Iquique Sunday 13th August - 16th August 2006 We catch the bus at 14.30hrs to Iquique, 8hrs away on the Northern Pacific coast of Chile. For once Stu thrashes Amy at scrabble (what was that dear?, something about having the X, J, Q, Z and the 4S's? No, it was all talent and natural ability). Despite nearly getting off at the wrong stop and then having to leg it to get back on the bus we arrive in Iquique at 22.30hrs. Stu has skillfully managed to b...

San Pedro De Atacama 10th August - 13th August 2006 We are up early and it's a quick breakfast of standard bread and jam before we jump in a taxi and head off to the bus station. It must be said that the bus stations in Argentina and Chile have been very well set up and it's obviously the best way to get around. Bus journeys up to 30 or 40 hours are available but on this occasion we will just be on the bus for 7hrs, crossing the Andes for the third t...

Tucuman & Salta 3rd August to 8th August 2006 We arrive in Tucuman feeling pretty tired after the lack of sleep on the overnight bus from Mendoza. Our first impressions of Tucuman is that it's a pretty dusty and tired looking old town. We get a taxi and the good news is that the cheap place we have chosen has a double room out the back. On closer inspection of the room it feels like we've been incarcerated but the place has got character (ie it's dar...

Mendoza 31st June - 3rd July 2006 Some people may question the logic of our return to Santiago, since we have been there already and didn't like the place much at all!. However, we would argue that one of the highlights of South America has got to be the numerous journey you can do on the bus through the Andes and hence our reason for returning. This strategy is a little dodgy seeing as it's currently the middle of winter and the high altitude pass from Sa...

Paraty 26th to 29th July 2006 We arrive in Paraty at about 2pm and daring (for Gemma and Joe at least) we don't have a hotel booked. Luckily for us our preferred option has two rooms available and it's a great little place with swimming pool, pool table, small footy pitch and Sauna. We head out immediately for a great burger (Stu and Joe mark it down as THE place to return to for all burgers ever after). We wander around town for a bit, trying not to ...