Lakes, Volcanos, and Desert

Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

It seemed like another early morning with breakfast scheduled for 6:00 and our departure at 7:00. However, the other group at the hotel was already gone when we climbed the stairs to the dining room. I guessed they must have left early to see the sunset from a more scenic location than the hotel. Still, what we could see from the dining room was still pretty spectacular with a tiny sliver of water reflecting the sun.  

Today was all about the scenic wonders of the high desert: lakes,volcanoes, and wide open barren landscapes featuring oddly eroded boulders and a few hardy animals capable of surviving here. As a result, though, most of our time was spent on dirt roads in the confines of what is apparently a fairly well worn tourist circuit -- there was usually one or two other Land Cruisers nearby at each of our frequent stops.

Algae red Laguna Colorado

Just as we headed off this morning, we were bummed when we failed to stop when passing some domesticated llamas with brightly colored tassels dangling from their little ears. Bemar, however, assured us we'd have a chance later in the day to snap a few photos.

Meg and Adam

Flamingos were the other animal highlight, though getting close to them was a problem as they weren't fond of visitors, and the extensive shorelines were soft and mucky. The third lake was a lovely pastel blue with light green algae while the last, Laguna Colorado, was an otherworldly reddish orange with large deposits of snow white borax.

By the end of the day, we had climbed to over 15,000 ft. Over huge swaths of the land, there was nothing but barren rock and loose dirt. The landscape, devoid of any hint of life, was remarkably similar to Death Valley in California where the heat and lack of rain result in the desolate environment below sea level. Here, at almost three miles above sea level, it appears the combination of elevation and lack of rain lead to a similar result.

Although, Bemar had warned us the accommodations tonight would be very basic, they were, in fact, very similar to the night before. The biggest change was that all six of us were in the same room and there were only two toilets and a single shower for all the guests. Adam was a great sport listening to the kids' endless stories, jokes and riddles and also joining us for a game of Farkel and Poohead. No late night however; breakfast will be served at 5:00 a.m!