This morning we left Potosi setting off on a 200km drive to Uyuni, the gateway town to the Bolivian Salt Flats. The drive was supposed to take about four hours and we arrive in Uyuni in time for a late lunch. Unfortunately Ambers engine kept over heating and we had to stop a couple of times to let it cool down. (We don't think she likes Eoin our new co driver/crew lol!). We weren't going to make Uyuni for lunch so whilst Ambers engine cooled for the second time Vikki decided to get out the tables and stoves at the roadside and break into the emergency food supplies and cook pasta for lunch. Lorraine and Maria plus a few helpers took charge and produced a pasta lunch for us all.
After lunch Amber behaved herself and we made it to Uyuni. We stopped at a train graveyard and ghost silver mining town on the way. They claimed to have a train and carriage that Butch Cassidy robbed for silver. We made it to Uyuni for about four thirty staying at Tonito Hotel. It's a remote small dusty town sitting on the edge of the high Bolivian Altiplano, visited by tourists for its proximity to the 'Salar de Uyuni', huge salt flats.
In the evening we had a group meal at a pizza restaurant in the hotel, American/Bolivian owned and claimed to be the highest pizza in the world - they were good pizzas. Afterwards we went to a local 'fun pub' where they served drinks in amusing pottery puzzle/joke mugs. Jemima, the youngest member of our group, was the Guinea pig and tried a couple of drinks in mugs with various holes in the top and sides which required much thought how to actually drink the contents without it spilling out the various holes all over the place, one mug was phallic shaped! Very amusing. Eoin then bet James, a young lad from Macclesfield, to complete the the pubs 'ten shot' challenge in less than a minute. Various shots were prepared and lined up in a row on the bar and a plastic toilet lined with a bin liner placed next to him! He did it in 59 seconds - Eoin had to pay up!
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