Took a 22 hour bus journey up to San Pedro in northern Chile..its certainly anything but Chilly here as its in the middle of the desert! The bus journey was pretty dam good, I wasn't expecting it to be great but it was fab and we even got refreshments (Salami roll and coconut chips!) Arrived to the small town of San Ped to baking hot conditions and within seconds of getting off the bus was bothered by tour sellers and hostel owners. Quickly got rid of them and then went and found my hostel in town...

Have been checking out the local area and went on a really cool trip to see some salt flats,lagoons and volcanoes. The trip to see the salt flats was pretty grand and our guide was very informative!!!! Was great to see flamingos in the wild and learn the different types which live around the lagoon! After this went up to high altitudes and saw some fab views of volcanoes behind copper sulphate blue lakes-amazing and I didn't realise water could be that blue!!!

Next day got up at 4am to go and visit some geysers. Was so cold up at altitude and was grateful of my 3 jumpers, 3 tops and jacket I had on, plus some guys hat and gloves i borrowed from the hostel! The geysers were quite spectacular and very high also. We had our breakie here of cheese sandwich and cookies...Some people in the group had altitude sickness so had to have some oxygen. Me and Sophia were pretty good though and instead made fun of our repetitive tour guide!! After this we went back down to warmer climates to see loads of cactus, lama and some kind of rabbit crossed with chipmunk creature (must find out the name!!).We had Lama kebabs for lunch!

In the afternoon we took a trip to Moon Valley which was great fun! We had an even better tour guide who was so enthusiastic and made everyone laugh! managed to record his crazy tour guiding on my video camera!!!Moon valley was quite an impressive site and the huge sand dune which we had to trek across to view sunset was even better. It was quite high up and very steep so was a tad scared i may fall down it!!!Cool site and enjoyed the trekking also...

Now in BOLIVIA!!!

Took a 3 day 4x4 jeep trip to Uyuni via the stunning salt flats-sorry San Ped these salt flats are definatly better! Our tour began early from San Ped and we got on the bus and went to the border crossing to Bolivia. The tour guide didn't speak any English so bundled us into a small officé where some old man smoking a really stinky cigarette and swigging on a beer stamped our passports. Our guide then chatted to his mates for ages before he bundled us back into the bus. He then took us to the border and we got in our 4x4 jeeps to Bolivia-hooray!! At the border the locals were there trying to rip us off and swap Bolivian currency for Chilean Peso-Sorry guys I'm not going to be ripped off this time! It was rather chilly at the border as we were at 4000m altitude and the wind was blowing. We loaded our stuff onto the top of the 4x4 jeeps and the driver attempted to tie them onto the roof. We suggested that he may need to tie the bags a little more securely and he went and got a rope and tarpoline.We went on our way..

We passed loads of dry desert scenery and came to our first stop was was a hot spring. Here our driver had a beer and we went onto view lagoon verde which was beautiful! Around lunch time we stop at Colorada lagoon which is red in colour and has tonnes and tonnes of flamingos around the lakeside. We had lunch at some locals house. The Bolivian women's dress code is pretty funky-bowler hats,petticoats,skirts, really woolie tights and their hair platted! There was also some younger women at the house who were carrying babies on their backs hung in brightly coloured shalls.Loads of sheep and a lama around the house.

That night the temperature dropped and it was freezing, a few of us had headaches from the altitude but they soon went once we had acclimatized. After another days driving across the desert we arrived in Uyuni and then saw the magnificent salt flats.They are so so white,blinfing white infact and against the blue sky it's a great sight.We took the 4x4 across the flats and stopped at cactus island and a salt hotel!

Took an over night bus from Uyuni to La Paz, Bolivia capital.An interesting journey up and the words fairground ride and run-away train spring to mind! Still it only cost about a fiver for the 11 hour ride, guess you getwhat you payfor!!!!!

Now in La Paz…