The Altiplano by Train, From Oruru to Uyuni, Bolivia

This weekend was a marathon. A friend and I decided to visit the Salar de Uyuni and as such piled into a bus from Cochabamba to Oruru early friday morning. When we arrived in Oruru, we bought tickets for a train across the Altiplano to Uyuni, where we would hook up with a guide to take us onto the salt flats.

I had no idea what a surreal place the desolate, over 3500m high altiplano would be. That such a strikingly flat place exists at an altitude higher than anything but a few brief peaks in the continental states is mindblowing. I was glad I had my camera in the train for the seven hour ride across just a bit of it.







Once and awhile, a herd of llamas or vicuñas could be spoted from the train, as well as flocks of pink flamingos who seemed to enjoy meandering in the few lakes we saw. All the wildlife was too far for my lens.


a mirage like effect across the expanse at sunset

We got into town after 12, around which time I let it all hang out as I got sick and stayed sick for most the night--perched over a toilet. I couldn´t catch my breath, sleep, or keep any food down. The next morning, I didn´t feel much better but we had already come 16 hours to see the Salar so I swung by the farmacia for some dramamine and pushed on.