Tupiza

We arrived in Tupiza after our longer than planned train journey and found it to be yet another 'one horse town' but this time it had more than one horse.

The town is full of them! The thing to do here is hire a horse and head off into the outback. Kenny was more than pleased as they were able to present him with a horse bigger than a pit pony this time. Still not large enough for his crazy legs but at least a more comfortable size which was a good thing as we had booked onto a 2 day trek.

Setting off up the train tracks out of town it did not take long for us to reach the wilderness.

The Lonely Planet describes this place as 'reminiscent of the American Wild West, only more spectacular'. We were not disappointed as before too long the red rocks reared up around us.

Kenny looked at home on his horse, which seemed even more dopey than Minstrel. I however had yet again made the fatal mistake of mentioning I had some experience and was given a young horse I re-named 'The Bullet' whose only aim it seemed was to travel in the chosen direction as fast as possible. (A rare photo taken by me at the back).

Soon we met up with some other riders and the fun began. Two things to mention about riding in Tupiza, firstly, they give you chaps to protect your legs and yet only a mear cloth hat to protect your head. Secondly, the horses have only 2 speeds, walk and flat out, and no skill whatsoever in transitioning smoothly between the two. 'The Bullet' was off!

Ah lunchtime - phew - no photos for a while before as I was too busy hanging on to my pony!

After lunch we set off again up the riverbed of the valley.

It was incredible.

Kenny did so well with his horse, while mine galloped everywhere his seemed intent on doing a crazy fast trot, very tiring for the legs! The horse did, though, have his moments, and Kenny experienced his first real gallop.

It really was Wild West.

The greenery of the valley floor.

Yet more impressive towering rocks.

The calm before the storm - walking down the track before a finally gallop to the hostel.

My horse, looking as if he has merely been out for a quiet jog enjoying his food.

The hostel was basic (aren't they all) but a great little place with great company, oh and cheap beer!

Day 2 we set off back up the other side of the valley.

The views were just as impressive.

We meandered pleasantly up the roads.

A gentle pace with lots to see and good conversation.

We walked back up through the riverbed.

Down by red rock cliffs.

The heat was getting up ......

.............. but the views more than made up for it.

We started to wonder if we would be galloping at all today or if we would carry on at our pleasant pace.

Our guide, a 17 year old boy, seemed much more relaxed at present.

Until the last stretch from home where he turns and asks, 'Mas Rapido?' We then discovered why we had been going so slowly thus far; to gear us up for the gallop home. We went at flat out gallop for the best part of an hour!!!! Made worse by the gritty surface that would fly up and hit you in the face as you went. I had to bury Bullet behind the lead horse so he did not carry me off into the outback never to be seen again. And Kenny loved it, apart from his horse (being the slowest) meant that he suffered worst from the gritty surface effect and that by the end, his back had taken such hammering from being jostled so much it became some what uncomfortable.

We did slow down occasionally, as we passed through a railway tunnel for example.

Finally we made it back, if just a little broken. What a fun 2 days! Kenny's riding has come on leap and bounds and we have ridden through some of the most amazing landscape. However, we are more than ready for the well-behaved horses of Argentina and we are dreaming of the comfortable saddles in New Zealand!

Sucre & The Salt Flats

Arriving in Sucre was welcome after being stuck on a freezing bus at an all night road block. Made even worse by the fact that they would not open the toilet on board!

The thing to do here is go an see the famous dinosaur footprints - in the dinosaur truck complete with plastic dino head of course.

It was a little bit of a theme park.

With life size dino's!

Me & T-Rex.

So they found the footprints as they were quarrying into the rock, after leaving this side exposed for a while they noticed the prints all over it.

Pushed up vertically as the tectonic plates moved they believe that the tracks show the dino's on their way to a water hole. There were loads of them but I think this photo came out the clearest? (Halfway down running horizontally).

Onwards from Sucre we caught a bus to Potosi and a late bus on to Uyuni, piled in with the locals.

Kenny described Uyuni as a 'One horse town without a horse'.

He was not far off it is in the middle of nowhere only the railway defines it transporting minerals & silver etc. to Chile.

The old engine graveyard, all British built!

These engines have only been out of service 40 - 50 years max.

Onto the salt flats, first a salt museum where various animals were built out of salt.

The Salt Flats - incredible, so vast. Created as the Andes were formed. Great areas of the ocean were driven up with them, as they evaporated over time the salt was deposited some 3500 + meters above sea level.

There is little here to give any perspective, distance and size are so difficult to distinguish ......

....................... which is ideal for some crazy photos!

Unfortunately we were not as prepared with props.

Some pics we had to improvise with water bottles etc.

Such good fun.

Finally after driving across the flats for what seemed like ages we arrived at one of the many volcanoes.

Halfway up it is an old grave site with well preserved mummies.

Back across the flats to another island which is covered in old cacti.

Some massive, some over 1000 years old (I bet this photo has never been taken before!)

Cacti everywhere.

The wind was very strong that day and whistled as it blew through the cacti spikes.

Back at the van our driver/cook/guide/mechanic was tinkering inside the bonnet once again.

Time for a few more silly shots.

A little 'heavy' reading (pun - 'heavy' reading as the book is the same size as me).

One of the most amazing places we have been to, miles of salt.

Our first nights accommodation in a hostel made of salt! Even the floor was ground salt. It took Kenny 2 mins at dinner to think of the joke to ask, 'Can someone pass me the salt please?'

The rooms were basic.

Day 2, lots more off road driving through volcanic landscapes.

Amazing rock formations.

Lots to climb on.

The first laguna - full of flamingos.

Incredible how they live so happily up here.

The road was less-than comfortable during the trip and seemed to go on forever.

Crazy rock tree formation.

Kenny - climbing again.

The Red Lake.

Red from algae deposits.

And more flamingos.

Our hostel, night 2. Here with our great group of fellow Salt Flat travellers. The night was cold and the hostel basic, very basic! Ah well the wine and beer made up for it! (Don't forget dinosaur Uno!! - Kenny)

After an early start we drove on to the geysers.

The smell of sulphur was strong.

Amazing to look at in the early sun.

Next stop, a lake where llama casually grazed.

And a small hot springs had been created - too cold outside for us to dip in!

The beautiful llama.

Back on the bouncey road.

To the Green Laguna.

Just an incredible colour.

And yes more flamingoes!
Following this we had a 9 1/2 hour journey back to Uyuni across the off-road terrain. We were so tired.

With a train at 10.40pm that night to Tupiza we had time for a quick pizza at 'Minute Man' (The best pizza shop in town). The train finally arrived at 3.20am!!!! With only 2 trains a week for Tupiza how can they be so late??? In Bolivia they have their own time, if they say it will take 6 hours add on 2 and you will be somewhere close.