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Photo Album: Escape from Atacama & a surprise birthday cake
Photo Album: Escape from Atacama & a surprise birthday cake
We had a 7:30 am. start, with Will trying to steer throught
the maze of narrow lanes amongs mud buildings and low overhead wires and tree
branches in the dark, I don’t fancy his job one shred.
The early start was necessary, not only it was a long
journey through some very windy mountain passes over the Andes, to get to the
border check points early, would mean saving time. The border check points are a big variable, it can take 2 - 7 hours, depending on the mood of the officials and the traffic volume.
We passed Licancabur Volcano when the sun was starting to
shine on it, and a couple of large salt lakes or wetlands. Some at 4400m ASL.
When we made it to the border post with
Argentina, it was already 10:20 am. We were
the first bus there.
We were able to do the exit and entry procedures for Chile
and Argentina in one session, which was very good, but then we have to take all
our personal belongings to go through the custom scanner. A little inconvenient but none too troublesome !
For some strange reasons, the Argentine custom decided to impound all the fresh fruits and meats from the fridge, however, they did not touch the large bag of apples left on my seat !! It was normally no concern of any Argentine customs for food etc coming from Chile. Until this time !! I may be accused of sarcasm if I venture to suggest that, this remote outpost is in need of some fresh fruits and meat !!
Finally, all were cleared 1.5 hours later. A really good thing.
The landscape continued to be much dry highland type, with guanacos running around on the plain.
For some strange reasons, the Argentine custom decided to impound all the fresh fruits and meats from the fridge, however, they did not touch the large bag of apples left on my seat !! It was normally no concern of any Argentine customs for food etc coming from Chile. Until this time !! I may be accused of sarcasm if I venture to suggest that, this remote outpost is in need of some fresh fruits and meat !!
Finally, all were cleared 1.5 hours later. A really good thing.
The landscape continued to be much dry highland type, with guanacos running around on the plain.
So we had to stop for lunch at a roadhouse, as there are no
lunch food available after the custom raid.
And then a big surprise....At 3700m ASL.
In the middle of it, Ninka ( tour leader ) somehow, very kind of her, presented me with a wonderful birthday cake......so touching, especially in this middle-of-nowhere desolate place, and it was some very very nice cake (s). I was so happy and feeling impressed by the friendships. And we all had our cake and ate it too !
And then a big surprise....At 3700m ASL.
In the middle of it, Ninka ( tour leader ) somehow, very kind of her, presented me with a wonderful birthday cake......so touching, especially in this middle-of-nowhere desolate place, and it was some very very nice cake (s). I was so happy and feeling impressed by the friendships. And we all had our cake and ate it too !
The scenery continued to be very Atacama like,
until we passed the Jujuy Salt Flat, and it is grand, and I looked forward to seeing Uyuni Salt Flat, the biggest in the World, this weekend in Bolivia. But this is grand enough, whiteness as far as the horizon. And we took some playful pictures.
until we passed the Jujuy Salt Flat, and it is grand, and I looked forward to seeing Uyuni Salt Flat, the biggest in the World, this weekend in Bolivia. But this is grand enough, whiteness as far as the horizon. And we took some playful pictures.
After we ascended to about 4000m from the salt plain,
through some very windy road, I noticed that we were above some very serious
clouds.
On one side of the mountain pass, it was sunny blue sky, as soon as we rounded the bend, and descended, it was cloud base at 3000 m or so, all the underneath were misty clouds, the temperature dropped at least 10 deg from one side of the pass to the other.
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| Windy road up from Jujuy Salt Flat |
Some serious cloud were gathering
On one side of the mountain pass, it was sunny blue sky, as soon as we rounded the bend, and descended, it was cloud base at 3000 m or so, all the underneath were misty clouds, the temperature dropped at least 10 deg from one side of the pass to the other.
As we winded down this road with steep turns, it was a
cloudy day, with drizzles at times.
However, the scenery became much greener.
The whole valley has a wide river running through it, and spectacular landscapes akin to Bryce Canyon, with tall spires hugging the mountain sides. If it were sunny, it would have made them much more spectacular and majestic to see.
The whole valley has a wide river running through it, and spectacular landscapes akin to Bryce Canyon, with tall spires hugging the mountain sides. If it were sunny, it would have made them much more spectacular and majestic to see.
A bit like Death Valley here.
By the time we got to Loki Hacienda Hostel, 12 Km out of Salta, it was already after 7, and they laid out a very nice dinner for us immediately.
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| And the deteriorating weather |
And the humidity and drizzling condition helped to revive my dried skins. And all of a sudden, my stomach upset gone....Salta is only 1200m ASL.
And thus, after 26th day, 10,430 Km from LAX, I reached Salta, Argentina.
And from Santiago, on the Tucan Overland Truck, it's taken 2,680 Km.
For the first time, I preferred wet weather than dry! Anything other than the skin cracking dryness
of Atacama.
Next Post: Revisiting Salta, Argentina
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