A bit about the Driest Desierto on Earth and More
The bus comes to a halt at 10:18 and I'm looking at into Tom's eyes which are just has tired as I am: "All right, let's go into the heat."
Our drive to here was rougher than expected and took us 3000m above sea level. First of all, our seats weren't as good as usual - without the entire windshield, without a window and without seats next to each other. At 2 am the bus stopped in a mining town, where my seat neighbor needed to get off since his work was calling. 7 days of 12 hours working and 7 days of vacation as a the manager of the local cobber storage facility. And at 4 am (about 80km north of the 24 and 5 intersection) the entire bus is searched, everybody woken up and forced to step outside into the hostile cold in order to run the belonging bags through a scanner similar to the ones at the airport. For whatever reason - nothing is explained and everybody too tired to bother asking. We caught a little zzzzs before the bus arrived in Calama at 7ish where everybody but us seemed to get off. Shortly after the bus-attendend explained that we need to get off and wait for 45 minutes since the bus needed to be fueled. "Excuse me?" Turbus has chosen handle their fueling og the bus so it needs to get gas one hour before arriving at the final destination? Grr... And so we waited for an hour at the dawn-cold busterminal until our journey could continue. You get what you pay for (17,000 pesos)
Anyway we have just spent some amazing and astonishing days in San Pedro de Atacama and forgotten all about a missed night of sleep; the Atacama desert is fascinating! However, it's unexpetedly turisty which the high prices are matching and stombling into a turisttrap almost guaranteed. Nevertheless there are always excemptions and here is how we managed our five days and four nights without breaking the bank in San Pedro de Atacama:
Tuesday post arrival, we spent some time with slow government funded internet at the bus terminal to find an accommodation and end up settling for the “Backpackers Hostel” where we pay 7900 pesos/person/night. We check in at the reception and afterwards the town out. The citycenter compriseses six narrow and dusty roads and more traveling agencies than inhabitants. We find the cheaper food shacks (recommend "Tuksar") on Licancabur right behind the soccer field and pay 3500cps for a menu :)
Wednesday, we have a slow date getting used to the height and booking our tours with an official traveling agency for high but safe prices. Illari tours is certified by the government, as one can find out by visiting the official tourist information "Sernatur" on the main square, but the actual tours happen partially with none-certified companies since their own seats aren't filled up. Also, we visit see and experience the ruins of Pukara de Quitor, which brings a different light on the region. For about 12,000 years, humans have been living and surviving in the dry desert and however building the city "Pukara" in the year 900. Being almost alone and seeing the ruins reminds me a bit, but just a bit, about the afternoon feeling at Machu Picchu...
Thursday, I'm on a Jakob-adventure. Taking a mountainbike to the Valley of Mars (Valle de Marte) with a snowboard on my back, ready to “sandboard” down the dunes of an extreme place. I've gotten 6 hours and pay 7000 pesos (10,50 USD) for renting it all. It's challenging and fun, but at the same "muy dificil y pesado" (hard) because everybody who wants to go down the hill has to walk up the sand dune! But being by myself, actually makes me talk a lot more people than usually when with Rieke and/Tom, and suddenly I get the offers to join several other travelers on their journeys.
Friday is the day of the 10 hour and picturesque full day tour (50,000 pesos = 75 USD/person): Piedra Rojas! Here there is way too much to share so in order to catch some rest, the pictures must provide an inside to our experience ;)
We just left today (Saturday), headed west to the coast and arrived in Antofagasta this afternoon. With its 3rd largest GDP per capita of Chile, it's a complete 180 to the desert town 6 hours behind us.
Die letzte kleine Woche haben wir die trockenste Wüste der Welt und die Touristenstadt San Pedro de Atacama erlebt. Jetzt sind wir in Antofagasta - ein Gegensatz der seines gleichen sucht.
Den sidste lille uge har vi oplevet Atacama-ørkenen ud fra 4000-indbygger byen San Pedro de Atacama, og tiden flyver så fucking hurtigt, så vi er faktisk allerede i næste oplevelsessted hvor min nysgerrighed vækkes fuldt til live: Antofagasta.
