Uyuni

(Oo-you-knee)

Train Cemetery

Early start, collected from the hotel at 5 a.m, we were driven the 40 minutes to the airport for our internal flight to Uyuni, about 50 minutes with BoA (the first flight where not even a glass of water was offered to the passengers). Our guide, Elvin and driver Alfredo were ready to meet us and we hopped into the off-road vehicle, soon to see why!

 
90% of our journeys for the next two days were on unpaved roads.
Alfredo coped easily with mountain passes, stream crossings and general rough surfaces. 

Our first port of call was the Train Cemetery. A line did run from Bolivia to the Pacific, but after the  War of the Pacific 1879 - 84, when Bolivia lost access to the coast, the rail traffic diminished and old trains ended up in Uyuni to await further instructions! Still waiting, they are rusted and sad. 



 
Are ya right there, Aidan are ya right? (Note Clare cap!)

 

 
 


Some local artists have re-purposed old engine parts in a creative way!





 
Excuse the attire!







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