Involvement in Bolivian Road Block- outside Uyuni

On route from Potosi (7 hour bus journey)

our bus disappearing into the distance at great speed

The first we know that we’ve encountered a political road block is when we’re asked to quickly leave the bus with our belongings and walk.

Our poor bus driver, who has been coping with a broken windscreen for the past three hours through dusty Bolivian desert, has to attempt to speed past the oil tanker, which is pushing him, and make a diversion off road through the darkening desert. We are unaware how far he manages to get as we are already trekking our way down the road past numerous oil tankers blocking our path. We tactfully say nothing to the drivers as we pass, in case they are averse to us crossing their protest path.

Seemingly this kind of blockade occurs regularly in Bolivia, but it’s the first time Heidi has ever encountered such an episode with a tour group and she is obviously worried, as she tells us that sometimes they can turn violent and tourists have been known to be seriously injured by drivers throwing boulders as they attempt to pass through. Eventually, after 1 ½ hours walking through a pitch black desert we come upon our destination town of Uyuni, where we ask for directions to the bus terminal, in hope that our big rucksacks, which were in the bus’ boot, are located. However, when we arrive, we are informed our bus never made it and has had to turn back.

The dawning realisation occurs that, although we are glad to have all made it safely to Uyuni, our bags have not.

We eat together at the local pizza joint, still in good spirits and Heidi vows to investigate the situation first thing in the morning.

Next day we are told many stories about the blockade- like, no one is journeying there from Uyuni because it’s too dangerous, there’s a petrol shortage in town and our bus has had to travel all the way back to the previous mining town where it’s tyres have been slashed. However, all of this turns out to be untrue. Our bus is, in fact, stranded with deflated tyres, on the other side of the blockade, which, in fact, disperses at noon and Heidi is able to journey there by taxi to retrieve our bags. At first our hotel was unwilling to attempt the trip because they believed it was dangerous to send gringos out there- they would become a significant target, but they relented and we now have all our belongings back safe and sound. The town of Uyuni is however still at a standstill as numerous tour groups wait till they’re given the go ahead to journey to the Bolivian salt flats.

In the end, everything worked out well, but it could’ve been very much worse.