We got an overnight bus from La Paz to Uyuni, which might possibly be classed as the worst night of my life now. The bus was freezing, there was ice on the inside of the windows, and the bus driver was speeding down windy, bumpy roads for the entire journey, I couldnt sleep at all due to the fear and at one point, even though I´m not religous at all, I prayed. We got to the little sleepy town at 6am, it was defintalely below freezing and nowhere was open! Paul and I had to jump in a taxi and ask him to drive us round to keep warm until a little cafe opened. The owner got a heater out and paul and I, plus a few other travellers in the same position just huddled round it.
Our tour to the salt flats started at 10am, so we just stayed warm in the cafe until that time. We then met our group, 2 greek girls who were best friends, an argentinian guy and a very wierd swedish couple who didnt talk to anyone else! We headed into the salt flats in a jeep and our first stop was the train cemetary. An old line that used to run from Uyuni to La Paz.
After that, our guide drove us about all day showing us various sights, it was an incredible place, flamingos, volcanoes, cactusus, and all you could see for miles was just the white of the salt.
We couldnt afford anymore than a 1 day tour so we had to get a train out of Uyuni to Tupiza, but the train only left at 2.30am. We went out for dinner with the 2 greek girls and the argentinian guy, but as our meals took 2 1/2 hours to arrive we ended up playing monopoly and drinking wine. By about midnight they went to bed, and we had to ask the lady in the restaurant if she would stay open till 2.30 for us, she said it was fine, and paul and i, stayed up, with about 5 layers on each, trying to stay warm, and awake, unitl it was time to catch the train.
The train was great, reclining seats, warm, and they provided blankets, plus it wasnt anywhere near as scary as bolivian buses. We got woken up at 8.30am with egg sandwiches and tea, a real luxuary! and we ended up chatting to 2 english guys in the seat behind behind us, who just so happen to live in.... Frimley Green! very wierd.
We arrived in Tupiza at about 9am and it lived up to what we were told, it is the wild west of Bolivia. It was nice to be out of La Paz and not be hearing beeping of cars all day, there were no tourist around, and the place was tiny so it was great to relax. We got a really cheap hostel and booked a tour for the next day, a triathlon of tupiza which involved a jeep ride into the surrounding area, a hike and then a 3 hour horse ride. We went out for some food that night and Paul, without knowing it, ate raw chicken so the next day was really fun for him....
The next morning we got told by a german girl that the horses they put you on are pretty much wild and one girl was in hospital from a horse ride gone wrong, so that put me in great spirits for the trip! The jeep ride was great, all though all the bumps werent so good for paul... we got out to hike a few times and had lunch by a river surrounded by mountains and goats! After lunch we got dropped off at a tiny house and a 14 year boy came out and announced he was our guide for the horse ride, so i was really reassured then! After about 5 mins i decided i hated it, the scenery was amazing, and so was riding, but the horse was only 2 and kept trying to bolt off, so i made him shorten the trip to 2 hours, the whole time i was petrified, paul loved it, but we both we pretty sore after about an hour. Just as we got near to the boys house, i thought, thank god, we´ve made it.... and pauls horse bolted off, galloping so fast. The boy had to leave me alone on my crazy horse and chase after pauls to try to stop it, then mine chased after pauls, a lot slower however, with me shouting, "no mi gusta!! I want to get off now!" we had a massive giggling fit when we finnally got off!
We left Tupiza the next morning and got a train to the argentinian boarder, then 2 buses to salta and we can really notice the difference here, after being in a 3rd world country, it is alot more westernised, clean, with normal shops, very different. Its lovely and hot, about 30 degrees every day so we are enjoying that. We are staying a few nights here to sample the nightlife we have heard so much about and then will head to Cafayate, a tiny village surrounded by vineyards, one of the best places in argentinia for wine we have been told!
Till next time
Si Thi x
