The year was 2017. My boyfriend and I decided to organize a trip to the Atacama Desert in Chile and combine it with a crossing to the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia! The Salar de Uyuni is the largest salt flat in the world, spanning over 10,000 square kilometers at an altitude of 3,656 meters above sea level. It was formed by the evaporation of ancient prehistoric lakes and is relatively close to us in Brazil. During the rainy season, a thin layer of water transforms its surface into a gigantic natural mirror, creating surreal landscapes that make for stunning photos!
The Chile-Bolivia crossing lasted three days and two nights, in a 4x4 vehicle shared by a group of six people. Each night, we stayed at a different hotel, and the travel agency took care of all meals. The drivers themselves prepared our lunches, while dinner was provided by the hotels. Food, water, and snacks were loaded into the car’s trunk on the first day of the trip. This detail, believe me, is the most important part of this story! The Salar region is sparsely populated, and at that time, tourism infrastructure was quite limited.
We began the much-anticipated journey, passing through breathtaking landscapes unlike anything we had seen in Brazil. The people in our group were super friendly, and the food was simple but well-prepared. Everything went smoothly for the first two days until we arrived at the Hotel Palacio de Sal!
The Hotel Palacio de Sal is a unique attraction on the edge of the Salar de Uyuni. It’s built entirely with blocks of salt extracted from the salt flats—its walls, floors, furniture, and even sculptures are made of salt. Interestingly, the hotel requires annual reconstruction due to damage caused by the rains. The plan was to sleep at the Palacio and wake up early the next morning to watch the sunrise over the Salar!
After a shower, we had dinner, socialized a bit with our new friends, and went to bed early, as the following day was the most important part of the trip!
The next morning, my boyfriend and I woke up feeling strange, with slight nausea. We didn’t think much of it and got ready for the trip to the Salar. However, as we traveled, our condition worsened. We started experiencing severe abdominal pain, nausea, chills, and a pressing need to use the restroom. But where? We were in the middle of the salt flats. Looking out the car window, all we could see was an endless white plain stretching to the horizon, which only added to our sense of despair 😩. No trees, no buildings—nothing that could shelter two people dealing with food poisoning.
After about 15 minutes, our guide stopped the vehicle at a specific spot so the group could admire the sunrise. At that point, I couldn’t tell who was in worse shape—me or my boyfriend. We were at our limit, clueless about what to do, when the guide uttered a magical phrase: “We’re heading to Isla Incahuasi now, a cactus island.” 🌵
My boyfriend barely managed to ask if there was a bathroom there, and the guide said yes, but it was paid! Honestly, it could’ve been the most expensive restroom in the world—we would’ve happily paid any price! At that moment, we summoned all our strength; we were just five minutes away from salvation 🚽!
As soon as the car stopped, the two of us bolted towards the bathroom. Everyone was confused, and the island staff, noticing how unwell we were, made way for us. I can’t even tell you how long we stayed in there, but I’m sure that bathroom was out of service for a good while.
And then, how do you explain all of this to the people around you? It was incredibly embarrassing 😳, but some situations are just beyond our control.
After this ordeal, we came up with three essential travel rules that we’ve tried to follow ever since:
• Pay close attention to raw foods and the water we drink.
• Always carry toilet paper and medication for intestinal issues.
• Never ignore signs of discomfort in our bodies.
Despite everything, the Salar de Uyuni is stunning and absolutely worth the visit. Our friends went there last year and took a photo in our honor: all of them squatting as if they were using the bathroom in the middle of the salt flats 🤣🤣🤣. True friends never miss an opportunity to make a joke.