Tupiza, Bolivia

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I decided not to stick around Tarija any longer and took a bus out of there yesterday morning. I took the same bus as teh French couple and we are still together in Tupiza. The bus ride was about 8 hours long over a dusty, narrow road carved into the Andes Mountains. It was a beautiful ride and definitely worth taking during the day, despite that fact that for most of teh ride there was nopthing seperating the bus from the bottom of some valley, and the only signs of any recent human activity in the were the numerous crosses erecteed along the side in memoriam of whatever unlucky vehicle happened to go over the side. For a while it was quite scary. Other a few small hamlets along the way there is nothing between Tarija and Tupiza but dry dusty mountains, valleys and canyons.The ride was not terribly uncomfortable, but a little bumpy and other than a 20 minute delay to fix a flat tire, we arrived more or less on time.

So I am now in Tupiza, supposedly were Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid made their last stand in 1908, and there are numerous companies offering tours on horseback along the same route taken by the outlaws. this is something I might do and the French are interested as well. Today I have to check out the tour companies anyway to find the best way to get to, and explore, the Salt Flats in Uyuni. Many of tours to Uyuni begin here, so in contrast to the city of Tarija, this place is full of back packers. I ate a llama steak last night, which was ok; a little tough and dry, but not bad.

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