The Legendary Salt Pans

Which way up Morgan?

Returning to La Paz for a shower and supper (and randomly bumping into someone from university), I promptly left again, with Bec and Tina, for the salt pans in the south of Bolivia (can you tell we´re on a tight schedule here?). On the bus we added a lovely Irish lad to our group and once in Uyuni (which has no ATMs, by the way, for any unsuspecting travellers heading that way) we met up with another girl, Morgan, who we´d hung out with in La Paz. Our group complete (apart from another English guy who joined us), we started out on a tour that was awesome in every way except for our guides, who sucked, pretty literally.

The salt pans are just the most different thing you´ll ever see. I have to admit I was a sceptic before I went. I was mainly put off by the thought of sitting in a bus for days and hearing of ridiculous, -20 degree cold weather. Well, you do sit in a bus a lot – but I can hardly walk right now so that didn´t matter – and it is stupidly cold, but it´s just extra-ordinary.

There´s just white all around you. I kept thinking it was snow cos that´s what I´ve been seeing for so long now. But it´s just salt. And then all of a sudden there´s an island full of cacti, and then just more white. No, it´s not boring, the white doesn´t even last that long. It gets replaced by red and green lakes and blue lakes full of bright pink flamingoes. And if there was ever a time we thought we were getting bored, there were always somewhat educational debates to be had or the IPOD game - a game so irritating to anyone not playing that we won the war with our guide to play music aloud :)

On the last day we braved the pre-sunrise chill to watch amazing geysers shooting high into the air, proving just how much pressure and heat there is only a little way beneath our feet. Then, just when my toes were so cold I wanted to cry, I managed to take off my clothes and go swimming in, thankfully, naturally hot pools until the sun came up. That was the craziest part, I think, swimming in deliciously hot water and then getting out and having my hair literally freeze together! It´s beauty to be appreciated despite the hostile climate.

Bye bye Bolivia