Here we are in the Atacama desert...google ¨"Atacama Desert" to take a look....I think this must be the Katmandu of SA...and desert instead of peaks.....LOTS of young people with big backpacks here...Just met a couple from Marietta, GA..first Americans we have talked to..they are doing a 3 month backpacking tour of SA..They were at the post office mailing a box of clothes,etc home...every ounce counts when it is on your back..
We had some culture shock when we arrived here last night having come from a little town where maybe we would see 5 people in the street at night...and here the street was teeming. It is a very little town...well, 5000 people, dirt street,adobe buildings, lots of tour shops, cafes, crafts, hostiles...and some 5 star out of town accommodation, too.
We elected not to rent a car for here, but take guided group tours..today we go to the Valley of the Moon, another day into Bolivia to see the lakes (were told we may or may not have to get a visa at the border...all based on the border patrol mood at the time we arrive at the border...they may wave us thru, may charge $10 or $25???
Just remembered a story from our stay in Putre early this week...we were warned over and over DONNOT RUN OUT OF GAS..so although we weren´t really low decided we should get some before going to the lake at the highest elevation (there are literally no service stations for 200 km). A man in Putre said there was gas there and pointed a couple of streets away...we drove and drove in this little town looking for a gas pump thinking ..as in Nashville..a pump would indicate a service station..right? We were totally flumuxed (sp)...finally a guy says while pointing to a tiny grocery store..that is where you get gas. Kristen went inside and asked if they had gas..the guy said "Yes, how much do you want?" She said making a guess, "20 liters" he said, "sorry, I have only l5"...still no gas tank in sight. So he comes to the car..I am parked in the street...he has two large jugs and a tube. He siphons gas out of the jugs into the car....maybe I can send a photo of this...it was almost as memorable as seeing the vicunas at l4,500ft!!
Under the "est" category..we saw the oldest mummies in the world at a museum in Arica on Thursday..the day we returned the car...older than the Egyptian ones..and there is not idication these were especially honored folks..just regular ones who were mumified with mud that has minerals that do the work..
We are here in San Pedro for 5 days, then head to Chiloe Island. Hopefuly I can get some good photos of this unusual scenery....
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