I arrived in Tupiza with Mariano and a couple of Italians we had met at the border. It was immediately apparent my money would go a lot further in Bolivia, as we managed to find a hostel with beds for 25 Bolivianos per night (around £2.50)! We went out for dinner as a group and it was clear my Spanish had a long way to go, as I could barely follow the conversation.
Although my main reason for being in Tupiza was to book a tour to Salar de Uyuni, the world's largest salt flat, I found the town pleasant and friendly. I spent a good few hours exploring the Valle de los Machos, which was walkable from town, and saw the rock formations "Canyon del Inca" and "Puerta del Diablo". Tupiza was also a place for trying new things: first, coca leaf, which I had in tea (it's supposed to be a pick-me-up but I didn't notice any effects and wasn't keen on the taste), and second, llama, which was very tasty and quite similar to lamb.
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