Salt on our feet and wind in my pants

Last week we joined an organised 3 day trip through the famous Bolivian Salt Flats, spending the night before in Uyuni, a town at their entrance. I had to mention Uyuni because I ate the best pizza of my life there, at the restaurant in the Toñito Hotel. It was a large spicy llama, spinach, caramalized onion and gorgonzola guy. If anyone ever finds themselves in Bolivia, try get to this joint, it´s seriously worth it.

Our tour through the salt flats was way beyond expectations. We ventured into the belly of the most ruggedly beautiful wedge of the planet that I have ever seen. The salt flats were really cool and way bigger then I ever imagined. We drove (fast) for around 2 hours to get to Fish Island, which is in the middle of the flats. An island with massive cacti and confusing views. We had to copy the hoards of tourists whose footsteps we followed in, and take some perspective free pictures.

The ´highpoint´ of the trip for me, was crossing the Bolivian Altiplano, a fairytale landscape above the clouds. An area overflowing with minerals, of ground that bubbles and boils, and of weirdly coloured lakes, mountains and masterpieces wherever your eyes wander. The Salvador Dali Desert (named after the man because he dreamed of and painted the place before ever seeing it), the Laguna Verde (a green lake of arsenic located between 3 volcano´s at close to 5000m´s above sea level) and another Lake (Colorado), this time red in colour, with a white island of Borax like a giant cherry pavlova.

Our first evening was spent on a football field, at around 4000m above sea level, and in the dark. The exodus team, 5 of us in all, unbeaten in both Peru and Ecuador, suffered our first defeat, losing 4-3 to a side with a chap that I´m sure could make any English Premier League team.

I managed to tear my pants during our session of creative photography on the salt flats (on the 1st day) and this provided a wonderfully chilled crotch for the entire length of my stay. The morning of the third day of our trip was unbelievably cold and some lateral thinking was required when dressing before heading out.

The tour ended with us crossing the border into Chile, where we now find ourselves.