San Pedro De Atacama

   When I imagined a dessert I thought of a rugged landscape uni tone and blazing hot. I should have realized that's not the case considering Chile is the country of contrasts. Instead there was a pleasant town right in the middle of no where surrounded by scenery that is out of this world. From salt flats, to towering volcanoes, lakes and tons of fauna. Not much like a dessert at all.

   I lucked out with another gracious host that was keen to show me around. He didn't speak much English though so believe it or not I communicated surge him for 3 days in Spanish. Jorge, like most locals, lives in a mud house. Thankfully it only rains about once in every 11 years but when it does it is a catastrophe. Jorge works part time at the museum of anthropology which I was happy to receive a private tour of. It was great learning about the culture and the history and I was amazed to so many kinds of pipes and sniffing tools. Everything there seemed to either be for hallucinogenic or sacrificial ceremonies. What a life!

   On my first day in town I drove us to the Salar de Atacama. The salt flat was gorgeous with tons of multi coloured minerals leaving the ground blazing with colour. The flamingos were a nice touch giving the place life. The real treat was watching the sun go down as it lit up the sky in all shades of fire.

   On day two we drove out to the Peidres de Rojos. This is an area known for the multi coloured mountainside surrounding the salt flats. I felt as if I was in a painting with the sight so beautiful I couldn't believe its real. The oddest thing was that there wasn't a tourist or even other human life around. Only foxes, vicuñas and chinchillas roamed the changing landscapes.

   Racing to beat the sunset after a beautiful day out was exhilarating and more adventurous than I would have liked. The gravel roads are challenging to navigate but the coca leaves kept me on track. To answer the question yes it is the same leaf used for cocaine but you need about 2 kg of the stuff to make just one gram. It is actually good for you and keeps the altitude sickness away. For a fun partly trick put a bit of ash on your tongue and then chew some coca like the indigenous did during ceremonies. It will take your heart beat and visuals for a bit of a ride.

   Day three was mostly a lazy day spent around San Pedro de Atacama. I tried going to the hot springs but by the time I got there they were closed. I did sneak in one picture as the guards chased me away. The evening was a real treat to make up for it. We decided to have a big BBQ under the stars accompanied by vino tinto, from Chile of course. Delicious indeed and a great way to celebrate all the country had to offer.

Ciao Chile y gracias por todo!

26-28 Jan 2014