The Salar de Uyuni and a Trip to the Moon

« Return to Bolivia

Day two brought real desert…not the Sahara sand kind, more the Martian rocky kind. It was like having a window seat in the Mars Rover. With not a palm tree in sight, out came the flamingos, thousands of them in their yard-ornament glory. Bright mineral lakes, dead to everything save the algae fodder of flamingos, painted colourful red strokes on the canvas and coral-like rock structures, created by turbulent volcanic activity, provided further spectacular Kodak moments. Advice: Bring film, bring smart cards, bring batteries, you don’t want your camera to stop. The second night was even more basic than the first. Dorms were provided for the dozen jeeps on the trail, two hours of electricity, and beds so hollow you’d think they were really hammocks. Maria, our cook, prepared some spaghetti that turned my stomach to bolognaise, but I’m used to it by now, an integral part of my Bolivian experience, shortly about to end. Venturing out into the freezing night (it gets into the –20C’s in winter), the full moon was like a giant spotlight. I truly felt like I was finally on the world stage.

We awoke at 4am, although “awoke” would imply there was some sleep. A few hours drive delivered sunrise at the geysers, where the earth literally boiled like a kettle, steam erupting meters into the sky through pores around our feet. Driving on, we breakfasted at shallow hot springs before making the final push for the Chilean border. The Salar de Uyuni tours return to Uyuni in four days, but you can get dropped off at the border on the third day and catch a bus to San Pedro, Chile. It was time to bid farewell to Bolivia, two countries down, 22 to go.

Chile is the most expensive country in South America, and it shows. Dirt roads became paved, signs became new, buses became smooth. The village of San Pedro has become a hugely popular outpost for travelers, although its dusty streets contain hotels that charge US$120 per night. Without a pool. Moving from Bolivianos to pesos, prices tripled and suddenly I appreciated just how cheap Bolivia really was. Even the popular HIN youth hotel charges US$24 for a single room. But legwork always yields rewards, and I found a friendly little hotel with my own room for US$9. Unfortunately it doesn’t include a plug socket which is why I’m typing these words at the reception desk. Gabriela and Philippe joined me for their last night before heading off to Argentina, and high on caprinia happy hour we got invited to a local party, fires burning under the bright Atacama desert moon. I had been awake for 22 hours when we stumbled back to the hotel, fumbling into sleep, absorbing the magic of the last few days. A whole new country awaits, new adventures, new people, as Modern Gonzo continues south to Santiago.

Hotel Corvatsch
San Pedro

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