Uyuni, a city in the sand. We take the first bus we find and store our luggage in the hostel. Immediately after, we look for our next excursion. It will be to the salt flats... The Salar de Uyuni - the largest salt flat in the world, with over 10,000 square kilometers. Over 120 meters thick at its deepest point and all of it over 3,600 meters above sea level.
We get a good offer for the next day and spend the evening one last time with our chosen Englishmen, Owen and Eilish, over a cozy dinner before they have to go back to La Paz.
December 9, 2018
The adventure begins. 3 days of desert. With a group of 3 Toyota Land Cruisers, each with 6 men and women on board, we head towards Nirvana. Our group consists of three hard-drinking Ukrainians and one Slovakian.
First stop is a train cemetery. Minerals used to be loaded and transported through the wasteland here. However, due to the depletion of minerals, this industry came to a standstill. Since then, many locomotives and trailers have been resting comfortably in the scorching heat. An adventure playground for young and old.
The following lunch is enjoyed at the world's first salt hotel. It was completely built from salt stones due to the Rallye Dakar 2016 that took place here and has since served as the lunch destination for all visitors to the Salar.
Photo time. After we have all eaten enough, we take funny photos in the salt flats. These are created by the lack of perspective in the endless expanse. The drivers bring all sorts of toys for this purpose.
Our next destination is Fish Island, consisting of petrified corals and covered with cacti. By the way, it got its name from the top view from space. Complete nonsense.. if you want to google it. This day ends with a beautiful sunset that leaves us speechless. The Ukrainians traveling with us are happy to share their rum in such a view. In the evening, we have a meal at the next salt hotel. Carsten spends the darkness stargazing. Soooo many stars!!! December 10, 2018 Today is Flamingo day. Several lagoons are on the agenda. We are lucky. Thousands of flamingos stop here during the warm months on their way to the Pacific. On the way, we see numerous other wildlife besides simply unbelievable landscapes. Among them are desert foxes, viscachas (hare mice), and vicuñas (wild ancestors of alpacas). A stop at semi-active volcanoes and the Arbol de Piedra should not be missed on our trip, of course. The latter is a block formed by sand and wind. More desert foxes come very close to us. The guides say we should stay away. Rabies is not uncommon here. The last stop is another accommodation in the middle of nowhere. Since we have become friends with our fellow travelers through good music in the car, the evening becomes very long and funny, which Carsten will feel the next day and consciously skips breakfast. December 11, 2018On the last day of our desert safari, things heat up. Not only are temperatures supposed to rise above 30°C again, but we also visit a thermal area in southern Bolivia on the border with Chile.Geysers and thermal baths remind us of Iceland. We don't miss the opportunity to take a dip in the pool before continuing towards Chile. Our border crossings seem to be getting more relaxed. The exit from Bolivia takes place in a container and during the entry into Chile, Carsten has time to play table tennis with the border guards. The bumpy roads that dominate Bolivia's desert magically transform into perfectly paved highways. December 12, 2018 San Pedro de Atacama. A relaxed town in the middle of the desert. We borrow mountain bikes and ride through the scorching heat to Quebrada del Diablo. Our trip takes us on dusty tracks and through narrow, shade-providing canyons until the midday heat forces us to retreat. We spend the rest of the day civilizing Carsten's hair and taking a nap like the Chileans.
