Day 2 — Flocking Flamingos

We started the day with a bit of exercise, as the truck once again declined to start. In an effort to keep things interesting, this time we had to push it along a slight uphill incline, and Carlos the driver dropped it into reverse in order to get it started.

It worked though, and soon we were on our way.

The truck jounced along merrily, as we took in the arid landscapes and listened to classic sounds of the ’80s and ’90s on Carlos’ very well-used mix tape (one of three we had for the entire trip). About an hour later, we found ourselves gawking at the second major attraction along the Southwest Circuit: flocks of flamingos!

Day 1 — Salar de Uyuni

Well, we’re finally back in Canada. It’s a sad moment in some ways, though it’s also good to be back on Mountain Daylight Time. Among other things, it finally gives me a bit of time to write a bit about our trip before the memories start to fade. So, here goes…

Our first step on our month-long adventure was an all night bus ride from La Paz to the town of Uyuni. Once there, we quickly surveyed the town, and signed on with a likely looking tour operator to do a 3-day swing through Bolivia’s “Southwest Circuit.” Our first stop on said tour was the Salar de Uyuni, located in southwest Bolivia. It’s the largest salt flat in the world, and one of the most surreal places on earth. If I were to make a film about purgatory, I’d film it here. I’ve never seen so much nothingness — just blue and white, stretching on towards infinity. It’s the one place in the world where formal modern art accurately captures the world.