Bolivia

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After La Paz we had a nightmare overnight bus ride to the town of Uyuni. The journey started off ok with Blood Diamond on DVD and a chicken supper, but then the road disappeared and we spent another 7 hours being tossed in all directions on a rocky track. Arriving in Uyuni was little consolation, a strange frontier like town with very basic facilities and water only on for a few hours each day. Once we got used to the place it was actually quite nice to relax and have nothing to do but drink beer and do a few very slow emails but the real purpose for our coming here was to visit the salt flats, a vast surreal landscape which was once a sea. The salt flats didn´t disappoint and we spent the day zooming around in a four wheel drive truck and had a llama barbeque on Fish Island, an old coral reef with giant cactus.

From Uyuni we took another bumpy ride through the harsh but dramatic Bolivian scenery to the pretty colonial town of Potosi - the ´highest city of its size in the world´ (whatever that means) at over 4,000m. Potosi got its wealth from the silver mines which still employ about 15,000 miners but today mainly produce zinc. We took a trip into one of the mines, not advisable for anyone suffering from claustrophobia, and witnessed first hand the appalling conditions in which the miners work. We were advised to take presents of coca leaves, cigarettes, 96% alcohol, and dynamite for the miners, which didn´t feel very comfortable, especially as the ones we met were just teenagers. It perhaps explains why their life expectancy is just 45 years old.

Our next destination was the truly beautiful white city of Sucre, Bolivia´s other capital, and a wonderful place to wander, relax, and soak up the sights for a couple of days.

After the beauty and tranquility of Sucre, Santa Cruz has come as quite a shock with its loud, brash (more Brazillian?) energy. We are supposed to be in Santa Cruz for just one night but there are protests at the Brazillian border and we can´t get the overnight train we had planned. This means we have to stay another night and get a flight in the morning. Brazil here we come tomorrow - hopefully.

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Photos

Uyuni train cemetery
"Stand by Me!"

Potosi
A day down pit

Potosi mine
Neil´s first day´s work in ages

Potosi mine - God of the mines
Jason stumbles on a party!

Sucre
The white city

Sucre Heights
Mini Inca Trail to the top, but well worth it

Sucre
Sangria sunset at the Mirador Cafe

Comments

[Hannah]

Mine God
What the hell is that God in the background? It looks like someone has half buried a kangaroo in the mine?? I know you've been eating some strange meats but really....missing you! Han x

[Graham]

"What can I say"
Well chaps... that’s an absolutely fantastic amount of effort you've put in to making south sea beach look like your somewhere nice... good job, never fooled me for a second... lol. Seriously, it definitely looks like you’re both having a fab time. I just wish we had one of those market stalls around here. Hope you are both well (picked up any unfortunate, unwanted stomach bugs yet... lol). Hi to the rest of the family, apologies for not to send for birthday cards etc. You’re not forgotten, honest. Well Jason, Neil... hope you continue to have a great time on your trek across the universe. All our love Graham & Sharon xxx