Mountain Village of Atocha, BOLIVIA

Plans didn´t work out as well as I was hoping for as I could not get a bus all the way from the Argentine border to Uyuni (Bolivia) . I had to stop at the town of Tupiza (Bolivia). Fortunately, I met a few friends who also need to be in Uyuni tonight so together we rented a 4-wheel drive jeep and driver to take us on the 5 hour journey to Uyuni. We went up to about 5500m above sea and the mountains were absolutely spectacular. At some parts there was hardly any road so we drove down the river bed....often through deep pools. Its 10pm now and we decided to call it a night so we stopped at this small village of Atocha in the mountains. Will sleep a few hours and at 6am travel further to Uyuni. Hope to be there by 8am to get on another 4 wheeler to start the 3 day trip towards the south west (in the direction of Chile). Will see huge salt lakes, flamingoes, thermal springs, volcanoes, geysers, and bubbling mud pools...and spectacular rock formations. Internet is hard to find and often extremely slow. While on the 3 day trip we will have no access to Internet so if I´m silent for a few days -- don´t get worried. I hope to be back in Buenos Aires next Sunday as I´m flying to Ushuaia on Tuesday. (Ushaua is 5120 km from the Bolivian border I crossed today). Adios. Respect all -- nature and humanity -- its all we have