We are off to Puerto Montt today which involves flying to Santiago and then getting a second plane to Puerto Montt. Calama airport is new and funded by the mining industry, Chile produces over half of the world's supply of lithium being consumed in ever greater amounts as batteries increase in importance for phones, computers and cars.
One of the interesting things about traveling is the fellow travellers you meet along the way. On this trip we met a South African lady in Dubai who now teaches in Australia. In Australia we met many young people doing the one year working trip and a five pound POM. In Santiago we were trying to decide where to eat we met a couple who used to live in Wokingham. In San Pedro de Atacama we met a Swiss lady who was traveling around Argentina and Chile, two ladies in their seventies (pictured) who have also done both Chile and Argentina and many other senior travellers. These seniors all show an adventurous spirit which defies their age.
The other thing which continually stands out is the ability of non native English speakers to speak English and often several other languages. This puts us Brits to shame. Adios hasta luego.