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Location Date Valparaiso 1413673200 Santiago 1413414000 San Pedro De Atacama 
1412809200
So much to update peeps! Hope it's not too cold in blighty!
So, Saturday night I ended up joining the Oktoberfest party in the hostel with some of the cool people I'd met in Sucre. It was drink all you can beer for about £5, but as I don't like beer I didn't buy a wristband. However, they wouldn't let me get away with not drinking and so kept passing on pints they got! I was getting up at 6, so didn't go wild!
The Swiss guy, who it turns out is actually one of the population of 35000 who are from Leichenstein, had asked if he could travel with me. So we got a taxi at 6.15am to the bus station and it was a 3 hour ride to Potosi, where we stopped for 2 hours and found a market for lunch. Then another 4 hours to Uyuni.
Not much in Uyuni, but we walked and found a hostel. Then we went out to find a salt flats tour for the next morning- it cost about £85 for a 3 day, 2 night trip, including food, accommodation and transport to Chile.
Monday: a nice leisurely morning as the tour started at 10.30. We were with two British guys and 2 German girls, who were all nice! Luckily one of the Germans spoke Spanish as our guide couldn't speak English. We were in a 4x4 and headed out to the salt flats and into the desert and I can honestly say that words and pictures can not do justice to the breathtaking scenery! But pics are on Facebook.
Our first stop was the train cemetery, where a load of old trains dating back to late 1800s are sat rotting in the desert. Then on to a few more viewpoints and to take some of the obligatory perspective photos, ie you can make it look like your standing in someone's hand or being eaten by a toy dinosaur, etc. Leichenstein Kev was our chief photographer so hopefully he'll send me on some of these pics. We visited cactus mountain which was pretty and several more points of interest and beauty before spending the night in the salt hotel- a hotel made of salt, which was cool.
Tuesday:
We left the salt flats and entered the desert, where we visited even more beautiful views. Rock formations from the volcanic rock and several lagoons that were home to flamingoes, including the red lagoon and white lagoon, so named because of there colours. We stayed in a cool little hostel in the middle of the desert that night.
Wednesday:
An early start to watch the sunrise over the desert. Then on to the geysers, which were much like the bubbling s*** in Rotorura in NZ. But big steam outlets and nice and warm compared to the early desert chill. We went on to the hot springs- a natural hot pool on the edge of a lagoon. It was so lovely to relax in there looking out to the lagoon and mountains! Then at about 9am, my group dropped me off as I was the only one going to Chile. I said my farewells to what couldn't have been a nicer group and then got in a minibus with others going to San Pedro in Chile.
We crossed immigrations and got dropped off in San Pedro- a town in the driest desert on earth. As I started mooching to find a hostel I got chatting to an English couple from Leeds and their Yankee mate and we all ended up at a really cool, cheap, hippy hostel. We dumped our stuff and headed out to the main town to get Chilean Pesoes and lunch- like me they were happy at the local market where we had amazing tuna steaks! We also bought supplies to make vege omelettes for breakfast! Plus, we enquired about buses to move on. Things are more expensive in Chile :( but it's not too bad!
We chilled out for a bit in the hammocks and one of the local guys from the hostel insisted on showing us around and buying us a drink. The yank was on a mission to party; he'd met some Brazilians who'd told him of a sand boarding party in the desert. I have realised what a sheltered life I've lived as drugs are everywhere here! I guess with my past work I associated drugs with the people I worked with. But most people travelling are dabbling. You'll be pleased to know that I can't bring myself to experiment and I guess most people would think it's pretty pathetic that it was the first time I've watched people snorting coke.
We went to a bar with live music and the others had a few cocktails. A pretty random night!
Thursday:
Not sure whether I get the bus out of here tonight or stay for another day. There is a cool observatory, but it is full moon at the mo so you can't see the stars that well. Got to research Chile a bit more and decide where to go; I want to see Patagonia but it's a bloody long way and buses don't run that far down in Chile.
Take care guys! Speak soon!
- comments
Auntie vic All sounds amazing (except for drugs) Zammo he say no!!! I bet you wish you had taken my flamingo shorts when you had your pic taken in front of them!!!! Ha ha ha cheeky git. I like the way you just meet people and mooch with them for a while until your paths go different ways. I'm gonna see if the same thing happens to mumma and me in Yarmouth Tom. Maybe we will hang with folks until their bus comes for Lowestoft and ours to s*** row. I don't know but if it does I will get pics. We may do a tour of the sand flaps!!!! On thing for sure it's gonna be chile! Alls good here . Luke's still enjoying it. Jakes doing nicely. Ian did a seven Dayer last week but back to a six dayer this week. Monty is officially "clean" no more have been spotted but I don't trust em. So daily checks continue. Will continue later. Mums in town I'm off to see her. Love you xxx
Mum Hey babe! What an amazing experience, although I think Dad is going to be sad about the train cemetery! It sounds great meeting so many people from so many different places, that is an education in itself. Probably not a good idea to go dabbling and I hope I'm not pathetic because I've never seen anyone snorting coke, but who knows what will be going down in Yarmouth this weekend....will keep you posted! Look forward to finding out where you are off to next! Love you xx
Auntie vic Ha ha ha yes I'm fearful of what drugs Jo may bring to yarmy myself! Anyways I'm back. Success in town a new jarmie sweat top curtesy of primargio to match my new Jim jams that Sophie cracked up at... Again cheeky git, 5 pairs of markseys holiday nic nics and a snazzy pair of strides. I'm ready for anything now. Quick chicken wraps for the bambinos and then b&ms for snacks. We are living the dream. Anyway if you can top my exciting day then be my guest.... Oh ps I took my Chrissie pressie from you to sophs and will be taking the rest of it to yarmy so genuinely will be raising a glass with you xxxxx love you. Stay safe and meet lots of nice people. Pss wonder what Yankees name was I guess Chad?? Will update Yarmouth blog upon our return. I hear the Internet in Norfolk is like Bolivia xxxxxx
Jake Hey Al! Apologies for being slack on the commenting front! I've been reading though, and all sounds really good, glad you're making the most of our experience. As for me, still settling in my new job, I'm on light duties as I'm learning finding it a bit hard though.. I like bein busy! By the way I was informed about the fact that La Paz is actually not the capital of Bolivia. I didn't know this, but I will store that away! Anyway, I will be sure to start commenting more frequently now - your blog is bookmarked and I'm ready to start reading more about your travels! Until next time, much love x
Jake By the way I meant to put 'your' experience and not 'our'. I just noticed it and it bugged me.. Enjoy !!! :)x
Paul What on earth is 'sand flaps'? Does sitting on a beach have anything to do with it? Luckily, us guys don't suffer from that particular problem! Hope that wasn't too rude, but I couldn't resist it it any longer! Wow, you are have an action packed time, Alex. Let me see, I've been to the gym, I went to Sainsbury's this morning, ummmm - no I can't make my day anywhere near as exciting as any of yours! Great to read your blog, as always. Take care!
Auntie vic Right babes tutu and leg warmers packed! You will be missed this weekender but I with give the girls your love and fill them in on your adventures, I will report back on sand flaps Paul worry not. Until we return love you xxxxx
Dad Your mother's left me again Alex!! For the second weekend running it's me the dog and the cat and five fish hidden under lily plants in the pond. But not all bad - plenty of racing on TV and takeaways to eat! Bob was round yesterday sorting out some leaking guttering - and I thoroughly washed out the black bin that had had a dead squirrel, dead bird and Alice's excrement in for some while as not emptied while we were in Holland. All good, hey! Yes, don't get involved in any snorting or stuff. You are enjoying yourself enough - and that's great. I found Chile okay and I think you'll find Argentina bit more modernized. I stayed three nights in Mendoza after crossing Andes on coach from Santiago - wonderful. Continue to enjoy xx
Auntie Debbie Hello darling Chris and I have just updated ourselves on your blog!!!!! We are huddled on the sofa with a blanket as its bloody cold here and Uncle Hughie wont let me put the heating on yet!!! He says we cant have it on until the end of October (he is sooo scary). Getting excited to seeing Joe next week!!!!! It must be so much fun meeting people from such different backgrounds and nationalities. Chris says "What are the trees like?" Loads of Love The Dohertys XXXXXXXXX
Auntie vic The yarmy army have returned. So much to update.... Friday arrived walked to s***ey shops. Mostly closed unyet we managed a purchase, went to the alexandra ( in your honour) for a meal. Was yummy but certainly not 3 pounds. Back to the weekender..... Everyone there and we headed out. Watched the drifter. He was in a group called the drifters but there was only one so he was just called the drifter. Met him backstage (I don't actually know how Tilly got us in but she did) anyway to get to the drifter I said "the real thing" they sang you to me are everything the sweetest song that I can sing oh baby oh baby. You know them? Anyway I said are you with the drifter they said no and we mooched on. Obviously later on when I realised they were the real thing I felt a bit bad. And sad that I had missed a photo opportunity!!! Anyway got to the drifter and got pics. All very odd. Saturday....... Up. Swam. Ate. Dressed up. Missed you. Photo for you. You seen it on facey we saw. Out. Danced. Drank. Bed. Sunday..... Up. Swam. Ate. Done a quiz. Didn't win. Left. Dropped Jo off. Dropped mum off. Home. Jim jams. Blogged you. Ha ha ha honestly had a great time with the girlies you were missed but everyone got filled in with all your shinanagons and send their love. Can't wait to hear what you've been up to xxxxx love you xxxxx ps. Couldn't do the sand flaps tour as it only runs April-sept.