The great white plain

Getting up in the cold reminds me of the army in winter. There's quite a good breakfast that increases the energy levels. After a while I can even get the car out of the car park – as there is a car blocking the exit. At 8.45h the guide arrives and we head for Colchani, one entrance onto the lake that at this time of the year is dry. It is an amazing feeling to drive through a white plain that is hard surfaced (not like White Sands). Since you have no references (just white flat salt to the horizon) it is really difficult to estimate distances and sizes: the cars seem close at the same time they are so small that you KNOW they must be further away (seeing is not believing).

The island with large cactus is impressive and offers of course some great Kodak (or SanDisk) moments. On the way back we get to fish for salt crystals. Mr. Sakurai has a long stamina to keep his arm in the ice cold salt water and to try to rip out some of the sharp crystals. However, we are surprised that the tour is basically over and that we could make it to Oruro the same day. We strike a deal at the hotel and head out as fast as we can.
Tour hint: a one-day tour of the lake can be easily compressed into half day. Skip the souvenir shop in Colchani, you won't find anything worth buying and head right for the salt piles and then to the now closed salt hotel in the middle of the lake (the new salt hotels are built along Colchani's lake side), then to Isla Incahuasi, where you'll walk around for probably at least an hour. On the way back stop at the holes to pick salt crystals out of the ice cold highly concentrated salt water (bring your tools!). If you leave early you'll be back just around lunch and have time to drive to Oruro without stress and in daylight.
Another advantage of getting up early for the tour is that you will basically be alone on the salar. On the way back we literally cross dozens of 4WDs heading into the lake - all of them heading to the same places.