Third day in the Chilean capital and our departure is planned at 7h30 PM. 17h later we should arrive at Antofagasta. Buses have several comfort classes, from the clasico (48 seats), the semi-cama (36 seats), the salon cama (24 seats) to the premium. The company has only salon cama seats left for tonight and they charge us 50€ for the one-way trip. We like the Chilean way of life more and more and the kindness of the people. In a restaurant or in the bus terminal, the exchanges are pleasant always ponctuated by a smile. Tickets in the pocket, we go back towards downtown on foot, we enjoy going ahead in these streets. As soons as we arrive, we pack our stuffs up, it's time to say goodbye to Mario but we'll meet again before leaving Chile. The 7h30 PM bus leaves the Santiago main station, a brand new bus with large seats as ministers have. Delivery of blankets and diner trays. The performance given by the Tur Bus company is excellent. There is also a hidden bed at the wheel level for the spare driver. I believed it was only for the asiatic drivers in the movie "Taxi" ! 17 hours later precisely, we arrive at Antofagasta where we'll spend the night. The city hasn't a lot of interest, except the access on the Pacific ocean. Pelicans have taken the place of our seagulls on the roof of the seaside buildings and on the beaches. A few massive sea lions trudge their carcass here and there and go underwater surprisingly fast. The next day, in the morning, we leave the city to San Pedro de Atacama, 4 hours east. A village which has a particular resonance in the backpackers universe. At the end of the morning we arrive at this backpackers shrine ; laid-back atmosphear in the dusty streets of this village. The village booming is due to its strategical location, in the middle of the most beautiful landscapes of Chile. Then, all the services for backpackers developped, hosting, restaurants, pubs, internet access travel agencies are here. In the afternoon, we discover the numerous activities the San Pedro agencies offer in the surroundings. Sunrise above the El Tatio geysers, walk in the deat valley and sunset in the moon valley, mountainbike tour up to the hotsprings in the salar of Atacama. Minibus ride in the salar and to a few lagoons. Climbing of the Lascar volcano which gushes smokes constantly. Here there are some activities we selected for the next day. We are in a hurry to charge the batteries of our digital cameras we haven't used a lot yet. In a few hours, we'll stock pictures from another world in our head and in our memory cards. At this time, we enjoy a drink in a relaxed atmosphear bar.
Chile-Argentina 2006
Monday 24 July 2006
Santiago : here we are !
By dorian on Monday 24 July 2006, 10:36
The flight weren't so long. We spent most of time sleeping. A night cut by numerous waking-up. Sometimes to move on the seat, another time to answer the steward : "pasta o pollo ?" who roams alongside the lane at 2:00 PM in order to give us preformated trays.
When we arrive, the temperature is chilly. End of the sandals, the outdoor temperature is about 10°C. We pass the customs formalities, we collect the Chilean visa, and going out the airport, we meet a swarm of touts and taxi drivers who try to sell us their services. We choose the Centropuerto bus which drops us off in front of the Pajaritos subway station. A few stops further, we go out the station on la plaza de armas, a common square in a lot of southamerican cities. Our first paces in the Chilean capital are relaxed ; open-wide eyes, we intercept all the curiosities of this unknown city. What a pleasure to be here even if we aren't city-addict. Santiago is the start point to reach the northern lunar landscapes or the Patagonia in the south. Around 10 o'clock, we stop at a snackbar to taste the Chilean national dish Churasco a la pobre, French fries with browned onions, meat covered by an egg. Later, we meet our host for tonight, Henrika. In the afternoon, we go downtown for a walk, we buy food for the evening party. The program of the party is the 2 birthdays celebration with 20 people in a room. A really warm-hearted atmosphear, a kind of Erasmus atmosphear with Mario, Lebanese student who came in Chile to follow vet studies, Christian, who works for the L'Oréal company "parce qu'il le vaut bien !" more passionate for the southamerican football than for the models of the cosmetics company, and all the other people we talk with. Around 11h PM (5:00 AM in France), Benoit and I look like zombies. Exhausted, we go to bed at 2:00 AM.
We get up in the afternoon, we talk about leaving Santiago today to go to San Pedro of Atacama, but finally the 24 hour trip will be for tomorrow. Unless we change our mind including a stop at La Serena to split the trip into two.
Thursday 20 July 2006
Chile : departure...
By dorian on Thursday 20 July 2006, 10:31
Just a few hours before taking the train up to Montpellier. Tomorrow, the first big "transportation" day is waiting for us. First of all, the train which will drop us off at Barcelona, then, the public transportation up to the airport - high-feeling spot because that's here we're leaving the old continent to board towards the south of America. After a breve stop-off in Madrid, Our flight will be straight up to Santiago fo Chile. a 13-hour air trip... At Santiago, we'll join a chilean hospitality club member in order to breathe the chilean atmosphere as soon as we arrive. Job worries are over, we're taking a break for one month, to experience something else, something strong in a country with a specific geography. A strip of earth flanked by the Pacific ocean on a side and the Andes on the other side. the dryest spot in the world - Atacam desert - and one of the dampest - Chiloe island - are here... The moon valley, the El Tatio geysers, the Torres del Paine park, Valparaiso, or the Perito Moreno glaciar, so many landscapes which we wish to be the eye witnesses in. The meetings and unforeseen aventures, that's the aim of the trip...
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