Bolivian Safari
April 24, 2003 - Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
The far southwest corner of Bolivia is home to some
of the most bizarre and extreme landscapes in the world. By far the worlds¹
largest salt flat and some other very interesting geology make it and
unforgettable place to visit. The harsh and inhospitable environment also
make the visit hard to forget. Bitter cold and blistering sun made comfort
a sparse commodity on the four -day adventure.
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In the desolate little town of
Uyuni, we contracted a guide to take us through the desert and across
the salt flats. A trip without guidance is nearly impossible and
certainly foolhardy. A local family froze to death a few years ago
when their vehicle broke down and they attempted to walk to shelter.
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Much of the trip is across huge expanses of flat
desert or salt with no roads, only tracks with distant landmarks for reference.
Sixty gallons of gas on the roof,
an extra spare tire, four days worth groceries and we were ready
to go. Services along the way were practically non-existent, so
we were prepared to be self-sufficient for the whole trip. |
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All of the guides working in the area look out for
each other and are called upon in case of an emergency of or some kind
of jam.
THE FIRST DAY was spent almost entirely in transit. We passed a railroad graveyard with what looked like the first trains ever built.
THE FIRST DAY was spent almost entirely in transit. We passed a railroad graveyard with what looked like the first trains ever built.
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At lunch we met what had to be
the most affectionate animal I have ever come across. A llama! It
was after lunch, not FOR lunch. I have written previously about
llama for lunch but this was most certainly someone¹s¹ pet. It approached
me and began nuzzling its¹ head into my chest begging to be petted.
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If I coulda I woulda taken it home with me.
Llamas are pretty much the cows of this part of the world. Many residents earn their keep by raising them. I¹m sure the locals must wonder about visitors and all their fascination with the Œcows¹.
Llamas are pretty much the cows of this part of the world. Many residents earn their keep by raising them. I¹m sure the locals must wonder about visitors and all their fascination with the Œcows¹.
THE SECOND DAY was a bitch. Our guide, Ray, assured
us that we needed to get up at 2:45 AM in order to get to the geysers
by sunrise. The LandCruiser has no heater. In addition, the doors and
other junctions leaked so much air that was a definite wind chill factor
inside the vehicle! I have never been that cold for that long in all of
my life. Ray did most of the driving; I was wrapped in a sleeping bag
and still shivering for three solid hours.
The kicker was arriving at the
Œgeysers¹ to find, basically, bubbling puddles of mud. For this
I froze since 2:45 AM?? Ray! What were you thinking? |
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A minor consolation was being served
breakfast in the nearby hotsprings. Flamingos stalked the icy waters
of the lake next to me. When I think of flamingos, I think of Florida
and balmy weather. Ice and flamingos don¹t seem to go together,
but they seemed to be thriving. |
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THE SECOND NIGHT was spent in a primitive Œlodge¹.
The lifestyle of the people at the small settlement (you couldn¹t quite
call it a town) was certainly not enviable. Bleak is the word that comes
to mind. A cold desert with freezing wind and nothing else around for
miles. Unbelievably bleak.
The glowing warm light in the hallway of the lodge was very deceiving.
The glowing warm light in the hallway of the lodge was very deceiving.
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It was cold. The radiator was
frozen in the morning. You would have thought that I would have
thought, or Ray would have thought, "Hey, Anti-freeze!" Aside from
that oversight and waking us up for the Œgeysers¹, Ray actually
turned out to be much more than just a guide. |
He was a good mechanic, a good driver and a halfway
decent cook. With a flaming torch under the frozen radiator, Ray got us
back on the road without much delay.
The second day we had visited a couple of different
lakes, each strikingly beautiful with its¹ own exotic color. The different
colors were from different mineral in the water, or microorganisms, depending
on which source you believe.
BY THE END OF THE THIRD DAY it
was like, "Oh, yawnŠanother incredibly gorgeous distinctly colored
lake, dotted with flamingos and flanked by snow-capped peaks? Isn¹t
there anything else to see around here? |
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THE FOURTH AND FINAL DAY there was much more
to see. It was another early riser, but this time it was more than
worth the effort. |
We drove many miles on a bumpy
dirt road and then across more than fifty miles of salt, in the
dark, to get to Isla Pescado, ŒFish Island¹ in time for sunrise.
The Œisland¹ rises out of the middle of the salt flat. Surrounded
by hundreds of miles of salt, it has its own peculiar and very hardy
little ecosystem. The most striking part of the biology there are
the gigantic cactus, some purported to be 1200 years old. |
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Another planet? The middle of the ocean? A winter
wonderland? I kept reaching down to touch the salt expecting to feel snow
or ice. The strangeness of it all left me sort of stunned. Then again,
it could have just been the lack of sleep.
