Clinging on to life in a barren landscape

From the hobbit huts we were on our way again fairly early the following morning. This was to be another long day at high altitude in an intensely dry climate. After an hour or more of driving, we entered different territory. The salt surface started to give way to dirt and dust, and suddenly, coming across a small crest, stretched out before us was a lake, and our first stop of the day. We would visit three lakes over the next two days, the blue, the green, and the red lakes, each with its own distinct flora and fauna. Although not extremely large in terms of surface coverage, the lakes are important habitats for flamingos, with the intensity of the colour of their feathers as a result of the nutrients they ingest from the lakes.

 

 

 

 

 

Lakes, Flamingos, and…

We spent some time at the first lake, Laguna Hedionda, exploring and observing, surprised that here there was at least some vegetation in the form of grasses. As the pictures show, the surrounding area is totally barren rock or sand, yet here an amazing microcosm prevails against all odds. We moved on, crossing more desert as we slowly continued our climb higher into the mountains.

 

 

 

We stopped at the second lake, Laguna Colorada (Red Lagoon) where we had an opportunity for a walk, and so we spent a leisurely hour taking in the countryside. We set off once again, this time with an area of rock formations as our goal. The temperature was low, and a strong wind blew across the plane. As we were driving along a route created by many similar 4-wheel drive vehicles over the years, we passed by a solitary bicycle rider. His bicycle laden with goods, we could only surmise how he had made his way thus far, and wonder how he was going to fare as he attempted the crossing of the salt flat still to come – by our estimates he had at least another 100 kilometers to go before he would reach Uyuni. Seeing him crossing this deserted region, I was impressed, and I wondered, would I be able to manage such a trip? Who knows, there are several trails that I can take to test myself, and perhaps the trail from Alberta along the east of the Rocky Mountains to Mexico will be the first such attempt in the near future.

 

Sculpted rocks

The Arbol de Piedra (Rock Tree) is a rock formation shaped by the strong winds that whip across the surface of the altiplano. Wind and sand have scoured the base of this sandstone rock, reshaping it to look like a tree. Although this particular rock seems to be the main attraction, with everyone getting their picture taken with the ‘tree’ in the background, there are other equally as interesting formations to have a look at. Beware, however of the wind, it is really, really strong, and if not for the frantic shouting and attempts at running of some of my fellow travelers, I would have left my cap behind on the altiplano.

 

We moved on again, crossing another large flat expanse, and in the distance I could see some form of settlement, a place where we would stop for a few moments for some food, some drinks, a bathroom stop, before the final dash across the barren landscape to the final lake and our accommodation that evening. It seemed rather incongruous that in the middle of this desert area, this group of buildings actually existed, but what was even more interesting was the sign placed strategically along the side of the track approaching the facility : WIFI Available. I tried to connect, it was time to upload some photos and send some messages to friends to reassure them that I was alright and having a great time. Unfortunately, with 40 other people simultaneously trying to get online, the effort was a wasted one.

 

 

 

 

Plants like rocks – rock-like plants

We had been moving through the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve at altitudes of between 4,200 – 5,400 meters above sea level. I mentioned vegetation before, noting that some hardy grasses survived in this area, and before we veered off to reach our accommodations for the night, we stopped at one other spot in the Reserve to take a look at some plants which are estimated to be as much as 3,000 years old. The Yareta is an extremely slow-growing plant, approximately 1.5cm per year, and although it looks soft like moss on a stone, it is as hard as rock. What you see in the picture is the actually plant; it is not a rock covered by moss. Traditionally the plant has also been harvested for fuel wood, with devastating effect on the environment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a long day of traveling, with many interesting sites along the way, we made our final stop at yet another lake, with more opportunities for photographs. Here too the wind was harsh, and the temperature was already cooling as the sun slowly disappeared behind the mountains in the distance. We moved on quickly, most of us eager to reach our accommodation for the night, and to warm ourselves with hot food. Our guide and driver were slightly uncertain of the right track, whether to turn right or to turn left at a fork in the road, but a distant blinking light seemed to solve the issue, and we headed for what we hoped would be our digs for the night. It was by no means as luxurious as the first night, and there was no electricity in the rooms. We sorted out the sleeping arrangements and made our way to the communal dining room for a late dinner that was slow in coming, and limited in variety. No one really grumbled, as long as the water of the thin soup was hot, and the few slices of bread were sufficient to give us the required carbohydrates for the night, most of us were satisfied, all too eager to simply settle down and sleep.