Bolivia: country of coca, chaos and cold weather (Part III)

PART III - Salar De Uyuni: a dream or a challenge?

If you want to learn more about shopping in La Paz, where to have good Chairo (traditional Bolivian soup), get to know more about one the most beautiful yet tragic history squares in La Paz, where is the world highest football stadium that made even Messi to be upset, how to get to Uyuni and what challenges you will face there and other interesting facts have a look on the third part of my article about Bolivia. 

Once when we were back in La Paz we had started planning our trip to Salar de Uyuni. We were still wondering if we should go for a day trip to the salt flats or go for the full tour which takes 3 days. 

We found a new place to stay, in the heart of the city, nearby Iglesia de San Francisco – hotel “Sagarnaga”. Unjustifiably expensive, the only good thing about it is the fast internet which helped us to find some info for Uyuni. Of course the reception guy told us that there is no any heaters in the rooms so I was sure that after “Utama” I won’t have any other warm night until I leave the country. 

We found a nice restaurant in El Prado, at Av. 16 de Julio, which has my name, Eli’s, and we are attracted by the noisy and cheerful atmosphere inside – the place was crowded. We had good and huge lunch that included chicken soup and some traditional Bolivian dishes. 

According to the restaurant menu their homemade chicken soup is a cure for every illness but I think the best treatment comes from my main course which has some crazy spicy peppers sprinkled on top:

Another good place to grab your lunch is Sillpichs! restaurant which is also in the same area (to be more accurate, at calle Socabaya):

The staff is very friendly and we are lucky enough to have our first waiter who actually speaks English!

I order a huge bowl of traditional Bolivian soup (Chairo) for 28B , Tsvetan tries the local beer and me - a nectar drink that reminds me so much of something that we used to have in my country when I was a child (I’m sure Bulgarians know what I’m talking about)

While you’re wandering at this areа take a walk around the small streets of Potosi, Yanacocha and Bolivar and at some point you will reach Plaza Murillo. 

“There is no order in the world around us, we must adapt ourselves to the requirements of chaos instead.”

Plaza Murillo is a lively square and has a rich history related to the political life in Bolivia. The plaza has been a key site for battles for political power in Bolivia. More than a few leaders found its dead on or nearby the plaza.  

                                                                     Plaza Murillo

In front of the Palacio Gobierno is a statue of former President (one of 195 of them) Gualberto Villarroel, who was dragged into the plaza by an angry mob and hanged in 1946. Before that, in 1810 same happened with Don Pedro Domingo Murillo. Well, I guess the job of а president has never been a safe occupation here. 

Actually, the nickname of the Presidential Palace is Palacio Quemado (Burned Palace) which originates from the fact that it was set aflame and burned almost to the ground.

                                                             Palacio Gobierno

It’s such an irony that even the day we decided to visit the square there was protests again. Many streets around the plaza were blocked and if you want to pass, a policeman will have to check your bag. Grumpy men in uniforms were crossing the square:

During our trip to Uyuni we’ve met many travelers who had to change their plans and gave up on visiting Sucre and Potosi because the roads were blocked. 

After we came back from Uyuni there was a massive strikes on the streets in La Paz and everything in the city center was blocked. Thousands of people were protesting on the streets and there was no way to catch any transportation. 

I remember Tsvetan asking a guy: “Why are all these people on the street? What’s going on?” 

Surprisingly to me the guy understood the question and he answered: “Mineros! Mineros!” 

So apparently the miners were not happy but as far as we know strikes are something that occurs very often here so I guess they’re not the only ones.

The paralyzed city of course caused discontent among the tourists. I could see people dragging their suitcases with grumpy faces, walking down on Sagarnaga street trying to figure out how to get out of this mess and catch their flight. 

It seems that the chaos is part of the daily life here so don’t make any strict plans because in Bolivia they could change very easily.

As my guidebook is saying: “Mention Uyuni to a Bolivian and they will whistle and emphasize harto frio (extreme cold)."

One thing is for sure: I definitely had to buy warmer clothes. Best place to do that is Witches Market so today we are shopping in here! 

Witches Market also known as El Mercado de las Brujas and La Hechiceria is one of the most popular places in town. Here you can find everything. 

The specific thing about that place are the merchants who are called yatiri or local healers. Some of the small street stalls look really creepy with all these skulls, bones, dried frogs, amulets and aphrodisiacs. Apart from that the market offers a wide range of colorful warm clothes, shoes, typical souvenirs as t-shirts, magnets etc. other practical goods. 

Have to say my bargaining skills didn't work that well so I pay more than expected but in exchange I have warm alpacca sweather, socks and a hat. 

Only a day after we came back from Copacabana we had decided it's time to leave for Uyuni.  So on 13th evening we were ready to catch the night bus to Uyuni. 

One tip from me: if you don’t feel 100% fit and ready to do the trip to the salt flats don’t be in a rush when you make your decision. After Copacabana I was still feeling weak and despite the fact that I was having much more sleep than usual, 10-12h instead of the normal 6-8h, I was extremely exhausted all the time. 

“She was like a wildfire out of control.”

I was absolutely aware of the fact that I’m still not acclimatized but my passion about discovering new places was greater than ever. I knew we had just 5 more days left out of this 12 day short trip and I was obsessed with the idea we were running short of time. I still had hope we could go for the 3 day tour in Salar de Uyuni and have a remarkable end of our journey.

I underestimated the fact that here you should travel slowly and that human body reacts individually to the altitude so even for otherwise a healthy and physically fit person (like me) this could turn into a nightmare.

We took the bus to Uyuni at 19:30. The journey continues 12h. The ticket costs 100B and you can choose between cama and semi-cama seats which means that the seat turns almost into a bed.

At the beginning our nighttime journey looked quite comfortable. We had blankets, it was really warm inside and we thought that this night we could actually have better sleep even that the hotel ones. Our happiness didn't last long. As we were getting closer to Uyuni it was getting colder and colder. The road was in very bad condition (if there was a road at all) so the bus was moving as if we were going through severe turbulence.

I felt that I didn't have enough air in my lungs and towards the end of the trip I threw up. We arrived in 4 am in the morning and I already knew that my trip is slowly turning into a nightmare. There was already people at the bus station waiting for the newly arrived travelers to offer them a tour to Uyuni.
The tours start early in the morning so arriving at 4am is not a bad option so you can avoid sleeping in Uyunni. I felt extremely week and I was shaking because of the freezing wind. I realized it's not possible to go for the tour and I need a place for rest.

Ok. So 4am in the morning is really bad timing to search for a place to sleep. Most people wouldn't even open the door for you. So me, Tsvetan and a few more people from the bus decided to have a warm drink and wait for the dawn to come.

We stayed at "Nonis" cafe which was packed with people preparing for the morning tours. There was a couple of heaters in the big room but apparently they didn't help much so everyone was sitting wearing its winter equipment.

The place is a good choice to take some rest but have to say that the staff are not the most polite people in the world and the prices are close to the ones in European winter resorts which is ridiculous having in mind that Bolivia is one of the cheapest countries in South America.

Here we meet other travelers who are sharing their experiences. It seems that we are not the only ones who think that Bolivia is a tough travel destination.

A French couple is giving up on their plan to visit Sucre and Potosi because the roads are blocked. A girl from Switzerland is also in a dilemma how to continue her traveling because of the strikes. As for me, I just want to find a normal place to sleep and recover.

We found shelter at hotel "Julia". There is only one room available which is for 3 people. The hotel looks clean and more important warm compared to what the small village could offer so we don't hesitate to take it.

I don't have much memories from that day but I remember I slept for hours and hours. I think that I had high temperature because when I woke up I realized my skin is burning and I was shaking.

I remember that at this point another problem occurred - my stomach. It's well known fact that because of the high altitude your system sometimes could supress non-essential bodily functions resulting in a decline in food digestion efficiency (as the body suppresses the digestive system in favor of increasing its cardiopulmonary reserves).

In other words I had diarrhea, I started losing liquids quite fast and I was feeling more and more weak. Tsvetan was worried about me so he went to the pharmacy and somehow with the help of google translator manage to describe my symptoms. He came back with a bag full of medicines. I didn't even know what I was taking but I was in such a terrible condition so I didn't even care.


That day I think I had as much tea as I never drunk before. The staff were so kind so they kept refueling the thermos bottle they gave me. Coca tea, fruit tea, herbal tea... I was feeling dizzy and nauseous, the only one thing I wanted was to sleep more and more…

“One of the hardest parts of life is deciding whether to walk away or try harder “

The next morning I felt much better. We already knew that I won't be able to endure the full 3 day tour to the salt flats but I still wanted to do at least one day trip. I put all my prayers and hopes into this plan. 

Salar de Uyuni is the highlight of every trip in Bolivia and that was one of the main reasons to visit the country. I've been dreaming to see that place since I was a kid and I saw a documentary movie about this magical place where heaven meets the earth and they merge creating the world's biggest natural mirror. 

This is what my Lonely Planet guide is saying about Salar de Uyuni:

"The world's highest lithium reserve - about 100 million tons - lies beneath the neighboring salt flat, and could potentially fuel all the iPods and electric cars the world could build over the next century."

This is definitely one the places you should see before you die. 

We found a small agency called "World White Travel" recommended by other travelers who did the tour with them starting the trip from Atacama desert in Chile. 

Here is the right moment to emphasize on the fact that like everything else in Bolivia paying more money  to an agency doesn't mean you will receive better service. 

Different agencies will promise you an English speaking driver, heaters in the hostels at the salt flats, hot showers, decent meals during the tour, luxurious 4WD, but pretty often none of this will happen. So it's better to rely on recommendations of other travelers than on advertisements and false promises. 

It seemed that "World White Travel" has a good reputation so we checked the prices (can't remember exactly but it must have been around 180B/aprx 30$ for one day tour) that morning and I'm almost sure I could go for it on the next day. Considering my health, trying the salt hostels and go deep into the desert was already mission impossible but the one day tour was still better than nothing. 

We went for a nice morning walk in the small town of Uyuni. There is nothing much impressive around but the Train Cemetery (Cementerio deTrenes) which is located 3 km southwest of the modernday station along Av Ferroviaria. The town served in the past as a distribution hub for the trains carrying minerals on their way to the Pacific Ocean ports. The trains were mostly used by the mining companies. When mining industry collapsed in 1940s many trains were abandoned. This is how the train cemetery was created.

                                                             Estación de ferrocarriles

                                                             Estación de ferrocarriles

                                                     Av. Ferroviaria and "Hotel Julia"

I guess that nowadays the main industry in Uyuni is tourism. Wikipedia kindly informs me that each year the town receives approximately 60,000 visitors from around the globe.  Every morning here I could hear from my room the noise of hundreds of 4DW who were leaving the city, loaded with tourists going to the salt flats. 

And then we went for a breakfast. I had some omelette and hot chocolate (have to admit I didn't make the best choice considering my stomach problems) and after that everything started all over again. And just to make the things worse the hotel staff moved us to a double room because the 3ple one was reserved for other travelers. Nothing to be worried about you will say apart from the fact that we didn't have a private bathroom anymore. So basically I spent the day running between the floors, searching for vacant bathrooms to give some relieve to my tortured stomach. 

This was the moment I realized we should have left the very same morning instead of making plans how to go for the short Uyuni tour. I felt guilty and mad at myself because I was so sick and I ruined our plans for the salt flats. Tsvetan gave me all the support and understanding that I could receive. 

For the next 3 days, basically until I left Boliva, I was eating only biscuits, bread and crackers. And of course, tons of tea. And for the first time in my life I didn’t enjoy what I do. 

Sometimes you have to stop and ask yourself: "Is it worth it? What am I doing here? Where has all the pleasure from traveling gone?"

I knew that I reached the point I have to leave my plans and itinerary. Not to give up but to reconsider that trip because I wasn't definitely enjoying the direction it was going. 

We discussed the situation and I told Tsvetan that I need to get out of here as soon as I can. We agreed that going back to La Paz with the same bus will be a torture so it will be better to take a flight from Uyuni to La Paz which is less than an hour. 

Surprisingly we found an office of Amaszonas in Uyuni and we paid 150$ per person for a domestic flight which duration is less than an hour. Yes, it was that bad. At that moment I wasn't thinking about anything else but just leaving this place. 

Our last night in Uyuni we went out to buy some bread and it took us some time until we found the street market. There was many small shops on the street but for some reason they were not selling bread and I was afraid to eat anything else. We tried to ask some local people but they just gave me an ironic smile and told me that they don't speak English (I was pretty sure they understood the question, though). 

Recently, I found out an interesting article about Bolivia and how people underestimate it as a travel destination. 

According to the article one of the misconceptions about the country is that the local people aren’t friendly. 

Well, in fact they aren't and the language barrier is not the main reason about that. 

For people here we were "gringos" which means "foreigners". And to be honest during the whole trip I couldn't get rid of the feeling that gringos are not welcomed here. 

...And sometimes "the light you see at the end of the tunnel is the headlamp of a fast approaching train". 

The morning of 16th of July we packed everything and I was more than happy to get on the taxi which took us to the local airport of Uyuni. 

Aeropuerto Internacional La Joya Anidna is definitely one of the funniest airports I have ever seen in my life. It’s in the middle of nowhere, it’s tiny and if it doesn’t have the name written with huge letters you can easily think it’s an abandoned warehouse or something like that. 

Even more awkward is the fact that there is a Wi-Fi there so if you want to check in from a really unusual spot somewhere around the world, here is your chance (lol)

I think only Amaszonas fly from here. Seeing the small Fairchild Metroliner which could barely fit 20 people made me feel so excited and adventurous. 

I’m used to fly big planes so the moment I saw that cute plane I thought it’s something really exotic and new to me. I think most of the people were feeling the same way. 

Our plane is so small

 so you actually you couldn't even stand up 

I was sitting at the very first seat, next to the aircraft door and right behind the pilot and guess what… There was no door that separates cockpit and passenger’s cabin. How cool was that? 

But as I said you never know where the light at the end of the tunnel comes from. 

As I flight attendant I often think of how my worst flight will look like and I’ve always thought that one day I will have to face some kind of emergency. 

I hope I will never have to go through a flight like the one I had with Amaszonas that day. There was no doubt that this was the worst flight experience I’ve ever had. 

First thing I noticed after take off is that the plane was really noisy. I thought there’s nothing to worry about, after all this Fairchild was most probably manufactured somewhere in the late 90’s. 

Not long after that I felt it’s too warm in the cabin and at some point I was already struggling to breathe normally. The plane was shaking as a feather from the turbulence  (something that in normal circumstances I wouldn’t even pay attention to) and this made me feel like I’m riding a rollercoaster for an entire hour.

I was already able to see La Paz underneath and the pilot and first officer, literary “looking” for the runaway. Where the hell was the airport?

Now, I’m just a stewardess, yes, but I guess it’s clear for everyone that airplanes are not driven like cars and you don’t just “look” where to land. There’s some certain electronics and instruments that you have to use. I knew something was wrong. We were on hold for about 20 minutes. I swear, longest 20 minutes in my life.

I was definitely not able to breathe and I thought I could faint any minute. I took the nearest plastic bag and I left inside the content of my stomach which was, anyway, already absolutely empty.

Was it just me? I was sick from before so maybe it was me? The noise in the plane was already unbearable. I didn’t know what’s going on with the rest of the passengers so I turned my head and I saw half of the cabin vomiting and women, almost about to start crying. 

Tsvetan shouted to the pilot: “How much is left ‘till we land”? 

I placed my hand close to the window glass only to confirm for the record something that I already knew: the thin air was going inside the cabin. We were exposed to slow decompression and in this damn old plane there was no any fucking oxygen masks. 

I guess most of the passengers felt the same way. Everyone was so shocked so we didn’t even have time to get panicked. 

Finally we landed and I had to crawl out of that plane. Of course no bus was waiting for us. 

If someone ask me now what’s better option to get to Uyuni – 12h journey with an old bus on a terrible road, freezing to death or 1h flight, I would say both will make you feel sick (and you will be probably vomiting) but if you see that small Amaszonas plane, go for the bus – at least you won’t have slow decompression there.

Tsvetan took me to a hospital in La Paz where we fortunately found and English speaking doctor. I left the clinic with a another bag full of medicines. 

We took a taxi to the neighborhood of Rosario (one of the city oldest areas) where you can find plenty of hotels. I can say that at the end of our trip we finally had some luck with Hotel “Sajama”. The address: Illampu 775, La Paz, Bolivia.

 I felt a bit sorry that we hadn’t found this place earlier. 

                                            view from the rooftop of Hotel “Sajama”

                                           view from the rooftop of Hotel “Sajama”

For 350 bol per night we received a decent (not luxurious by any means) and warm room with working heaters! I highly recommend this place. The location is very good if you want to explore La Paz. The breakfast is basic and I think it’s always the same but this is how it goes in the whole country, so nothing surprising for us. 

On my last day in La Paz I didn’t give up and we decided to take a nice, slow walk along local markets in Rosario. Tarija street is a nice place for a walk, full with small restaurants and bars. 

We reached Parque Urbano Central: a small green area popular among the local people:

 After we took some rest we continued our walk to the local stadium of La Paz. 

Standing at 3600 meters above sea level Hernando Siles stadium is the world’s highest construction of its kind that is famous for giving a hard time to the players who are not used to the thin air. 

In 2013 Argentine goal machine Leo Messi struggled with the high altitude in La Paz’s local stadium and had to be given oxygen on the pitch. 

We took a few memorable photos of the stadium. I completely understand why there’s rumors that Messi cried at this stadium. If I had to run here for a 90 minutes I would feel like crying too ;)

On the way back to the hotel I enjoy the chaos of La Paz’s streets for the last time. The local women with their colorful skirts remind me once again that Bolivia is one of the most unusual countries I’ve seen by now. 

Next day early in the morning I took a flight to Lima. As usual my adventure didn’t end up with getting on the plane. The flight from Lima to Madrid was full so my standby ticket didn’t work out. I had to spend more than 10 hours in Lima and I managed to get on a flight to Amsterdam. On the other hand all flights from Amsterdam to Dubai for the next 3 days were overbooked so guess who had to buy a full fare ticket? So, are you still sure that standby tickets are such an amazing thing? Think again… ;) 

After I came back to Dubai I needed a whole week to recover. I was sleeping much more than usual. 

After all I did not regret that I choose Bolivia to be my first South American country. I only regret that I couldn’t reach the salt flats. 

My overall not-so-positive experience in Bolivia happened because of my inability to acclimatize and my wrong decisions so I do believe this country deserves one more chance.

It’s true that I had some difficult moments while on the road but now, looking back I’m smiling and I think that this was one of the most memorable trips I’ve ever made. Something even more important: if we don’t have any challenges while we travel, where would all adventure be? 

Bolivia, we have some unfinished story with you, so wait for me… I’m coming back soon  :)