Uyuni Salt Pan

Uyuni salt pan, largest on earth. The pictures say it all.

On arrival there is foot deep water that needs to be  negotiated before reaching the drier area.

Legend has it that you can ride for at least 3 minutes blindfolded without any problem.

This was proven to be true. Inn fact you could ride way more than 3 minutes blinfolded, especially with some help from a navigator giving directionn over the intercom. Weird feeling.

Playing with our toy motorcycles.

And then in the middle of a salt ocean appeared an appirition. A restaurant / hotel made out of salt bricks in this salt wasteland.

Landcruiders and backpackers everywhere.

And just when we thought we were special for doing this on our motorcycles we noticed that some dude had was there on his bicycle?

14 January - La Paz yo Uyuni

560 kilometer riide from La Paz to Uyuni, the town which hosts the largest salt pan on eartth. uneventful until the last 160 kilometer stretch of dirt / gravel road.

Most enjoable stretch of road.

River crossing

Dirt trail

Road of Death

filled with expecatation of riding the famed "Road of Death" we exited La Paz and after trying 3 filling stations we eventually had our petrol tanks full and climbed up to 4600 meters above sea level to be greeted by mist, sleet and rain. shortly thereafter we took a wrong turn and proceeded to ride 90 kilometers along the wrong mountain pass. Was wet, windey and dangerous.

When we realised our mistake (3 hours later) we turned around and did the same 90 kilometers muddy wet ride back.

Physically and emotionally challenging ride,

Arica (Chile) to La Paz (Bolivia)

After the highlight of the Dakar Rally in Chile we head on to La Paz in Bolivia. From sea level over the Andes mountains once again. It was not long before the snow capped mountains of the Andes mountain range appeared.

The border crossing into Bolivia at 4000 meters above sea level was unpleasant. We were informed that our 30 day visas we obtained in Copacabana only a week before was no longer valid. We argued this with border officials to such an extent that they eventually let us go without stamping our passoprts and gave us a "citation" which we had to present at Immigration in La Paz and present our case. it was disappointing to have confirmed at head office in La Paz the next day that the 30 day visas was indeed only valid for one entry and not for 30 days as the stamp in our passports indicated. we had to pay a further 360 Boliivianos (roughly R360.00) each again for the second entry.

Bolivia has some intrigiung landscapes.

Upon entering La Paz we found that South African taxi drivers are not a breed unto their own. Massive Metropol spread out in a valley a nd reaching up into the mountain sides.

To add insult to injury we found to our disgust that foreigners are charged at a different rate for petrol / gasoline, in fact three times more. This was a huge issue every time we wanted to fill  up.

Discrimination

Iquique to the 11th stage of the Dakar - Arica

Could it get any better.....?

After saying goodbye to our Italian friend, we were of to Arica again. Riding north, back to the 10th stage in Arica. We did the 360km odd easily especially as we met up and passed numerous of the Dakar back up vechiles and at some stages crossed with the riders as they did the special stage on the pieces of tar.

Ons word egter begroet met 'n heel ander opwinding in Arica. Orals staan mense langs die pad en waai, neem foto's en daar heers 'n ongelooflike gees tussen die Chiliane. Ons word ook sommer gesien as deelnemers en word voorwaar soos 'celebs' hanteer. Die beste vir laaste en na mooi praat met 'n Franse dametjie, kry ons dit reg om die massiewe Dakar kamp (Biviac) binne te gaan, tussen waar alles gebeur.

It is an unbelievable experience to walk among the greatest names in the worlds most prestigious off road race. Just to be there was a big dream come true for us, but to meet some of the racers was the cherry on the cake. Although its impossible to shake hands with likes of Marc Coma etc, we were there when tv commentary was been done. A great privilege!

Wat is so groot dag sonder die wete dat ons nie hand skud met een van Suid Afrika se groot geeste nie, Darryl Curtis wat toe tans 36ste was na 'n swakkerige begin volgens hom. Alle voorspoed Darryl en wat 'n nederige mens is jy nie!! Saam op die foto is die yster van 'n Kiwi wat die Roof of Africa alreeds weggeraap het onder die SA manne. Self 'n plat op die aarde Kiwi!

Net om te wys die Dakar is nie speletjies nie.....

From Cuya to the 10th stage of the Dakar Rally - Iquique

Dream come true!!

Early start out of Cuya and an easy ride to Iquique. Our Italian friend still all the way with us, we stopped at the first garage as we entered the big city of Iquique and once again met the nicest people. In a matter of minutes the Chilian guys, Diago and the crazy Javier took us under their wing and took us up into the dunes where the 10th stage would pass. We loved the 30 odd kilo's sand road into the dunes...our Italian friend swear at us a bit for this, but he managed well.

Definitief een van die hoogte punte van ons sover 17 000km reis. Dit is 'n ongelooflike gevoel en gesig om die Dakar jaers verby jou te sien snel. Die geluid van die hoeverrigting enjins tussen die duine is onbeskryflik en enige motor en motorfiets liefhebber se droom. Geen woorde kan dit beskryf nie!

Some real cool pics that my mate Byron took.....

We slept in the magical city of Iquique and could feel the Dakar vibe where ever we went, but nothing compare to Arica....

From the small town of Tarata (Peru) all the way to Chile - Cuya

Pics of the road from the small town of Tarata.......


We fixed everything that needed to be fixed the next morning in Tarata and off we went, getting the Dakar feeling.... As usual we didn't hold back and hammered through the now, desert again. Nearly running out of petrol, we got to the huge town of Tacna. Had a bite to eat and of to the Chilian border. We were surprised at the manner which the Chilian border control handled their customs etc. Organised and fully in control.

Foto's van die laaste Peruan dorp/stad voor Chile....

Soos reeds die afgelope paar weke met ons gebeur het, ontmoet ons die vriendelikse en hulpvaardigse mede reisigers en dit was geensins anders nie toe ons die Italianer, Richardo ontmoet nie. Hy het vooraf vir Spaanse lesse gegaan ('n helse plus punt indien jy Sentraal en Suid Amerika wil toer) Hy het ons vinnig gehelp met al die papierwerk en sodoende het ons sommer vriende geraak en Richardo is saamgesleep Dakar toe. Ons besluit egter om Arica (waar die 11de skof plaasgevind het) verby te ry na 'n 'dorpie' net voor Iquiqe (10de skof) Min het ons geweet daar is niks meer as net vyf winkels nie...en 'n baie vriendelike ou Chiliaan wat ons verblyf aangebied het. Dit is juis een van my bevindinge, maak nie saak waar jy jou bevind nie, daar is altyd 'n slaapplek!!