Tupiza and Cowboys shoot outs

It took us five or so hours to cross the border but we made friends and played cards which made the time go quite fast. When I eventually got to handing our passports over it was one man behind one computer from the 90s typing in all our details with his two index fingers! Bienvenido a Bolivia!!

Immediately I loved what I saw. People busying everywhere. Bright colours and hustle bustle. We started seeing all the ladies in their traditional dress and one of our friends remarked 'it's like they've just stepped out of a photo.' Very true. 

We made our way to the bus station and bought a ticket for a two and a half hour journey for £1.50. After the expense of Argentina this was a very welcome amount!! We were on our way from Villazon to Tupiza.

We loved Tupiza. A very chilled out, relaxed and friendly town. There was so much to look at and explore. So off we went!

We followed the train tracks out into the quebradas (ravines) which were a spellbounding burnt red colour and carved by the rain and wind into such intricate shapes. On our way back a storm started and the sound of the thunder reverberated around the ravines in an immense sound.

Then it was time to make like a cowboy and gallop off into the countryside to see if we could take part in any cowboy shoot outs. Yee-hah!

Here Sam on his slightly mental horse but mine was a proper loonie tunes! She kept bolting at every opportunity!! A kid took us out, just me and Sam. He was a real horse boy, such control. On the way out of town he picked up his mate and throughout our trip they kept galloping off leaving us to saunter through the desert on our own. It was so amazing!

The shapes of the rocks were incredible. Below is El Puerto del Diablo, an amazing formation.

Tupiza was not only chilled out and friendly but it was also very cheap. We were living at a fantastic hostel which was more like a B&B for pittance and the food was so tasty and amazing. We had a three course meal and a big bottle of juice for £2.40 each. Absolutely incredible.

It was time to leave Tupiza now as we had booked ourselves onto the Salar D'Uyuni tour with another couple. I was so excited I almost couldn't sleep! Very very happy indeed to finally, after all these years, be in Bolivia!! Hooray!