Are we bringing bad luck to nearby tour groups throughout South America?!? One of the first things we hear after crawling out of bed at 6am (groan) is that one of the other groups checked into the hostel were abandoned by their guide the previous night! We had to leave them behind, as our 4x4 was already crammed.

Heading south of the salt flats, we travelled into lanscapes formed by volcano, lava, and colourful lagoons. It is really dusty everywhere and the wind was strong so cold too. The photos will look strange as we're wrapped up beneath amzing blue skies!

The 4x4´s they use for the tours are bought second hand, and then only survive a year of this place and the drivers were constantly checking under bonnet, tires etc. Our car was doing better then someothers despite the huge crack in windscreen and the fact that the speedo did not work at all! The roads were very bumpy, and at one point we had to get out and walk to lighten the load up the worst bit. The driver new the tracks really well though as had been doing it for years.

At the first lagoon we saw a few flamingo, but not as many as there are in the Summer, as was too cold. This is a photographer's paradise and Matt and the French guy were, with little language, swapping lenses and filters etc to test out. Another nice surprise was to come across the abandoned tour group. They'd been supplied with a replacement driver and had caught up with everyone else.

That night we stayed by one of the lagoons in accomodation described as 'simple' and it was freezing as over 4000m altitude again. We had sleeping bags and 2 thick blankets on the saggy beds in the dorm room and still slept in hats and lots of layers (and went to bed not long after 8pm as so cold)!

H & Matt