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Published: November 3rd 2008
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So we left La Paz, not on a jet plane, but on a very very cold non-touristic bus. (Minus 10 degree cold outside + no heating + uncomfy seat for 14 hour journey = very tired Dimmings with numb feet).
We arrived in Uyuni in the early in the morning. Uyuni itself isn't the most thrilling town, by far the best thing about it was Minuteman pizza which was the best place to eat in Bolivia.
Our reason for being in this exciting place was in order to book a tour to the Salar de Uyuni (spectacular salt flats). Now, we have heard and been told by others that most tour agencies around here leave a lot to be desired, but luckily for us we had a blinding reccomendation from a couple we met a few days back. Unfortunately for us the tour company with the rave reviews was closed on Sundays and we had no choice but to brave it and pick an agency for ourselves....
So Monday morning and time to head off on the 3 day tour, bags packed with essentials of pringles and gallons of water. The tour should have been for 6 people
in the jeep and we met the other 2 couples (one Dutch couple and one American couple) who all seemed like good fun. However, just before setting off we noticed a 7th backpack being loaded - hmmm surely not. They wouldnt try and cram in another person would they. Oh yes they would. Hmmmmmm.... so the uncomfy looking jeep is now an uncomfy overcrowded jeep. Bugger.
Well, at least it was time to set off. Set to the theme of the drivers odd taste in music we headed off to the nearby graveyard of rusty trains. Yes, it was just as exciting as it sounds.
Next we were back in town, not really sure why or what we were doing back so we asked the driver. No response. Ask the driver in Spanish. Still no response. Turns out this was going to be a bit of theme for the 3 days. Not only had we landed an overcrowded uncomfy jeep, we also had a driver who was going to ignore and refuse to talk to us. This may not have been a problem if he was just the driver, but sadly he was also our guide for the
3 days. Doh.
Finally we left Uyuni, about 2.5 hours later than anticipated, but at least we had left and would soon be in the spectacular salares. Well, maybe not so soon as we noticed every other jeep out there was overtaking us. By a lot. And We mean EVERYONE was overtaking. Magnus even swears he saw an old man on a donkey overtake us at some point. Anyway, we plodded along at the sloooowest speed in the uncomfy overcrowded jeep and seemed to arrive at the salars ages after everyone else and have to leave before everyone else. Hmmmmmmph.
Gladly the sight of the Salares more than made up for the tour, it was absolutely gorgeous. So bright and white and just huge. The expanse of whiteness goes on for as far as the eye can see and looks just like snow but is actually the salt which remained after a huge lake evaporated. We had some fun taking some pics and generally messing about before heading over to cactus island for a walk and a spot of lunch. The afternoon was spent much in the same way, our group bonding over taking pics out in the
salars before a long (needless to say slow) drive to the salt hotel (yes made of salt) where we spent the first night.
Also noted that the other group who where staying in the salt hotel arrived 2 hours after us as they had been out doing/seeing lots more than we had. Curious as to what we might be missing we asked our silent guide "Will we be going to the devil's cave?". No answer. Ask again "Will we be going to the devil's cave". Repeat process until we got an answer of "Not today". So we asked "Ok, so will we go there tomorrow then?". Our guide simply replies "No". End of conversation.
Day 2-3 of the tour can be summarised as followed: 85% driving sloooowly, 10% Flamingoes 5% dodgy food and accomodation.
Entertainment was supplied by our Dutch companion who was getting louder and more irate as time went on and then announced "Sweden, come make fire with me" which is not a sentence Magnus often hears. The boys set off to build a fire in the terrible accomodation we had on the second night. Again we had minus degrees cold at night, no heating
and this time the added bonus of an actual concrete block for a bed - yippeee. I woke up multiple times during the night hoping it was 4am and time to get up!
On the last day 5 of us were heading onto Chile while one couple was heading back to Uyuni. Suddenly, without out warning the driver stopped in the middle of the desert, turned around and shouted "GET OUT" to the Dutch couple heading back to Uyuni. This was all the warning we had that the trip was coming to the end, no time for teary goodbyes as they climbed out in the middle of nowhere to get into a passing truck. As the rest of us climbed back in the jeep he shouted "HURRY HURRY" and then proceeded to drive at a walking pace once we were in.
Now just minutes from the border to Chile someone realised that no food should be taken across the boarder - bugger. We all had loads of snacks and supplies (required to survive against the dodgy tour food). The next 5 minutes consisted of everyone sharing and eating everything possible in sight. It was one of Magnus's most
devistating moments as hoards of sweets, cookies, pringles etc were being scoffed but his fragile belly meant he had to refrain from the scoffing... However, once over the border we realised most food was ok, and all our last minute eating had been in vain. Yum.
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elsa
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good thing is...
The trip was sub-optimal but the guide left you plenty of time to actually take plenty of great pictures! I feel like saying get ready for this type of adventures in China, cuz it sounds like what I am experiencing a lot "but you did mention we would go there and there and that it would last this??!"... silence and smile (yeah we get smiles over here) "what do you mean you no longer speak english???!!!!!". So yeah, get your Madarin ready!!! :)