San Pedro de Atacama

I got back this Tuesday from a weekend in the driest desert on earth (according NASA and National Geographic, among others). We flew to the desert town of Calama, christened as a "shithole" by the Lonely Planet guide for Chile. We got right on a bus for an hour and a half and spent the next four nights in San Pedro de Atacama. It's an entirely tourist-centric town out in the middle of the huge salt covered plain, with mountains on either side and the Bolivian border only a few miles away.

Here's the whole photoset.

We swam in a salt lagoon, basically a lake where there's no outflow. It was something like 30% salt, though I'm not sure if that's by weight, volume, or our guide Jaun's estimate based on taste and how much it burns your eyes. I have never been so lazy swimming. Everything floats. We drove around and saw gorgeous sunsets, saw flamingos and salt flats and small desert villages where we pet llamas. The areas around rivers provide great contrast to the dry dusty land around them. We had a 4am trip to the geysers at El Tatio, complete with a hot spring bath (more like lukewarm) and vicuña spotting from the bus. All of this with Juan's gringo friendly mix tape, with 60s and 70s hits, all the way up to mainstream rap garbage to keep us rocking.

The nights found us watching Chile qualify for the World Cup in a stellar game against Colombia, as well as typical hostel card games and early bedtimes. Hostel life rules, except when the black beans just don't hydrate like you want them to. I guess 48 hours in water, 6 of them in boiling water, just isn't enough. We made use of the grill, and ate our traditional avocado/cheese/bread/pasta with sauce travel diet. The hostel also had about a dozen cats and two dogs. I really don't like cats. [Edit: I like Hanzo Cat and Mea/Katse. And a few others, but many bug me. Read on.] One bit me, and another scratched me. The dogs were pretty rad though.

The desert wreaks havoc on your body. I was a little burned, despite the most expensive sunblock ever (buy before you go) and my skin was all dried out. Lip protector with SPF is vital.

Also, I had my 21st birthday this week! I had two midterms the day after so cake with my host family was about as rowdy as it got. However, I'm making up for it with a joint birthday party tonight with my buddy Felipe. The idea of being legal is going to be an easy transition, as I've been legal since I got to Chile. It's already been 3.5 months!

PS. I believe anyone can comment on these posts, even without any sort of account, anonymously. It'd be cool to see who actually reads this, if anyone. So comment!

Buses

Transportation here rules. Sometimes. Here are two trips that are quick and accessible by bus (and a bit of walking).

1. Cajón del Maipo- a quiet and somewhat natural area, this canyon just outside of Santiago has lots of offer. I took a bus from the south end of the metro, and 2 hours later was in the sleepy town of San José del Maipo. They offer all sorts of nature tourism, like rafting, horseback riding and trekking. I just hung out for one night and trekked the next day. It's gorgeous, super close, and there are towns further down the canyon that I plan to visit (lots of camping options too). Here are some photos.

2. Climbing at Cerro Manquehuito- so I already posted some pictures of climbing outside. We went again, but this time did the whole thing without a car. The C14 will take you to the start of the quiet hill neighborhood, and a 50 minute hike past the fancy houses (we're talking gates, guards, and one with a helipad) and you're at the cliffs.

I spend about an hour and a half every day on the metro and buses. It kind of sucks, but I'm realizing how much of a wimp I was at home. Not that I look forward to spending more time on buses, but maybe I'm getting over my aversion to bus routes and waiting. Granted, the freedom of a bicycle trumps buses any day, but I will scoff no more at a warm bus on a snowy Madison night.