The trip to the Salar de Uyuni was absolutely amazing. This is one of the most remote places I have ever ventured to and nothing gave us more of a clue of that fact than entering Bolivia. In San Pedro we boarded a bus headed for the Bolivian border and were traveling on a very nice highway when all of sudden the bus turned onto a dirt road full of stones and potholes in the shadow of a snowy volcano. We meandered through the desert for a bit until we came to a blue cement block shack surrounded by Toyota Land Cruisers, rocks, and frozen snow. They were flying a Bolivian flag proudly from a bit of bent plumbing pipe, so we felt this was the place and formed a line. One hundred dollars and a confiscated passport later I emerged from Bolivian customs able to freely move about the country. The three of us were actually running around Bolivia illegally until our last day there when we received our official visas. At least it is good for five years. Anyone want to go?
Matthew and I were placed in Land Cruiser with four Brazilian girls, who happened to be three doctors and one biologist. I really can't imagine a better situation entering a foreign country. And then, we bounded off into the Bolivian desert. What an amazing landscape: windswept mountains and sand dunes looking as if they were painted by Mark Rothko, snow capped volcanoes, intensely aqua colored lakes, geysers, gravity defying rock formations, giant salt glaciers, all spotted with giant green brain looking plants related to carrots. Everywhere we drove we spotted vicunya and black winged flamingos. The really extraordinary thing is there are no real roads and we were passing, amazingly enough, semi trucks as we were riding over sand dunes. The guidebooks weren't kidding when they said Bolivia has the worst roads in the world. When we looked at the map we discovered we were actually riding on a highway. Our first night we spent in a low concrete dorm overlooking a beautiful salt glacier and flamingo filled lake. They served us French fry soup, about as imaginative as my colleges tater tot casserole they tried to pass off on us at the end of every quarter, but actually much more satisfying. Despite the frigidness of the high altitude desert at night, we all took samba lessons from the numerous Brazilians on our trip under the stars. The stars as usual at such an altitude were amazing, much more so than I was at dancing. That night was one really cold night. I was really happy to have some Anis tea the next morning.
We made our way to Uyuni via geysers, unbelievable rock formations, a beautiful church dedicated to Saint Christopher, and the playing of many games such as I Spy, name that tune, Hearts, and a very fun Brazilian question game. What kind of game is that? What do you want to know? Why don't you just get on with it? Ok. Good grief! I always lose. And before we knew it we were rolling into Uyuni. It is a colonial desert town with a nice historic district with tiled streets, a very big market on the main street in the afternoons, and a food market smelling of the strongest cheese you have ever smelled. Bolivian women roam around and sale their wares in colorful skirts white blouses and black top hats. The men ride around on bikes in more neutral colored clothes often with vests and wedged hats. That night we all ate at the hotel and half the table became really really sick and the rest of us were fine. Matthew was on the bad side and was not in really good shape as we were visiting the Salar de Uyuni the next day.
The Salar was extraordinary, it is the largest salt flat in the world and is one vast plane of white spreading as far as the eye can see. Since it is the wet season it was covered in a thin layer of water about one inch thick so it really did look as if you were walking on water or the sky. The Salar stretches so far that when it is overcast the horizon blends and reflection and reality become one. It becomes one really fantastic optical illusion. We had a blast taking photos and walking on water. The Salar was certainly a fitting end to such a strange and wonderful journey.

Next stop Santiago, Chile via San Pedro de Atacama