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Published: February 4th 2006
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Our departure from Sucre was delayed due to a local bus driver's strike. They were protesting against the mayor's refusal to close a bridge which was in danger of collapsing. The next day we boarded our bus safe in the knowledge that our bus was to take a different route. We insisted on our packs being stored in the hold as heavy rain was inevitable during our 10 hour (ish) journey. This proved not to be the most sensible idea, as heavy rain had caused flood rivers to wash away the roads and much of our route was covered in water. However, this did not perturb our driver who confidently plowed straight through causing the water to enter the hold and consequently our backpacks. What joy! We decided not to get too stressed about this, it was only water and things would dry out. Instead we sat back and once again enjoyed the awe-inspiring scenery. Our route meandered through the desert with gigantic mountains in the distance and weird rock formations towering precariously above our heads.
We arrived late at night and once again our timing was impeccable! 5 minutes later the sky moaned and groaned and the heavens opened.
Mirador
!Que hermosa! (how beautiful!?) We have never seen a thunderstrom like it. Deep purple skies creating a great backing for tens of lightening bolts which cracked across the sky. We spent the next hour scrambling around the town trying to find a hostel in the pouring rain. We eventually found somewhere and when the rain stopped we consolled ourselves with a pizza and frozen chocolate bananas from Minute Man. The best pizza we have tasted in a long time, highly recommend it for those going to Uyuni.
Our tour started around 11am the next day. We met our fellow passengers (Luciana, Cornelia, Yohan and Johan ), Octavio, our driver and our jeep - the 'Beast'. The latter two looking very old and shabby and in need of some TLC. The 'Beast' was to be our transport for the ensuing 3 days. We set off only to stop minutes later for Octavio to 'see to the car'. He leaped out and ran around franctically cutting up chunks of plant material. He returned to the jeep, lifted the bonnet and began stuffing and filling the gaps around the engine while we all stood around looking very perplexed. The plant stuff apparently prevents the salt from
Salar De Uyuni
The 'Beast' stuffed and ready to roll the Salar from entering and buggering up the engine. It was a very comical sight (see photo) and Octavio assured us it was not dangerous.... so we were off again with a jeep full of bits of tree and bush.
It wasn't long before we hit the Salar, the highest and largest salt lake in the world (yet another South American 'highest' statistic!) People say its best crossed in June or July when it is dry but we think the fact that it was completely covered in water added to the surreal nature of it. We drove onto the Salar to find them about 15cm deep in water. They are vast and therefore it took forever to drive across. The water created great reflections and against the bright blue sky it made for a beautiful sight, the mountains in the distance looked as though they were blobs floating in mid air, and you couldn't see where the sky ended and earth started.
The 'Beast' and/or Octavio diddn't like to go fast and we crossed the Salar at a painstaking speed of 20kph. The longer we drove the deeper the water got, at one stage the water was so
deep it felt like we were in a boat, the water was higher than the door seels! Hours later, we arrived on terra firma and the 'Beast' was completely covered in salt which had solidified. After helping Octavio clean the 'Beast' we checked into our hotel for the night, the Hotel de Sal, which is made from salt. What a novel idea? We had to lick the walls to believe it and yep...it was definitely a salt hotel. After exploring this bizarre phenomenon, we went for a walk to explore and marvel at the hundreds of weird and wonderful cacti and watch the sunset.
Back at the hotel we enjoyed a candlelit dinner with everyone. On the menu was Llama steak and potatoes. Having seen and ooed and arrred at the many llamas on our travels, Dunx ate his steak with unease as tucked into my vegetarian feast of eggs and potatoes!!!
Day two was all about driving. We drove and drove and drove...for about 13 hours in total. The only evidence of human life we saw after a couple of small villages near the start, was two very bored looking soldiers at a random and very remote
military outpost. Although the drive through the unmarked and rugged tracks was extremly dusty and hot, the scenery was breathtaking and definitely made up for the discomfort. We were driving at around 4500m across a desert surrounded by gigantic white peaks, everytime we managed to round a mountain side, even more large white and impressive peaks would come into view. We stopped at a mirador (lookout) to have lunch and sat in complete awe at the dramatic landscape (see photo) This was a special place and we could've stayed there for much longer but after an egg fritter accompanied by a tomato and onion salad it was time to groove on.
After a few more hours we came across the "Salvador Dali" rocks which sit proudly in the middle of the windswept desert. Over time the wind and sand has erroded them into all sorts of odd shapes. Next were the lakes and as you would expect they were surrounded by more mountains. Next, we were off to the Laguna Colorada whose shores and shallows are crusted with gypsium and salt (very white), which lie in stark contrast to the deep blue moving into red algae-coloured waters in which
Salar de Uyuni
Is it broken? little Octavio climbs in to see! hundreds of bright pink flamingoes live and breed. It is a beautiful, beautiful place and we stayed long enough to enjoy it before the cold chill became unbearable. Once again we were at high altitude and it was very cold. Probably not as cold as back home though at this time so I won't drone on about it too much...he he
We arrived at a remote hostel (of sorts) and Octavio said he would go and check if they had space! We all could not believe that he would've driven us for 14 hours to a place in the middle of nowhere, high up in the alto plano without reserving us beds for the night! The first place we tried was full....we started to look at each other in despair. Luckily, after much deliberation, we managed to find some beds but we all had to sleep in one room. No running water, no electricity and bloody freezing....but we huddled around our table and had dinner, all wrapped up in several layers with mulled wine to warm the cockles. I went to bed that night with thermal leggings, warm trousers, gloves, thick socks, an alpaca beanie, and two jumpers on....all
Salar de Uyuni
Dunx and JGirl getting salty this and in a sleeping bag, and cuddled up to Dunx. Who said I like to err on the side of caution?!
Octavio woke us at 4am, we fumbled around in the dark, got our stuff together and then boarded the 'Beast' to take us to our next visit, Laguna Verde via some thermal baths and geysers. We arrived at the geysers (4870m) all bleary eyed, we'd heard that last year someone fell through the earth's crust and so we stood and admired from afar, Mr & Mrs Sensible what, what?
The sun had started to make an appearance, just in time for our stop at the thermal baths. Despite the bright blue sky it was still bloody freezing. We plunged in and enjoyed the warmth of the springs. Getting out was not fun though, in temperatures of 5 degrees... but when in Rome and all that.
So our trip was coming to an end, we'd arranged to be dropped off to catch the bus to San Pedro de Atacama in Chile. This meant we could get to Salta, N.W Argentina more quickly and cheaply from entering Argentina across the border than from Bolivia. Octavio, got the
Salar de Uyuni
Rather large salt lumps! times wrong and we missed our scheduled bus so had to wait around for the next one to turn up. We were tired, cold and hungry but had had an excellent time on the trip and were sad to say 'adios'.
On the bus and off to Chile we ambled. Things were to become alot hotter, more civilised.... and more expensive.... Plus our travelling luck was about to run out.....
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Richard Phillips
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Hello
Wow guys looks amazing!! Been reading with interest