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Intro: A Surreal Trip To The Salt Flats In Bolivia+Brazil+More

Intro


Man, oh man, I like to think I have pretty unique trip reports to places like Kabul, Juba, and the DRC, but this next trip is one that I am extremely excited to share. So excited, I get goosebumps writing this introduction. 


Last October, I had the opportunity to head back down to Bolivia to visit the Salt Flats, spend some time in La Paz, and a little bit in Santa Cruz (for the first time). Bolivia has long been my favorite country in South America, and after this trip, it has reaffirmed its position. 


Why I Took This Trip


There were a couple of reasons as to why I took this trip, some of them small, and some of them to fulfill a dream. Some might call me crazy, but here goes: 


  • Back last year, when I was in college, I used to get extremely bored, to the point where I had to go away every other weekend. So, as fate would have it, an unbelievable fare popped up from PHL to Santa Cruz for roughly 1000 USD in Business Class. That sounds about normal, right, until you figure out the routing:


  • United A320 Domestic First PHL-IAH

  • United 737 Business Class IAH-PTY 

  • Copa 737 Max 9 Business Class PTY-LPB

  • GOL 737 Max 8 ‘Premium Economy LPB-GRU

  • United 767 Polaris GRU-IAD 

  • United E175 Domestic First IAD-PHL 


  • Which brings me to my second reason as to why I did this trip. I wanted the PQFs for my trip, and including the leg from Los Angeles to Washington and then onto Philadelphia, this whole trip would net me 7 more PQFs at a reasonable price, in comfortable cabins. 

  • Aside from flights, the other main reason I decided on Bolivia is due to the census occurring last time I was there. I was scheduled to see the Salt Flats, which have been on my bucket list, but the whole country closed down last time out 🥴. So, I got to tick off my bucket list! 

  • Lastly, I wanted a steak in Brazil, I was sick of the pesticides up here in the USA 😅. 


The Salt Flats in Bolivia were extraordinary
The Salt Flats in Bolivia were extraordinary

What To Expect


I’m going to be frank, this trip has a lot going on in it, and it is also one of the first trips where reviewing came before me enjoying it, sadly. This is what you can expect to see over the next few weeks (it’s funny how this whole trip happened in 6 days, but even writing fast, takes me weeks to publish): 


  • Quick Review: United 737 Max 9 Domestic First LAX-IAD

  • Review: United E175 Domestic First IAD-PHL

  • Review: Hotel in Philadelphia

  • Review: United Club Philadelphia

  • A short hop in Domestic First on an A320 from Philadelphia to Houston

  • Review: United Club E Concourse IAH 

  • Review: United Polaris Lounge IAH (separate but need to post) 

  • Review: United 737-900ER Business Class Houston-Panama

  • Review: Copa 737 Max 9 Business Class Panama City-Santa Cruz

  • Staying at some hostel/hotel/dorm room airport thing near Santa Cruz (hilarious) 

  • Review: BoA 737-800 Economy Santa Cruz-La Paz 

  • Review: BoA 737-800 Economy La Paz-Uyuni

  • Spending a day exploring the salt flats in Uyuni

  • Dinner with new friends in Uyuni (Bolivian wine) 

  • What it’s like to take a sleeper bus from Uyuni to La Paz 

  • A colossal f**k up of a delay. BoA cancelled flights in La Paz, and it was horrific 

  • Review: Airport hotel La Paz, Bolivia 

  • Review: Ecojet RJ85 La Paz-Santa Cruz 

  • Review: Swissotel Santa Cruz 

  • Drinking Starbucks in Santa Cruz: LOL

  • I somehow almost got arrested for not getting stamped into the country… 

  • Review: GOL 737 Max 8 Premium Economy LPB-GRU (excellent)

  • Review: Salas VIP (Star Alliance) Lounge Sao Paulo (quite nice) 

  • Review: United Polaris 767-400ER 

  • United Polaris Lounge IAD (Reviewed already)

  • United E175 IAD-PHL 

  • Taking the Amtrak from PHL-NYC 

  • Exploring the streets of New York for a few hours

  • Jetblue Mint A321Neo JFK-LAX


I am excited to share this controversial review... I was so excited for this flight, and ended up so dissapointed.
I am excited to share this controversial review... I was so excited for this flight, and ended up so dissapointed.

Yeah, it was a lot of flying, and in all honesty, one of the most tiring trips I have taken (apart from the one I am on right now). However, there were some moments that were simply surreal. From meeting some new Chinese friends in the Salt Flats, to having one of the best sleeps I have ever had on an overnight bus, and finishing it up with a diabolical flight onboard the new JetBlue Mint (surprised, honestly). 


Stay tuned


Final Thoughts


I am extremely excited to be sharing my next series, and after the last few have consisted of Asia trips, it’s time to head back down to South America. Bolivia has long been my favorite country in South America, and this trip reaffirmed why. From sleeping with cockroaches to United Polaris, it should tick all of the boxes for those interested in the juxtaposition I attempt to present!


Let’s hope I can start on it tomorrow, as the next few weeks will be quite chaotic heading out through Colombia, France, UAE, Russia, China, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Boston, Canada, and back to Hong Kong. Imma get it done, though, because I have been waiting to share this series 😅…


This was a pretty unique flight, on one of the rarest operational aircraft in the world at the moment
This was a pretty unique flight, on one of the rarest operational aircraft in the world at the moment

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