Location:Tocopilla,San Pedro de Atacama,Chile
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Final leg back to Chile
With the shortened schedule we were surprised when Valerio held to plan and detoured to Laguna Verde and Laguna Blanca. Bird free.
Then to the border where there was an a noticeable absence oh Chilean drivers waiting for us.
New Bol border dude tries to shake us down for 50 bols. BS - I refused and the dude gave up. Nice try.
The V-man whips out the sat phone and puts in a call back to Doris at control in Uyuni. Juan (Miguel's dad) shows after 45 mins and we think our troubles are over until we get back to the edge of SP and the 70minute line at Chilean immigration.
Now resting at our more modest accommodation in SP. planning dinner.
Then to the border where there was an a noticeable absence oh Chilean drivers waiting for us.
New Bol border dude tries to shake us down for 50 bols. BS - I refused and the dude gave up. Nice try.
The V-man whips out the sat phone and puts in a call back to Doris at control in Uyuni. Juan (Miguel's dad) shows after 45 mins and we think our troubles are over until we get back to the edge of SP and the 70minute line at Chilean immigration.
Now resting at our more modest accommodation in SP. planning dinner.
Location:Caracoles,San Pedro de Atacama,Chile
OMG
We were about 40mind south of the hotel, just finished a (nother) quick wind eroded rock tour when James has. Passport Moment(tm). The woman at the hotel desk never returned his passport last night.
All said and done no biggie as we took a 56minute hit to return and pick up the goods. A little worry as we have a hard time set to meet the Chilean driver at the border. At either 12pm 1pm or 2pm never was sure
But now back to our fave place Laguna Colorada for some flamenco action
Pretty amazing place - this snap is pathetic. Wait for ones from the cameras
One more stop at the geysers
Abs we hitting it hard to the border
All said and done no biggie as we took a 56minute hit to return and pick up the goods. A little worry as we have a hard time set to meet the Chilean driver at the border. At either 12pm 1pm or 2pm never was sure
But now back to our fave place Laguna Colorada for some flamenco action
Pretty amazing place - this snap is pathetic. Wait for ones from the cameras
One more stop at the geysers
Abs we hitting it hard to the border
Final day
Great hotel last night but it's high. I noticed one of the heavy drinking Chec photo tour group was sucking on the big O2 tank in the lobby as I left to take early morning pics
Quite a spectacular situation as we made our early 7:30am start
yup - about 7 colours
Quite a spectacular situation as we made our early 7:30am start
yup - about 7 colours
4/4 Wed. Passports and Visas
First thing on agenda is to get Bolivian visas. And to town we go. Dude who checked us in at the border two days ago is here. Hand shakes all round. US dollars don't seem attractive so a quick walk and we shake an ATM down for 2000 bolivianos to cover the 945 each fee. All smiles and many stamps later we are on our way. But first buy some bananas and swing by to see/meet Doris of the RutaVerde agency. Great concern for our welfare and happiness.
Then we are off to San Cristobal. Not sure why. Moving on, lunch was a roadside affair
after a confusing attempt to drop off 100L of gasoline to one of Valerio's friends
Then on to some small flamingo-free lagoons before hitting the Valley of Rocks - wind eroded strangeness - and on to the final fantastic laguna full of flamingoes. By now we are back up at 13k+ and it's too cold for shorts and wading in freezing water. All worthwhile though from a photographic point of view.
The scenery has become stunning again and we finally see "7 color mountain" (no kidding) and our hotel for the night, Tayka Desierto. Like the 1st night terrific hotel, even more stunning situation. Good dinner, winner of best soup (quinoa) of trip award.
Today's drive
Then we are off to San Cristobal. Not sure why. Moving on, lunch was a roadside affair
after a confusing attempt to drop off 100L of gasoline to one of Valerio's friends
Then on to some small flamingo-free lagoons before hitting the Valley of Rocks - wind eroded strangeness - and on to the final fantastic laguna full of flamingoes. By now we are back up at 13k+ and it's too cold for shorts and wading in freezing water. All worthwhile though from a photographic point of view.
The scenery has become stunning again and we finally see "7 color mountain" (no kidding) and our hotel for the night, Tayka Desierto. Like the 1st night terrific hotel, even more stunning situation. Good dinner, winner of best soup (quinoa) of trip award.
Today's drive
Location:Uyuni Bolivia
4/3 Tues, Crystal Semana Hotel
Yup our hotel is built of salt too
Took a pre dinner walk to watch the salt harvest at sunset
Took a pre dinner walk to watch the salt harvest at sunset
4/3 Tues, Salar de Uyuni
Drove 40km out on the salt flats.
Water to high to get to Isla de Pescadora. No matter pretty amazing place
Complete with busy salt hotel
Burning Man?
Water to high to get to Isla de Pescadora. No matter pretty amazing place
Complete with busy salt hotel
Burning Man?
Location:Salard de Uyuni
4/3 Reflections
Unplanned stop on way from SP de Q to Uyuni near Julaca.
Two flamingoes were posing on that far shore. Hard to see in this photo but trust me.
Two flamingoes were posing on that far shore. Hard to see in this photo but trust me.
Location:Julaca
4/2 Tayka Stone Hotel
Dumpy town but awesome hotel.
Exterior photos in future post
Serious journey to get here
It's dinner time woohoo
Exterior photos in future post
Serious journey to get here
It's dinner time woohoo
Location:SP de Q
Laguna Colorada
THE event of the day (no the trip) happened within an hour at Laguna Colorado. If you have never seen 12,000 flamingoes up close then try and arrange to. A truly amazing site. I took lots and lots of photos but forgot to take one on the iPhone
The road, never paved after the border, got much worse making a solid days drive in our Lexus 570 awd. Remember Valerio got up at 5am to come meet us at 10am.
He has many skills not the least of which is syphoning gas from the two 60L containers on the roof
We have enough gas for four days of driving.
One pueblo we drove through was completely empty except for on dog. Every able bodied local is harvesting quinoa this week
The road, never paved after the border, got much worse making a solid days drive in our Lexus 570 awd. Remember Valerio got up at 5am to come meet us at 10am.
He has many skills not the least of which is syphoning gas from the two 60L containers on the roof
We have enough gas for four days of driving.
One pueblo we drove through was completely empty except for on dog. Every able bodied local is harvesting quinoa this week
The Border
We hung around with Miguel waiting for Valerio, Bolivia-side driver to show.
We are talking a major immigration post here. As we had no Bol visas we were not sure what would happen. Friendly dude
Snags both passports, seals them in a home made paper bag and hands them to Valerio with instructions to get visas in Uyuni. Valerio speaks no English but he speaks Bolivian Spanish which anyone can understand after a week of Chilean Spanish. Comprehension has shot from a discouraging 20% to better than 80% here in Bolivia. Maybe immersion Spanish worked a little.
And then we were cleared, promises made for Miguel to meet us on the top of this mountain again in 4 days time.
We are talking a major immigration post here. As we had no Bol visas we were not sure what would happen. Friendly dude
Snags both passports, seals them in a home made paper bag and hands them to Valerio with instructions to get visas in Uyuni. Valerio speaks no English but he speaks Bolivian Spanish which anyone can understand after a week of Chilean Spanish. Comprehension has shot from a discouraging 20% to better than 80% here in Bolivia. Maybe immersion Spanish worked a little.
And then we were cleared, promises made for Miguel to meet us on the top of this mountain again in 4 days time.
Chile to Bolivia
Early start good but the immigration exit line was daunting
Quick thinking Miguel, our Chile-side driver, somehow managed to beat the bus headed to Argentina and jump ahead in the queue. Took us 40mins and we rolling east on a 7-8% grade for an hour
up to 14kft
Quick thinking Miguel, our Chile-side driver, somehow managed to beat the bus headed to Argentina and jump ahead in the queue. Took us 40mins and we rolling east on a 7-8% grade for an hour
up to 14kft
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