Potosi to Uyuni, Bolivia

I left Potosi a bit before 8am, which was a bit of a late start for me. I rode to the desolate town of Uyuni, which is the jumping off point for the salt flats and lakes of southwestern Bolivia.

The road was paved at first but after an hour or so, it turned to dirt. There were frequent mud holes and rivers that needed to be navigated. I slipped and felt like I was going to fall, but I didn’t tip over today. It was quite beautiful to see this remote part of Bolivia.

It hadn’t rained for 4 days here, and the people were running out of water. I guess that their only source of water is from the sky. As I approached the town, I could see the rain showers making their way closer. They hit the town at the same time as I did. It was nice to be arriving with the rain, though it will make my journey tomorrow more difficult.

When I arrived in Uyuni, I found a hotel and a place for my bike and then began the process of getting ready for my mini adventure. I found a map and bought food and snacks for the two or three days that I’ll be in the desert. I talked to a guide and an immigration official about the details of the trip. Which track should I take? Is there gas on the way? What about the border crossing.

It turns out that there are some hotels on the way and they have barrels of gasoline. They also have food. I got my passport stamped at the immigration in Uyuni. I’ll stop at the Aduana office which is near Laguan Colorada. Then, I’ll cross into Chile and drive an hour to the town of San Pedro De Atacama, where I’ll check into the country.

Tomorrow, I’ll begin the ride across the desert and the salt flats. I feel excited .