We were picked up from Pumamarca and continued our excursion this time with an American girl for company, in addition to a different tour guide.
It hadn't taken long before the American girl Kim I think her name was, 
really began to annoy me. The combination of origin, spending too long in London, and self opinionated was all too much. Too the point she couldn't understand my subtle comments that we really didn't give two shits about what she had to say.
Anyway, the salt flats were absolutely amazing. 
The vastness was unlike nothing else I've seen. What was even more incredible was how the mountains and sky reflected on the thin layer of water on some of the flats. The image was so clear it was like a mirror.
Jumped back in the car and headed back via part of Ruta 40 (the same road I travelled on in the Southern part of Argentina). We were travelling through no mans land, just empty desert. Suddenly there was a large bang on the underside of the car, followed by the strong smell of petrol. A large rock had been thrown upwards puncturing the petrol tank.
It wasn't looking good. In the middle of nowhere, with nothing for miles and petrol gushing from the tank. Anyway, Clare and Kim wouldnt get back in the car even though we could have made it with petrol that was left. So we decide that we'd start walking the next 6km in the blistering heat whilst the tour guide took his car and got someone to pick us up.
The American girl couldn't deal with the situation at all. Here's why,
1 More concerned that her trip would be delayed.
2 There was no roadside assistance
3 She'd hadn't eaten for a while. And even when some tourists travelling in opposite direction stopped and gave her food, she was disgusted by the virtue it was too sweet! OMG I don't believe it!!!
Finally got to the next town where Kim managed to annoy the tour guide, the restaurant owner, and a couple of English guys; one of which had altitude sickness. Clare and I were trying to help get the guy get back to Salta. Basically she would have rather let him die if it meant disrupting the trip anymore.
Got a lift from a local to take us back to Salta. Needless to say the rest of trip was quiet. Thank god. The scenery was amazing though.
The funniest thing was that she thanked us for sharing the day with her. .....Wish I could have said the same
