Salar de Uyuni tour - Day 3
Trip Start
Nov 29, 2007
1
42
115
Trip End
Jun 24, 2008
Uyuni,
Bolivia
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Another early start, 6am, but we all slept much better last night, so at least we felt much better. We had a better breakfast today and set off a little later than planned at 6.30am back to Laguna Colorado. The Laguna was covered in Flamingos, it was an amazing site. I donīt know what it is about Flamingos but I have always loved them and to see that many of them in the wild was just great for me. I think they are so elegant and graceful, like Swans, but a little more exotic to me.
Anyway, we went for a good walk and took tonnes of pictures! Then we were off in the jeep once more to the "Stone Tree", this was the inspiration for the Dali painting and is pretty cool to see in real life, you can see in the desert terrain of Bolivia where Dali got a lot of his inspiration from.
We took loads of pictures here too as it was not just the Stone Tree, but a series of weird and wonderful stones that had been shaped by the wind and rain blasting through the desert
Laguna Colorado
. The sun was shinning and I was feeling great, which is probably another reason why we had so many photos! After the Stone Tree is was off to a series of Laguna's. The first was Laguna Hedionda where we saw even more Flamingos, but this time they where more pink and white due to the Laguna on which they live and feed. I had never realsied that there are in fact 3 colours of Flamingo, in Bolivia at least. There are the red ones that live on Maguna Colorado and then the pink and white ones. I hope that when I look at the photos properly that you can see the difference.
After the lakes we headed for our lunch destination. Between our last walk around the Laguna's and lunch I got really ill again. My head was killing and I felt so sick, when it came to lunch it really was difficult to eat anything, but I knew I had to or it would get worse. Flaurent was suffering much more than me and had been sick several times on the way. Julia says it is cos we are descending really quickly and I will feel better once we get back down. I didn't believe her at the time, but they know what they are talking about so I did as I was told and ate a little and drank a lot - which if course meant more pee stops on the way!!!! I have been to some of the most beautiful places in Bolivia to pee, I am getting quite an expert at outdoor peeing whilst avoiding the cactus and being seen by fellow travellers!!
Loads of Flamingos
!Well Julia was right and as soon as we reached San Cristobal I felt completely normal again and got my appetite back. We then headed to Uyuni and had a quick stop to get cash as there are no cash points in Tupiza - something that it didnīt tell us in Lonely Planet! Then of course the inevitable toilet stop and on our way to a small village on the edge of the Salar de Uyuni - Colchani to stay in a Salt Hotel - yes the hotel really is made of salt as well as the chairs, tables and bed stands, it was so cool! And what was best of all is that as we went to select our beds from in the big room where we were all staying, Julia stepped aside to reveal a double room and offered it to Epi for us. So we get our own private room, so cool!!!!!
We were told that the salt flat was about a 30 minute walk, so we headed off to see it. Now remember that we are not as high anymore, but we are still at altitude, so after walking 30 minutes and not having even got half way we decided to head back for a warm cup of tea! At least we had an hours walk anyway. We had dinner and then went outside to see a fairly amazing sunset. We had a nice last evening and finally had electricity, so we set up the ipod and had music too!
Went out to see the stars, but as we are lower they were not as good tonight, but we still saw the milky way and the southern cross, still no shooting stars though! But right now, I have nothing else I could wish for, I am so lucky to be here, having such a great time, with great people.
Early to bed again ready for the Salar de Uyuni tomorrow, canīt wait!!!!
Comments
Flamingoes
I have studied the flamingo's as per the instructions (even put my glasses on). Yes I think you have captured several shades of pink (think the coca leaves have finally taken effect as well!)
Wendy
xx