Salar de Uyuni: The Most Surreal Place on Earth

We planned all along to enter Bolivia from San Pedro de Atacama, Chile on a tour to the Salar de Uyuni (Uyuni Salt Flats). However, as our tour date approached the border between Chile and Bolivia had been closed due to snowstorms. There are two border crossings and normally the bad weather only closed one, but this was no ordinary storm we guessed. Lucky for us, the day before we left the second crossing, in Ollagüe, opened (the normal border crossing remained closed all during our three day tour as well). So we were off, but much earlier than anticipated because Ollagüe is a 4-hour drive, where as the normal crossing was only an hour or so.

Our six person group consisted of a French couple, Chilean woman, and us (the thruple!). Approaching the border we were a little concerned about the visa process. American's need a visa to enter Bolivia, which cost $160 USD, and we had read that the border patrol is very picky about what bills they accept. Max already had his visa and everyone else didn't need one. Trouble began even before reaching Bolivian border control. When we flew into Santiago the customs agent gave us each an entry form, but according to both our memories said nothing about needing it to exit. Well, apparently we did need it, our driver yelled at us, and said we might not be able to leave Chile without the form. We approached the Chilean border patrol with knots in our stomach and fear in our eyes. Here is how things went down:
1. Border agent asked us for forms 2. We said we did not have them 3. Border agent asked us why not 4. We explained that nobody said we needed it to exit the country 5. Border agent sighs 6. A apologizes and looks sad 7. Border agent looks us up on his computer, stamps our passports and sends us on our way 8. We walk back to the van and stare angrily at our driver. 

Unfortunately, more trouble was to come on the Bolivian side. Approaching the Bolivian border control we watched as Europeans, Asians, South Americans, and Max (already had visa) have their passports opened, stamped, and sent on their way. No information was inputted into a computer, no writing names/passport numbers down...nothing! So easy right, but not for us of course. Our process consisted of:
1. Being removed from the line 2. Provided forms to fill out (nothing out of the ordinary) 3. Given another form to fill out that contained all the same information as the first form 4. Handing over copies of passports, actual passports, passport photos, and $170 USD each (note this is $10 more than stated above) 5. Arguing that we were told the visa cost was $160 and that even on the forms we are filling out it says $160 6. The border agent "explaining" that the visa cost $170 7. Us pushing back a little more but ultimately giving in because all the other groups have already left and it has been 30 minutes 8. Border agent inspecting each bill for no less than 45 seconds each and stating many have small creases and that he can't accept them 9. Us asking Max for some USD because the border agent rejected more than the amount needed (luckily Max had a crisp $100) 10. Border agent glues our passport photos to the forms (with a glue stick) and the visa into our passport 11. Border agent takes forms, passports, and us to another building and finally gives us our passports back with visas (this took about 45 minutes and needless to say at many points we didn't think we were going to make it).

This is turning into one of our longer posts and therefore needs a little photo interlude before further describing our salt flat tour.

There are flamingos out there somewhere

No going to the bathroom in the wilderness! Also, why is the woman in heels?

Snow covered volcano

The alien like llareta plant

Condor like rock formation, missing the head

World cup trophy like rock formation...you decide

The prettiest lake we saw

Train tracks to nowhere

Charlie's Angels? Nope, just the thruple.

As mentioned earlier, due to weather we began our tour in Ollagüe. This meant we missed out on many of the main attractions on the 3 day/2 night tour, which included the national park, numerous lakes, thermal pools, and geysers. We did visit other lakes, but from the pictures we saw of the former, these were far inferior. The lakes were mostly frozen and the flamingos we did see were very far away in the center of the lakes. All of this turned out to be a blessing in disguise though because the salt flats were wet from the melted snow. Typically the salt flats are dry during the winter months, which means no reflections.

This was by far the best sunrise we have ever experienced! At numerous points, we kept saying to ourselves that we just can't believe we are actually here! The salt flats are about the size of Rhode Island and Delaware together it is just incredible.

The downside of the tour, was probably the super chilly nights, where even staying in hostals (though they have no heat), we had to sleep in sleeping bags + upwards of 5-7 blankets on top! On our first night, some local kids came to sing and dance with every table and pulled A into this, lucky for her, Max was a sport and joined her.

Check out our sweet dance moves...

UPDATE:

Warped perspective photos have arrived. Thank you Max Dworin, our wonderful travel companion.

"Beer! The cause of, and solution to all of life's problems" - Homer Simpson

We are a very supportive group

Street Fighter or Dragon Ball Z?

WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

thanks Max!