After a rather harrowing 12 hour bus journey (at one stage the bus 
actually jumped a few feet off the ground and woke anyone actually able to sleep) we arrived in Uyuni, lobbed our bags in a hostel and went to sort out a tour. After hearing the Salt Flat trips can be pretty dodgy we decided to pay a little more and go with a reputable firm...hahahaha!!Don´t book with Oasis Tours! We 
also found the best pizzeria in South America, Minute Man Pizza - dinner was soo good we even went for breakfast the next day... and loaded up our jeep with cold leftovers!
actually jumped a few feet off the ground and woke anyone actually able to sleep) we arrived in Uyuni, lobbed our bags in a hostel and went to sort out a tour. After hearing the Salt Flat trips can be pretty dodgy we decided to pay a little more and go with a reputable firm...hahahaha!!Don´t book with Oasis Tours! We 
also found the best pizzeria in South America, Minute Man Pizza - dinner was soo good we even went for breakfast the next day... and loaded up our jeep with cold leftovers!Day one with 6 of us squashed into the jeep 
we hit the desert (first we 
actually stopped at a train graveyard...exhilerating!!!) and stopped at the Salt Flats for as many prespective shots as we could think of. It was great fun altogether planning some of the shots! We stopped at the Isle de Pescado which was nice as we got to stretch our legs before our tasty lunch of cold vegetables!
we hit the desert (first we 
actually stopped at a train graveyard...exhilerating!!!) and stopped at the Salt Flats for as many prespective shots as we could think of. It was great fun altogether planning some of the shots! We stopped at the Isle de Pescado which was nice as we got to stretch our legs before our tasty lunch of cold vegetables! It was about this time that our jeep decided to break down, just as 
we arrived at Cueva del Diablo (wasn´t too exciting and the graves full of skeletons were a little freaky when we were wondering whether we would be sleeping here!). After a little bit of wrenchin
g around by the driver we headed off to our hostel in the smallest village we have seen so far. Here we found some local kids who invited us to partake in a football match (Bolivians v The Gringos!), needless to say the tiny children beat us soundly! Back in the hostel the same kids treated us to a well choreographed, much rehersed rendition of local song and dance...at one stage their "owner" asked them to sing and not screech...it was hilarious, especially Orla trying to break up some fights between the 3 year old boys.
we arrived at Cueva del Diablo (wasn´t too exciting and the graves full of skeletons were a little freaky when we were wondering whether we would be sleeping here!). After a little bit of wrenchin
g around by the driver we headed off to our hostel in the smallest village we have seen so far. Here we found some local kids who invited us to partake in a football match (Bolivians v The Gringos!), needless to say the tiny children beat us soundly! Back in the hostel the same kids treated us to a well choreographed, much rehersed rendition of local song and dance...at one stage their "owner" asked them to sing and not screech...it was hilarious, especially Orla trying to break up some fights between the 3 year old boys.After giving up drinking the most disgusting cans of beer ever we 
all had an earlyish 
night in preparation for a long drive! After finally getting the jeep started (and some cold showers) we headed towards the lagoons in search of some flamingos.
all had an earlyish 
night in preparation for a long drive! After finally getting the jeep started (and some cold showers) we headed towards the lagoons in search of some flamingos. Numerous push starts later we firstly passed a stone tree (mind blowing???!!!) but have to say the lagoons and their amazing 
colours were well worth the bumpy bumpy drive! We saw loads of flamingos which were hard to photograph with their heads actually out of the water. The Lagoon Colorado was the most impressive with its amazing array of colours and thousands of flamingos.
colours were well worth the bumpy bumpy drive! We saw loads of flamingos which were hard to photograph with their heads actually out of the water. The Lagoon Colorado was the most impressive with its amazing array of colours and thousands of flamingos.Our hostel was grand (even if it was a squish putting 6 of us and all our bags into one small room) but our table nearby the fire was brilliant so we played a couple of games of cards and warmed ourselves up with a good few bottles of wine in preparation for the cold night ahead and the early rise!!
Next morning we left the hostel in the dark and discovered that 
our driver failed to demist the windscreen, with no deicer or warm water to hand, he did the next best thing...opened his car door, stuck his head out and drove through the rubble in the dark!!!! We visited the geyser fields but it was soo cold we didn´t hang around for long!
our driver failed to demist the windscreen, with no deicer or warm water to hand, he did the next best thing...opened his car door, stuck his head out and drove through the rubble in the dark!!!! We visited the geyser fields but it was soo cold we didn´t hang around for long!We headed towards some less touristy hot springs where we all hopped in for a quick wash...despite the green algae and strange
red insects determined to stick to us! It was then our cook announced she had no matches to light the gas for breakfast!!!!What kind of cook has no fire!!!
After breakfast (we eventually borrowed some "fire" off a passing jeep!) we headed to the Green Lake which was spectacular especially with the clear reflection of the mountains in the water. After an eventful border crossing involving a stand off between us and some annoying tour group with the rudest guide we have ever met (Tolcan Tours never darken our doorstep again!!!) we made it safe and soundly to San Pedro De Atacama...Chile!!!When we saw the tarmac road we were only chuffed with ourselves!
Anyway despite all of the trouble we had with the jeep, the crappy food, bumpy roads and lack of promised hot showers, we really enjoyed the sights and it is definately worth the uncomfortable travel because the scenery is amazing. Next time maybe try Esmeralda Travel as we have heard good things and better prices.
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