So, we left San Pedro the next day to embark on our three day crossing across the Atacama desert. (For all you fact fans, the Atacama desert is the dryest in the world, and i think it may also be the highest above sea level.) A bus picked us up to take us to the Chilean border, and then carried on to the Bolivian border. In between the borders, the bus broke down. they was an loud clanking noise and it grinded to a halt. We were stuck in no man`s land for about an hour until a mechanic came along to save us. After this first minor hitch, we reached the Bolivan border, which was no more than a shed in the middle of nowhere. after getting our stamps we split into three 4x4s to start the crossing.We were told that this day would be tough on us all because of the altitude and tempertures.

We each had a local driver and guide and a "mummy", who would look after us and cook our meals for the next three days. Our first stop was the Laguna Verde. This was a massive turquoisey green lake surrounded by imposing mountains. After this we drove for another hour and stopped for a lovely lunch of Llama steak. It was actually really tasty, although i did feel really bad eating it as there were loads of the lovely things just by where we were eating. After to a trip to the worst toilet i have ever used in history, we were off again, that is until we got a flat tyre. The terrain is so rough and unpredictable that there were 8 flat tyres between the three 4x4s in the three days of the crossing.

Our next stop was the natural geezers. These were really impressive, but they really hummed. I got a photo and quickly scapered back to the 4x4 to recover. After another hour`s drive we came to a small lake full of flamingos in the middle of the barron landscape. It was really odd to see these flamingos, as i assumed they wouldn`t be able to survive as there isn`t really very much life there, or anything for them to eat. After taking far too many pictures of flamingos, we got back in our cars and were driven to our hostel.

Basic is not the word... The building looked like a half finished army barracks, with the corrogated iron roof being held down with large rocks. The rooms were dorm style and he beds were made of concrete with mattresses balanced on the top. Luckily there were about 10 blankets on each bed and we rented polar sleeping bags as it was freezing even when we arrived at 6pm. There was also only electricity and hot water between 7 and 10pm.

After choosing our beds, we were given some coca tea to ease any effects of the altitude we were feeling. It tasted just like green tea, i would bring some back, but obviously customs don´t allow it. Our mummys then made us a three course meal of soup, beef stew and mash and a lovely pineapple ring for dessert. It was the most i have eaten since i have been here. We did all look like homeless people sitting around the table with one lonely lightbulb on, wearing about five layers, with hats and gloves etc.

After dinner we chatted with some of the other people staying there, braved going outside to look at the thousands of stars (never seen so many), drank pisco and went to bed before it got too cold and the lights went out. rock n roll.

Anyway, i can honestly say i have never been so cold. There was a thermometer in the room and at one point it went down to -25. we were all laying in bed with all our layers on, with sleeping bags and all the blankets and we were still freezing! I was also struggling to breathe because of the altitude and probably because i had so many clothes on. i struggled to sleep and at one point in the night i turned over and suddenly felt nauseous. i managed to make my way to the corridoor in the pitch black. i thought i was going to faint, so i laid on the floor as i didn´t want to fall and smack my head. it seemed logical at the time. i would have looked a right idiot to anyone who might have got up and passed, luckily it was pitch black. I then had a nose bleed, typical. the feeling went soon after and i went back to bed. none of us in the room could sleep though as we were all too paranoid about our breathing, so we were all tired in the morning.

Luckily that was the end of the real altitude sickness for me. I felt loads better after a pancake breakfast and a lovely festival wash... we then loaded up the trucks and then embarked on our second day of the crossing.

On the second day we stopped at an area where there are various rock formations that are meant to look like trees. Apparently Salador Dali visited here and used these as inspiration...not sure how true that is.. We also stopped at a sulphur lake, which i braved getting out of the car to take a picture of, and an active volcano for lunch. It was quite surreal sitting on the foot of an active volcano eating chicken and pasta off a china plate. I reccomend it.

After lunch we visited the small Bolivan town of San Juan. San Juan has only 1000 residents, and they get many supplies driven in to them when tourists past through. We bought various snaks for the rest of the trip and Bolivan flags, as it was Bolivan independence day on Friday (the next day).

Pictor, the driver of the car i was in, took great pleasure in fixing the flags to the car. He then put on The Doors (we were in shock after some of his horrific musical offerings, it seemed apt, being in the desert and all) and drove to our accomodation for the night, the amazing Salt Hotel.

The Salt Hotel is exactly what it sounds like, a hotel made of salt. Everything that can be made out of salt- is. It was a welcome upgrade as well. I was half sad to see that the dead flamingo had been taken down from the middle of the dining area, but it was probably best. After a lovely dinner, we stayed up chatting until the electricity ran out and prepared ourselves for another freezing and uncomfortable night. Although it wasn´t amazing, we all got a few hours sleep and it wasn´t as cold. The toilet wasn´t even backed up in the morning, dreams!

We then set about on our final and best day of the crossing. We were all really excited to see the salt flats as obviously we had all heard so much about them and seen various pictures etc. In 15 minutes we arrived at the salt flats, and they did not disappoint. The salt flats, or Salar de Uyuni are 100km across and 80km wide. The salt is about 12 metres deep, with water underneath, and therefore the surface can support the weight of cars, buses etc.The salt has formed in hexagons and is really rough to the touch. It´s hard to describe how beautiful and odd it is, but all you can see for miles is the white salt floor and the bluest sky. Although it´s very cold, you have to be careful not to get burnt as the sun is low in the sky and it reflects off the white salt.

We acted like serious gringos here, doing the usual tourist thing of taking lots of pictures that mess with perspective. Yes i have become one of those annoying people who pick up the Taj Mahal or try and prop up the Leaning Tower of Pisa. after our fun and games (again i will try and pst these utterly hilarious photos soon), we spent 5 minutes just looking around and taking in the surroundings. I can not really describe how spectacular i found it without sounding like a complete geek, but yes, it was rather good.

We then carried on across the salt until we came to the village of Incahuasi. This is basically a little Island of greenery and thousands of cactuses situated in the middle of the expanse of white salt. We hiked up to the top of the cactus mountain thing to take in the views. after a quick bano stop, we got back in our lovely 4x4s. As we continued across the salt we saw lots of Alpacas ( like llamas), foxes and werid rabbit type things. (They looked like rabbits, just a bit more sinister.) Our 4x4 then decided to overheat, there was massive amounts of black smoke coming out of the engine. Pictor stopped, poured water in it, waited 5 minutes and made us get back in. We reluctantly obeyed. We made it to our lunch stop at the original Salt Hotel, which is now a museum. There was quite a bit of drama at this lunch stop as one of the girls realised she had dropped her iPhone in the Salar. Whoops! One of the drivers offered to go and have a look but we all knew it would be basically impossible to find a phone in the middle of nowhere.

After lunch we drove for two hours to complete our crossing. the landscape changed dramatically in this time, going from white nothingness, to dusty brown barron land, to small dusty brown Bolivan towns, ending up in our home for the night - Uyuni.

We had to say goodbye to our drivers and mummys when we got to the hotel, and it was actually quite sad as they had been so good to us. It was lovely to get to an ok hotel with hot water and electricity though, so after a swift goodbye i had my first shower in 4 days and it was AMAZING.

There is not much to do in Uyuni, it is more of a jump off point for backpackers, but we had a look around and went to the only restaurant in the town that Marcel trusts. We all ate and drank loads and noone spent more than a tenner. It was really so cheap, and welcome after Chile being so expensive. At dinner, Marcel told us the bad news that we would not be able to go to Potosi (the highest point in Bolivia, famous for it´s silver) as there were strikes and riots going on. This started over a month ago, when the miners started a strike, but it has got dramatically worse in the recent weeks, with other people showing there support with hunger strikes and riots.

Various groups at the Salt Hotel and in Uyuni had told us and Marcel, that buses going through Potosi were being targeted with dynamite, bricks and getting their tyres slashed. This was confirmed when a group arrived in Uyuni after having to walk over 10km with there backpacks on as there bus had been attacked and it was too unsafe to carry on.

The decision was then taken for us to miss potosi and our next stop Sucre, and go straight to La Paz. Sucre is between Potosi and La Paz, so it was decided it would be too dangerous to even go there by bus. So yesterday we got a nightbus from Uyuni to La Paz. Hand on heart, it was the scariest bus ride ever. the bus had to take a comepletely different route to usual to avoid protests, going offroad and even through parts of the Salt flats to get a safe enough distance away. At times the bus was rocking at 45 degree angles, and the drivers turned all the lights out in the bus so we were all sitting in complete darkness wondering what was going on.

Anyway, as you obviously know, we got to La Paz safely by some miracle. none of us slept properly, but we got to crazy La Paz. I have obviously only been here a day, but first impressions are that it is great. It´s extremely surreal as they seem to sell anything on the street, (dried out Llama Foetus anyone?!) and there is so much going on. We don´t have much time to explore today or tomorrow though, as as a group we have decided to get a return flight to Sucre for a couple of days. This way we don´t put ourselves at too much risk and we also get to see another part of Bolivia before returning to La Paz at the end of the week. (please keep your fingers crossed that we we won´t get stuck in Sucre in the meantime as i really want to go to San Pedro prison)

anyway, i´ve wanged on long enough.Email me with your drama.

Kate xx