Hi Guys!

We arrived in La Serena around lunch time on Friday and the accomodation was pretty simple (so simple that the bathroom flooded everytime we took a shower!) We looked around the local market where we tried local fudge and dried papaya. The town wasn´t very interesting and there wasn´t really a lot to do. In the evening we went to a nice restaurant (well it seemed nice until Kim and Louisa found a big, black, flying bug floating in their sweetcorn!) Yuk!

Yesterday we took a tour of the Elqui Valley as there didn´t seem much else to do. We didn´t expect a lot but it turned out to be a really good day. We got up early as the bus was suposed to pick us up at 8 but it didn´t turn up until gone 9! We visited a Pisco distillery (Chilian liquor) which was interesting, got some free samples. We also visited a fruit farm and tried a chlimoya (custard apple) from the tree, it was lush! We got back fairly late, Tom went out with some people from the group for something to eat, Kim stayed in as she still wasn´t feeling good.

Today we got up and went for a walk around the shops where we both bought some warmer clothes as our dessert crossing is due to start in a few days time - brrr! We are leaving today at 3:30 to get another night bus to San Pedro which is on the edge of the Atacama Dessert.

Keep the messages coming.

Speak to you soon.

Love us x x x