The World´s Bumpiest Road

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Not only can Bolivia lay claim to the World´s Most Dangerous Road but they also def have the world´s bumpiest road!!! Despite being warned by the Kiwi lads about the perils of the bus journey to Uyuni, we decided to get the bus....a few bumps sure we can survive that. As it turned out we could have survived the bumps, it was the bus being two and half hours late (due to flooding - should have given us our first clue), the three flat tyres and the three rivers that we had to cross....sans bridges!
When we reached the first one, the driver got out....waded in, looked around, observed the area for a while and then decided to drive through anyway. There was a big cheer as we arrived bumping and shaking on the other side. Thinking we could now relax until our arrival in Uyuni was a big mistake...around forty minutes later, we pull up behind another bus. Hopping off, hoping for a banos we were confronted with the site of rocks and wilderness (def no toilet) and the sight of one bus in front of us and one bus stranded in the middle of a river. Eventually the first bus pulled onto the other side, at which point bus number two starts moving towards the river....only to, surprise surprise, get stuck in the middle. So our bus sits on the rivers edge, having a smoke or exploring the rocks and thanking God we had two buses in front to show us not to try that river.....when suddenly the hold is opened - all luggage taken out and we are told to move all bags upstairs because they might get wet when we go through the river!!
So stuck bus plainly in view, we set off into the river....as it turned out we were only going half way (arrived safely), in order that our bus driver could hop out and help push or pull or whatever the other bus. After about three hours, both buses managed to make it to shore to continue our journey to Uyuni.
Not that it was smooth sailing (forgive the pun considering all the water content of the journey!), not too long later we arrive a little stone village, very old old Ireland, a few houses missing roofs etc. This particular village is situated on the banks of a river, not a stream, a river. Obviously having experienced this situation before, but not thought of building a bridge, there was a shop set up to sell crackers and vile looking pate to the poor travellers. We were expecting another three hours of contemplation, maybe a make shift bridge......but no, suddenly out bus reverses off....we all run to climb on and we literally just drive into the river. Again, we make it half way through, and we sit there - every single passenger at the front of the bus trying to get a look....every time we manage to move forward there are big cheers......and eventually our bus makes it across.....leaving the other bus (which left La Paz an hour and half before us) in our wake. Mind you they did pass us out sometime during the other five hours left in our journey.
Arriving into Uyuni, 17 hours later, was not even a cause for celebration....considering it is one of the most famous natural attractions of the world, the town is still set two centuries ago and not at all modern (anyone who has visited will realise what an understatement that is!).

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