Chile 2016
The road to Chile
This is definitely the most interesting border crossing I've ever experienced. There's no, hola, passport, money, stamp, done. Instead, we're dropped off by our tour guide at the far side of the road. It's the middle of nowhere, and we're standing idly to the side with nearly 50 other people from tours milling around hoping to get through. I watch as quick handshake occurs, money changing hands between our guide and someone in an official dark blue uniform. We're immediately separated from the herd and pushed onto a long white bus.
We're off, unsure of what had just transpired, hopeful only that we're on the road to Chile.
Salt turns to red sand and gravel, no road. Just tire tracks that over the years have carved out deep ruts in this abandoned landscape.
We drive, asking the other passengers on the bus whether they know what is going on. We're all hopeful of Chile being our destination, so that has to be a positive.
We drive, and after an hour we emerge from a desert landscape onto roads that are in even better condition than Florida's Interstate 95.
It's the first time I've seen road signs and pavement in almost a month.
Welcome to San Pedro de Atacama
San Pedro is an oasis hidden among tall cliffs at the bottom of a very large and slowly sloping valley. The sediment ranges between red and brown. Trees pop up like un-wanted weeds from the hot sand.
We walk into the town, tired from our uncertain entrance into Chile. We drink an overpriced beer. We find an overpriced hostel to stay in, quickly realizing that this is an indie little tourist town that sprouted up like the thirsty trees around it.
Our days are filled with mountain biking into areas that begin sounding ominous, like Valle de Morte and Valle de Luna, although we leave feeling satisfied.
My favourite day in San Pedro was when Nate, Margarida (a friend made in the hostel), and a pack of dogs we picked up along the highway, biked the Valley of Death for 6 hours.
The pack consisted of 5 dogs. One was a crazy pup that began following us at the exit of town, the second and third found us at the entrance to the valley, and the final two found us at a rest stop halfway through our ride.
By the time we got back to town I had seriously considered adopting 3 out of 5 dogs to bring back to Canada. Always trotting happily behind us. They never tired, stopping only when we did to rest in the shade from our bodies. The one in the picture was my favourite, he climbed all the way to the top of a ridge when I was curious (and still with enough energy) to risk the view along the ridge.
The above image is from another stop along the Valley of Death, where we climbed in amongst a warren of salt caves. You can see one of our new friends happily padding along after us.
Our lazy days in San Pedro de Atacama quickly came to an end, each day busy with hikes, bikes, and the drinking of sprites.
An unfortunate transition
For the first time during our journey, we travel by plane to avoid a lengthy 21 hour bus ride to the city of Santiago, Chile.
A relief, especially as the day before the flight I got a bad case of food poisoning.
Enter Santiago, Chile. The sun is setting over the city landscape.
I've eaten my first bite of food in 3 days since the sickness, feeling faint, but excited for the last leg of my journey.
We're picked up by a friend (Nick) at the airport, and it's a relief to hop into a reliable car with someone speaking perfect english. Don't get me wrong, I love being immersed in the cultures of each place I visit, but slipping easily into a familiar tongue was relaxing (nice, after sleeping on buses and never being certain what the next step is).
Sleep hit me like a truck that night, my own bed, fresh clean sheets, no wake up call in the morning or 8 other people snorting and waking at weird times of the night.
I was only lucky enough to spend a week in Chile, but it's the place that will draw me back to South America the fastest.
I fell in love with it's varying landscape, being able to go from desert to forest, mountain to glacier, all within several hours.
Nate, Nick and I went to Valparaiso one day, and spent the day on the beach. The evening was the most amazing part. We walked up a sand dune, past a small rock housing penguins, pelicans and sea lions. The light was beginning to fade, and the apartment buildings reflected the lilac clouds forming behind us. The ocean flashed with each ray of sun hitting the waves.
I remember sitting up on the dune watching the day fade and the night brighten into its full glory. All I could think about was everything I had been able to experience in my month. My flight home was the next day and I was feeling introspective.
The End
As my trip ended and I've now been back in Canada for 4 months, all I do is dream about heading back down to South America, or some new place I've yet to discover. And this time to go with Josh.
To summarize, Peru Bolivia and Chile were incredible. I need to go back to properly explore Chile (I initially had plans to hike Patagonia but there were some unforeseen difficulties) and hit Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina, and Brazil. That doesn't include Suriname, Venezuela, Uruguay, Paraguay, or Guyana, but I'm sure I'll find time for them too.
Right now we don't have the funds, but I promise you'll be hearing soon from us about a new spectacular trip and the experiences Josh and I want to share with YOU.
