Salar de Uyuni and Lunar Valley

 

Salar de Uyuni

The next morning the alarm is sounded at six o'clock to head towards the bus station. The trip included a shift in bus until the town of Oruru, from which we had embarked on a train to Uyuni, a total of more than twelve hours' journey, during which most are down south and more coming down the temperature actually at levels of concern as to freeze the moisture present in the windows. We arrived around twenty-three fell to the ground and we realized that was really very cold, we quickly retrieved the luggage and followed by a kind lady who escorted us to the hotel. It was time for us to enter a shower and in bed but unfortunately it was not easy. The room was obviously not heated and the water just warm shower, we entered into our sleeping bags and under blankets almost prey to convulsions, trying to keep them until next morning.

The departure was scheduled at ten and for that we have woken up with a certain tranquility and calm just as we rebuilt the rucksacks and then go out to breakfast. It 'time to explain why we have gone to the town of Uyuni ... is from this city that leave daily tours to visit the largest salt of the world and then go to the colorful mountain lagoons that are situated at a height of 4500 meters above sea level. Our trip was conducted on a 4x4 jeep in the company of two Belgians and two Slovenians without forgetting our precious Alejandro driver, guide and cook. The departure was delayed by about an hour to allow the supply of food to be loaded into the jeep. Also loaded backpacks was time to leave for new adventures after just half an hour journey we arrived at the Salt ... the sky was smooth and the sun beat in salt and white made it almost impossible to keep your eyes open. Worn the sunglasses spalmatici and a good dose of sunscreen we proceeded to the heart of saline up to a hotel built entirely of blocks of salt: our first goal. Stop to admire the interior of which contained strictly in the furniture sale and had already reached the time for us to return in march. We proceeded onto plain white for another hour almost impossible as our driver Alejandro could orient in the stretch without signals where the horizon seemed not to have no end. Our next step was the so-called Pescado Island, named for the unique shape that reproduces a fish. Arrived in the parking lot and paid the entrance fee we began a slow ascent to the summit. This is a kind of rock in the middle of a sea of salt sprinkled with gigantic and spectacular cactus plants, the highest of which reaches a height of about twelve meters. Going along the path that led us to visit the Isle of Pescado, we realized, even more if possible, this dell'immenso saline. The effect of a perspective view from above makes it even more spectacular view of these places. Descended to the car, Alejandro had already set up our lunch and we consumatolo quickly put in motion for our next destination: the galaxia. To achieve this goal we have a lot of ground still impel km outside the salt in a desert. The Galaxia is a cave that was recently discovered and even more recently opened to tourism. Inside you can see a sort of stalactite and stalagmite formations certainly not common. Rather than the usual tapered limestone formations, this cave has a ceiling that much more structured in some ways resembles a coral formations. Next to the cave there was another called "Cueva del Diablo", a sort of Inca cemetery where lay many tombs carved into the rock and entered the light dall'instancabile work of only three people who have decided to be an attraction tourism. The visit was very brief, because we waited another two and a half hours to reach the village where we spent the night. In a moment the darkness fell and we have embarked in the desert with only the light of our headlamps and the wise guidance of our driver. As in any self-respecting desert between daylight and darkness of darkness, there's been significant fluctuations in temperature, but all in all our concerns were partly soothed: our accommodation was of course built in blocks of mud and straw, which have played to their full function and insulation have helped to maintain a temperature in the house acceptable. Having taken place in our room, we all gathered together in a living room, where skilled hands we had prepared a good dinner. The evening is spent between two and talk some glass of hot chocolate in the company of our fellow travelers. We went to bed very early the next morning because we would just as soon raise due.

The alarm was sounded at 06:00 to visit a place just a short walk from our house, in which were preserved the remains of some graves and some people even mummified and still preserved in excellent condition, perhaps on the climate is cold and dry . Returning from the morning walk, we gathered together again for a hot breakfast and then load the jeep and go in the direction of the "Laguna Colorada", our next station camp. The journey was very long and bumpy and, passing through lunar landscapes. During the journey we have also found another car of tourists in need of repair: complice the harshness of the territory and the rigorous climate, the jeep they were traveling on which the unfortunate fellow, not knowing they wanted to share. Luckily our driver Alejandro has solved this problem, calling into sixth damaged the car and allowing us to resume the journey. Shortly after we stopped to observe the fumaroles of a still active volcano, then proceed to the first of a series of lagoons from many different colors. In the first we stopped for two reasons: the first for the presence of some flamingos that despite the weather not ungrateful to persist in their fishing activities; second reason, certainly not least, to put something in your teeth.
We have not stopped much since the time flowed relentlessly and the road was still very long. We went through incredible landscapes, reaching only in the late afternoon our goal. We fell in a hurry and fury from the jeep to put the backpacks in the room and head to look at the Laguna Colorada. We had to get to the point of observation before calasse the sun, because it is thanks to the sun that the lagoon is particularly reddish color due to the presence of particular algae contained in its waters. Here the temperature was really unbearable: the angry wind blew our nose and began to relentlessly casting; hands slowly lose sensitivity and ears were practically nonexistent. According to our expert guides the temperature during the night would have dropped to -25 ° C. Obviously in our room there was no heating ... the only consolation was that this time we would have slept with all our companions in misfortune, hoping to warm each other. We did not know more than we do to combat frost, until, fortunately, came the dinner with the usual minestrina and boiling spaghetti has warmed the stomach. After dinner, we even found the strength to play cards, but not for long, and the electric generator was switched off shortly after and we in the light of our flashlight we put directly into the bag and then in two blankets, without even take away the clothes we had on him.

The alarm was scheduled at 05:00, but the excessive cold has made the slip up at 06:30: we were still alive! After the usual breakfast, this time almost frozen, we are broken for the new day. The jeep seemed to lag Fatigue under the blows of the cold, but in the end she is also heated and has managed to climb to five thousand meters above sea level, where he had planned our first stop, to visit the beautiful geysers. Jets of hot steam, in a valley still frozen, with powerful spray that rise high into the sky. After a walk in the middle of the hot vapors, are divided to reach a source of water caliente. It seemed incredible, but also to five thousand meters, with a temperature of penguins, flowed from the rock a pleasant warm water, which we have taken advantage to thaw our feet which had lost sensitivity. Again, the stop was quite short because we had to get to the mythical Laguna Verde, the most southern leg of our journey, right on the border with Chile and Argentina. In about an hour's jeep we arrived at its destination: it came to the lagoon a bit too early, was still completely frozen and unfortunately we could not fully appreciate its characteristic emerald green color ... just bad, it was equally fascinating! Also this time we had a very long time to enjoy the panorama: back to Uyuni we needed because our fellow travelers had to take a bus late in the afternoon. We waited almost nine hours to rally from the desert to return to base camp, intramezzate only by a quick lunch in a ghost town and a quick drink in a small cluster of houses near Uyuni. Arrived around 18:00, we greeted our fellow adventure and we went to warm the "stomachino" with a well-deserved hot chocolate. The agreements of our tour included a return in saline, where we had to spend last night in a hotel built entirely of salt. We had already fixed an appointment with our driver and at eight we started from Uyuni to reach our goal. After a half hour journey in total darkness we arrived in front of the hotel, but much to our surprise and disapproval, was completely closed. Asked our driver to do good, we returned to town to spend the last night in the cold hotel that we had hosted our arrival. It was not the best way to conclude a tour rich in content, but unfortunately there were no alternatives. Consumed a mediocre dinner included in the tour, we were directed to our desolate home to try to forget what happened.

The next day we could take the train that would take us to La Paz only later in the evening ... there remained an entire day to spend at Uyuni. The little town did not offer a large and turns because the strict temperature, we spent almost the whole day in the tiny office of the tourist agency, where we have exploited to advance our "hard" work for updating web page.
Time flies when you enjoy a moment in time has arrived to dine. To roll a bit on the morale, we headed for one of the most nice and warm rooms of the country, which we later discovered to be owned by a girl who has married one of our fellow citizen: how small the world!
A belly full we returned to agency, and we spaparanzati seats on where we are well able to crush a nap. Wake up just in time we have to turn the train where we tried to resume the interrupted sleep, but not too successful.

We arrived at Oruru the next morning, without losing time where we boarded a bus that led us to the Capital. Arrived in La Paz tested significantly from the trip, we returned to Israel in the same hotel that we hosted at our arrival. Tired, we spent the rest of the day to rest. The next day we used to explore the city. As usual, starting from the main square, we have gradually enlarged the streets adjacent to circumscribe a perimeter large enough to understand the urban structure. In addition to the main square, where there is the inevitable cathedral, we were particularly impressed by the hectic life that characterizes this city, especially nell'immancabile area of the market. We spent almost the whole day immersed in the crowd, including stalls and small bar until it was done tonight. A regular dinner usually consumed in the restaurant and then we proceed directly to our room to try to fall asleep as soon as possible.

Valle Lunare

The plan for the next day read: "Valley of the Moon." This is an area not too far from the city center, where it was possible to admire a particular scene that huge earth formations, shaped in a spectacular dall'instancabile work of Mother Nature. The scenario was not very far from what one imagines when one speaks of the moon: it is precisely for this reason is called "Valley of the Moon"! Wake up the morning we turn on the first bus and help us we are immersed in exploration of the valley. The visit lasted nearly two hours under a scorching sun, which for the first time since our arrival in Bolivia, has allowed us to remove the pile. We returned to the hotel in late afternoon, to make us a shower and go to consume that which was our last dinner in Bolivia.

The next morning a plane (actually multiple), we would have brought the cold Andean warm Caribbean. So, wake up around five, we loaded the luggage and we were heading for the airport to perform the usual practice of loading ... shortly after we were already in flight to Caracas, Venezuela!