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  • Day 12

    I expect to see a horse and cowboy

    February 19, 2018 in Bolivia ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Hello from Uyuni,

    Yesterday we had a long 4 hour drive from Potosí yo Uyuni. This will be the start of our salt flats expedition, my main reason for booking the trip.
    As I am sure is to be expected the land reminds me of the western United States of UT, NM, and CO. We traversed winding roads on mountains and flat dry land with lama roaming free. The lama are decorated with string bows on their ears. Lama farms operate on a co-op system in the small towns so the colorful bows indicate their owners.
    As we got closer to the flats the land became very dry with frequent cacti decoratorations. This was a surprise because due to the rainy season we may not be able to stay at the Salt Hotel. I expected a lush green land.
    As we rode into town, in my imagination on a huge black stallion while actuality was a 20 person coach, it reminded me of the wild West. Wide empty streets with the haze of the dust blowing through. On the sides of the streets many of the businesses were shuttered due to the last night of Carnival. Dogs wandered the streets chasing cars and barking at eachother.
    As I slept it sounded as though there were dog fights outside my window and the cries of an injured dog made me sad. The windows of the hotel installed not with traditional construction methods but instead with clear packing tape. Me, I may have at least used duct tape. Due to the lack of insulation the wind loudly screamed though the windows and the dog fighting sounded to be in the room with me. Despite this after a few long days I had a great a great sleep going to bed at an embarrassing 830 and waking up this morning at 8.
    This morning we are headed for 2 days in the Salt Flats. It is still unclear as to if we will be able to stay at our original Planaterra hostile. Planaterra is the G adventures Charity which is the reason I travel with G. Check out the page below. They work with local communities to help the people form businesses for sustainable travel. I have been to many Planterra sites around the world and they truly help the communities. If you are enjoying my blog and are inclined please donate a few dollars. In a country where the average monthly salary is $200, even $5 can make a huge difference in sustainable income.
    https://planeterra.org
    https://www.gadventures.com/blog/tag/planeterra/

    I will not have internet for a few days, but I hope to have amazing pictures for you when I return to you.

    Jodi
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