The Salar and Heading South...

Before the view of the Salar passes let me capture it in writing...Driving 10 kilometers through water on a bed of salt I see nothing but piles of salt periodically amidst the open spaces of an expansive salt lake. There are several jeeps headed to the salt hotel and on my right I see a bolivian bus pass carrying commuters headed to the next town. I kid you not, crossing the great salt lake. It was a sight to behold. And the salt hotel was another adventure.... everything made of salt...the building, chairs, tables...everything...all salt. Now mind you it was rustic but you could truly spend the night. Though I didn't spend the night I ate lunch at the salt table. I will return to Uyuni..it has a special energy.

But when I return I will be prepared with patience and time. The road south was out. The only way back was the train. And a landslide delayed the train 8 hours. Of course the border crossing was also an exercise in patience...three hours, standing, wondering, what could they possibly be doing with our passports (which they took 2 hours previously). Hoards of people just standing, waiting. A Bolivian man tells me they expedite the Europeans and North Americans that is why they took our passports. I can't imagine the wait for everyone else. Now Bolivia gets the bad rap, but that was a piece of cake next to Argentine Immigrations. Then of course there were the check points along the way south where the Argentine police stop the bus in the late night hours, wake us, lead us off the bus and search our bags. They are looking for drugs from Bolivia... but do they have to wake me twice? What is the problem the second guys don't think the first one's did their job? So next time I head north I will remember what it is like to head south and prepare to wait.

The final stop before returning to Buenos Aires...Jujuy, Argentina