World's Largest Salt Flat - Salar de Uyuni

Well after three days, minus 15 degree winds and one bitterly strong case of altitude sickness, I'm mostly alive and have managed to make my way into Bolivia! Three days of driving in a rugged Landcruiser with simple accommodations and a lack of internet has left me with one of my new highlights of the trip. 

Three full days driving through Bolivian wilderness on the way to Uyuni was simply breathtaking. White lagoons, green lagoons, red lagoons, all sorts of lagoons. Andean flamingoes, condor flamingoes, chilean flamingoes, only three sorts of flamingoes. Small potholes, bathtub sized potholes, hidden potholes, many potholes. And salt. Miles and miles of beautiful salt. 

To say that we drove on a road would simply imply that the Bolivians had built a road to begin with. It was in fact more of a path that EVERY single jeep/landcruiser followed and took slight deviations from trying to find the least bumpy way. As I said, accommodations were simple. The first night was at about 4300m above sea level with -15 winds howling outside, zero heating and 20lbs of blankets ontop a thin bed with a concrete base. The secound night was slightly better inside of a "salt hotel." Seriously only slightly though. 

My lack of sleep through Chile decided to catch up with me all of the sudden and deliver a one-two punch on the first night. Or maybe three.. Or four? Waking up multiple times throughout the night to sweats, chills and a horrible headache I couldn't wait till morning. Yet morning came along with a raging headache, barely enough energy to run to the bathroom and a stomach that could only accept hot tea. Did I mention I could barely keep warm? I definitetly wore more than half of my clothes that day. 

Despite a hiccup throughout the secound day I was able to rally pretty hard and get all the snaps I still wanted. Waking up before sunrise the final day we departed in the complete darkness and raced off to make it to Salar de Uyuni for sunrise. Salar de Uyuni is just as epic as all the hype surrounding it makes it out to be. 

Never ending. Totally white. Completely flat. Until you reach the far side. Besides the rubber tire trails. Except for Isla de Pescado. Almost an oasis in the middle of the Salar, a great mass erupts from the Earth studded with giant cactus and an easy 15 minute hike to the top of the mound. Furthur past the Isla we stopped to take photos. The Salar is perfect for funny shots as the depth of field is completely destroyed here. 

One last adventurous stroll through the Train Cemetery on the far side of Uyuni and I was on the most eventful bus I've ever been heading deeper into Bolivia and continuing my journey north. 

Currently In Sucre, planning on bunkering down for a week or so to learn some more spanish! Ciao. 

Channy

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September 28 - Celtic Cross Hostel, Sucre, Bolivia