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Published: March 1st 2009
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After getting our bus from Vicuña we arrived in the sweltering heat of Elqui Valley. I still had my massive backpack on (Carla managed to dump hers off into her aunt's car in Vicuña) but luckily the walk to the camp site was all downhill from the main road. We arrived and saw Carla's aunt, uncle and Seba just getting ready to start setting up camp. Carla and I didn't have to buy a tent as aunt Wilma gave us one for Christmas, when we got it out and started setting it up we started to wonder not only where we were gonna put our stuff in the tent, but where we were going to fit ourselves inside the tent. The measurements they claimed on the pack were nowhere near the real measurements. This was supposed to be a two person tent, and that would be correct if those two people are 5 year olds. I'm 5'9ish and I couldn't fit in the tent and Carla only just about fitted in there and she's a midget at 5'2. It also meant we couldn't fully inflate our air bed and had no room for anything but our sleeping
bags so we had to keep all our stuff in Carla's aunt and uncle's car.
Anyway we forgot about the tent worries and straight after setting up camp we had lunch, then headed back up the hill into the village to get ice cream and then when we got back to camp Seba and I headed straight for a swim in the river, which is a beautiful river in the middle of the valley mountains. The river is actually created by ice that has melted way up from the higher mountains in the area. The river does flow pretty rapidly but there are some small alcoves right at the side of the river which are perfect for swimming without having to risk life and limb. The water is ice cold (for obvious reasons) but once you've been in for a while it's not so bad. The river is the main reason why I love Elqui Valley so much and last time when I was in Chile, coming camping here was one of my highlights so being back was really great.
As it got later in the day and the sun went behind the mountains and trees the river
water started to become unbearably cold so it was time to get out and have a warm drink, well some people have a warm drink, I opted for a beer instead. As the day came to an end we had tea/dinner and I had an early night as I was shattered while everyone else stayed up for a few games of dominoes. I headed to the tent and our air bed had started to go down but I was so tired I couldn't have cared less, that can wait till morning.
The second day we woke up and the air mattress which we were sleeping on had all but deflated leaving Carla with a bad back but I slept ok-ish considering. We had a lovely breakfast of scrambled egg on toast which Carla and her aunt prepared and then it was more of the same, just enjoying the sun, the river and the scenery. Later on we had another BBQ, this time we had some amazing Chilean style hot dogs, which have a frankfurter, tomato, avocado and also mayo, ketchup and mustard, and sometimes sauerkraut (I think Carla's family are amazed how much I can eat) and then headed
out to buy some supplies and check out the small town of Pisco Elqui. Then we finished of the day by playing some Dominoes and having some drinks.
The third day I woke up with not a much of a spring in my step. Spending the night practically curled up in a ball because I couldn't lie down straight meant my bones were aching a bit and at about 7am I couldn't take any more and opened the tent just so I could stretch out and let my feet hang out of the tent. Not only this but I had also managed to get a cold through what I think may have been from going from 30°C plus heats at the side of the river to ice cold temperatures in the river. So after we ventured Montepatria to have a look around and visit the gravestone of a Literature Nobel Prize winner Gabriela Mistral, and then on our way back we stopped at the Cavas Del Valle (Our favourite Chilean Wine) winery, did some tasters and bought a couple of bottles.
We had a brilliant time in Elqui Valley but I think we were ready to head back
to La Serena and sleep in a proper bed once again. So we packed up, left a lot of stuff for aunt Wilma to take back to Serena in the car and we headed off to get the bus. So long Elqui Valley, we might be back in March/April when it's not quite so hot and we have a bigger tent 😊.
- Andy
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ESPAÑOL
Después de tomar el bus de Vicuña llagamos al calor casi insoportable del Valle de Elqui. Todavía tenía mi mochilota (la Carla le dejó la de ella en el auto a su tía Wilma en Vicuña) pero afortunadamente el camino al camping era camino hacia abajo desde la calle principal. Llegamos y nos encontramos con tía Wilma, tío Juan y el Seba empezando a armar el campamento. Carla y yo no tuvimos que comprar carpa porque la tía Wilma y familia nos regalaron una para la Navidad. Las medidas que salían en el paquete no eran para nada como las vedaderas medidas... ini piñi! Se suponía que era una carpa para 2 personas, y eso si sería correcto si esas 2 personas tubieran 5 años. Yo mido 1.75m y no cabía en la carpa y Carla apenas cabía y eso que ella es una enanita de 1.59m.
De todas maneras, nos olvidamos de nuestras preocupaciones de la carpa y apenas armamos las carpas almorzamos. Después subimos el caminito al pueblito a comprar helados en bolsita y volvimos al camping. Seba y yo nos fuimos derechito a rio al medio de las montañas del valle que es de agua de nieve. El rio corre super rápido pero hay pozitas de rio hechas en el camping que son perfectas para meterse alrio sin riesgo vital. El agua es super helado (por razones obvias) pero ya después de un rato no se siente tan helado. El rio es una de las razones porque me encanta el valle tanto, y la vez anterior que estuve en Chile, acampar acá fue uno de mis lugares favoritos así que me encantó volver.
Ya cuando se empiezó a atardecer y el sol se escondió detrás de las montañas y árboles, el agua del rio se puso insoportablemente fria asi que era hora de tomarse algo calientito, bueno para algunas personas, yo preferí una cerveza. Ya cuando se acabó el día tomamos onces y me
acosté temprano ya que estaba cansadisimo, los demás se quedaron jugando dominó. Me fui a la carpa y nueestro colchón de aire sse habia empezado a desinflar, pero etaba tan cansado que no me importaba, esto podía esperar hasta mañana.
El segundo día nos despertamos y el colchón se había desinflado, dejando a la Carla con la espalda mala pero yo dormí bien. Tomamos un desayuno super rico de huevitos revueltos con pan tostado que preparó la Carla y su tía Wilma. Después hice lo mismo que ayer, disfrutando el sol, el rio y el paisaje. Mas tarde comimos unos completos deliciosos (creo que la familia de Carla se sorprendieron lo mucho que puedo comer tanto) después nos fuimos a Pisco Elqui. Terminamos el día jugando dominos con unos traguitos.
El tercer día desperte no tan bien como ayer. Dormí como una bolita porque no cabía en la carpa, y me dolían los huesos un poco, así que como a las 7 no aguanté más y abrí la carpa para poder estirarme y me quedaron los pies colgando. No solo esto, también me dio un resfrío, yo creo que fue por meterme al agua casi congelada cuando hacían
Seba and uncle Juan by the river... - Seba y tio Juan al lado del rio....
.... and Andy on the Indiana Jones style bridge.
.... y Andy como Indiana Jones en el puente.más de 30 grados. Después fuimos a Montepatria a pasear por el pueblo y a visitar la tumba de Gabriela Mistral. Al regresar, paramos en Cavas del Valle (nuestro vino chileno favorito), hicimos degustación y compramos un par de botellas.
La pasamos super bien en el Valle, pero creo que estabamos listos para volver a La Serena y dormir en una cama de nuevo. Empacamos, dejamos hhartas cosas para que la tía Wilma lleve en el auto a Serena y nos fuimos a tomar el bus. Chao Valle de Elqui, nos gustaría volver en Marzo/Abril cuando no este tan caluroso y porsupuesto, en otra carpa 😊.
- Andy
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