Back to the holiday Part 4

So we're back in Salta, arriving last on the Sunday evening. Back we trog to the same hotel we had stayed at previously, different room and so cold. But we were only there for one night and up at 6am the next morning. We met up with the Movietrak people at 7am, loaded ourselves into the 4WD and off we went. Our trip followed the Tren a las Nubes (Train of the Clouds) and 8am found us walking along train tracks which were very slippery - I didn't walk far - and watching our breathe coalesce in front of our faces.

Up in the mountains, we could see goats bounding from rocky outcrop to rocky outcrop and heard a kid demaning it's mother come back to fetch it (but got not response). A brief stop for coffee and we were on our way again. Our next stop was at a small village with a loo and a small market. That's where I bought my llama wool gloves - lovely and warm. From there we continued up the mountains until finally we reached San Antonio de los Cobre. This is the midway stop to the 'top' of the mountain. It is an old copper mining town but a lot of investments has been put in to develop it as a community. We stopped there for two reasons, firstly to allow us time to acclimatise and secondly to have lunch. We didn't get any choice about where to have lunch or what to have for lunch but it was good. The locals approached us all the time offering goods for sale and photo opportunities (kids [human] with kids [goats]) but I declined.

From there it was onto the salt lakes. On the way we were flagged down by a man whose group had decided to drive their hire car onto the salt flat at a place where no-one else went. Our driver Federico drove our vehicle out as far as he could, then he and the other blokes (ladies were not invited or expected to do any heavy work) walked out to the stranded car and pushed/pulled it back to safety. It seems that this kind of aid to those in need is part and parcel of driving around in such desolated areas - I was pleased we stopped (even though I had no say in the matter).




From there we went onto the salt flat where everyone else was. From a distance, it just shimmers white on the horizon but when you get up close it looks like an ice rink.












When we got out of the vehicle I was worried that I would slip over but the reality was that it's a salt flat - what do we put on ice to provide traction? yep, salt. There was no slipperiness and, in fact, as we walked out on the lake we noticed the hexagonal ridges where the salt has crystalised.




Several rectangular slabs had been cut out of the salt which showed that the water-level was only about eight inches below where we were walking and the water was freezing cold.

By now the sun was up although it wasn't that warm and we walked around a took photos while the wheel was changed and then we were off again, from there to Humahuaca and I think I'll save that for another post!