Seeing the World

While they’re not unique in the habit of building a roadside memorial to road accident victims, the Chileans certainly build a lot of them.

The nil populated area between Calama Airport and San Pedro de Atacama must have had at least 30 shrines on a 60 mile stretch of relatively ordinary road.  Most included a Chilean flag.  Some had a kennel like structure protecting fresh flowers from the sun.  A couple included mangled bikes, presumably the mode of transport of the victim.  Another included a wrecked car behind the kennel.

Our experience of driving here has been fairly good.  The average motorist doesn’t appear to be a nutter.  But bikes are unlit.  Without reflector even.  Roads are dark and pedestrians walk aimlessly in front of traffic.  Away from town crash barriers are rare and cats eyes even rarer.

Some road surfaces are nothing more than mud covering asphalt laid decades earlier and never repaired.  And as you head into the mountains rockfalls go uncleared and rare snow melt rivers find new paths after years of dryness and flow across the highway.

We’ve not experienced anything like the mountain passes of Peru and Bolivia.  But what is clear as that these roads take lives regularly.  And my calm and controlled stewardship of Chris, a less experienced driver, has occasionally found a shriek of unwarranted panic as I spot a hazard I hadn’t realised he was already aware of!

Taking no risks is the order of the day for us.  I’m not sure anybody would be tripping over to build and maintain a shrine if there’s a serious misjudgement.

When a Man’s Got to Go …

There are disadvantages to being a long way from anywhere.  Our hotel is great.  Informal.  Small.  Hot tub.  But the sign in the bathroom was a bit of a shock.

One assumes there’s a risk of sewer blockage!  But dropping your number two paper in a bin instead of flushing it away doesn’t feel right!

Oddly enough, since arriving here in the north I’ve not needed to pay that sort of visit.  This might be a result of the tablets I took after a cancer drug side effect moment in Santiago.

But I now wonder if my body is somehow conditioning itself to avoid needing to do what needs to be done until we get back to Santiago Airport and the Holiday Inn a couple of days down the line.

Updates won’t be provided.

Flamingos, Caves, Valley of the Moon and a Night Sky to Kill For

Chris has, for a long time, had an interest in the night sky.  Perhaps not so much identifying all the constellations by name.  But more being able to see it and photograph it.  The Atacama desert has the clearest night sky in the world.  Basically it’s why we’re in Chile.

The picture above was taken by Chris on our first evening in San Pedro from the hotel grounds.  The lack of light from a new moon helping him to capture the image.  The lack of light from any significant human existence within hundreds of miles also a key contributor.

Inspired by this we handed over some of my hard earned redundancy money to book an “astronomy tour”.  Presumably a drive into the desert to see the stars away from San Pedro?

But that was for the evening.  Daytime entertainment started with breakfast.  The serving lady brought an egg over to us and gestured a whisking motion and then a frying action.  I quite fancied an omelette but thought that might take some explaining so ended up with magnificent scrambled eggs and a not so magnificent coffee.  They don’t do coffee in Chile!

Then onto the road in our Europcar monstrosity.  Water bottles filled.  An hour driving and we find our flamingos!  What was particularly noticeable was a lack of anything in between hotel and flamingos.  No shops.  No petrol stations.  No water.  Glorious snow capped Andes and impressive rocks.  But this is not a place to break down.

With Chris driving well, it was a little surprising to see a policeman waving for us to stop.  It was surprising enough to see a policeman at all!  As we passed he waved his radar gun at us.  We pulled over 100 yards down the road and he crossed to his mate to consult.  Had we been waved down?  He showed no intention of walking towards us.  Do we just drive off?  Or approach them?  This could be an interesting use of Google translate!

Eventually an indication to continue our journey without a ticket came.  Chris breathed a huge sigh of relief, shouted “grassy arse” out of the window and drove off.

The flamingos were pretty and pink.  Enjoying a salt flat with water just a couple of inches deep.  Not here in their thousands, but enough to keep us occupied as we walked around the lake.  Until we realised the path didn’t go all the way around and had to retrace our steps.

Next stop was an impressive place called La Valle de Luna.  Odd, because it’s closed at night so moon views may be limited.  But glorious in a way that merged the appearance of the smaller USA Canyons, Death Valley and a perfect blue sky.

We walked into a cave we’d seen explained in the leaflet.  A circular route it seems.  Anticipating a walk, the occasional step and varying roof levels this would be something I can do.  As we progressed further in it became something of a challenge for my damaged bones.

Some contorted positions were taken as floor rose and roof lowered.  Then an unexpected climb.  I’m unsure of the strength of my right leg so putting all my weight through it isn’t something that fills me with confidence.  As we progress we let people pass.  More climbing.  More difficult descents.  Support from Chris and others.  I’m thinking the leaflet should have mentioned the terrain in its English section!  Eventually we got out the other side.  A few aches and strains will follow!

Back to the car and a drive through the rest of this beautiful valley before time to observe the setting sun.  Then back to San Pedro for a pizza and banana milkshake before astronomy time.

We were collected at our hotel.  One more passenger added along the way.  Then taken to a house outside the town.  When we entered a dozen or so others sat in a room with a big screen.  My heart sank.  I don’t want a video show.

But it didn’t come.  We were led outside and onto the roof of this house via a series of ramps.  When we hit the roof a private observatory appeared in front of us with an impressive telescope too.  Our guide proceeded to point the contraption at the stars and allowed us to view a series of planets and constellations with explanations as to what they are.  Jupiter’s red spot must have been around the other side!

Chris added to his night sky photo collection and a fascinating evening in a freezing back garden drew to a close with a very welcome hot chocolate.

San Pedro de Atacama

Our flight into Calama landed safely on time and the speed of baggage reclaim put Milan airport to shame.

We joined a queue at the Europcar desk where, to my surprise, I spotted an Avis desk next door.  Why on earth couldn’t Avis offer me a car online?

The Europcar girl tried to charge an additional premium for Chris to drive.  Already paid love.  Get on with it.  Eventually we collect a Peugeot 301.  I hate French cars!

I advise Chris to check mirrors and lights before departing.  He proceeds to check the Bluetooth and line up some choons.  A bit of Noah and the Whale in the world’s driest place has an irony.

As he swings out of the parking space to drive on the right for the first time ever a let out a high pitch shriek as he gets mighty close to taking out a pick up truck parked opposite.  He composes himself, reverses, and then drives on.

We successfully exit the airport car park and Chris then decides it’s time to adjust those mirrors.  Offline Google Maps picks up our route and within a few minutes we’re on our side of the two way road to San Pedro and our hotel some ninety minutes away.

We pass a number of roadside shrines to those killed driving this highway.  And while the 100kmh road is generally quiet there were a couple of awkward overtaking manoeuvres to pass trucks doing less than half that.

Eventually we reached our hotel.  Basic, large room. Comfortable.  With electricity and 24/7 tea and coffee in the shared kitchen.  Also very remote.  The owner’s two dogs, Blanco and Negro welcome us and we squeeze our car onto the narrow driveway.

After settling in it’s dusk.  We head the two miles into town and abandon the car in a rare roadside parking space and head down a narrow dusty road.  This is third world, Chris tells me.  We wander into a square which seems a little more paved and there’s a church and some shops.  Street wifi too!

Getting the two miles from hotel to town was petrifying.  Cyclist in the dark.  No lights.  No reflectors.  No thought that riding three abreast in darkness on a single track road might ge an issue.  Pedestrians similarly exiting the darkness only as our headlights hit them.  Chris take it easy!

We carry on our on foot exploration and discover a criss-crossing of narrow roads with single rise buildings along them.  The road surface appears to be mud but there are pavements.  Cars few and far between.

Tourist tat shops.  An indoor market comprising of tourist tat shops and a hot dog stand.  We grab a local delicacy of cheesy hot dog, chips and a Coke.  £3 each.  Lots of little stalls, most of which accept all major credit cards.  Back outside to find numerous tour shops organising trips to the local attractions.  And balloon rides over the desert.  Then we find the food district.

It’s a remarkable place.  Home for now to thousands of chilled out backpackers.  Average age early twenties.  The occasional mini-market selling breakfast cereals, breads, crisps and female sanitary items from spaces no bigger than than a large car!

We get lost in the similar looking streets before finally getting back to the car with 6 litres of water.  The local supply gas a high arsenic level!  Back to the hotel and Chris sets up his camera on the night sky.  The Milky Way clear for all to see.  The stunning number of stars perhaps exceeding what we’ve seen previously in Death Valley.

Awe inspiring stuff from a place that would make a good home for the modern hippy.

Flight Four: The Hand of God Interferes With The Best Views Ever From a Plane

Flight 130 left Santiago on time. Views of modern housing estates, untidy industrial units and the poverty of the shanty villages clear to see as we left the runway behind.

Chile feels like a country that’s modern and very westernised. But it does carry with it an underclass that feels to be missing out on the economic progression that has undoubtedly been achieved.

As we move higher we squeeze uncomfortably between two mountains and above the murky pollution that often hangs over the city. A brief glimpse of the Andes before cloud cover hides them beneath us. And then, unexpectedly, they reach out above those clouds with a serene ice capped majesty. This is tremendous.

Meanwhile Chris is fighting his own silent battle with the Diego Maradona lookalike sat in front of him. Quite why planes enable seat recline on short haul flights I don’t know. Being able to sit at a five degree angle for your own comfort at the expense of any comfort whatsoever for the guy behind you is a ridiculous notion. Subtle accidental seat kneeing has no effect.

The magnificence of the mountains continues. I’ve seen the Alps from the sky but this feels better. Maybe it’s because I’m further away from home. Maybe the Andes just better. They’re certainly higher and longer!

Thoughts of crashed rugby players eating their dead team mates in the 1970s spring to mind. Diego doesn’t look tasty. Hopefully we will make Calama airport. After all, this does feel like a modern plane!

Eventually the snow turns to brown rocks. The mountains fall back to the border and we begin to descend.

South American Ryanair?

Other than a couple of flights from Philadelphia to Las Vegas I’ve never taken an internal flight in another country before.

Tomas, our taxi driver, collected us from our hotel and we enjoyed a much easier Sunday drive back to the airport than our rush hour Thursday morning arrival in the other direction.

He told us he’d been driving all night and was off to bed after he dropped us off, with a short sleep before the football at noon.  His lane changes suggested he was tired!

Helpful with the bags, carrying them into the terminal for us, I paid up, initially offering the wrong money (I thought 1000 pesos was a 20,000 note)!  No Dave, hand over the red one not the green one!

Normal queue for bag drop.  23kg limit so civilised compared to Irish or Orange planes flying out of the U.K.  Through security where I was told off for getting out my liquids and iPad.  None of that here.  Chris had his bag inspected closely as laptop, camera and cables were revealed under X-ray.  Eventually all came through safely.

Into the VIP Pacific lounge.  We took our seats.  Part of a line of five immediately opposite another line of five.  A feeling of confrontation with strangers as we consumed coffee, croissant and some dubiously spiced peanuts.

Still to set foot on our new airline.  LATAM wanted £300 for this flight north to Calama.  Sky charged us £38 each, including hold baggage.  If only Topcashback had been available ….

Our flight above the Andes awaits.  Along with a landing several thousand feet higher up than our starting point.

Next Stop: The World’s Driest Desert

Well, except for the Arctic.  And the Antarctic.

This is probably the centre piece of the trip for Chris.  The Atacama desert.  Where the night sky is free of pollution from light or factory and the posh camera he has can be put to best use.

Our Santiago experience wound down with a street market peruse near the square that houses the cathedral.  A lively atmosphere.  My battered shoes given a £1 clean by a shoe shine man.  Chris benefiting from the 80p option due to cleaner shoes!

Beyond that we just looked.  And tired.  Eventually, after a light lunch, we returned to our hotel for the last time.

Tomorrow sees an early start.  Breakfast and the return of Tomas, our taxi driver from the arrivals hall.  A drive back to the airport and then our first flight on a South American airline.  Sky.  Not the TV firm.  90 minutes in the air or a 16 hour road trip became an easy decision.  A flight to Calama where we’ll pick up a hire car and head out on a light desert highway to San Pedro de Atacama.

Geysers, lagoons, nightscapes and moon views await.  Some night driving. Some locals driving for us.  Chris driving.  It’s all to come.  It’s all exceptionally remote.  It’s all genuinely exciting and definitely somewhere I never thought I’d visit.

Care over petrol, bottled water and basic foods is what matters.  And I think we’ll have a fair few hours on interesting road surfaces!

In the Deep Santiago Winter

It’s winter in the Southern Hemisphere.  Santiago enjoyed a rare snowfall just a few days ago.  The locals feel the cold and wrap up.

The country was formed north to south.  There is a theory that the area was named “Chile” by because … it’s so chilly compared with what lies north.  There’s no Spanish word for Chile and nothing in the old Mapuche language to describe it.

Head north and it warms, head south and it cools.

The two days we’ve been here temperatures have topped 20C.  But still the locals think it’s nippy.  If I was lying on a Balearic sunbed I’d be comfortable.  Except for my back.

Our third day in Santiago lies ahead.  Temperature wise I’ll welcome more of the same.  Even if it cools, continuity of the perfect blue skies will be appreciated.  The plan is to hop on the Metro service to anywhere.  At £1.75 each it seems a good deal.  And an opportunity to really go for it in Spanish.  Chris finished yesterday with a flourish of three word sentences to the locals.  I remain proud of my “quattro” moment of genius.

The lack of bathroom plug is restricting my ability to scientifically assess water going down the plug hole clockwise or anti clockwise.  That might have to wait until Sunday afternoon.

Learning About Santiago

There’s little doubt that a walking tour can educate the uneducated and today’s experience certainly achieved that.

The Metro system was our first port of education.  A bit of online research identified our route and I’m fairly comfortable that route wise I’ve got it nailed.

I’d expressed concern to Chris that paying for tickets maybe challenging, what with those complicated machines they’ll probably have.  The real confusion started when we discovered they have a “buy your tickets from a real person” system which had me reciting Dora The Explorer to myself before approaching the window to request “quattro” tickets for our journey there and back.  Cost around £3.50 all in.  Excitingly the lady had understood my order and handed over our four tickets.

Twenty minutes later we walked from metro station to the square housing cathedral, museum, city hall and post office.  Along with a few statues.  A quick glimpse at the layout told me “pedestrianised” and we strolled into the plaza.  Next thing I knew I was stood between two cars, both of which had stopped to avoid me.  Chris stood ten feet behind with a look of fear on his face.  I waved a cool apology to the motorists, quickly got to safe ground and turned again to see the nearest driver laughing histetically.  I suspect a slightly different trajectory and my cause of death would have been slightly different to the one I’m anticipating!

A bottle of water and our tour starts courtesy of Franco.  Welsh and Americans join us and Franco begins an explanation about the creation of Chile, how Santiago became the capital, why the Spanish didn’t care for the place, the Patagonian massacre and numerous other goings on during its relatively brief history.

The 1973 Pinochet (not a silent T) revolution still affects the nation.  But it is becoming increasingly clear that these people have worked their way economically into being a modern nation and are exceptionally proud of that.

Thats not to say that Santiago is a classy capital.  It’s Spanish colonial buildings are few and far between, perhaps earthquakes haven’t really helped, and there’s little in beauty or majesty about the place.  But it’s a modern, functioning city where the people seem friendly, helpful and accepting of my awful Spanish.

There are a handful of stray dogs.  Occasional homelessness.  Modern cellphones everywhere.  Lots of construction.  And a wonderful backdrop of the impressive Andes.

If you’re touring South America it might not be a city I’d recommend (not that I’ve seen any others yet).  But somehow there’s a confident vibe about the place.  A friendliness too.  A positivity that suggests times are good.  And while there’s clearly a big gap between the have lots and have littles

A couple of Pisco stops precede our return to the hotel.

Learning About Santiago