From Vicuna we headed to La Serena to catch a night bus to San Pedro De Atacama - in the desert! The bus ride started fine but during the night they put the heating on and it was like a sauna - too hot to sleep. I went to look for the conductor to complain but he was locked away in the driver's compartment, so we just suffered. We got in to San Pedro at 8am, our hostel was just a short walk away from the bus terminal bus was all locked up. I was ready to just lie down in the street I was so tired. Donna rang the bell and hey presto a young lady opened up, checked us in and our room was available immediately - result. We went through the obligatory Wi-Fi log in to see what new emails Facebook messages we had. Hendrik & Francine (from Canada) had emailed (met in Elqui valley), they were staying 10kms out of San Pedro and had hired a car. We were invited to join them for a day out tomorrow - an offer we couldn't refuse. There is so much to see around San Pedro, you would probably have to spend 2 weeks here to do every excursion / activity on offer. I offered to navigate seeing as I have my Garmin, Hendrik & Francine had struggled with directions on their first day here with their hired wheels. It's not really surprising, outside the town there are some tarmac roads which are well signed but San Pedro is a maze of sandy, dusty roads and virtually no signs. We explored the town and got our bearings. There are no supermarkets here just mini markets and they are not allowed to sell alcohol - for booze you have to go to a booze shop and these are few and far between. It's hot here, in the mid thirties and it's not even summer! Virtually all the buildings are one storey and lots are traditional adobe structures. At ground level it looks quite tidy but get onto a rooftop and you can see where everyone stores their crap! After a night's sleep Hendrik and Francine arrived early the next day in their 4-wheel drive Chevy pickup - Wow a big step up from our Suzuki hire car (in Puerto Varas). It was over an hour's drive along a dirt road to 'Geysers del Tatio'. Early morning is the recommended time to visit. It's the highest geyser field in the world and the number of Geysers is impressive but compared to Iceland that we visited in 2016 it was overpriced and a bit of a let-down. It wasn't until we drove back in the light that you could appreciate that we were really in a desert landscape. We passed plenty of Vicunas (small Llamas) and a few Flamingos, stopped off to explore a canyon on foot with super tall cactus and at the village of Machuca, a small collection of buildings and a church in the middle nowhere (a very quiet existence except for all the tourists wanting to stop for photos). Hendrik wanted a gas station to fill up so I searched for one on my Garmin. The only one I could find was in the centre of San Pedro, nervously I navigated us left, right, left down narrow dusty streets into the centre of San Pedro, some roads were closed to cars and some were one way so the Garmin suggested route was revised again and again. This seemed crazy, was there really a petrol station amidst all these narrow unpaved streets that just seemed to be lined with basic residences - yes there was, the only petrol station here and so difficult to access. Getting back out of San Pedro was equally difficult. Francine had been told about some salt lagoons where you can bathe but away from all the crowds (that flock to Laguna Cejar). To navigate all I had to go on is something drawn on a map in a tourist leaflet. I found the turning we needed and Hendrik drove us down it. This was a real gravel road; Donna and I were glad we weren't driving. We headed south on a 'road' that looked like it went on for ever. There was no sign of anything other than desert and distant mountains. We flagged down a pick up coming the opposite way to ask about the lagoons. We were assured that in just 5 minutes we would see a sign pointing left to our destination. After 20 minutes we still hadn't found the turning, should we keep going? Well it was a local that confirmed we were on the right road, we had come this far so just keep going. We were so glad Hendrik had filled the tank up! After 30 miles we found the turning, and soon after we finally arrived. There were no habitations out here but there was a ticket office, toilets and showers! A quick change and I was first in for a dip. Aaargh, it was cold - that was unexpected. To warm up I thought I would swim, I attempted breast stroke only to find my legs wouldn't stay under the water. I turned over on my back to see if I could float - OMG, first time in a salt water lagoon, you seem to lie on the water not in it, floating is a doddle. The top inch of water is warm, so if floating the temperature is great but try and swim and it's bl##dy freezing. From Lagoon number 1 we walked across salt flats to number 7 (you can't dip in 2 to 6). An even bigger salt lagoon and just as cold. Bobbing around surrounded by salt flats, desert and mountains, miles and miles away from civilization was unreal. By the time we had got back to the (cold) showers we had dried off but were covered in salt. Back down the 30-mile gravel road, the scenery was fabulous, this is what you call remote. We tried to access 'Valle de la Luna' which is one of the main attractions around here. The road just got worse and eventually was closed, even though it was signposted 'valle de la Luna' you can't get to it this way. Back to tarmac until we took another dirt road to 'Valle de la Muerte' or 'Valley of death'. The road ended, a few vehicles were parked up and people were headed up hill on foot so we followed. The path ended abruptly with a cliff but the view over the valley of death was spectacular. It turns out this isn't the official way in but you get the view for free, to access the valley the entrance and ticket office is further along the main road. We still hadn't visited 'Valle de la Luna' so we hightailed it there only to find we could pay to visit but we wouldn't have time to see it all. It was now 6pm and you are recommended to start your visit at 4pm latest. We took the advice to come back tomorrow and see it all. We were glad to get bag to our digs for a hot shower to wash off the salt and dust. A great day out and a big thankyou to Hendrik and Francine for inviting us.

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