We heard that the bus from La Paz to Uyuni was not a very pleasant experience, a long, cold, bumpy ride that was best avoided if possible. Always in search of a little comfort if we can afford it, and not really the type of family that does very well with hardship, we opted for the train route.
Train from Oruro, Bolivia to Uyuni, Bolivia
Well, you can’t actually catch the train in La Paz, so it is a 3.5 hour ride by bus from La Paz to Oruro, and then another 7 hour train ride to Uyuni the center of the Salt Flat tours. Both the bus and train were pleasant rides and our plan to take a late bus so as not have a long layover in Oruro worked out great, we only waited 30 minutes for the train to depart.
We arrived in Uyuni at 2:30 a.m.! It was cold, windy and the only cabs in sight were taken by singles with less luggage that got there before we did. We waited around in the cold debating whether to walk, where at least the possibility of getting a little warm into our bodies provided an appeal, but we were not sure exactly which direction we were headed. After what seemed like a VERY long time we were able to flag a taxi down to the cheers of both the kids. When the cab driver emerged from his car with a full cold weather suit (you know, the kind the guys that work in a freezer all day wear) we knew it was cold.
Flamingos ala Lago de Bolivia
We arrived at the hostel just in time to see the large, heated bus that was parked in front of the train station depart from in front of the hostel. We only assume that we could/should have ridden on this bus instead of standing in the cold waiting for a taxi…oh well, maybe next time.
We are greeted by a “nice lady” who at first appears as if she was not expecting us, but then ushers us to a room upstairs. The room is great! But as I listen to the woman and Gina talk I can tell this is not our room.
It is 3:00 a.m., we are cold, tired, and have been traveling for 12 hours and we are now “in negotiations” over what room to stay in. The “nice lady” is upselling us, she showed us a room that is 2x as much as we wanted to pay and is not what our previous email exchange discussed. We refuse the room and she show us another, this one outside across a courtyard in an area that is being built. We negotiate holes in the floor and ladders and arrive to find two rooms adjoined by the sink/toilet/show combo room. Of the two space heaters only 1 works, we fire it up to give to the kids and get them tucked in bed, still complaining that we did not choose the other room.
Home
The next morning we awake to the sounds of banging and the wonderful sound of a woman “clearing” her throat. It is 7:30 and although we would have like to sleep another 12 hours, we are glad that we’ve been woken up so that we can determine when we can get on a tour. Gina pokes her head out of the bedroom door to find a women buried in a closet where the water heater is kept banging away. It seems as if the pipes are frozen and so there will not be any hot water for us this morning.
The offer to let us shower in another room, but by this time we just want to get the day started. We grab a quick bite to eat where I am surprised to find NOBODY else at breakfast since the women told us last night they were full. We down a couple cups of coffee, some toast, ask for directions, and head out the door.
The majority of the Salt Flat tours operate from a central “mall” location, so after walking the 6 blocks we find the plaza lined with one tour operator after another. We had looked for recommendations on which ones to choose, and the Australian couple we met a couple of days prior had recommended their tour operator. Unfortunately we could not remember the name they had given us, and the other information we received all seemed contradictory.
Spectacular Scenery Around Every Turn
We poked our heads in a few places, found one guy that spoke English fairly well (not that this is a requirement) and decided to sign up. We paid our money, put our name on a list, and he told us that he needed to find another 2 or 3 people to go with us. He assured us that they would find them, so this gave us some time to check out of the hostel and grab a bite to eat.
When we arrived back at the plaza our tour operator was in a huff that we had showed up “late”! We were there before he told us to be, but now somehow we were late. Not paying him much attention I asked where the sleeping bags were he promised? He strode off towards his shop and returned telling me they would be waiting for us, we jumped in a taxi and drove a ½ mile to another hostel with our 4×4 in front and another couple waiting for us.
We introduced ourselves, loaded our gear, double checked that the sleeping bags were there, and set off to places unknown!
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by Sean
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