I
decided to get up early as I had a full days exploring planned on my hired
bike? First I needed breakfast and so I visited the friendly cafe I found
yesterday. Lewis cooked a wonderful breakfast which was well worth the 20
Bolivianos!
It was still only 8am when I finished my breakfast when I decided to visit the bike hire shop, but it was closed and I was told by a neighbour it would be open at 9am. I killed a bit of time by visiting the Mercado and had a coffee and a cheese empanada. I also bought a couple of 'tamales', which are spicy meat balls covered with mashed corn and cooked in corn husks, which were delicious!
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After becoming a little frustrated with not being able to find an Internet place with working internet I decided to head back to my hotel. As I was walking past the reception the guy who could speak English told me there was a position for me on a tour the following day with three other British travellers and the price would be 195 dollars. I decided to go ahead with this and the English speaking guy (who I later learned was one of the hotel owners) advised me that there was going to be a tour briefing at 7pm with the other British travellers in reception.
At the briefing it turned out there were two groups that would be going on the tour (two vehicles), one group contained four Czechs and in my group were a couple from England and a Scottish guy. However, during the briefing another guy turned up (a Dutch guy who I’d already seen around the tour agencies) and we were then informed he would be the fifth person in our group! We were also told that there would not be a cook in our car, but just the driver and all nine of us would share the one cook as we would be travelling together in convoy. I could see that the English couple were a little concerned, and too be honest so was I. I got the impression we were being stitched up, however nobody said anything.
After our briefing we all went outside to meet the drivers (ours was called Javier) and to see the vehicles we would be travelling in. It was here that the guy from England spoke up about the sudden change and so I joined in and before too long we were all having a go at the hotel owner! The hotel owner said that he would be paying the cook extra money for looking after nine people and that it would not affect us as we would still only have six people in our vehicle. I did point out that surely he was making an extra 195 dollars and that the extra money he was paying the cook was covered by the other cook staying at home! In the end after a great deal of discussion we were all given 50 Bolivianos discount, (not entirely sure how this was worked out?). By now it was getting quite late and we all wanted to go out for something to eat and buy a few provisions. At least we all had a good introduction with one another, before spending four days together!
I visited a slightly better pizza place this time and bought a few provisions for the trip tomorrow. We are leaving at 8am and my breakfast is at 7:30am at the hotel at a price of 20 Bolivianos.
It was still only 8am when I finished my breakfast when I decided to visit the bike hire shop, but it was closed and I was told by a neighbour it would be open at 9am. I killed a bit of time by visiting the Mercado and had a coffee and a cheese empanada. I also bought a couple of 'tamales', which are spicy meat balls covered with mashed corn and cooked in corn husks, which were delicious!
A 'tamale' in Tupiza
I
returned to the bike hire shop and just as I arrived the owner turned up on a
bicycle and informed me he doesn't hire bikes anymore! I did ask if I could
borrow his bike for the day, but he wasn't keen on this! I thought I might as
well walk around the town a little and pick up the odd taxi wherever I felt the
need.
First I headed in the direction of the church to climb up to the Statue of Christ. After about 30 minutes of looking I managed to find the correct path up to the top. It was an easy climb and the views were nothing really special.
First I headed in the direction of the church to climb up to the Statue of Christ. After about 30 minutes of looking I managed to find the correct path up to the top. It was an easy climb and the views were nothing really special.
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View of Tupiza from Statue of Christ
View of Tupiza from Statue of Christ
After
the climb I continued to walk west and headed for El Canon which was a good
hour’s hike, before I came across the truly amazing eroded rock pinnacles. It
was here I met a local man with his sheep who told me I should keep walking for a further 4km. I decided against this as I was happy with what I had
already seen and I still had plenty more to see around Tupiza. I walked back
into town and had an early lunch at a cafe opposite 'Tupiza Tours' (which was
an 'ok pasta dish').
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El Canon in Tupiza
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El Canon in Tupiza
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El Canon in Tupiza
After
lunch I walked to the bus station and asked a taxi driver how much it would be
to take me to Quebrada Seca? I was informed it would be 60 Bolivianos. I was
quite shocked by this price at first as my guidebook had mentioned it was only
10kms away. However the driver did show me a printed out tariff which did give
the figure of 60 Bolivianos, (I later wondered if this was a return fare?) I
decided to try another taxi driver and I was quoted 50 Bolivianos, however this
driver then took me to another waiting taxi where I decided to jump in. After getting
in the taxi, the driver then quoted me 40 Bolivianos for the trip! Result I
thought!?
It was quite a rough and bumpy drive out; perhaps this is why it was a little expensive? It was a pleasant enough trip with some great views of the surrounding mountains, passing La Angostura on the way out. The taxi driver dropped me off in the very small village of Quebrada Seca, where I then started to walk south for about 20 minutes before arriving at a bridge and below was a stream with the corroded pinnacles as the backdrop which made for quite a spectacular setting. I spotted a few other tourists on horses with their guides resting by the river’s edge. I walked along the river for a while taking a few photographs before heading back to the village. A few vehicles passed me as I was walking back, however none stopped, although if I’d stuck my hand out I think they may have? Eventually I reached the end of the main rough road (by the rail track) where I soon spotted a passing bus and so I jumped on it and it took me back into the centre of town and dropped me right outside 'Tupiza Tours', which I thought was a great place to start seeking advice about booking the Salar de Uyuni Tour for the morning!
It was quite a rough and bumpy drive out; perhaps this is why it was a little expensive? It was a pleasant enough trip with some great views of the surrounding mountains, passing La Angostura on the way out. The taxi driver dropped me off in the very small village of Quebrada Seca, where I then started to walk south for about 20 minutes before arriving at a bridge and below was a stream with the corroded pinnacles as the backdrop which made for quite a spectacular setting. I spotted a few other tourists on horses with their guides resting by the river’s edge. I walked along the river for a while taking a few photographs before heading back to the village. A few vehicles passed me as I was walking back, however none stopped, although if I’d stuck my hand out I think they may have? Eventually I reached the end of the main rough road (by the rail track) where I soon spotted a passing bus and so I jumped on it and it took me back into the centre of town and dropped me right outside 'Tupiza Tours', which I thought was a great place to start seeking advice about booking the Salar de Uyuni Tour for the morning!
Quebrada Seca
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Quebrada Seca
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Quebrada Seca
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Quebrada Seca
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Quebrada Seca
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Quebrada Seca
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Quebrada Seca
Heading back from Quebrada Seca
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Heading back from Quebrada Seca (La Angostura)
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Heading back from Quebrada Seca
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Heading back from Quebrada Seca (Not me on the bike unfortunately!)
'Tupiza
Tours' did seem a little expensive, however they informed me that they were all
booked up with tours for the next day and if I was still interested I could
travel alone for 600 dollars, I left! I visited another travel company called 'Alexandria', who wanted 220 dollars; however the two other people that would
have made up the foursome were not guaranteed. I also visited 'Lipi Tours' who
quoted 170 dollars and the other three people were guaranteed this time. I went
away for a coffee and to have a think, and also to find an internet place to visit.
After becoming a little frustrated with not being able to find an Internet place with working internet I decided to head back to my hotel. As I was walking past the reception the guy who could speak English told me there was a position for me on a tour the following day with three other British travellers and the price would be 195 dollars. I decided to go ahead with this and the English speaking guy (who I later learned was one of the hotel owners) advised me that there was going to be a tour briefing at 7pm with the other British travellers in reception.
At the briefing it turned out there were two groups that would be going on the tour (two vehicles), one group contained four Czechs and in my group were a couple from England and a Scottish guy. However, during the briefing another guy turned up (a Dutch guy who I’d already seen around the tour agencies) and we were then informed he would be the fifth person in our group! We were also told that there would not be a cook in our car, but just the driver and all nine of us would share the one cook as we would be travelling together in convoy. I could see that the English couple were a little concerned, and too be honest so was I. I got the impression we were being stitched up, however nobody said anything.
After our briefing we all went outside to meet the drivers (ours was called Javier) and to see the vehicles we would be travelling in. It was here that the guy from England spoke up about the sudden change and so I joined in and before too long we were all having a go at the hotel owner! The hotel owner said that he would be paying the cook extra money for looking after nine people and that it would not affect us as we would still only have six people in our vehicle. I did point out that surely he was making an extra 195 dollars and that the extra money he was paying the cook was covered by the other cook staying at home! In the end after a great deal of discussion we were all given 50 Bolivianos discount, (not entirely sure how this was worked out?). By now it was getting quite late and we all wanted to go out for something to eat and buy a few provisions. At least we all had a good introduction with one another, before spending four days together!
I visited a slightly better pizza place this time and bought a few provisions for the trip tomorrow. We are leaving at 8am and my breakfast is at 7:30am at the hotel at a price of 20 Bolivianos.
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