Oct. 18, 2016.  Hostal Avenida, Uyuni, Bolivia.

• Easy day. Checked out of the hostal, took in the first half of the tour of the Casa Nacional de la Moneda (former the mint - lots of paintings, equipment used to press the silver into coins).

• Then 3 hour bus ride to Uyuni, through pretty fine scenery, becoming more stark and flat, with lots of llamas (alpacas?), end some vicunas as Uyuni was approached, looking pretty stark in the middle of the desert, like a town in a Western film.  Checked into a LP-recommended hostal (ten bucks for a private room with shower), then some spaghetti at an Italian restaurant.  The manager of the hostel recommended the tour group next door, so I booked a three day tour beginning tomorrow morning with Expediciones Empexsa, for about $115.  It may turn out by coincidence that the French couple I met yesterday will be on the same tour.