So we´ve switched countries once again as we´ve now entered the great nation of Chile.We´ve had a great time exploring Bolivia, expecially the last week.The week started off back in La Paz as we opted to challenge our balance and nerves by biking down the world's most dangerous road.A little background on this:

1. Number of deaths while biking this road since 2001 - 11;
2. Most motor deaths on the road in a single year - 340;
3. Most deaths in a single crash on the road - 142 (a truck full of soccer hooligans returning from a match).

Now some good news: not a single rider on a tour of the road led by "Gravity Assisted Mountain Biking" has ever met his maker on this road.So we opted to go on the tour with Gravity and never thought twice about it...right."Has anyone had a dream of riding off the edge of a cliff last night?" asked Allister (our guide for the day and also the founder of Gravity)Two people raise their hands."It's OK though, I could fly in my dream" remarks a Scottish dreamer."Listen up everybody: just to clarify for you all - YOU CANNOT FLY" responded Allister.It's all good advice I say.So after we all got geared up, received some instructions from our guides, and paid our respects to the Pachamama (mother earth), we started the descent beginning with 22 km of asphalt to get used to our bikes.After that we reached the dangerous part of the world's most dangerous road - a 3 meter wide gravel road and nothing between us and a 600 meter drop. As if that wasn't challenging enough, the rain gods frowned on us and decided it was about time for a terrential downpour.43 km more winding down through the valley passing under a waterfall and past countless crosses marking the sites of the road's victims.As we got more and more comfortable with the road and began to pick up more and more speed we were warned that it was a proven fact that all accidents occur between 38 and 43 seconds after you tell yourself "I'm getting pretty good at this".So cautiously we proceeded.Hands and shoulders cramping, butt and thighs bruised, feet shaking and whole body sweating, we crossed the second river and cruised into Coroica where a hot shower and cold beer were waiting for us at an animal refuge.We were so glad to step off those bikes after 5 hours of a huge adreline rush.The bus ride back to La Paz was the moment that Allister chose to share all the gruesome horror stories of accidents that occured on the road since he first invented the ride - better then than before we started.

A few more days were spent in our favorite city of La Paz due to no available seats on buses departing the city...no big surprise here.The bus we finally boarded was an overnight luxury bus heading to Uyuni in the southwest of Bolivia.What we weren't told was that there were no roads as we know them in the southwest of Bolivia.12 sleepless hours driving on dirt roads winding through desert we arrived in the desolate village where the only occupation for the locals is either running their pizzaria, selling tours to the Salar or driving the 4x4s out to the Salar.So we thought we'd have a pizza for lunch, book a 3 day tour of the Salar and Southwest Circuit then have another pizza for dinner.After our poor experience of less than fun tour companions in Rurre, we made sure that didn't happen again.We bumped into an English couple we had the honor of cycling the dangerous road with and booked a tour with them.With Alejandro at the healm, we ventured off into the great unknown.The first day was just unreal.Driving accross the Salar de Uyuni - a 200,000 square km stretch of salt flats as far as the eye can see - is just an unforgettable experience.With white salt rolling all the way to the horizon, a few cameras and some ingenuity, it's the perfect setting for some playing with depth photos, and we took full advantage.With some heavy rain the night before, about a half inch of rain remained across the flat surface creating the illusion of walking on water.Once again - unreal.That night was spent, of course, in a hotel made completely of salt blocks harvested from the Salar.Even the bed, tables and chairs were comprised of the abundant mineral.What this hotel lacked was competent wiring as Jo learned firsthand from a 240 volt jolt through her little body while turning the light on - she's a trooper though - nothing a few games of "a******" and "bulls*** pyramid" can't fix.The next two days were spent mostly in our lovely Toyota Land Cruiser as we explored the Southwest Circuit.Flamingos there were a plenty, geysers steaming from the ground, green lagoons, red lagoons, white lagoons, seven colored mountains, Salvador Dali desert, and most of all lots and lots of sand and rocks.One of these rocks felt the need to puncture our tire - Allejandro changed it in record time and all he needed to fix the flat while we ate lunch was a pick axe - impressive.The final morning had us lounging in a hot pool at 6 am while our breakfast was being prepared.It was all good and hot until we had to get out and literally stand on ice barefoot while drying off and getting changed - awesome.The tour left us off in the cute little town of San Pedro de Atecama situated perfectly in the middle of the dryest desert in the world.Tomorrow we board a 24 hour bus that will land us in Santiago - the world's most polluted city...