Well hello from Bolivia!!!! It has been an exhausting but brilliant few days! Bolivia is incredible and the scenery is stunning. Left San Pedro De Atacama on Thursday morning and crossed over the border to Bolivia where we met our driver Edgar and crammed 7 of us into the 4x4. Had a really great group of people 3 girls and 4 guys, all English except for a German guy. Ate out breakfast at the border and it was absolutely freezing and really windy. Our first stop was at the hot springs where at first we were all reluctant to get out of the jeep let alone voluntarily get into our bikinis but it was well worth it as the water was 38 degrees and so nice! Could only stay in there for 10 mins because of the altitude which was about 4500 metres above sea level!!! Didn´t get any altitude sickness but that was probably because it was so bloody cold (this was my punishment for missing the UK winter!) Visited several beautiful white and green lagoons and we stopped for the night at an incredible red lagoon which was unreal. There were flamingos in the lake!!!! Had a freezing walk up the mountain but the views of the red lagoon were worth the cold. Dinner was delicious and then did some very quick star gazing before going to bed at 9pm - what losers!!!! The following day we visited a tree rock, which was a rock shaped like a tree! Went to the geysers, which were geothermal springs similar to Rotorua in NZ and just as smelly! Visited several other pretty places including a salt flat which was impressive but a lot smaller than in Uyuni. Spent the night in a really cute village where there was an adorable little girl and a slightly scary boy! We all crashed at 9pm again.

On Saturday morning we had to wake up at 4.30am! to watch the sunrise over the salt flats. The walk up the mountain was hard going and bloody freezing, and I fell on several cacti but it was absolutely incredible watching the sun come up. After a delicious breakfast of pancakes and dulce de leche we spent ages on the salt flat taking silly photos and spelling out BOLIVIA (I was a very impressive I!). On our way to Uyuni we visited a salt museum, salt mine and a very exciting train cemetary!!! Edgar took us to his house for lunch which was so lovely and we arrived in Uyuni at 1ish. Had a look around Uyuin which took about 10 minutes as there is not much to see! Was meant to be getting the bus to Potosi that night but had a stressful few hours which involved getting our bags locked in the travel agents until 6.55pm (the bus left at 7pm!), and the buses were all full and actually left on time (it apparently never happens in Bolivia!). So we checked into a lovely hostel which had poo on the floor! but things improved when we went to the `Éxtreme Fun Pub´ for dinner which had llama sperm shots!!!

The following morning we had the bus ride from hell to Potosi! It was pretty funny getting on the bus to discover a 12 year old boy in the driver´s seat!!! Well to our relief he turned out to be the conductor! The guy next to us decided to projectile vomit in the isle and it went all over our feet and my bag. They wouldn´t stop the bus and so we had to endure a hellish hot few hours which was made worse by the Bolivian music which seemed to get louder the more annoyed you got! Arrived in Potosi at 4ish and then checked into a lovely hostel which made everything better and discovered the Irish girls were staying there too. Potosi is a really cute little town and is the highest city in the world! The Bolivian women wear the best outfits complete with a bowler hat and sequined skirt!! Have been really blown away by Bolivia and the people have been so friendly. It is such a poor country and yet everyone is so welcoming. Ate dinner in a really cute restaurant where we were served by a young boy, his mother and father.

Today we went on a tour of the mines which was an incredible but sad experience. We stopped off at the miners market and bought drink and coca leaves for the miners. Tried some 96 percent alcohol which could make you breathe fire and some coca leaves which you put in your mouth to relieve the altitude sickness etc. We also bought some dynamite which we tested out! The miners work in such awful conditions and earn 5 pounds a day, which is nothing considering what they go through. Some of the miners were 14 years old! The mine was so tiny and dusty and we had to squeeze through the smallest of holes but it was so interesting meeting the miners and rewarding given them the drinks and leaves. We had a very relaxing afternoon and will have a look around the markets then get an early dinner as we leave for La Paz tonight. Not looking forward to the overnight bus but excited about getting to La Paz and starting my tour tomorrow! Only 3 weeks left!!!! xx