Uyuni - Sucre

Our trip to Uyuni was one of the best trip we did. After a few problem with the agency we booked or trip with. We were shure to go to the Salar of Uyuni but had to go with an other agency.

8.30 we were ready and packed on the meeting point. There we met or driver (Secondido) or cook (Profundia) and an English copel (John and Nora).

First day, we left Tupiza direction San Antonio de Lipez. We had to go up to 4200m so we were driving trough beautiful landscapes (some times a bit like the far west). We had our lunch in a old abounded mining village. At 4 PM, we arrived in San Antonio de Lipez it was a village middel of nowere they had electricity sinds 2 days. After a half night sleeping and a better one for Guillaume, we were ready for the next day.

Plan was to do the fantasma village (just ruines), few lagunas were we saw the first flamingos, few villages and a little salar (Salar the Chalvri). We stopped in Aguas Calientes. A natural hot water spring (37 degrees) where we had a little swim and our lunch.

Then we went to the Laguna Verde (green laguna) who is on the border with Chilli. Afthr the laguna we went to see the geisers at 4900m. Geisers means boiling mud (apparently 200 degrees hot). Endely we were heading for the hotel in Huaylijara. It was next to the Laguna Colorada, a red laguna with lots of flamingos. We went to see it before our meal. I forget to tell that we had a amazing cook. I think we took 5kg in 4 days.

 

Tirth days of the trip, the driver took us to the Stonen Tree, just a rock in shape of a tree, to 4 lagunas with always lots of flamingos, then the Salar of Dechiguana. From there we went direction Salar of Uyuni. We arrived at a salt hotel on the boarder of him. After a few card games of shit head (Guillaume and Nora triple shithead Vinc none) we saw the moon rising. Yes moon rise.

Fourth and last day. We started crossing the salar to see the sun rise. Amazing. In the Isla del Pescado, we had our breakfast it is a island of coral middel the salar.

The salar is beautiful and undiscrible. You have to see the pictures. We ended the trip in Uyuni with the train cimetery.

So like Guillaume said there was (or still is) a strike in Uyuni. Trying to get out of the city was impossible (unless you payed 300 dollars). The head of tourist of Uyuni tryed to organise a bus for all the tourist to the next city: Potosi. But no possobility so we tryed on our own. We went to the council were we met we don’t know who. He couldn’t do anything and after some complainings he called the secretary of the president (you know Evo the “guy” we saw in La Paz). All this stuff for nothing. He told us to go to the subprefecture. In the subprefecture you had one of the striker giving a live radio intervieuw (very funny). When we entered his office his only hightec machine (faxmachine) wasn’t working he told us he was expecting a fax and that this fax will end the strike. So normally half an hour later the strike would end. One hour later, it was officially confirmed that the strike would go on until friday (we were on tuesday).

(stolen picture)

We wrote a list with all the tourist who wanted to go out of the city. We ended with 72 tourists on the list. No permission had been given to the responsible of tourism to let cars out of the city, so she had the idea to drive the tourists to the blocate and from there catch the bus who was comming from Potosi and go back with the same bus.

Next problem: no diesel in the city. Finally around 11 PM, 35 of the 72 tourists could go to Potosi. First by car to the blocate 20 km far, then cruss them and in to the bus. It was a bit a permenant stress because they where scared that the bus would be blocked or attacked by the strikers.

After 6 hours sitting next to the driver with 2 others spanish boys we arrived in Potosi. (the bus agency asked at 3 persons to speak to the driver because they were scared he would fell a sleep. He drove 9 hours to come and will drive 6 hours back. So a total of 15 hours). The road was not one of the flatest and I had back pain so happy to arrive in Potosi. In Potosi the most of the people were going to an other direction: La Paz, Oruro, ... . We went with the same driver untill Sucre (total of 19 driving). Maybe it is a bit crazy but this is how he work.

In Sucre we had breakfast and we went straight to bed. I had, and have alraedy, my back hearting so thinking it would be better after a good night of sleep. Walking up this morning it didn’t go better we went to the hospital. I had a good injection in my buttem and a few pils. Everything is going better.

Comments

[girald]

Wow vincenzo, well done! It seems you learn a lot with this trip, finding solutions against strikes, climbing mountains, deserts, and your beard is quite nice, jajaja. I am so jealous! awsome trip :)!!!