Chile: Atacama Desert

Jan 23
I am up at 4 am for a 5am transfer to the airport for flt to Santiago (3 hr early needed for international flight). Then have a 7 hr layover for 2 hr flt to Atacama, the dryest desert in the world. On my 1 1/2 hr drive to hotel, on the only paved road, I wonder if I am on the moon or in Hell. It is a desolate and peculiar place. The driver tells me that there is arsenic in the water so I shouldn't drink it. I did see a great sunset with sand and rock covered with many shades of tan, brown, and gold.

I was encouraged by my travel agent to try another hotel instead of Explora, which I had heard was great. Finally arriving at 9pm, the toilet seat came off when I lifted it in my bathroom, there is only one choice of excusion for all 12 people each day and one guide, there is a late loud concert in the town that I can hear from my room, I stepped on a piece of glass in my shower, and after many late night phone calls and emails to my travel agent, the computer stopped working and the emergency number for him didn´t work.
Jan 24

So at 9am I went on the hotel tour for a 1 1/2 hr drive to 2 lakes (Miscante Lake) with snow capped mts in the distance, blue and green water, off white sand trimmed with white calsite, and many shades of color on sand and rock hills. 19% of Chile is National Parks and Reserves.
Human settlement in Atacama started 12,000 yrs ago. Atacamians, their decendants, still live here. Five thousand people live in Atacama with 2 thousand living in San Pedro De Atacama. Terrace farming is used to grow corn, potatoes, and greenbeans. There are lithium and copper mines. We pass large areas of chunky lava rock with holes. It rains only 1 to 7 days a year and causes flooding when it does. It snows about 5 times a year. With 200 active of the 2080 volcanos in Chile, there are frequent earthquakes in Chile, often with daily tremers (there was a 7.8 scale earthquake 6 weeks ago).
Upon my return to the hotel at 4:30pm, I recieved a call that I could move to Explora. I quickly packed and was picked up by an Explora driver and arrived with 5 min to get ready for an excursion to the salt flats in Moon Valley at 7500ft.. The Explora has a great view of the snow capped mts and has 4 swimming pools. I am so glad to have the Explora experience again.

Jan 25
Went an a great 9 mile hike today to Machuca Grande Valley at 14,000 ft.. On the drive there and on the hike saw Vicuna, which produce the finest wool in the world, llama, vizcascha (look like rabbits), goats, geese, flamingos. The contrasts in topography was so interesting. Brown rocky mts to lush green oasis. We saw many abandoned stone huts and terrace farms due to the Atacamaian people now working as drivers and other service jobs for the tourist industry.

Jan 26

Went on a 2 1/2 hr hike to the hot springs at 10,000 ft. Climbed over and around many rocks and rivers. Saw many cactus and oasis. A picnic lunch was waiting for us at the hot spring. upon returning to Explora, I swam and packed for my flight to Santiago at 7pm.

Jan 27

I am staying in a nice suite at the Plaza de Bosque Hotel. The El Bosque area is an upscale, quiet neighborhood with wide streets and mixed with commercial and residential buildings. I follow a tree and flower lined path along the river ,pass through a sculpture garden, and at Pedro De Valdivia St. cross a small bridge into a peaceful old residential area with homes close together, high hedges and gates. Entering the Parque Metropolitano on a Sunday morning I see many people road and mt biking, jogging, walking, and sitting. The park is on a small mt with trees, waterfalls, dirt paths and paved roads, resturants, zoo, pool, gardens, and has a great view of all of Santiago.

I leave on a 10pm flt to Miami.