Mitru Hotel Tupiza

TRANSPORT: Bus (Salta - La Quinca) 8 hours, 30 ARS Bus (Villazon - Tupiza) 12 bls HOSTEL: Mitru in Tupiza, 30 bls per person fro a double room 4 DAY TOUR OF THE SALT LAKES: 100 US Dollars Here we are, sitting at the busstation at 0.30 am in Salta waiting for another night bus. Started talking to this Wails guy Lea and his Australian girlfriend Simone. They are traveling 6 months South America. The bus arrived early so we had to wait for the frontier in Villazon. The Bolivian border opens at 8...

I made it to Tupiza on Sunday night, but it was dark when the bus left Villazon, so I didn't really get to see much of what is supposed to be nice scenery between the two towns. It only took about 2.5 hours, which felt like nothing after 30. I found a room in Hotel Mitru -- my own room (with TV) and bathroom (with a shower and hot water) for less than $5, in one of the nicer places in town. I was told this room was discounted since it was right next to the lobby and could be noisy, but the no...

Again, I promise. But photos first.

Hello again! Its been a few days since our last update but we are back on the map after a very exciting 4 day trip from Tupiza to Uyuni in Bolivia! First, weŽll start from where we left off with the trip from Salta, Argentina to Tupiza, Bolivia. To cut a long story short, it involved a 7 hour bus trip to the boarder, a couple of stamps in our passports, and a 3 hour bus journey on another bus to Tupiza. Before setting out, it was one of those journeys that seems a little daunting and was the ...

What can I say....after travelling all night on the 17th and eventually arriving in Tupiza on the train about about 4am in the morning....we were pretty tired. The flimsy train tracks and the lack of speed of the train....really doesn`t accommodate a good night`s sleep despite the in-house films, the blanket, pillow and free meal you are given. It all sounds more glamourous than it is....believe you me!!! Anyway we got to the train station in Tupiza...to discover....there wasn`t a taxi in sig...

Well Ive arrived in Tupiza after a 9 hour bus rude through the desert, very hot, very dry, crammed with people... ugh! I sat up front for extra leg room and windows, but it also meant all of the engine heat. Never again! I will not miss Bolivian buses!! Tomorrow morning I head out to destroy my ass! How you ask??? Easy... 2 days on horse back through the desert. I know I kNow, Im nuts, but I came all the way out here to do it, I may as well do it right. And it look slike its going to just be...

Nous partons tot le matin dans l'espoir de pouvoir vite acheter les billets de train pour Tupiza (2950 m). Malheureusement, mals diriges a la frontiere, nous mettons plus de 2h a la traverser pour rejoindre la ville de Villazon de l'autre cotes, puis sa gare ou le train est complet. Nous nous rabatons sur le bus qui part a 18h. Nous dejeunons (plat complet pour 1euro), nous buvons des jus de fruits fraichement presses devant nous (25 centimes) puis nous partons flaner dans cette ville-marche....

Le mot d'ordre du jour, ne rien faire et profiter de l'hotel. Apres avoir rentabilise a fond le petit dej a volonte, nous retournons nous coucher pour regarder la tele. Puis nous sortons un peu ville, faisons le tour des marches locaux tres typiques avant de retourner nous coucher tout en dejeunant. Sieste, tele, puis je pars chercher un cyber presque tous pleins d'enfants qui sortis de l'ecole foncent jouer en reseau (que de souvenirs !!). Mauvaise nouvelle : une epidemie de dengue fait des ...

Encore une journee de glande. Comme hier nous enchainons lit, tele, piscine, restauration et cyber. Une petite remarque sur la Bolivie, on ne voit que des femmes travailler : commerces, marches, comedores, boucheries, porteuses, bureaux... que font les hommes ?!! Le soir nous prenons le bus pour Tarija (1850 m) en bas du plateau avec la seule companie acceptant les voyages de nuit. On part a 20h mais apres 2h de trajet, l'orage quotidien eclate, le chauffeur s'arrete et nous dit que c'est dan...

Malgres notre promesse, nous reprenons le bus pour Tupiza, le voyage en avion impliquant trop de desavantages. Meme companie et meme chauffeurs, ils etaient bons. On part a 9h30 pour arriver a 19h (seuleument 2h de retard !!). Je ne raconterai pas a nouveau de la route et du voayge surtout depuis que j'ai appris que cela etait commun en Bolivie. Les majeures peripeties de ce voyage furent les eboulements de terrain dus aux forte pluies de la veille dont un bloquant la route. Un tractopelle es...