boliovia and salt lake trip
Bolivia..hmm we had higher expectation I guess, surly did not know much about it in advanced other then from books..
We entered Bolivia at “La quiaca” the train station is a bit uphill from the boarder crossing and actually not easy recognizable. Hidden behind a white picket fence a small door entering the ticketing booth. There are several options for tickets – classes- of travelling, we opt for the executive which in actual fact is not much different from the salon other then perhaps seeing a few movies, having access to a food cart and possible getting blankets for the night. (service is not all the time the same) we for example saw 4 times the same movie till it stopped then it was started again to the same spot where it stopped again and again.
The ride itself is very pictures however it does get cold at nights and very dusty when the windows are open.
We got in to UYUNI at about 4 am and got greeted by people trying to sell tours to the salt plains and hotel rooms.
We had a look around at a few different agency the next day to find a good prize for the 3 day trip to the Lagunas and salt plains.
We where promised to only have 6 costumers and the driver as well the “chef” on the trip in a Toyota Landcruser. (which is normally for 7 people only)
Uyuni is a rather very dusty and cold place littered with unfinished buildings dirt roads some street vendors but really not much other interesting things. There 2 or more night clubs some internet spots and of course laundry facility.
But of course the attraction here is more the salt lake.
3 day trip:
First day as I say we ended up in total 9 people in the Car on our way to the salt lake to spend a night in a “salt Hotel” The drive is bumpy dusty and cold. We stopped first on the border of the Salt lake to visit a village where we could buy some souvenirs’, then off to the salt harvesting areas, to observe the “pyramids” of salt created by people who harvest salt. Then we headed towards the island del pescado. (cactus island) where we had to buy a ticket to visit the island or even use the toilet.( 10BOL$) The island itself is not to big offers a view from the top over the almost endless looking salt lake.
Here we met about 20 operators with there cars and guests who had like us lunch ( so in fact if you don’t like to visit the island then just stay with the car)
Lots of people took the chance to take “funny” pictures, then off to our night spot.
We had dinner , then next day early morning off to cover a longer distance to the laguna Colorado. Again through dusty cold roads we drove over mountains watching the Andes in the background, very cold windy but easy to get sun burned areas.
We stopped for lunch at one laguna with pink pelicans, however I must say it was disappointing to see how much rubbish was laying around at this spot, one must wonder what is actually done with the $$ coming in from all the tourists after all there apparently over 50 agency’s doing this trip??? Could they not clean up the place where they bring tourists??
But it did not stop there, we stopped quickly on the entry to the nat.
Anyhow 2nd night we spend at laguna Colorado which due to the cloud cover did not reveal its colures to us. Not only this but as soon we arrived it started to snow.. what great time to build a snow man!!
The place is a house with some rooms 6 beads each where we had to spend all together the night.
During the next few hours several groups did arrive here and we ended up with about 8 cars (60 people) 2 toilets whit no flushing other then to poor a bucket of water in it…I guess you get the picture how this looked after the night??? Not pleasant no hot water no heating no electricity other then solar or shower of course.
We were supposed to start our final day at 4 am but due to the snow cover our driver and everyone else opt for a later start since no one would be able to see where the road was. The interesting thing here too was NO communications to the rest of the world from here!! No radio, no phone – and we are in the 21st century!!
Anyhow, on our way to the hot springs and to leave 3 of our passenger on the border to Chile. Which where worried if a Bus would come to pick them up form the border crossing. When we got there, there was no word if a bus would come or not – no one was able to communicate with any one around or to find out if a bus would pick our guests up.
Needless to say the 3 where not to happy to be left alone in the middle of no ware! Finally a car came from Chile and let us and other passenger know that a bus would come after 11 am. We headed back to Uyuni, on the way we met a guy from Belgium who was biking but again the snow set in and we gave him a ride to the next town – man was he happy about this.
Getting in to Uyini you actually see how much rubbish is lined the outside of this town, it really looks like tons of plastic and filth all over blowing all over. Again dust is dragged in the cold air which makes breathing harder and harder – not enough that one has to deal with the height of the place.
We got back to our hostel to get a hot shower and a good night rest.
The first night we had the hostel to our self, this time we arrived to a bunch of “kids” from Jerusalem, beats me why if a group f them is together they have to pray loudly??? After all we are not in a church! Anyhow I must say I disrupted shortly the pray when I was about to hop in to the shower, - the floor was wet and the light switch in doors.. suddenly a eclectic shock hit me through the hand – my first reaction some of my Spanish swearing…..I told the owner about this, but he hardly took notice of it at all.
My arm kept hurting all night with headache and feeling of nausea, I opt to have it checked out by a doctor next day. I must say CHEAP doctor visit in the hospital only 5 Boliv $ and some medications ..
Later on we hoped on a train and Bus to continue to La Paz.
