http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Arica-and-Parinacota/Arica/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from South America , Chile , Arica & Parinacota , Arica en-us Thu, 20 Jun 2013 03:27:49 +0000 Thu, 20 Jun 2013 03:27:49 +0000 17th April 13 San Pedro de Atacama to Iquique ChileIt was in some ways quite sad to be leaving the cute hostel and the little town which we are now quite fond of but oxygen beckons so we caught the Tur bus to Calama and so left town. We drove through the desert passing lots of salt mines and spent the journey chatting with a lovely broad cockney lass who now lives in Australia who was sit http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Arica-and-Parinacota/Arica/blog-781996.html Day 19 Playing in the sea with BenWe went shopping in the shopping centre to buy Christmas presents and we bought lots of lovely presents. Mum and Dad went to buy presents for me Joe and Ben and me Joe and Ben went to buy presents for them. For the first hour we didnt get anything because we didnt see anything that Mum and Dad would like and so we went to McDonalds because thats where http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Arica-and-Parinacota/Arica/blog-763096.html I know that there are a least a few blog followers who share my passion for anything with an internal combustion engine and 4 wheels and I said Id write a bit about the Xterra weve been travelling in. If cars isnt your cup of tea skip this oneWell Im very impressed. So much so that Ive started looking at what Nissans are available for when we finally make it back to the UK. The Xt http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Arica-and-Parinacota/Arica/blog-762277.html Having reached our final destination feels a bit strange and at the same time satisfying. This morning I woke up to the sound of waves crashing on the shore and sitting up in bed could see the sea and the beach. No thinking about hours and hours in the car just a day stretching out in front with the beach and the sun.Actually its been a bit cloudy in the mornings with the sun coming out about http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Arica-and-Parinacota/Arica/blog-762180.html Today was more like a day you would think of when you say 3939I39m on holiday3939.It started of with a usual holiday lie in reaching very late morning so I39m afraid i can39t really say anything about what other family members untill about 11am. But when i was finally up and running properly Ben had prepared a bit of a devotional for us something dad came up with for the holi http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Arica-and-Parinacota/Arica/blog-761790.html Day 14 Sleeping in the boot night We were at a petrol station in the night and when we had filled up Dad Joe and Ben made me a bed in the boot. Ill tell you how they made it. They put the biggest suitcases underneath then they put the surf boards on top and then they put a blue roll up mat on the surfboards and then they put a pillow where my head was going to go then a sleeping bag on top. T http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Arica-and-Parinacota/Arica/blog-761733.html ChronogeneticsWith every scientist like an artist there is always the theoretical stage where a picture is imagined before it is drawn...before it is postulated ...before it is manifested. With space travel it would have to be a new science that superceded the rest why because nothing like this had ever been attempted before...TO GO BOLDLY INTO THE UNKNOWN FRONTIER... SPACE.The first thing that http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Arica-and-Parinacota/Arica/blog-761288.html Day 304 Friday 10th AugustIt is a shame that most hotels just have to have something wrong with them this place has been a good hotel right up to check out. At 6.00am we are checking out and there is an annoyance small but still it is a pity. The hotel conversion rate is 2.8 for US dollars to soles when every other hotel has been 2.7 and if you use Mastercard they will not do it in US dollars http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Arica-and-Parinacota/Arica/blog-737460.html Oh Chile oh Chile you captured my heart.ltbr stylecolor 222222 gtand as I move north it is hard to depart.ltbr stylecolor 222222 gtYour people your mountains your desert your coastltbr stylecolor 222222 gtYou are all rightly proud to stand up and boast.ltbr stylecolor 222222 gtltbr stylecolor 222222 gtOh Patagoniawhat land of stunning b http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Arica-and-Parinacota/Arica/blog-714911.html 39Get out of the waves.... Go back to the valley man39ltbr stylebackgroundcolor rgba255 255 255 0.917969 gt These words came back to haunt me when I was Jonny Utah for the day.ltbr stylebackgroundcolor rgba255 255 255 0.917969 gt George Evans where are you now George was a young man I used to work with and who during long night shifts. used to bring in films http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Arica-and-Parinacota/Arica/blog-713914.html Before I start my musings I am sending much love to Ainsley Reynolds my cousin in law if there is such a word who has had a traumatic couple of weeks and is now home resting after surgery. Speedy recovery Ainso and see you on the beach for Sangria and Jonny SaTrinxa. and maybe a smidgen Pasha xxltbr stylefontfamily arial sansserif fontsize 13px lineheight normal backgroundcol http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Arica-and-Parinacota/Arica/blog-713570.html Despite the extremely small town of San Pedro we were able to book Tur Bus to Calama and then Tur Bus again to Arica. We had an 830 PM bus out of San Pedro. We arrived in Calama at 1000 and stayed at the station unti our 1120 bus to Arica. The ride to Arica was 8 hours. It was another semicama. This time the driver did not stink but the road did. For the first couple hours we were on a rutte http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Arica-and-Parinacota/Arica/blog-701005.html So what do we eat down here The food in South America has not been what we expected to this point and it deserves a blog of its own.Let me start by saying that Sarah has an uncurable hunger. Before finishing lunch she is on to thoughts of snacks and ultimately dinner. She just read over my shoulder and said I can say more I am hungry all the time. ALL THE TIME. I am thinking about it all the t http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Arica-and-Parinacota/Arica/blog-700981.html Im a logistical person as you have probably gathered from my blogging style. I tend to blog more about little things that happen and how we get places than described in detail how incredibly cool the places are that we go. Sarah does a better job with that kind of stuff. So in sticking to the logistical stuff here are some other notes that may be of interest to some.Climate Chile and Argenti http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Arica-and-Parinacota/Arica/blog-698387.html We have finally made it into Chile However since my last post weve had a few extra obstacles to overcome than expected.We left Cusco last Sunday night for an overnight bus ride to Arequipa. We arrived at our hostel Wild Rover an Irish run hostel around 11am which gave us the day to explore. The city was very busy and nothing too special however back at the hostel everybody we talked to see http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Arica-and-Parinacota/Arica/blog-691094.html So about three weeks late I have decided to update my travel blog just in case anyone was worried about me. You have no idea how much effort it has taken for me to finally get around to writing thisI39ve spent the last two and a half busy weeks in Arica a small city on Chile39s Pacific Coast just south of the frontier with Peru. Staying with a local family was a brilliant experience a http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Arica-and-Parinacota/Arica/blog-677797.html So has been a long time since we posted something on our blog The reason is that after our return from Peru we got kinda stuck in Arica but in a good way It felt really nice to have some sort of a home the hostel is really nice thanks to Kurt by the way and we spent the days with surfing relaxing on the beach and hanging out with our new friends Adam from Brisbane and Fabiola from Zrich http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Arica-and-Parinacota/Arica/blog-661811.html The way north to Arica took us two days spending the night at a beach close to Antafogasta. Staying in Arica felt really like going on a vacation. We met really nice guys from New Zealand and David from Germany which pushed the surfing a little bit thanks for that by the way Had some pretty relaxed days nice BBCs and made plans for Peru... http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Arica-and-Parinacota/Arica/blog-656702.html Still having our base camp in Guanaqueros we made a second weekend trip to the Isla Damas National Park. The islands are famous for their wildlife most of all for the Humboldt penguins but also the view itself is quite stunning which we experienced at a real nice kayak trip and a boat trip to the islands. Returning to Guanaqueros we got some surfing done waves were not that good but still fun http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Arica-and-Parinacota/Arica/blog-656697.html So I39m sitting on this first of a three leg bus journey to get to San Pedro de Atacama Chile. I continue to be amazed by this bus so finally decided to pull out the laptop and write about it. First let39s put things into context of my amazement. I39ve been on buses shared with goats and chickens. On ones where you shoved and pushed to claim a seat and ones that were standing roo http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Arica-and-Parinacota/Arica/blog-625791.html