Bolivia - Salar de Uyuni, Potosi, and Sucre

The adventure was about to begin-Bolivia! I had as muchn respect of this country as of Laos or Cambodia. And it turned out to be just as easy and safe to travel as in Asia-use your head and you are safe-of course there is bad luck...Two jeep left for the three day trip to Uyuni crossing the biggest salt desert of the world-the Salar de Uyuni. Our jeep was the better one, composed of two Germans, one Irish, one Suisse, and one Norwigean. We were a good team and stayed together even after the trip to spend some time in Potosi. After crossing over to Bolivia we came to the first of about 110 lagoons-the Laguna Blanca. We had to pay entrance for the National Park but did not have any cash. You know that you need it but then withdrawing money always gives you a feeling you do not want to feel. Anyway, some really weird Spanish couple of the other jeep helped us out till we got to the next ATM at the end of our trip. The lagoon was filled with flamingos. The next day was just filled with other lagoons and more flamingos and loads of driving. Yet driving was not as we know it from the rest of the world-no roads. We were heading through the desert and had to trust our 23-year old drive that he would find the right way. He did and so we arrived at our second hostal where we played table tennis and continued our Perudo game, a Peruan/Chilean (they never know who really introduced it first) dice game, and were happy to find a shower that even had warm water. All freshin' up we left for the highlight of the tour at 4:30a.m.-the Salar de Uyuni. It is a vast salt desert-just salt and salt and salt. In the middle of the ancient lake was an island full of cacti. It used to be the peak of a volcano just across the "lake" which was now lying there surrounded by salt. We played soccer, me the German being about the worst of all, resulting in me having to run the most-on 3660 meters. Now I know what it means to be out of breath. We took funny pictures-somebody standing on me, me being in somebody's cap...

In Uyuni we missed the bus to Potosi by ten minutes and had to wait another eight hours. The bus was small, not too comfi, and the road bumpy. However, after having heard all the stories about Bolivian roads I did not find them to be too bad-had a far worse experience in Cambodia. I will be back in Bolivia in a week or so, maybe there is more to come. On the bus I gave my seat to a 12-year old with her 2-year old sister. Now capable of the Spanish language we talked for about three hours with breaks how life is in Bolivia, how she lives with her family etc. She went to Uyuni to buy goods for her dads shop in Tica Tica-three hours away. It was an interesting conversation and I learned a lot that you cannot find in books. Potosi also was a nice experience. I bought my first and probably last dynamite...also coca leaves and a bottle of water. Of course, this was stuff to give to the miners that are still working under conditions of the Middle Age. Yet, asking the question if the miners are still happy, the answer was: "Yes!". They are working over 4300 meters and can just survive by eating the coca leaves. Dear Mister President: Do not make Bolivia abolish the coca cultivation. Raw we just have a mixture of vitamines! ;)

Sucre as well as Potosi is full of colonial style buildings-just so beautiful. To Sucre I went just with Moira and we spent a couple of days there in a nice, also colonial style hostal. We explored the city and went up to a cafe from which we could oversee the whole city. Sucre is supposed to be the most beautiful city of Bolivia and I sure understand where they are coming from. From there we took a really tireing busride all the way to Iquique in Chile, Moira heading down to Santiago and me up to Arica-the gateway to Peru. The first bus was to let us off at the bus terminal in Oruro. Arriving at the city at 4a.m. the busdrivers told us, that this is the direct bus to La Paz and that they do not go the busterminal but would let us off out of town. The first time I got really pissed yelling throughout the whole bus yet knowing it would not have any success anyway. It is just a little bit dangerous to find a reliable taxi in the red light district taking you do the bus terminal. But we managed well. After one night in Arica I took a train to Tacna in Peru, being pleased not to cross another border with the bus which takes a lot more time. From Tacna I took a bus to Arequipa to meet up with Melanie, a friend from uni-time. I guess I just had to much fun with her giving me another hard good bye. Arequipa is really beautiful city yet have not taken any pics...Tonight I am leaving for Cusco/Machupichu-I am really excited for it...