Glenn's South American Oddssy

Up early to get the sunrise across the salt lake. We drove around the island and across to the small island at the east point and set up for bacon and eggs. At his time of year the sunrise is quite quick and the sun rays race across the landscape like someone at night with a flashlight.

The next part of the day I drove south across the salt lake to a bridge to land. Quite easy to see, as there are markers and it is elevated a little with rock and earth. The road then goes south before crossing another small salt lake and train line. (We collected a sleeper for fire wood.) Camped in a dry river bed. The nights are very cold, -10c and dry.

The day starts with a brillant sunrise, then down the dusty road and into the next town to get a little local advice, routes or short cuts. Then it's out onto the salt. A little easier driving. At first all I think about is all the horror stories, but after a short time, looking at things like the earth ramps that cross the soft edges with markers that can be seen for a some Ks around, my mind is put to rest. Besides I have my trusty GPS.

After some help from David, whom I met in La Paz, we set out across the salt to check out some Inca mummies. They seem to have some very questionable information on them, or is just a very good effort to get the tourists in?



Next was across the salt to another town to see a salt hotel. Yes, a whole building made from salt. For the price of this hotel you would think it had the Hilton on the outside. After a stroll around there, the next part is to leave the sight
of land behind and head across the salt to a GPS way point with nothing in sight for some time. David came through here and we arrived a the correct location, the Fish Island and a camping site which looked more like a beach. The first thing I noticed was the lack of noise. No birds, no wind, just nothing. We arrived early enough to get set up and BBQ with a few beers just befor the sun set.

I left La Paz at 5am and headed south. By nine thirty I arrived at the planned refueling point only to find no diesel available. It seams that the overnight temp got down to -10c so I had to wait till noon before a delivery arrived. I took the opportunity to have the oil changed and used the last oil that I took with me from the US. Sat at the station till the fuel truck arrived and was first in line! Back on the road, the next stop was some rock painting that dates some 1500 years ago. It took a little finding but got there, few people come here and the woman who runs the site came running up the road after leaving her sheep and llamas to unlock the gate. Then a quick change of clothes to be a tour guide!


By the late afternoon the pavement ran out and the road turned a little west. Some hours later I arrived at a crater that is miles across and quite deep. Get this, there's water in the bottom and it is farmed! It just made me wonder what or how big was the metor that hit the earth that could displace so much earth and leave a scar this big.