South America D69_D72

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Date 69 6 Jan 2009 Bolivar

I waited in the Colque Tour Office at 7:45a.m. Many people were also waiting. They included day-tour, 3-days-tour and 4-days tour. The mini-bus came at 8:10a.m. and departed at 8:30a.m. It drove along the same road to Toco Hill. The land was covered with fresh snow layer as there was snowing in the evening. It was very beautiful. The driver stopped at a scenic point to take picture. I could see the Volcano Licancarbur.

We arrived at the border (4500m) at 10:30a.m. The driver helped me to talk with the Bolivar officer about my entry visa. They said that I was allowed to entry for one day only. I explained and negotiated with them the 4-day visa. Finally, I agreed to pay US$ 50 as entry fee (corruption fee) but without any chop in my passport.

I needed to change into 4 wheel drive car after immigration clearing. Although the car was a 10 years old Toyata Land Cruiser, the performance was quite good. I was allocated into a car going to Uyuni directly instead of starting the tour today. Two other people were already on the car. They started 4-days tour from Uyuni and it was the last day to go back. I felt rather strange but it was also ok. It was rather comfortable as only 4 people in the car.

We passed through Laguna Verde but without stop and took a toilet ($400) stop at Geyser de Sol de Manano after an hour. The salt lake was very beautiful. I wanted to use G7 camera to take photo but the LCD monitor was malfunction. So I used my back up camera (Sony T10) but it's LCD monitor had a black spot too. It was really『禍不單行』and I felt frustrated.

The car climbed continuously at the highest point 4700m which was higher than highway in Tibet. The landscape was arid and boring. We arrived at Maliku Villa Mar at 2:30p.m. and took lunch there. We continued at 3:15p.m. and drove down was easily and faster to 3800m. The weather was hot and the road was dusty even in such high altitude. We also took a short break at small village Villa Alota & San Cristobal. Finally, I arrived at Uyuni at 6:30p.m.

I made registration at the Colque Tour office and stayed in the hotel situated in the opposite corner. I was allocated a double room with private bathroom. Although the room was simple, but it was clean and was the best one in South America. I thought it valued for US$ 20 a night. All was included in the tour price US$ 125.

I went to main street after a comfortable shower. Although Uyuni was a small town, the street was full of tourists, mostly were backpacker. They clustered in the central plaza where had a lot of tour agents, hotels and restaurants.

I brought $20 Bolivar for BBQ steak, $13 for 2L water & $2.5 checking email. The dinner was simple ( soup + pollo + rice ).In fact, it was driving without any sight-seeing points today.

Date 70 7 Jan 2009 Bolivar

The car picked me up at 10:30a.m. This Land Cruiser was older than that on yesterday. All meters were out of order. It departed from Uyuni at 11:30a.m. after picking up all people ( 2 Lesbian middle age ladies, one couple and me). The first stop was salt museum and local market. All buildings and statue in salt museum were made in salt. It was very hard.

The engine could not start when we wanted to leave. The driver took 30 minutes to fix it.
We went to a train grave later. There was a lot of abandoned train and train head. It was very funny to jump and climb over them. But it had quite a lot of rubbish.

We picked up one more Japanese guest in Hotel Lunar Salada near salt lake. This hotel was made in salt and was a deluxe one. It had opened for two years only and $US 80 a night.

We drove along unpaved road and it was dusty. I arrived at the rim of Salar de Uyuni at 1:30p.m. It was incredible beautiful. The salt lake was filled with a layer (3 inches) of water as there was raining in the past few days. The shadow of car was silhouetted by blue sky & white cloud. It was similar to『海市晨樓』。

I stopped and took a lot of photos. We drove over the lake. Some people climbed into the top of the car. The water formed ripple when the car was driving though. We just liked 『陸上行舟』。 We stopped beside several small salt knolls. They were made by salt worker. We left the car and walked on the water. I wore my waterproof mountain boots while others walked with their bare foot. I stepped on the salt knoll to take picture.

The salt lake was very large that we drove over it until 3:00p.m. to arrive at Isla de Pescado. Lunch prepared by the driver was taken. Pescado was a small hill inside the salt lake and was similar an oasis in desert. There was a lot of cactus in this island. It was just a short walk to the top. I looked around the salt lake. The white color of salt was reflected by blue sky light seemed to be a giant ocean. The breath-taking view could not easily described by any words.

We took some picture on some dried surface. The land formed pentagonal salt crystal surface which formed a large area extending far end. There was some water hole at certain places. The car continued driving until 5:30p.m. to leave the salt lake which we drove 4 hours across it.

I had been in various salt lakes and walked or drove along the lakeside. It was normally gray colour and dirty. However, I went across it and the colour was crystal white. Moreover, mirror images formed in the water surface of the lake. I had not been in such beautiful scenery. It was almost the highlight of South America trip!

Beside Hotel Luna Salada, I also visited Salt Lake Hotel that I had seen in the Travel and Leisure Channel. Actor Ian had introduced it. $20 a night. It recalled my memory. In fact, I had recalled many memories in this trip.

We stayed in the Chuvica Village near the salt lake and we were the only group today.

Date 71 8 Jan 2009 Bolivar

打鼻寒is an normal and personal matter. We slept at 9:30p.m. and I fell asleep in a short time. Suddenly, I was awakened by somebody. I just saw some light from the corner of two lesbians. Anyway, I fall asleep again and was awakened again an hour later by the lesbian lady. She told me that "Wake up! You are too noisy!" I thought that her brain had problem. We were staying in a dormitory room instead of private one. This was the first time to be awakened. The same thing happened for 4 times at that night. I was too angry to tell her that it was a dormitory and not a private room in the last time.

I waked up at 6:00a.m. and departed at 7:30a.m. There were only six of us staying in the Chuvica Village Hostal which had more than 10 room. Each room was spacious and could accommodate 6 people.

We arrived at San Juan at 8:30a.m. I was amazed to see Coco Cola & Sprite advertisement in such a remote village. The car continued to drive across dried salt lake surface. There was no formal road and the car followed the track or trail left by previous cars. We climbed to a look out to see Volcano Ollague (5863m). I could see the whole picture of this Volcano on the way but could only see the top only there.

We continued to climb along gravel road and we were required to leave the car in some steep slope so as to allow the car to drive uphill. I could see the Laguna Canapa at 11:30a.m. which was really beautiful. It was an emerald blue lake with white salt lakeshore. There were lot of flamingoes and their mirrors were reflected in the lake.

We arrived Laguna Hedionda at 12:00a.m. The driver dropped me at the lakeside and I walked along the lake to the picnic place. I took a lot of flamingo photos and this was the best photo-shooting venue. Toilet fee was $5. I found my own free place.

We started again at 1:20p.m. and the next stop was Laguna Ramaditas which was grand and deep. The car drove uphill between valleys. It was freedom to move alternately between valley and screed road. The higher we went, the wider was the road while the hill seemed to be small. In fact, it was already 4600m and the sky was deep blue. I was surprised that the land was dry and arid. It seemed that no raining for a long time.

We arrived at "Strange Rock Forest" at 3:00p.m. where the wind was gusty. There were several strange rocks carved by wind. I had climbed two of it and also guide some young Argentina to climb. I found it funny and had not exercise for a long time.

The later part was easy downhill in a wide plain and chasing each other with other car. We arrived at Laguna Colorada at 4:30p.m. and entered the hostal after paying $30. The hostal was as primitive as hostel of China in 20 years ago. 6 people were jammed in a small room. 8 rooms shared a dirty mixed-sex toilet.

I went outside walk and returned after 10 minutes as it was really windy. I wore down jacket to go out again at 6:30p.m. I walked to the look out again after 30 minutes. There was numerous flamingoes illuminated by golden yellow sunset light. I was very impressed by such stunning view and appricated until sunset. The dinner consisted of soap, bread and plain spaghetti only.

Date 72 9 Jan 2009 Bolivar ~ San Pedro

I went to toilet at mid-night. The sky was cloudless with uncountable stars. It was tranquil in the surrounding. 『繁星萬顆，萬籟俱寂。』 I waked up at 4:30a.m. and departed at 5:00a.m. while outside temperature was 1oC.

A lot of cars drove under the headlamp in mid-night. We arrived at Geyser de sol se Manana at 6:00a.m. The geyser area was small and the land was loose. I found a small geyser to take picture.

We got to another geyser later. The Canadian lady took a bath there. I arrived at Luguna Verde at 8:00a.m. I saw Volcano Licancabur (~6000m) and its mirror image was reflected in the lake. The sky was emerald blue. The scenery was breath-taking. I had only seen this kind of landscape in Yosemite Valley (USA) 20 years ago.

I took breakfast as 8:30a.m. and reached the border at 9:00a.m. I changed bus and was back to San Pedro at 12:00a.m. I also stayed in the Hotel Licancabur where I stayed for 6 days and it was the longest stay hotel.

This 4-days-tour was always the highlight of SA trip. It was the cheapest and most beautiful. But my companions of the car were boring. 2 lesbians (40's) were erratic. One Canadian pair had their circle. The Japanese was hard to communicate in English. I met a car carrying 4 Argentina & 2 beautiful Switzerland girls. They were young and energy. They sometimes climbed salt hill, sometimes climbed climb rock & hill. I felt they were very happy and enjoyed it. But I was very unlucky to be a solo backpacker.

The itinerary was rich:

Day 1
San Pedro, Cross border (US$ 50) at 4400m, Laguna Capaina, Local town lunch Mailka Village, wonderful landscape over 5000m but 2 cameras out of order at the same time, San Cristobal &Uyuni

Day 2
Uyuni Salt lake tour transverse; salt lake hotel & Luna Lake Hotel;recall my memory from A1 channel; Isla del Pescado ( Cactus island ); Chuvica Hotel ( deluxe hotel for 6 people )

Day 3
San Juan
Watch numerous flamingoes in altiplano lakes: Laguna Canapa, Laguna Hedionda, Laguna Ramaditas & Laguna Colorada ; Rocky forest : Salvador Dali.

Day 4
Volcano Licancabur mirror image

The summery of the trip were altiplano lake, salt lake, flamingo & stunning view of Licancabur. The super value was $US 125.