Salar de Uyuni (Bolivia)

Po 3h ve vlaku strojvedouci ohlasi - 40m trati pred nami bylo zniceno sesuvem pudy. Lokomotiva jede pro tezkou techniku aby trat bylo mozne opravit. Druhy den v poledne se nam budou snazit poskytnout vice informaci o pokracovani cesty. Stojime v pustine mezi par rozpadlymi budovami. Dobrodruzstvi je nekdy pekne na ho...Za 13h je lokomotiva zpatky a veze za sebou 2 bagry. Jeste upravit vyhybku kladivem, zacouvat se servisnim vozem, po vykolejeni ho nahodit zpet na trat a muze se jet spravovat. No a za dalsi 3h jsme na ceste. Jedine co nas tesi je, ze za par dni potkame Izraelce z busu do Tupizy a ty potkalo to same. 15h v buse je horsi nez 20 ve vlaku.
V pondeli vyrazime na 3denni vylet po JZ cipu Bolivie. S nami v Toyote Landcruiser je kanadsky par, 2 holky ze Svycarska a ridic, kuchar a pruvodce v jedne osobe. Prvni zastavkou je hrbitov vlaku. Na vecny odpocinek jsou zde ulozeny 10ky lokomotiv. Nektere jsou zde jen par let, ale mistni podminky uz z nich stihly vytvorit zrezla monstra s konturami vlaku.
Po dalsich 5ti km vjizdime na Salar de Uyuni. A hned po par metrech sledujeme vsichni sledujeme okoli se spadlou bradou a dohadujeme se, jsme ve snu, v nebi, zhalucinovani nabo se jen pohybujeme na hrane 2 svetu? Toho nahore a toho dole? 2000km ctverecnich hladke plochy soli s centimetrovou vrstvou vody vytvari dokonale zrcadlo. A tak hory, ostrovy a oblaka na obzoru vytvari dokonaly zrcadlovy svet pod nami. Nas pohyb nam pripomina let prostrojem k mezihvezdnym lodim plujicim v oblacich. Cele 2h se jen kochame nez dojedeme k ostrovu Pescado, nasi dalsi zastavce. Ostrov je posypan az 12m kaktusy. Nejstarsi ma pres 1200 let! Jdeme na pruzkum ostrova a nez se vratime ceka na nas dole kralovska hostina. Jidlo je vyborne a zachutnalo i mistnimu pstrosovi co se pres Jancu vyskrabal k jejimu taliri a ukradl ji syr se salatem :) Pak uz nas ceka jen povinne foceni, kdy se da vyuzit jednolite pozadi a vytvorit fotografie na kterych je vse mimo proporce. Dalsi 2h a jsme na ´hotelu´. Jak jinak, je cely vcetne nabytku ze soli. Vecer se rozhodnu provest ocistu tela a pouzit deodorant co jsem koupil v Uyuni na trhu. Zadna Nivea, ale obal Nivey naplneny neuveritelnym smradem (vydrzi podstatne dele nez Nivea :)
Dalsi den v 7 odjezd, jedeme dlouho nez dojedeme k sopce Ollague. Je ale v mracich a tak neni videt. Je presne na hranicich s Chile a tak jsou tu videt vojenske posadky. Ale nastesti staci kousek cokolady a vjezd je povolen Toyota Landcruiser i ridic si ziskavaji nas obdiv. Teren je hodne narocny, az 0.5m balvany nebo 1m bahna - vse projedeme. I kdyz v bahne uz jsme doufali jestli ma hodne vysoke holinky az budeme tlacit. Pote nas cekaji 4 ruzna jezera se 4 ruznymi druhy plamenaku. Jeste nas prekvapuje jake je tu v noci vedro. Spim v 3700m bez prikryvky a zima mi neni. Dalsi noc ma byt ve 4300..
Jeste jsme si oproti vcerejsku privstali a v 5 uz sedime v aute. Rano je podstatne chladnejsi nez vcera a louci se s nami pro dnesni noc i Jizni Kriz nad hlavou. Za rozbresku stojime v 4800m u gejziru. Bublajici bahno v obrovskych prirodnich kotlich a smrad metanu. A za dalsi hodinu uz se koupeme v termalnich laznich - absolutni balzam na chlad a hlavne 3denni spinu. Tahle vyska v kombinaci s horkou koupeli zpusobuje pekne motani hlavy. Po ceste dale jeste zastavujeme u mensi pouste kde jsou pravidelne rozesety balvany, neni divu ze inspirovala S. Daliho. Pote nasleduji jeste par mensich atrakci a predlouha 9h cesta zpet. Misty je silnice tak spatna, ze mistni vyjeli radeji koleje mimo...Pri navratu do Uyuni zjistujeme, ze 4 dni nepotece voda v celem meste...Pozehnej termalni lazne.

Fotky:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=54462&id=1344786025&l=c310d82ab3

After 3hrs in the train comes an announcement - 40m of rails were washed away by landslide. Our locomotive goes back for heavy machinery. Next day midday more info should be available. We are stuck in the middle of nowhere among few rotten buildings. Adventure sometimes sucks.
In 13hrs is our locomotive back and pulls 2 heavy diggers. Just to fix a rail-switch with a hammer, reverse with service wagon, after derailing put back on the track and repairs can start. And in 3hrs we are continuing again. The only thing that makes our day later in the week is that we meet Israeli guys from the Tupiza bus same thing happened to them. 15hrs in crappy bus is worse than 20 in decent train.
On Monday we head for a 3day trip over SW part of Bolivia. 2 of us, 2 Swiss girls, Canadian couple and driver, cook and guide in one person. First stop, train cemetery. There are 10s of locomotives left here for eternal rest. Some of them are here only couple of years but local conditions turned them into a pile of rust.
Next 5km and we enter the Salar de Uyuni. All of us with hanging jaw wonder, are we in heaven, dream, hallucinate or are we on the edge of 2 worlds? The one above and the one below? 2000sq km of flat salt surface with 1cm of water on it creates perfect mirror world below us. Our movement reminds us of floating in the space towards intergalactic ships hanging in the clouds. The whole 2hrs we just watch and enjoy before reaching island Pescado. Island is full of up to 12m tall cactuses.
The oldest one is over 1200 years. When we come back from the island hike a feast waits for us. The food is great and even the local ostrich likes it so much that he crawls over Jana to her plate and steals cheese and salad :) After that compulsory pics taking. Where the solid background can be used to make everything out of proportion. Last 2hrs and we are at the ´hotel´. Using the most handy material is all built from salt, including furniture. In the evening I decide to do a bit of the hygiene stuff and use the deo I bought at the market. Forget Nivea, the package is filled with an unbelievable bad smell (at least the fake deo lasts much longer than normal Nivea :)
Next day we leave at 7. Long drive and we are at the volcano Ollague. A lot of clouds so no show. It lays on the border with Chile and so there are military posts around. Fortunately piece of chocolate and we are left alone.
After that 4 different lakes with 4 different kinds of flamingos. We are surprised how hot it is at 3700m, no duvet and we are fine. Next night should be at 4300..
We got up even earlier next day and at 5 are already sitting in the car. Over our head Southern Cross says good bye too. Dawn and we are at 4800m checking out geysers. Bubbling mud and huge natural pots and a bad smell of methane. One more hour and we sit in a thermal baths - absolute delight in this chilly morning, not mentioning washing away the 3day dirt. The altitude with combination of hot bath causes us dizziness. We continue and stop at the small desert with regular boulders, no wonder this place inspired S. Dali. And after that we head back, long 9hrs journey. In some places the road is so bad that the locals created another track along it. Back in Uyuni we find out the town will be without water for next 4 days. Bless the thermals.

Pict.:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=54462&id=1344786025&l=c310d82ab3