Long slow train in Bolivia

I am writing this on the 9 hour train journey to Uyuni in Bolivia. We are due to arrive around midnight. It may not be possible to post this till we reach Chile in 4 days. The train jogs along at jogging speed, because the track is so bad, or maybe there are llamas on the line. We saw a plaque at the station saying that Che left from the same station on his way to start the revolution in Bolivia, and to his death there, This train may well be the same one, it is so slow and old.

The train is quite hot but the fans are on, and so is really loud disco music which is on the TV screen about 3 rows in front of us. We can't control it - a very officious guard did, and with an evil gleam in his eye, turned it up and locked the control box.

To get to the train, we had a lovely 2 hour bus journey through the coloured mountain area then up to 10,000 ft on the altiplano. We stopped to take photos when we crossed the Tropic of Capricorn. We had some lunch in the most northerly town in Argentina - it was just over 5000km to Ushuaia where we got on our boat 5 years ago for Antarctica. Our 3 courses were 65 pesos, about £3. Lentil stew, then spaghetti with a lump of tough chicken on it, then synthetic tiramisu. Looking forward to some nice food at home, though we had nice steak and wine last night. Back at the posada we had some vile drink with coke that one of the group was sharing out. The others have gone to the bar but we are being sensible as we know from experience that alcohol and high altitude don't mix. We reach around 5000m tonight.

We were dropped off by the bus at the border. It was a case of dragging the bags up a ramp to the border control. They were very good and put the stamps on pages with stamps already on - I'm getting short of space. We then changed some money and got a taxi to the train station in Villazon in Bolivia. More hanging about till we got on the train which was an hour late leaving. We were due to arrive about midnight but expect it'll be later.

Finally arrived at hotel at 2.30 am so taking the chance to send while everybody is asleep!