Taking the Plunge: Desert, that's better than Dessert

I’m back! I know you’ve missed me terribly. I’m sorry for the absence, but with the holidays, friends visiting, and having really awful access to internet over the past few weeks, I fell out of habit. But, I’m back!

And thankfully, I get to come back with a BANG! I spent the last week and a half in some of the most spectacular and dramatic landscapes of my trip, and probably even of my life. I visited 2 different desert regions: the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, and I returned to Uyuni, Bolivia for the second time.

I visited San Pedro de Atacama for the first time, staying for about 5 days to tour some of the spectacular local sights. While I was there, I was informed that Salar de Uyuni was flooded, which is #2 on my bucket list, so with a quick and easy change of direction, I passed through Bolivia, taking a tour through Uyuni again. I saw some of the same sights as before, and some new ones.

While there is so much to see, here is what was most impressive from my trip:

10. Geysers

Although my first pass by the geysers of Uyuni remains the most impressive, I did visit geysers twice more in the past 2 weeks. What was interesting, was that the time of day of the visit changed how the geysers looked entirely! When I first visited the geysers in Uyuni, it was early morning and cold, so every hole was billowing hot, sulfury steam. When I visited the same sight 6 weeks later at mid-morning, it was like a completely different sight.

If you remember, this picture was from my first visit to the Uyuni geysers,

where we arrived just after sunrise. It was a spectacular and dramatic sight.

Returning to the Uyuni Geysers for the second time, it was spectacular, but in a
completely different way. Now, we could more easily see the different colors in the
mud from the sulfur, as well and the gooey bubbling pools beneath the steam.

Geysers, Uyuni, Bolivia

We also visited one other geyser bed in Atacama, called Tatio. Here, the

geysers were spouting hot water, and were spread across a much larger area.

We visited early morning here as well, seeing them at their most dramatic.

Geysers Tatio, Atacama, Chile

9. Thermal Pools

I took my first dip in a thermal pool at Geysers, Tatio in Chile. The steam was deceiving, the water not being quite as warm as we had hoped for our dip at high elevation at 8 in the morning. Still cool, though.

Most people have congregated to this end of the pool because this is where the warm spring is. Swimming here, you find patch of warm and cool water, at times so hot it’s scalding. Tatio, Atacama, Chile

We passed by another thermal pool driving through Uyuni. None of us were up for a swim that day.

8. Lagoons

I don’t think I could even count how many lagoons I have visited between Uyuni and San Pedro, but it is probably somewhere around 20. The lagoons range in color. Some were white, others green, red, or a dark blue. Some were teeming with wildlife, while others were sparse, but they were all beautiful in their own unique-snowflake-like way. Much like the geysers, though, I was surprised by how timing/season/weather affected how they looked. One lagoon in particular was a completely different color the second time I saw it.

Lagunas Altiplanicas (Highplains Lagoons), Atacama, Chile

My first trip through Uyuni, we visited Laguna Verde (the Green Lagoon). It wasn’t very green that day,
as it was explained there wasn’t enough wind to cause the copper in the water to react with the air
and create the green color it is known for.

My second pass by Laguna Verde, however, was on a windy, clear day.

The water was it’s characteristic, bright green, spectacular self.

Laguna Verde, Uyuni, Bolivia

There were much fewer flamingos this time around, presumably having moved further south with the seasonal change. The last time I came during late spring, and this time it was right in the middle of summer.

Laguna Chaxa, Atacama, Chile

Laguna Blanca (White Lagoon), Uyuni, Bolivia

Laguna Colorada (Colored Lagoon), Uyuni, Bolivia

7. Caverns, Atacama Desert, Chile

As part of the Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon) reserve in Atacama, there is a series of winding, narrow caverns and tunnels. They were formed by water passing gradually through the minerals of a mountain, stripping them away over the course of years. We meandered our way through the complex, at times nearly having to lay down to pass through narrow gaps, and at other times, climbing out into a clearing.

6. Salt Flats

Though I had already visited Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flat at over 10,000’ altitude, I was delighted to both revisit it, as well as see other versions of salt flats in Chile.

This was a different kind of salt flat, really more of a salt rough, actually, Lol.
Salar de Atacama, Chile

Close up of one area of salt surface on Salar

Experimenting with being in front of the lens

Sending love from Uyuni

My body remembers yoga, despite not having done it in year

More experimentations....

5. Rock Formations

Due to the high mineral content of the rocks in these desert areas, they are soft, and susceptible to the forces of wind and water. In many places, mountains have been widdled down to unusual formations, some of which are even recognizable as familiar objects.

My first Uyuni tour, we saw El Arbol de Piedra (the Rock Tree).

My second Uyuni tour, we saw the Copa del Mundo (World Cup).

Tres Marias (The Three Marys), so named to watch over the traders

traveling the remote roads through the desert.

A large series of pillars, cliffs and protrusions is called Italia Perdida (the Lost Italian),

after a tourist discovered there years ago. Uyuni, Bolivia

Italia Perdida, Uyuni

Most easily distinguished of all if El Camello (the Camel) in Uyuni, Bolivia.

4. Red Rocks, Atacama Desert, Chile

This colorful, salty lagoon is surrounded by uniquely shaped red stone formations. Though many of the stones are so caked with salt that they appear white, there are enough left unaffected to give this area is unique look.

3. Mysterious Lagoon, Uyuni, Bolivia

This was the last lagoon I saw from my time in the desert. I had no idea just how spectacular it would be, distinct from the many others before it. We spent about 40 minutes just sitting here, listening to the calls of the ducks reverberating off the walls of the canyon.

Walking up to the lagoon

This was the first sight I had of this magical place

my spot, I call shotgun into infinity

2. Valley of the Moon, Atacama Desert, Chile

Although this area has one name, it has many faces. Our afternoon tour took us through rock formations, over dunes, and up to the edge of a gigantic canyon.

Large Dune, Valley of the Moon, Atacama, Chile

Large Dune trail, Valley of the Moon, Atacama, Chile

Large Dune, Valley of the Moon, Atacama, Chile

We ended the tour watching sunset at the edge of a gigantic canyon.

1. Salar de Uyuni after the rain, Bolivia

I have been dreaming of seeing Salar de Uyuni wet ever since I first saw a photograph of it over 10 years ago. It is such a unique and remarkable landscape that it easily captures one’s imagination. Just a few days ago I was lucky enough to not only see this Salar (salt flat) wet and reflecting the beautiful blue sky, but also at the most spectacular sunrise. It was even more spectacular than I could have ever imagined.

Our car, and the 5 of us watching the sun come up

Far away on the horizon, other groups were doing the same thing

Walking on water....

It almost looks like I have skills

Didn't know I could jump like that!

This is what my feet looked like after splashing around in Salar all day!

My shoes fared no better

Sunrise on Salar de Uyuni

So that's it, what I've been up to for the last few weeks. I end with some of the most spectacular photographs I have ever captured. It’s easy to see now why I didn’t post sooner, right?

Taking the Plunge

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Desert, that's better than Dessert