The Atacama desert

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We have just had four fabulous days in the Atacama desert in the North of Chile - really the highlight of the holiday so far.

Far from not having enough to do, which slightly worried us, we have offered excursion after excursion into the desert, volcanoes, geysers, lagunae, canyons and salt flats, each incredibly varied - and always escorted in tiny groups (usually just us) by incredibly friendly guides who know the area like the back of their hands, as well as its geology, history, flora and fauna.

So we´ve walked the salt flats with natural salt deposits that promise to be snowand then turn out to be salt, with amazing salt and gypsum crystals and owls nests; run the sand dunes )and watched horses run them); rock climbed (Marianne with some sense of panic) down a canyon populated only by giant cacti and pampas grass (the giant cacti 4m tall, but growing only at 1cm pa); hiked from a geyser to 4,650m (only Marcus Polly and I did this) up a volcanic river bed; swum in thermal springs; cycled 19km to a salt laguna (I won´t disturb your reading by telling you about the scars I have from an ill-fitting saddle, but can only just sit down long enough to write this blog) which was extraordinary in that the shallow parts of the laguna were ice cold, but the depths in the middle were so hot that if you left your foot dangling for more than 10 seconds you burnt yourself; and (children only - wrong word, I suppose as Lauren is 21 today) done a horse ride around the oases of San Pedro. This is a truly beautiful place.

Explora runs three lodges - the other two in Patagonia and on Easter Island - and anyone thinking of a holiday should try them. The organisation is fabulous. So, as you climb, guides provide you water, isotonic powders, energy giving snacks; as you arrive at the van, you are offered freshly squeezed juices (chilemoya usually - something new to us and wonderful), as you arrive at places to swim, you´re offered towels and bath robes, as you emerge from salt lagunas you´re rinsed canisters of warm soapy water... It´s not fancy, but just marvellously thoughtful. And such great food and wine that I should think the airline will require us to reduce as baggage allowance as we´re carrying more weight than we should!

The place excelled itself last night. We had told them about Lauren´s birthday. Lauren wasn´t sure she wanted a celebration away from home but, I think, changed her mind when the staff appeared with a cake, all the guests we met from excursions cheered, people came up with their names and addresses, endless queues formed to kiss her. It was a very special evening. And it was, by English time at least, her birthday - which is a good thing - as today we´re travelling all day. Have done two flights already (let´s not talk about the turbulent white knuckle descent into Santiago) and have two more to do to get first to Guayakil, then to Quito.

Thanks for all the messages. Commiserations to Ron and Lucy and good luck with a new purchaser; thanks for the Bristol, very kind birthday gift for Lauren and I´m sure Charlie´s mother wouldn´t want to think it would ever live outside the Johnston´s house anyway, great news from Ted (and I will think about learning Spanish - but am being protected well by 4 Spanish speakersin the family), thanks to Emma for Blighty reports. And love to anyone else reading.

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Comments

[Bill]

caught you
Finally got on here (bit of a technophobe) but Janet has kept me up to date with events. Reading through the site I ccannot believe all the things you have done so far. When you were in Aus I canot believe you have not taken in a game of RL!!! but I have got the picture from the Atherton stadium. I will forward a mail to work( I go back tomorrow) so I can acess this site. hope Lauren enjoyed her birthday and love to Polly. Be in touch soon. PS at the AGM at St Pats I have been re-elected as Chairperson (How corrct is that!) and hope to oversee the building of smart new facilities in due course. Bill

[becky]

of to pari!!
its amazing all the stuff you are doing!!i am so jelous!!i am also really missing you so write me a note if you have the time!!how are you going to get the results btw??are you going to ring up!!v. nasty!! i got back from a lovely little hotel on the sea front near heastings tonight, which we whent to for my grandma's 85th!!hade a lovely time with swims in the sea and cream teas!!as i was sharing a room with grandma, we got the only room in the hotel which has a patio straight onto the sea!!amazing!!anyway i have to get up at about 3.00 tomoro morning to go to paris so i better go and repack seeing as its 9.30!!can't wait to see you soooooooooooooon!!!!or not??when are you getting back??!!wbxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Nick]

Hi all, So glad you're having such a great trip and that Lauren had a fab birthday..wanted to thank you for your call and message on my birthday which was great fun but positively subdued compared to Lauren's celebrations and there were no endless queues to kiss me ! Keep on having a great time, enjoying your blog , love to all Nick

[Anthony]

Hello ...
Erm ... Feel a bit ignorant as only just got the links etc to your blog site (excuse for this is I was away when you left and everthing was up in the air), everything is sounding spectacular and like my father can't believe you haven't taking in a game of rugby league. In Aus or NZ. You are now in South America I guess and on the sporting theme you should try to watch a game of football. The fans are so passionate over there and would pail anything viewed from english terrances into insignificance. Just as a quickie the weather you are missing in England is fantastic and only have about 6 days rain in the last 2 months!!! Well guess that didn't make you jealous. Will keep reading from day to day and any pictures you are sending out via copy me in [e-mail] Ant