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Published: December 2nd 2007
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So we arrived at around 4am today and after we finally made it to our accomodation, we managed to get a couple of hours sleep. Next we need to find someone doing a day tour to the Salt Lake and transport out of Uyuni to Villazon (Bolivian/ Argentian border). We manage to organise a day tour to Salt Lake leaving in 15mins. There is another transport strike we are told and we the bus or train leaving today are not leaving - our options are to hire a private jeep to Villazon (not a real possibility - too expensive) or wait for two days and we might get transport then. Cheap transport in and out of Uyuni is almost impossible to find as the buses and rail only operate on certain days! We decide not to take any action yet. Instead we get into our jeep and head for the Salt Lake.
First stop was a train graveyard. Not interested at all in rusty old trains. Next we stop at some place where salt processing takes place. Collected salt seems to be processed into bricks. We had a walk around for a while. Our driver then informed us that lunch
was ready, we all sat down in one of the small buildings nearby - on salt chairs and table - this was so neat and we were couldnt help but joke around about if anyon needed slat in their food they could simly scrape the chairs =)) Lunch was suprisingly good. After lunch we set off to the Salt Lake - now we could see salt for miles and mile, it was so amazing. Next we stopped at some place where salt was being collected into heaps for processing. When the sun was shining brightly down on us, it was quite blinding with all this whiteness.
Salar de Uyuni (or Salar de Tunupa) is the world's largest salt flat at 10,582 km² (4,085 square miles). It is located near the crest of the Andes, 3,650 meters high. Some 40,000 years ago, the area was part of Lake Minchin, a giant prehistoric lake. When the lake dried, it left behind two modern lakes, Poopó Lake and Uru Uru Lake, and two major salt deserts, Salar de Coipasa and the larger Uyuni. Salar de Uyuni is estimated to contain 10 billion tons of salt, of which less than 25,000 tons is
extracted annually.
Back into the jeep, next stop was the Fish Island - we were here for about two hours, just lying around on the slat and taking crazy yet cool pics of ourselves and our surroundings. The cacti here were huge, I think the average height was about 25m high!!!!!! We were going crazy like kids in the snow - it was so much fun and we were so glad we came to the Salar de Uyuni. Watched people taking perspective shots and go crazy like us.
Back on the bus, our next stop and final stop was the salt hotel, made entirely of salt - inside and outside. So cool and I hear so cold and uncomfortable, really designed for the intrepid traveller.
The drive back was so peaceful, everyone was lost in their thoughts and enjoying watching the sun beginning to set on the salt lake. What a wonderful, long, tiring day its been.
We arrive back in Uyuni and head straight for the tour operator to see if there is any news on the transport. She makes a few calls for us and discovers that the train is going to Villazon tonoght
and there are a few seats left. We giove her the required money and she sends someone running to get two tickets for tonight at 10pm. We breathe a sigh of relief as we get the tickets and we are happy to be on track with our plans. Have a few hours to kill, drop into a nearby restaurant for dinner. The meal finally appears after 30mins! Back to the hostel, where we pack up and dress up with all the extra layers - trying to outsmart the freezing night temperatures. Catch a cab to the train station and of we go. The train was so nice and spacious with plenty of leg room and no extra passengers. As we were travelling overnight, we managed to get a good snooze on the train after having some wine.
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