Bolivia. Here, for the first time it was said to us "gringos." Here we had the first big problem (luckily not threatening our life:)). Here, the first time we felt like in the developing country August. Bolivia stands out in every way from Argentina and Chile, with whom we can already say something and we have strong opinions. Bolivia threw us on their knees with their landscapes and wonders of nature. Delighted that the tradition alive, as you can see at every step. But for 7 days spent so far in Bolivia befallen us more problems than the whole trip together. Problems arising everywhere, nasty surprises, adventures. But what would be a four-month trip without problems? ... And it was this:
Already at the border of Chile-Bolivia appears first problem. Previously we examined the information regarding the border crossing, visa and other requirements set at the entrance to Bolivia. Not a word on stamp. The fee was not very high, but the problem lay in the fact that we had with you only deducted for the bus to the border to the Chilean peso Uyuni. The two places we learned about the cost of bus ticket. Already at the end of the road when one of the drivers began to collect money for the tickets (which you can feel or not we got did not see the eyes), it turns out that there are nearly a half times more expensive. Immediately after arriving to Uyuni we go to an ATM so I would pay the remainder of money for tickets. On the streets of Uyuni carnival is in full swing (it is one of the last of his days.) It is hard to penetrate the dry ATM (the love of every Bolivian - old and young - is probably during the carnival throwing water balloons at passers-by and flow around guns (rifles in order ... bazukami!) of water.)
Traditionally clad women, the traditional "bar street" in Uyuni
ATM does not work. It is Sunday afternoon. Monday and Tuesday is a national holiday, during which the party in the streets in August increases. ATM these days does not intend to start working. Debt, a handful of Bolivian money (luckily it operates office and we had a remnant Argentinean pesos) we had before him visions of starvation for 2 days and live in hostels on credit. Bread and water or less starczyly the experience, He was also, unfortunately, the height at which we were, and to which we were not accustomed to. Slight headache, fatigue, rapid heartbeat. So since past 2.5 days (plus fleeing before flying balloons with water, but unfortunately without success - we felt like beaten dogs). On the fourth day - after the end of carnival opened the bank! And started to repair ATM! Hope grows in her eyes. Before an ATM is thirty tourists. Behind us, over time, the second set behind. The first successful extract money, finished in an ovation ... after 40 minutes and we have money! Overdue payments to homes, also paid a three-day trip to the region of Potosi and two hours later sitting in a Toyota Land Cruiser dziurawymi road racing toward world's largest saline soils - Salar de Uyuni.
Endless Salt farmland, houses and hotels made from salt, cacti kilkunastometrowe with more than 1,200 years. Volcanoes, geysers, hot magma of the earth. Colorful lakes, flamingos, llamas and vicuña. Fancy shapes of rocks, deserts. Everything in the company of four other tourists, and gay couples Bolivia - Dalia our cook and driver / conductor Franz (both were 20 years old and had already experienced workers).
trip a success wonderfully. We could finally off of Uyuni and our local problems. The only thing that stood in our way to altitude sickness (reduced coca leaves). We stayed at over 4200 meters (with gusts of up to 5300), to which our bodies have not had time to get used.
Salt field on the horizon
rocks, rocks, rocks ...
Salar de Uyuni is amazing ...
Unfortunately, the whole sorry to say,
the meat of llamas much we tasted.
mushroom rock truest, truest geyser.
fabulous colors Bolivian wasteland
After returning from a trip, a bit tired but with smiles on their lips, and an unimaginable number of photos waiting for us last, a short night Uyuni. About 5:30 is to be substituted by coach to Villazón - the city lying on the border with Argentina. The weather broke, at sunrise penetrating cold uprzykrzalo we wait for the late coach of course. Arrived at 8:00 and really only then the problems started. Trip, having last for 9-10h turns into misery. At a time when the blog takes longer replenished 27.5 h. Roads in Bolivia poprzecinaly fast-flowing rivers. Before one of them had to wait, surrounded by beautiful dunes (which are beautiful but then underestimated), and the water level. Drops, falls or not? In total, it is not known. The driver says that we have to wait, so we wait.
with two rolls and a bottle of water in a backpack ... 4 hours later we set off and with my heart in my throat cross river. Coach carnage, tilts, roar, and finally leaves for the other side ... Then I was waiting us many stops (at every opportunity, when the smoke fill the interior of the coach about the smell of burning engine with an obstacle on the road were lying in a frayed the edges of stones). After nearly 12 hours, we reach the first town where we had to be after 3 - 4 hours of driving. On the spot turns out that we will go no further, because the bus is not suitable for this. We look forward to the substitution of another. Moments later, however, the driver changes his mind and says that today we will not go at all, because in the mountains and rain can be very dangerous on the roads. We spend the night in a coach standing in the parking lot in town, curled in a Chinese "9". In the morning, before sunrise we set off the same bus (the night he found a city engineer, first unfolded and then paid a coach for parts - I think successfully). Another, very slow passage through the mountains, canyons and beautiful abyss to Tupizy, where he finally kiss goodbye to the old coach and wait for change to the boundary. We had to wait 40 minutes, wait more than 4 hours ...
And just at that moment forward. Keep your fingers crossed for it to coach drove off on time (or at all drove off) and reached the place! And lest the border boliwijsko Argentina's tax collector is not doing none of the problems who knows what ...
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