Tupiza

So after a nice dinner in a lovely restaurant (La Casona) with a very impressive local reggae/jazz/rock band, we got the 8am bus from Potosi to the Southern town of Tupiza. Due to the continuing political problems around Bolivia I decided to walk the 20 minutes or so to the bus station rather than risk a bus or taxi getting stuck in a blockade, even though it was snowing quite heavily. Due to the altitude of 4020 metres, it gets very cool at night, and so even though the days are generally gorgeously sunny and hot, snow is not uncommon during winter nights and mornings. It was pretty weird all the same though, as the weather had been all clear-blue skies for ages.

So again the bus was nice and comfy, the scenery all very nice and we even left pretty much on time and arrived earlier than we expected (only 7 hours instead of 8). So we got ourselves a nice hostel in Tupiza and strolled about checking out local tour options.

Coming to Tupiza had been recommended by a Dutch couple who ran a bar and tour agency in Samaipata, as they reckoned it was the better place to book tours of the famous Bolivian Salt Flats, as you get to spend an extra day touring around and so see much more. But Tupiza is also famous for having amazing local scenery of it's own and so we booked a one-day tour with the La Torres agency (the cheapest place and nice friendly staff).

So the next morning we set off at 10am, just me and Sarah (groups can be up to 5 people). The tour was a kind of 'triathalon' thing that all the agencies offer here where you drive, bike and horse ride throughout the day. Our company didn't have the bike option though, so instead we just did a small hike instead.

It was a great day out I have to say. The jeep was very new and so really comfy, and the day was pure blue skies (a nice change from the snow the day before in Potosi). We drove to a couple of impressive rock formations and through a man-made tunnel, and after our short hike to more towering rock formations we drove to a small river to have lunch. Here too there were mad cathedral-looking rock formations. After lunch we picked up our horses for two hours or so of horse riding through the wild landscapes.

I had a great big lovely looking horse and although I've very little horse riding experience I managed to just about hold on when we went cantering and then galloping. My boots were too wide for the stirrups, so I was always on my tippy-toes, but I think my horse was just really smooth and gentle, and so I was OK. Our guide informed us that my horse was also the local champion racehorse for the past 3 years, and from the look of him I'd believe it. But it was the landscapes we rode through that were certainly the highlight of the whole day.

We rode into quite amazing 'Wild West of America' panoramic landscapes with forests of huge cacti all around us, and rode into the very impressive Canyon of the Incas. The guidebook claims this whole area to be like the American wild west, only far more spectacular - although I've only seen the American wild west in movies, I'd still have to agree.

So after the long day and a well deserved shower I strolled back up the nearby hill that offers great views of the town and the surrounding red mountains to watch the sunset. Then dinner in a local roast chicken restaurant with the Dutch guy we'd met back in the Pantanal in Brazil, and then a bit of internet (my apartment management company back home continues to mess me about. Incredibly after nearly 15 months travelling in places like Africa and South America by far the most frustrating thing I've had to put up with is my management company back home in Dublin - they're completely useless!).

Anyway, today there is a national referendum here in Bolivia (which all seems to be a bit of a mess), so everything pretty much closes down, and road travel is prohibited for some reason. So we have to wait until tomorrow morning to start our 4-day tour of the Salt Flats, after deciding to go with the same tour agency again (they gave us a big discount and threw in sleeping bag rental, which is essential at this time of year as nighttime temperatures can drop to -20C). So today we're just chilling out in the small nice town - Sarah has just gone for an ice cream.