Salt Flats and Stuck Truck

Inside the Salt Hotel
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Left a 8am this morning as the roads to Uyuni are pretty bad quality.  They weren´t kidding, they were the bumpest roads we have been on so far - stoney and very windy however the scenery more than made up for it. Again it was similar to yesterday but far more dramatic, with deeper canyons, mountains and llamas at the side of the road.  At many stages we drove through dry river beds and at on particular point, Andy miscalculated following previous truck tyres and we ended up stuck in the river in soft sand.  Our first attempt of everyone getting out of the truck didn´t works, the next which involved collecting branches and stones and digging ourselves out also didn´t work.  We managed to borrow some branches from a house who said the a truck got stuck there this morning and that that method worked.  Buses came by and got through and at one point a petrol tanker on the previous side saw our problem but didn´t want to tow us incase they aslo got stuck.  After bribing them and them seeing that it was possible to cross the river they agreed.  However, we had problems with the cable in that it didn´t fit the tow and Steve and Andrew then hack-sawed the ends off and it did fit.  We were eventually towed out backwards and got across the river adding two hours to our journey.

Train Graveyard
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Arrived in Uyuni, a very small town and checked into the hotel, which was located next to the military camp but was reputed to be the best in town and with the best pizza restuarant.  Depsite no italian community there is an abundance of italian restuarant.  After beers and pizza it was bed, for a rather restless night.  It was hot and heard the train tooting every hour, followed by the military bugle call at 7am and the national anthem at 8am.

Left the hotel at 9am for our trip to Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt flat in the world at 12,000sq km and at 3653m.  They were originally part of the prehistoric Lake Minchin but local legend says different.  It tell of an Inca princesss that disobeyed her father over choice of husband and as such was then banished from the kingdom. The fathers predictions came true and he cheated on her.  She then returned to her father pregnant and without her husband but he refused her and banished her from the kingdom.  Her baby was still-born and the legend says the salt lake was formed of her tears mixed with her breast milk!

Driving the Salt Flats
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Our first stop of the day was at a train cemetary where many train are left, some with parts missing that had been used to repair other trains.  It was then onto a salt extraction factory which explained the process of extracting the salt from the lake and turning it into salt to sell - including the packaging of different coloured bags of the same thing for marketing purposes and to sell at different qualities although it was exactly the same.

We then drove to the start of the salt flats which had water on them as we visited in the rainy season.  Our first sight was of endless white plain with some mountains in the background and some reflections in the water.  We then stopped at Palacio de Sal, a hotel made entirely of salt, including all the furniture.  It reminded me of a ski lodge because of the style of the hotel and the white mounds around the building.

Fish Island
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We next drove 3 hours to Cactus Island, through the plains with the most stunning views, stopping occasionally for photos.  Our jeep was nicknamed the disco car as we had my Ipod in and were singing, dancing and generally enjoying ourselves to the music.  Cactus Island is a small island that has enormous cactus´on it. The eldest is 1203 years only and is about 12m tall, and still growing.  The views from the summit were amazing, of not only the island but the salt flats and the other islands and mountain.  It was then a llama BBQ for lunch -said  to be like beef and better than alpaca meat. 

Fish Island
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After this we drove back to the Palacio de Sal stopping for photos, the scenery and to pour water over the engines to stop the salt build up.  The views and reflections were even more amazing in the afternoon.  Stopped for sunset, which was obsecured by clouds but we did see an amazing thunder storm in the distance.  Carried on with the disco bus with our group and another dancing on the salt flats! How many people can say they´ve done that! 

Drove back still watching the thunder storms and the lightening and our jeep agreed that it had been one of the best days so far.  Unique, fun and totally unforgettable.  The salt lakes were hard to described as it is like driving in the sky as you can´t see the horizon and is endless in íts nature.

The party car!!
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Got back to the hotel for 8pm and had more pizza and wine that night before heading to bed.  A very good day in all and one that will stay in my memory for a long time to come.  I have pictures and I hope you will see a glimpse of what I did.