May 8 - 10 -The Salt Flats of Bolivia from San Pedro to Uyuni

We met our crew early in the morning outside the agency all ready to start the 3 day tour through the desert and salt flats of Bolivia to arrive at Uyuni. We jumped into a mini van and after a short stop for some breakfast next to the Bolivian Boarder the large group of 15 split into 3 groups, we found our designated driver and a 4WD to go. We were travelling with another couple from Brisbane and a Swedish guy, we had a great car. Edgar was our drivers name and after being told that all guides speak only minimal English we were happily surprised when he started giving us a geography and history lesson about the surrounding areas in English. The bags were thrown on top of 4WD and wrapped, the tourists loaded, and the Bolivian pan flute music was cranking from Edgars ipod... we were away.

The first day we saw the white, green and red lagoons, introduced ourselves to the 3 different species of Flamingo's as well as the llamas with colourful pig-tails and other animals that we frequently mistook for llamas but found out was a protected animal of Bolivia (hence the rifles were subsequently packed up).

One of the highlights of the day was visiting the hot springs. We all arrived with down and fleece jumpers on but was told that the springs were about 35 degrees. They didn't disappoint. We soaked our bodies for 30 minutes, dreading the cold run to the change rooms. We were clean and ready to head back into the desert.

The sun was fierce but the wind was still very cool. It wasn't long before the sunscreen was just not enough and the stylish wide brim hats were brought out for extra protection.

We finished up at a hostel in the middle of the desert, having had no avocado yet with our lunch or any of the other particulars we were promised.We were at 4500 metres and so sleeping was a little hard, we all felt it. It was freezing and I slept in every piece of clothing I owned including my gloves! The hot bodied boys in the group were fine though.After only a few hours sleep and some dulce de leche (South American caramel milk spread) on bread for breakfast we hopped back into the 4WD and headed further into the desert.

The second day we saw the stone tree, a rock carved over time into the shape of a tree by the desert winds and sand. We drove through snow, rock, sand and many different landscapes. We passed the valley of 7 colours, an area of the desert which inspired much of Salvador Dali's paintings and then a few more lagoons. We stopped for lunch at one of the lagoons, met a few more cool flamingo's, got burnt by the crazy strong sun and wind and then drove on to see an active volcano (refer Top Gear Bolivian Special).

Tonight was the night we stayed in the Salt Hotel. Everything was made from salt. The bricks, the beds, the tables, the seats but luckily not the showers which were hot. We all washed the desert and sunblock off our faces and sat down for dinner. The hotel was cold but interesting. Again, another night wearing all clothes available but this time we had a super early start the next morning. We were leaving at 4:30am to catch the sunrise over the Salt Flats for our last day.

We woke early after a little more sleep at a lower altitude and packed the car up. IT WAS FREEZING! The sky was filled with stars and was unbelievably clear.Edgar drove into what we felt was nothingness yet he knew exactly where he was going. A few dark turn offs here and there and before we knew it we were driving on salt!!! No more bumpy desert rocks for us. The sun slowly shared some colour across the horizon and we all stared out the windows and watched the nights sky retreat into amazing colours of red, orange, yellow, blue, purple and then black.This is where the day of many many photo's began.We were driving into the largest salt flat in the world. 12,000 square kilometres of salt which was 6-7 metres deep in parts. The salt was unbelievably hard and the shapes that it made after the rains were amazing. The expanse of white was blinding but awesome. The whole place was like nothing we had seen before.

Once the sunrise was complete and we had taken some photo's, it was onto Fish Island. An island like oasis in the middle of the salt flats where the cacti are some of the oldest in the world, only growing 1cm a year. The oldest was 12,300 years old ... you do the maths. This island was very cool and we climbed all over it for the next 40 minutes as the sun rose and the burn started again.

Back into the car and now into the middle of the salt flats for some more photo's. The expanse of white was just mesmerising. It was an amazing place and we all loved every second of it. Jumping photo's, funny photo's, playing with shadows, serious landscape photo's. We could have stayed there all day and had a blast in this foreign environment.

We visited another old salt hotel which is now a museum as well as the areas of the salt flat that are used for commercial salt farming. The salt was collected by men with shovels, no machinery here just pure hard labour and it was, in the beating sun all day with freezing temperatures in the morning, it was something you had to admire.

We finally drove off the salt flats and headed to Uyuni. The little town in Bolvia that is really just the gate-way to the salt flats and thats about it. Oh, there is also a cemetery full of old trains. The other thing Uyuni is famous for is rubbish. When the winds blow across the desert they keep blowing and moving the small pieces of rubbish until they reach their first obstacle ... Uyuni We arrived there around 11am and now had 9hrs to kill before our overnight bus to La Paz at 8pm.

We walked around the town, used the internet, walked some more and it was only 12. We were hungry so thought we would try our first Bolivian street food. We wondered over to the busy street cart where many locals were lining up and sitting around eating what looked to be delicious food. A rotund lady was inside the cart, working furiously to keep up with the demands. With our very broken Spanish and enthusiastic hand gestures we were able to gather enough info to have a go. For all of AUS$3 we had the most amazing parcels of goodness EVER! One was called the rellenas de papas which consisted of mashed potato rolled into a ball with boiled egg, veggies and alittle meat and spices stuffed inside and then deep fried. The other was similar to an empanada, a pastry triangle with veggies, meat, boiled egg and spices. They came with all the condiments, a spicy sauce, cucumber, tomato and onion. We sat and devoured one each and then went back for another as well as Brendan trying his luck with a steak sandwich. After spending the $3 for all of that, ourbellies were content and we were in love with Bolivia. We had no problems with the food repeating itself either.

A long 8hrs later we hopped on the bus to La Paz. But not before we had a meal ... and when in Bolivia what do you eat, well Brendan anyway .... Llama Steak. Pretty good by all reports.

Tired but excited about our next destination we reclined the seats and tried our luck at getting a few hours sleep, on the 10 hr bus ride, the first 160 km of which were on dirt and rock.

Bring on La Paz.