Salinas Grandes

The salt flat we visited is 32km x 9km, the largest in Argentina. Big enough for me, so no need to go to Bolivia. Our group of 7 set out heading north from Salta and were soon off the metalled road and on to dirt road. Now I undertood the comments that if it rained, the tour would be cancelled. We had had dry conditions for 3 days but still there was water flowing across the road in several place. Worse, scree and mud had become fluid with previous rain and had flowed over the road leaving a concrete like barrier over a foot thick. No prob as there was not much traffic so we could drive round these obstacles. Our excellent driver/guide said he did not like this tour in this, the rainy season, as it was too dangerous! We could see the route of El Tren de la Nubes (The train to the Clouds) but it was not running as it was too dangerous. Hmmm! We climbed steadily in wonderful mountain scenery with some mountain sides looking distinctly unstable. Different colours of rocks, different weathering, altogether a geologists delight.
We stopped to look at a viaduct built for the railway and I chose not to walk out on it although it was quite wide really!
Over a pass at 4000m and suddenly the mountains were gone and we were on the high plain. I was really feeling the effects of the altitude despite packing my cheek with coca leaves. That made me talk funny but did not do much for light heady feeling and breathlesness. We stopped at San Antonio de la Cobres for lunch. Since it was a local dish I had Llama, but did not expect a whole one. I think the altitude had robbed me of any appetite but I had some and it is OK but will not be running to the Llama counter of Sainsbury when I get back! The only occupation here is to be a Llama farmer, which has a nice sound to it but I don't think there is much to do until you have to kill them.

Now we are on to the worst road I have travelled on, corrugated dirt road that went on for ever with various streams creating deep furrows. About 2 1/2 hours of exactly the same view forward. Finally we are on to good road and at the edge of the salt flat. Very impresssive, seemingly to stretch for ever. Lots people walking out on the salt, big piles ready to be sent, bits of machinery all over the place and souvenirs, mostly carved out of salt. 2 pesos for the banos - money well spent!

It was incredibly hot here with reflection from the salt. Now we are on the return journey climbing into different mountains and over the high point at 4170m. The scenery now is even better than before and the colours unbelievable. It is like a child's painting - I will have an orange mountain here, a grey one there, pink will be nice, yellow will fill that gap and then we view the seven coloured mountains. We descend into Purmarmarca and I want to live there. Not because it was carnival and everybody was getting their face painted and getting drunk, but not in that order, but because it surely has the best location of any inhabited place. Dusty dirt streets but with some lovely houses and boutique shops, the same ochre colour, all crowded together and surrounded by these coloured mountains. We were there in the evening but it is at its best when the sun rises and enhances the colours. Magic! Speedy return to Salta and it was 10pm. Quite a day!