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Firstly we had to hop on a bus at 5.30am! Not happy especially when we nearly missed our bus as had forgotten to pay for the room and had to cruise around looking for a cash point in the taxi first - ops! Anyhow we made it onto the bus - not that was the best thing - coach wasn´t quite what we had become accustomed to! Crowded and a distinct lack of personal space!! Only major event was Lisa´s panic as she woke up to the bus pulling away from a stop and I was missing from my seat - luckily in the toilet on the bus! Upon arrival in the border town of Argentina I shockingly managed to find out from a policeman in Spanish where the border was! We made it across and headed to the train station - another small prob simply no trains - no reason, just no trains! So bus it was - can´t believe we had complained about the bus this morning! Boliovian buses are simply amazing - the fact they go, they don´t fall apart and they stay on the road! At a pound a ticket the bus was filling up quickly, throwing a small tantrum about ahving to sit next to someone I didn´t know on the smallest seat ever I went and bought Vikki a seat - so thanks for joining me on that one hun! The journey is funny to look back on - I guess - but definately going to try and avoid Bolivain buses from now. Interestingly the kid at the front often refulled through a hatch at the front! Arriving in Tupizia still haven´t actually found anywhere to get any Bolivianos so interestingly trying to use other currencies! The hotel in Tupiza was lovely despite a suprising inability to breath given the increasing altitude!
The next morning we headed off on our tour still having not paid for it or the hotel - bank decided not to open! We were only in dbt by 5000 bolivianos by now! There were two other guys that joined us on our tour called Mick and Arry. Poor little Mac got stored on top of the jeep for the roughest, dustiest few days of its little life - having survived think Apple should use it as an advert! The first day involved a long long drive through the Andies, there was beautiful scenery including a few giant cactuses and lots of lamas which safe to say I got ridiculously excited about - until lunch when they wanted me to eat one! It was sweetcorn and lama meat in a kind of bull, apparently called a Charque - managed a tiny nibble but didn´t get to any of the lama meat! That evening we arrived in the town of San Antonio de Lipez which is at an altitude of 4660m. Am officially addicted to Dulche de Leche (a caramely sauce thing) and Coca leave teas - and yes it is from the same leaves as cocaine and no its not a drug! Once the sun has gone down maybe the coldest place I´ve ever been with no heating! You´d think 4 lama blankets would´ve helped me sleep but no so squashed and so much noise for such a little village really was not happening! Dogs at 4am - according to guide one female many males hehe - explained all that barking and the dear old crow was really sure it was time to get up.
The second day of the tour we headed to We saw a mini tornado sand storm in the distance and then proceeded to drive through lots of the sand storms - couldn´t exactly see much through the windows every now and then! We saw some ruins from a old mining village and headed to Lagono Morejon where there were hundreds of flamingos! Also saw volcano Uturuncu at a spectacular 6008m in the distance. Before lunch we took a dip in some hot springs which was much appreciated given the levels of dust and lack of showers so far on the trip. Through the afternoon we passed lots of little lagoons and most excitingly Laguna Verde which is a bright green due to the minerals and arsenic! Laguna Blanca was a little more dissapointing - not white! We also saw a spectacular rock formation which is said to have inspired one of Dali´s paintings. After the lagoons we headed to the Gesers - which despite smelling like raw eggs due to the sulpher where spectacular. Steam jets shot from the ground and mud boiled and spat up from the mud pools in the ground! Lastly we headed to Laguna Colarada which is a terocotta red due to the algae, small incident on route where the driver didn´t quitre notice the big crater in time - only driver smashed his head though and shockingly little Mac still turns on!
After an even colder night (haven´t actually slept for two days) we headed off to see some petrified volcanic rocks, one in the shape of a tree looked spectacular. We saw lots more lagoons and flamingos and an active volvcano called Ollague which is still smoking! That evening we stayed in one of the Salt Hotels which has Salt floors, walls, tables, chairs and beds - was quality and actually warmish! So loving the shower sleep combo! Unfortunately day we had to get up for sunrise (which we missed due to lazy other people - not impressed!) The most spectacular sight was saved for the last day when we headed to the biggest salt plain in the world at 10,500km2 and with a thickness of 2 to 20m. In the middle we stopped at Coral Island which is covered in giant cactuses - the tallest at 12 metres is aged at 1,200 years old. The island is mainly made up of coral as the whole of the salt plains used to be under water. The rest of the morning was spent taking awesome photos as the salt plains distort reality - I´ll put them on line asap can´t really explain! That afternoon the tour company drove us on to Potossi (we weren´t fancying the bus!) which should´ve been straight forward until just before arriving the wheel flew off the jeep - actually broke off the axel! Having veered across the road watching the tire bounce pase the front of the car bashed the road several times snapping the break disc and trashing the front / side panelling of the car. The tour guide kindly pointed out we were lucky that didn´t happen on the mountain road and dind´t answer when asked if it had happened before! After an hour and a half of sitting on the road side throwing rocks and discovering Bolivians don´t stop to help the driver somehow reattached the wheel and we crawled the rest of the way to our 4* hotel- oh yeah!!!
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