Monday 9th July

We awoke to sleet and when we reached the truck park higher in the canyon it was heavy snow - 4/5 inches had fallen. There has been no snow in La Paz for 10 years !!! We travelled through the snow to the edge of town to be told the road to Potosi was blocked. So from 8.30 am to about 12 we sat in a blizzard in the truck with no heating! Brrrrrrrrr! Due to the delay we had to miss out visiting Potosi but we fortunately had an uneventful journey through snow fringed roads, passing jack-knifed lorries and vehicles in the ditch due to the snow. We reached Uros in late afternoon, finally out of the snow and attempted to shop for supper in town. The streets of Uros are very narrow and we got stuck, holding up all the traffic whilst we reversed between two sets of traffic lights on a cross roads - much to the amusement/frustration of all the locals! We did get food for supper and camped just off the road on the otherside of town.

Tuesday 10th July

Because of the delay leaving La Paz we took a direct road to Uyuni - a dirt road (non-metalled) all the way. Very nice scenery, but VERY bumpy. We had to make several detours through the river bed because bridges were under construction! We were all relieved to arrive in Uyuni before dark and enjoy the fantastic pizza at the hotel!

Wednesday 11th July

We started our 4 WD tour of the Uyuni Salt Flats. First stop was the "steam train graveyard". British and Canadian locomotives rusting away - relics of the steam age! Next we stopped in a village on the edge of the Salt Flats where they harvest and prepare the salt. Then on to the "Salt Hotel" where everything is constructed from blocks of salt. It was very cold inside and apparently only the Japanese stay here! We then drove on across the world´s largest salt flats (3,653m, 12,00 sq km) stopping for lunch and photocall at the island of Incahuasi, which is home to some 100 year old giant cacti. We drove for about an hour to the edge of the Salt Flats to spend a very cold night in a hostel. The drive across the Salt Flats was an unforgettable experience - nothing in sight but salt!

Thursday 12th July

We were up before dawn for breakfast and our long drive through the mountains, passing smoking volcanoes, volcanic rocks and beautiful lakes. The lakes were frozen at the edge and it was bitterly cold. The sun shone all day and the contrasts of the blue sky and colours of the mountains (greens, reds, etc) was spectacular. We saw flamingoes on the lakes and emus and vicunas (wild small llamas) roaming the barren landscape. We arrived at Laguna Colorada (aka Red Lake) mid-afternoon and spent an hour walking around the lake to see the thermal springs and chalky white minerals which fringed the lake. It was bitterly cold here at over 4,200 m. Another cold night in a very basic hostel on the edge of the lake.

Friday 13th July

Up at 5.30 am to set off for the geysers - Sol de Manana (4,950 m). It was minus 10 degrees C here with a wind chill - minus 15! That IS cold. We only spent 15 minutes walking through the steaming geysers and bubbling mud as the air was thick with sulphur. We drove on to Termes de Polques (thermal springs) at 4,200 m, for breakfast. A few of the intrepid overlanders stripped off and bathed in the thermal springs, but they came out with frozen hair and their costumes froze like boards! We then headed for the Chilean border passing through more mountains and lakes. Laguna Verde is green in colour as the wind stirs up the arsenic which sinks to the bottom of the lake! We also passed the Salvador Dali rocks and the Rock Tree which are naturally eroded by wind and stand like sculptures on the volcanic ash. All this before lunch! This 4 WD trip in Bolivia was certianly one of our highlights. We crossed the border into Chile to meet up with the truck. The contrast between Bolivia and Chile is amazing. In Chile we have good roads, road signs and markings, new cars, "European" dress , culture, shops, restaurants. Its like stepping into a different world. David cooked our first BBQ tonight - the tuna garlic dip went down well!!