Salta, Argentina y Tupiza, Bolivia

Salta is the typical place to stop on the way from Argentina to Bolivia (or the other way), and is an 18 hours busride from Mendoza... It is a small town, but very nice. In Salta we went horseriding for a day with to crazy guides, Ramiro and Augusto - loco!! (chiefladeras???) Really nice horses, obeyed every little wink. Which is good since this was Silje`s first time. Me gusto Salteño! Had a very fun day with about 5 hours on the horseback, with a lunch in between. That`s when we met our first Argentinean grandmoter La NOOONI!! We ate traditional Argentinean food, and in the evening they took us to a traditional gaucho (cowboy) place where we ate some more. (After watching so you thing you can dance I have always wondered what a tamale is. Now I know.)

From Salta we took a guided tour through several small towns and ended up in Humahuache. The trip was a waste, not too please with the guide... In Humahuache Silje didn`t feel too well, and we later found out that the altitude is about 4000 m... But it only lasted the afternoon/evening, so hopefully she`s ready for the trip to the salt desert and sorroundings where it get´s up towards 6000 m altitude...

Lonely Planet says that the best way to avoid sickness because of altitude is to walk slowly, eat only a little and sleep by your poor little self... Which means that Kristine has put Silje on a diet. Here she is shopping fruit and vegetables.

If everything had worked after our plans we would be on our way to the salt desert in Uyuni by now. But... this is not Argentina, we`re in Bolivia now. The bus got stuck, everyone had to get out...

Anyways... from Humahuache we took the bus to the Argentinean/Bolivian border. Getting anywhere else was a bit more problematic... We didn`t have any bolivianos and the only ATM was closed... But thanks to captain Jon (thank you!!) we had 20 $ which was enough for the bus to Tupiza and a night for both of us at the hostel there.. Since getting to Uyuni took a day more than expected, we decided to do the trip to the Uyuni desert from Tupiza. Which means we haven`t got time for the mines in Potosi or the jungle in Rurrenabaque, it takes time in Bolivia, but we don`t want to spend most of the time in a bus...

We spend a day in Tupiza on horses, the landscape was specatular! Didn`t enjoy the riding as much as I (Silje) did in Salta, but Kristine is crazy and had a bit more control over the horses..