to sell to you through the windows (good luck to them, though I really wouldn´t go near some of the meat pies on offer).

The Bolivian rail trail has made a fun change from the usual bus travel in South America. It´s been a bit rough in places, but a great way to see the country from a different angle.

Here´s a few pics:
Joe