Blogs from San Pedro de Atacama, Antofagasta Region, Chile, South America - page 39

I should not have worn a head scarf that day. Made me look like a dirty hippie. I should also not have declared my coca lollies as food (and wasn´t going to but was sucking on one at the time so I owned up). I didn´t realise that coca lollies are regarded by Chilean officials as an indication of drug traffickers. I was the only person on a busload of about 20 people to get a full scale drug search crossing from Bolivia into Chile. For those who don´t know, coca leaves are used everywhere in Bolivia and Peru (and have been for thousands of years) for the altitude and other ailments. They are somewhat controversial because they are the leaves of the same plant that is used to make cocaine, but you need ridiculous amounts ... read more

Thank you so much to everyone who has commented and/or emailed us. It´s really lovely to log on and see comments or messages waiting. We are very aware that people are very busy with work etc, so we appreciate you taking the time to read and respond. We get to the bus station in Santiago in plenty of time, despite having reclimbed San Crostobel hill for a second time during our final afternoon. This time the last part of the ascent and the entire descent at a run! We calculate this to be 12ks. I just had the urge to expend energy prior to being couped up on a bus for 24 hours. I don´t think Brendan has forgiven me yet! Anyway, our bus was due to leave at 5pm. Just before 5 the Calama bus ... read more

Well Chile was a bit short lived really. We came over the border from Argentina by the skihn of our teeth as the day before it had been closed with snow... it is at over 10,000 feet high though. We started off in Santiago, where we met an american guy, Zach in our hostel. There was not too much to see really in Santiago, as the pictures I have will testify (but they will have to come later). We had some fun nights out before heading away, with our american traveller, from the smog and and to the coast to a place called Valpariso. This place was really nice with brightly coloured building disappearingh up the hillsides (often it was foggy here). We had a trip to a nearby beach resort, Vina del Mar, but it ... read more

Very long ride to San Pedro on a steaming bus, didn´t need my sleeping bag this time. Luckily had booked the bus with a stop aswell so we got lunch in a restaurant, much better than the onboard food. Quite quick stamping out of Argentina then 2 hours until we stamped into Chile! They can´t be bothered putting border control at the border, so just put it in the town on San Pedro. We got back on the bus after having every bag checked to be taken 2 blocks to the terminal, doh! The terminal is not what I expected, a large area of sand. Lots of hostel reps about but none for the hostel my mates were in so I asked for directions and they said 2 roads over. I could only see dirt no ... read more

Yes after several days I am back in front of a computer. We have been crossing many hundreds of kilometres of the world´s driest desert- the Atacama and boy is it dry! No plants, no trees, no bushes, no insects, no birds, just rocks and sand! Yesterday we spent most of the day around the salt lake of the Salar de Atacama taking in the enormity of he landscapes - volcanoes, salt for miles, flamingoes and dry dust. I have decided not to return to Santiago on the tour as I would be the only one, so am staying in San Pedro for 3 days then over to Salta in Argentina by bus. Will keep everybody posted.... read more