Hurray, we're still alive :)

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Saturday, 10. February 2018

After a restless night on the camp sight I didn't feel to well on Saturday. I was dizzy and my stomach was a little queasy... No idea what was wrong. Shortly I contemplated going to the hospital but decided against it after I didn't get any worse.

We went shopping and then left Copiapó on short notice towards Paso San Francisco. On the way there we set up camp at about 2800m to acclimatice a little.

However, once more we camped in a locals back yard...

Around evening I felt better again.

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Sunday, 11. February 2018

On the way to Paso San Francisco we were passing by Laguna Verde. Yes, lagunas, you see them every few kilometers here and everybody tells you that the next one is the best... Nothing compared to Laguna Brava if you ask me.

At Paso San Francisco we were standing in front of locked gates. The border guys were having Siesta... So we got our chairs out and had lunch.

Afterwards we were being told that we couldn't take the track we wanted to take because it was in Argentina but before the border check point. However, as we'd already entered Argentina we weren't allowed to turn around. The problem being that often times there are up to 200km between the border check points of Chile and Argentina. Some years ago they started to set-up joint border check points but there are only a few. So we had to change our plans and look for a place to spend the night. However, the place turned out to be a flop and we had some pains to get away from there again. During this manuver the rear doors opened and parts of our luggage fell into the creek...

Almost an hour later we had a great camp sight off the road.

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Monday, 12. February 2018

The plan for monday was to drive from Fiambala to Las Papas. But before that we made a stop a the local hot spings, what a treat :)

According to an entry in iOverlander the road to Las Papas was rather poor in 2017. We talked to the Carabineros and they told us that it would be ok if we proceeded with caution... Shortly after Palo Blanco parts of the road were actually missing but nothing bad.

Then we turned onto the road to Las Papas which was gone shortly after...

And if we found it again the conditions weren't the best... And most likely won't be in the next couple of years.

Then we meet a couple of locals on horses and asked them if we could make it to Las Papas? They told us that we could make it but not that day. So we looked for a quiet spot to set up camp. As we'd planned to have saussages and didn't want to get the cooker dirty we decided to BBQ them. But where to get the wood, there wasn't that much there. And then Tobi went to get wood :D

What can I say? That day we had a really big fire :D So always pack a chainsaw.

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Tuesday, 13. February 2018

During breakfast we were surprised by a couple of rabbits? in the canyon wall. At least the furry little critters looked like rabbits, had long tails and were jumping from rock to rock.

Afterwards we happily went on our way to Las Papas because we'd found a piece of good road. Now it'd only be a matter of no more than two hours at our current speed...

Well, considerring you have a road... Partly we had to go up the creek for several hundred meters or over rough rocks. The Defender had to endure quite a beating... That thing is a tank!

After a little more than 3h we had completed the last 15km to Las Papas!

The road out of Las Papas was just as adventurous and very small. It was snaking it's way up through the mountains and was quite washed out in parts and only as wide as the Defender. All of a sudden the road became a sand track! The signs reading "Only for 4x4 vehicles" came rather very late...

After an eternity of driving through sand we reached Piedras Pomez. They are really wild stone formations carved out by wind. Their extend and beauty can't really be captured on film.

The day drew on and drew on and we'd only made little progress. Also the track conditions got to us. The last 100km over very bumpy roads didn't improve things. Early eveing we finally arrived in Antofagasto de la Sierra, a small town in the middle of nowhere.

Finally I've made a picture of the local architecture and construction methods. Most houses in the northwest of Argentina and the north of Chile are made of clay. People dig in their garden or drive into the mountains to get clay, mix it with straw et voila clay bricks.

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Wednesday, 14. February 2018

On Wednesday we drove on from Antofagasto de la Sierra towards Chile. Directly outside of Antofagasto was another shrine for Difunta Correa, make up your own opinion :)

On we went passing Lago Salar del Hombre Muerto. In comparison to the last two days the tracks were a real treat!

Because we didn't want to drive for too long we decided to stop and camp at Laguna Seca. I've got no idea what it once was? It seems to have been a train station. However, it consists of four identical houses and one better house. However, the houses have been ransacked long ago. Also some visitors have left their "art", trash and other "left overs" behind.

Later on it got very windy and we withdrew into a house to cook. Then came the rain and the whole thing got really drafty and uncomfortable. In such moments you really ask yourself why you're travelling or not having a camper van... In any case, we got into our sleeping bags arount 08:00 p.m. and that was our day.

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Thursday, 15. February 2018

Thursday moring we heard an unusual sound, something like a motorized trolley or such. However, we were still half asleep and then the sound was gone again. As we started out again after a lengthy breakfast luck was with us and another one of these vehicles passed us. Apparently they are being used by a mining company to bring maintenance crews into the desert.

Afterwards we went on to Paso Sico towards San Pedro de Atacama. Sometimes it's really surprising how accurately construction crews work :D

Then we were there, in the middle of the Atacama, the driest desert on earth and the sky was full of rain clouds... Something seems to be off with the statistics this year... Also there weren't only clouds but it also rained.

And San Pedro de Atacama? How to describe it? A charming tourist trap? There are a million tourists here. However, you only notice because of the tourists. The pavement stops at the border of town and there are only dirt roads in town. The houses look very old and small however only on the outside. Inside they are quite nice and full of tour operators, shops and restaurants.

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Friday, 16. February 2018

Friday, finally we're doing nothing... Well, not exactly. Tobi is looking for spare parts for the Defender and I'm writing my Blog. Also I decided stop looking for a car for now. I'll start looking again when I get back to our camp site and notice that the Defender is gone ;)

Also we decided to have a break from travelling. Firstly to make some repairs and also because we've been  pushing too hard. Also we got so many tips for Bolivia and Peru that we have to sift through them and think about what to do next.