Salar de Uyuni

---

Day 41
Set off for the 3 day salt flat trip on a 1 hour bus journey to the border of Chile and Bolivia. At this point we moved into our jeeps that we would share wqith 4 others for the rest of the trip. There were some freaks knockin about so we quickly grabbed the British (Richard and Nuala) and Aussie couple (Andrew and Laura) and hoped for the best.
The day started with swanning about some pretty lakes, first laguna blanca and then Laguna verde. All very pretty but very Chile as we were flying up in altitude so it was a hats and gloves job. The rest of the day involved a dip in some hot springs, having a whiff of some smelly geysers that were smoking away and loits of barren landscape that was all rather lovely. We finished at Lake Colorado which is red because of all the minerals in it and was close to our 'hotel' for the night. We managed to bag a good driver as well which was nice as wed heard some bad stories, but Vularia turned out to be a hero. Richard got altitude sickness on the first night, no surprise as we had gone from 2400m to 4300m in one day. We munched on some Panchos and smash and then got into bed under about 50 blankets as it was about -15 at night and there was no heating or electricity. And the beds were made of concrete. Stink. A dutch girl in the other jeep thought it was the best hotel she'd ever stayed in. Moron. Far too enthusiastic for our liking. glad we didn't end up in her jeep.

Day 42
Richard had recovered nicely by the morning after recieving a number of local treatments the previous night. The usual are things like chewing coca leaves, but when he didnt improve Vuleria went in the room with a burning frying pan, some funny leaves and told no-one to come in the room. Very entertaining.
So we set of into the desert again. Saw some more pretty lakes, a rock tree which Claire thought was a real tree that had turned into rock but was actually just a funny shaped rock.
We stayed the night in a salt hotel, apparently totally made of salt but you could have showers. Don't know how that works. After dinner some of the local kids did a traditional dance with one kid playing the drum and pan pipes. I completely lost it. The poor lad couldnt play the 2 things at once and the 2 girls and other boy only had one move for the whole performance. Also, after each song they conferred as though they needed to know what song was coming so they did the right steps. Then they repeated the same one as before. I was crying and shaking and luckily was sat on the front row so the poor kids saw it all. Needless to say they got a big fat tip.

Day 43
Got up ridiculously early to see the sun rise over the salt flats. Was mighty imressive, 12000km2, a job for the pictures to explain. Spent most of the morning taking funny photos on the flats and on a little coral island in the middle of it covered in massive cacti. Saw some other bits and bobs on the way to Uyuni and finished at a 'train cemetery' which aparently is an attraction. Not as good a York Railway museum. We had lunch at Vuleria's mums in Uyuni and gave him a big fat tip with our goodbyes. Spent the rest of the day washing (smelly after 3 days!) and then had an amazing llama pizza in our hotel with the jeep crew. After a couple of beers grabbed an early night in our comfy bed ready to leave for Potosi in the morning.

---