Tour of the Salt Flats - day 3 into Chile

  San Pedro de Atacama, Chile Sunday, May 8, 2016

Yesterday had been a long long day. We had been very tired by the end of it and were glad to get into bed. The power goes off at 10pm here so that means the lights as well making it very dark here. We had also been supplied with really warm sleeping bags by Red Planet and those combined with our lovely warm soak last night, in the springs - which weren't smelly at all surprisingly, meant we had slept well and deeply. Breakfast was ready for us when we woke up and we were out the door at 7am. But the sight that greeted us was just so beautiful we all disappeared off with our cameras. Orlando had a hell of a job rounding us up. The warm water flowing into the hot spring flowed further down the slope and the steam was rising from it in the early morning sunshine. Just Stunning! The local birds also knew where the warm water was too and they were all happily bathing in it and looking quite content there. The only thing to spoil this wonderful scene was the hoards of tourist cars which had appeared first thing and there was a long long queue of people waiting to get changed to go into the water. Luis had told us we were the only people staying here so the night time is the best time to go into the water as there would be less people. He had also told us there would be an awful lot of people arriving to do it this morning and the water would be a "Gringo Soup". He wasn't wrong! There must have been 20 cars there this morning most with 6 people in them. The drivers and guides go in too and why shouldn't they? No we definitely had the better experience last night! Today was a much shorter drive. The first stop was around 30 minutes away and was just by the side of the road where we could see a 'stunning' mountain full of many colours. We all got out the cars again and in along with our car buddies we posed for photos together. Then we realised we all had on our llama jumpers and took our coats off to pose properly. You can't come to Bolivia and not buy a llama jumper - it's the law! A bit further on was the Green Lagoon. We had been warned if it wasn't windy or sunny it wouldn't be green but luckily the weather complied with the request for booth and we saw a lovely green lagoon. the wind stirs up the algae and the sun shines on it which apparently is what makes it the beautiful colour it is. We don't know if that is true but we were happy to go along with it for now. We all got out for a photo opportunity then Luis announced that here was where we parted. Those going to Chile in one car, the ones returning to Uyuni with Luis in the other. So this is where we said our goodbyes to Johan and Justine as they were going back on the 8 hour journey to Uyuni. They were replaced by two Australian chaps from the other car as they were also going on to Chile with us and Emma. Bye bye Johan and Justine. We hope you had a great trip back and made it safely back to Paris. We bet you are planning your next trip already. The rest of us went on to the Chile border with Orlando. It was again another stunning ride to the border, which came upon us much more quickly than expected. Orlando pulled up at some remote little huts - completely in the middle of nowhere - and told us this is it - the Chile border. Pointing to a little hut he told us to go and get our passports stamped out of Bolivia over there. So all in a bit of a rush we got our bags off the car and stacked them by the bus which would take us on from here. The Bolivian stamp out was no trouble and we paid our £1.50 fee to leave and that was that! Bye bye Boliva - we didn't warm to you at first but we loved you in the end - especially your scenery (not your food really). I don't think we will ever go back but as always - we never say never!