I said goodbye in Santiago to the last of the Exodus group and rushed to the subway to get to the bus station in good time, well with 15 mins before departure.
The bus was full. The day before I had tried direct buses to San Pedro, but the only seat left was right by the loo, and the seats were only the reclining type. I needed the cama or bed type seats to get a good nights sleep. I bought a ticket to a mining city called Calama, planning to stop the night there.
If the Eastern Patagonia landscape was dull, then this is truly monotonous...
...there were some mountains, dificult to make out from the rest of the dusty beige landscape...
I started reading a book I bought in a second hand English book shop in Santiago. I sort of British John Grisham story. The diet has started. Dinner on the bus was roast chicken and rice, so when lunch was roast chicken, although a different part of the bird, I left the accompanying pasta.
The bus arrived a little early, 22 hours later in Calama. It looked very unexciting, so I asked which bus station for San Pedro and cabbed it over there. I managed to get one of the last tickets on a local bus, and yes "local" means old and smelly. Perhaps that was the old man sleeping expansively next to me. I left the window ajar, even though rain was coming in. I thought this was supposed to be a desert and summer. I have seen some truly fucked up weather on my trip!
My "residencia" in San Pedro is cheap and clean, but that's all it's got going for it. Bit of a familly place with kids screaming excitedly at play until nearly midnight! I have made a mental note to stay in backpacker places in future. I have liked most of the Hostel International places I have stayed in, and they cater for mature travellers!
San Pedro de Atacama is a quaint village in the Antiplano (high deseert I think). It is like an upmarket Indian Pueblo in Mexico. Roads are unpaved, and there is no disctinction between road, pavement and doorstep.
It's sole purpose is tourism, and for a me a gateway to expeditions across the border to Bolivia and the Salar Uyuni (Salt Flats). It is an expensive place, even for Chile. The only tour I had planned to do was watching the stars tonight with an astronomer. That's not going to happen as the group tonight is all French! I would be happier if it was a Spanish speaking group. It's unusual to get that many French people travelling...guess they travel in packs. I shall look out for something similar later on.
So, tomorrow I leave San Pedro at 8am for a 3 day 4WD trip across salt flats. Even though I have bought the trip here, it is only $US70. Speak to you next from Bolivia!
Chris x
markangus
Hi Chris!!
So pleased you've been reunited with your backpack !! Dont they have a Marriott with emergency essentials in these places ????!!!!!
Winter continues here (yuk!) just back from a little business trip to Edinburgh .. it was actually warmer up in Scotland than it is here in Londres.
Off to Heathrow this afternoon .. but sadly not to get on a plane. My Ma & Pa are off to Australia for 3 months this eve. Their trip of a lifetime particularly when you consider Dad almost died year before last & is still suffering the consequences of his stroke (still cant use his left arm, left leg a bit gammy & the doctor wont let him drive etc). They seem to be doing the whole of Aussie land .. plane, train, automobile, Boat .. you name it they're doing it! Wish I was going!!
Ang' & I have 2 weeks (bit different from your extended trip!!) off at the end of March, nothing booked yet but it will have to be somewhere nice & warm.
Look forward to reading your next instalment(s)
Lots of love
Mark x