Bolivia and Salar de Uyuni – Day 3

It’s 5am, the cars are loaded and we are heading off in the pitch dark to the lake. Of course, because there is no light pollution here, the night sky is absolutely amazing. Jam-packed with stars to the extent that there is hardly a space between them and shooting stars a plenty. It’s a salient reminder of what we generally miss in our day-to-day lives surrounded by light through the night.

We drove well across the salt lake until we reached a spot where the three cars in our group pulled up and we waited while the sun gently rose over the horizon spilling its golden glow across the lake and casting the amazing reflections that are a particular feature of this area.

There is a thin layer of water lying on top of the hard-packed salt which provides the glass-like surface for the reflections. No doubt the clarity of the light in this pollution free atmosphere helps too.

The drivers did an amazing job of coaxing us all into several different formations while they drove around us in a circle several times to capture all the different moves from different angles.

We continued to drive across the lake until we reached an island ‘Isla de Incahausi’ which we were able to explore for a few Bolivianos (including use of the toilet – bucket job for flushing). Anyway, for some, these toilet facilities were a God send.

The island is notable for two things really, the giant cactus, which are very slow growing.

From the top of the island provides the climber with amazing 360 degree panorama that of the salt lake – it goes on every side for as far as the eye can see.

It was quite a struggle getting to the top, the climb, although not difficult by any means, has to be punctuated by several stops merely to catch one’s breath again as we are still at around 4000m.

Breakfast was ready when we descended, tea, bread, jam and cake before we headed off to the more touristy part of the trip.

A shop and museum in the middle of the lake with lots of different country’s flags outside and a monument to Dakar/Bolivia.

At this time, locals were arriving and starting to set up stalls selling drinks and souvenirs. We travelled on across to a small town at the edge of the lake where there was another stop and an opportunity to visit the market stalls that were clearly there for the purpose of selling their souvenirs to the passing tourists.

Moving on once again took us to the cemetario de trenes, the train cemetary. Definitely a tourist attraction to see these dozens of turn of the century (20th) pieces of engineering in various stages of decay.

Laying bare the internal structures of these steam engines, the empty drivers’ cabs and firemen’s plates, coal wagons and other associated wagons.

All of which had been dumped over the years following the collapse of the local mineral mining. Clearly, a reminder of what a hive of activity there once had been in this inhospitable location.

This was a much more relaxing day and welcomed by all, despite the early start. We headed into Uyuni itself and to the office of the tour company as there was to be a change of driver for the last day. We had the opportunity to explore the town, although most of us just wanted to rest in the office and take advantage of their internet while we were there. Although there are apparently some good cafés and restaurants in Uyuni, as it was Sunday, the majority of these were closed.

About an hour later we were on our way again heading back to Villa Mar where we were due to spend the third and final night of our trip. We arrived there around 6pm, so despite being more relaxed, it still was a long day. We were greeted with the usual hot tea and biscuits and this time the venue was much warmer – thermals were not required this night.

Dinner was due at 8 – I did manage the soup, some managed the main course, others opted out all together. The strain of the journey, the long days bouncing around in the back of cars over rough terrain and of course the altitude was taking a heavy toll on some people’s well-being. Fever was becoming a common them and the doctor was already becoming tired of being ‘on-call’ while on holiday, even though he himself was suffering from tingling fingers.

Bed was a welcome and early retreat as the departure time was scheduled for 5am the following day – cars to be loaded by that time.

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