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Published: August 3rd 2006
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Just over the border to San Pedro de Atacama, phew! Dead tired from the overnight - across the Uyuni Salar/desert (again!) stopped in the dead of night by ninja looking machine-gun carrying TROOPS looking for drug smugglers! Our driver was like its foreign tourists crossing the border to Chile as the military surrounded our vehicle before letting us proceed onward to our lodging. We arrived really late - about 2am - but it was very near the border crossing.
Lodging being a bit generous because I imagine a place with maybe a bit of heat and a few more blankets and a bathroom, at the very least, down the hall as opposed to 50 meters from the building your sleeping in! We left Uyuni with a Jesuit missionary man, a Bolivian, an Argentinian, the driver and us (Laurel and Hardy) sounds like the beginning of a bad joke I know but this was no joke - it was our best (quickest - even counting the extra night stay) option out of Bolivia. By this time in the journey, even with all the beauty of Bolivia, I was ready to leave ...
When we paid for our passage across the
dark desert we were told only one other person would be in the jeep and we'd leave promptly at such and such hour, right? Oh yeah that dinner was included too but take some snacks just in case... Sounding very promising already, huh?
Some three hours after the planned departure time we are final bumping along the road which seems very straight and direct good going as the Sun descends and darkness takes it's place - all are very tired, the stereo´s blaring and the driver and the Boliviano are chatting loudly. Meanwhile I can't hear myself think and am getting a bit hungry, too. After driving for a few hours the driver pulls into a driveway in a town somewhere, who knows where, the place is dark with no light on and no one seems to be expecting us - turns out no one was - they didn't get the call from the office to have dinner ready for our arrival. The driver is like what do you want
I'm just the driver
meanwhile the Jesuit - Paul from Southampton, a priest in training - and especially the Argentinian get a bit upset because they both had clearly expected to have
We left Bolivia from Uyuni
basically a train stop - but even the train only goes through twice a week, at three in the fricking morning! a meal provided only to find they'd, all of us, would be going to bed without a meal. We didn't stop to spend the night either the driver got back in the jeep and kept driving into the still darkness of the night.
Paul had some dried fruit and a bit of food to share and we contributed our snacks which consisted of Twix bars and pringles - the Argentinian was thankful but over all there wasn't much to go around. Towards the end of our drive I noticed the driver and the Boliviano kept passing a bottle between them - I'd like to think it was coca-cola - but since it was in a brown paper bag I gather it might have been a different type of liquid. Perhaps something to get them to sleep well through the freezing night? mmm, just a thought?
Like stated earlier we were stopped by military men, it was a sight and experience I don't wish to repeat cause your like sleeping as comfy as is possible in the vehicle when it suddenly halts you think oh we've arrived at our camp for the night then you realize wait what's going
One of those human-powered rail cars
as used a lot in silent movie comedies on there's no building in sight then you see the lights, no, not headlights, the lights mounted on rifles and head torches that are blinding bright and one guy had a infrared head light so he might of been the one in charge or maybe it was like a Superman laser and could see through the jeep for anything suspicious... they swarm around us looking in ... I'm just happy they didn't make us get out of the car! It was darn freezing cold... they motion the driver to move on he explains they are looking for drugs traffickers.
All that's done we go over the next pass the excitement is dying down when all of suddend we get stopped for a second time! By the time we got to our bunks at about two or three AM we were beat, ready to crash for a few hours. But they was a blanket dispute, the driver said only two blanket per person! Prior to this though someone, I don't recall who (Sean), took all the blankets from the neighboring room so each of us had four blankets, the Boliviano and driver weren't happy about this and neither were the
Angel of Uyuni
scrap iron sculpture other two men! We took out the sleeping bag and did our best to get comfy in a twin bed - with hats and gloves on, to boot!
Morning was still freezing cold, but the Sun was shining and I even saw a big ole bunny rabbit hopping along to wherever...that was nice. We went to the leave and stopped at a park office where they ask to see your ticket for visiting the park - thankfully Sean still had them in the wallet otherwise we'd be stung like the Argentinian and have to pay the entrance fee again just to leave the park! Outrageous, truely don't know if the Argentinian will ever return to Bolivia seriously they should have advised us when we bought the tickets that they were needed for show (again)... really if your just crossing the border you shouldn't need the ticket in my opinion but hey maybe it's a way to generate additional funds....
It was a beautiful site to see but after bouncing around the desert in a Jeep for five days we wanted to rest and walk around a new town, a new country: Chile. Beginning in San Pedro de Atacama...
Adios Bolivia
our last view before getting our exit stamps to leave the Country and head over to Chile We spent a couple of nights here. It's nice, lots of travellers about, hot springs and a very good museo to visit. We forgot to get extra cash out before leaving Uyuni which was a mistake as we where running low on cash and the only ATM in town only accepted mastercard luckily we were able to pay our hotel tab on plastic and just manage to get laundry covered along with the usual expenses of sustanance. The one excursion we did take part in was a tour to the Valle de la Luna an afternoon trek worth while if you enjoy watching the setting Sun or rise of the Moon.
Our guides name was Aaron from Oklahoma whose been living in Chile for the last few years cool cat new lots about the area and history of the place...he also takes people sandboarding (just like the snow type except on sand, right?) the tour envolved some walking, not much, checking out the the salt caves then going up to the dunes to see the setting Sun -- there are three vista points depending on your needs nice easy walk up, another a bit further along or the
hotel no heating!
Super freezing cold! last and best option acroos the top of the dune to the far right peak. We opted for this and started up asap the last bit of the sand was hard going mainly because it gets steep - once on top we picked out a place to sit for the view. While we waited slowly but surely more and more people made their way to the summit the place got pretty crowed. There were these three Mexican guys there and the one called Raul said Sean and I reminded him of his Aunt and Uncle! He asked to take a photo of us... later this hippy dude asked Sean (still full bearded) if he had cigarette rolling tissue! Sean was like I don't smoke, sorry.
The landscape was like nothing I've seen before - but I´ll let the pictures tell the story...
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Erika
non-member comment
Machine guns?
You are insane!!! Much more braver than I. I can't believe the adventures you two are getting into! Thanks for sharing. Miss you - BE SAFE! xo