26 Oct 06
In contrast to Chile, which has recovered well since General Pinochet left office in 1989, Bolivia is still brutally poor.
'We have all the resources of a rich country but we've been let down by poor administration,' says our guide, Dante. This is not Africa - the people are not starving - but the country is underachieving. The incumbent president, Evo Morales, is openly courting Castro, which has not pleased the entrepreneurial classes.
It's already dark by the time we reach Uyuni and we've been driving for over 14 hours. A hasty dinner is followed by a night of deep sleep.
In the morning I awake to discover dusty streets filled with elderly people. Three dogs are contriving to have sex on the pavement, finding some hedonistic escape. The poverty is self-evident and it's quite a culture shock after the relative affluence of Chile.
Uyuni's modest tourist trade is supported by the extraordinary Salar De Uyuni. Measuring over 10,000sq km, it's the world's largest salt flat and an incredible sight. We spend a couple of happy hours driving the 599 on the salt and visiting the bizarre Playa Blanca hotel, constructed entirely from salt.
