Leaving San Pedro de Atacama with many good experiences and a safe feeling of the area, now heading further north reaching the borders of Peru and Bolivia. The stretch was yet another long one covering another 900km over two days still through the vast desserts of north Chile. I think the meter is on 3.500km now and will most likely add another 1.000 before turning around for Ushuaia.
First point was the geiser area called Geysers del Tatio – apparently I came late to the area as all the tourist where heading back towards their origin. The Geysers are most active in the early morning light and I arrived at 9.30 so had the park alone with two local bikers from Antofagasta. The road up there was very rustic with many kilometers of rough wash-board and loose sand.
The stretch to the geysers had some wonderful surprices – +1 degr C at the lowest and ice on the mountain lakes. More flamingos at the Mirador Putana and other wild animals was also seen.
Heading towards Calama I again set a new altitude record, now 4.510 masl.
The next many hours heading for the hostel in Pozo Almonte was through dry and windy dessert on Panamericana Norte in 30+ degr – phew. Arriving at the hostel booked again at booking.com proved not to have the secure private parking as stated – so for the first time I tied the bike to the hostel and relied on luck that night – yes, I got up and checked a few times that night.
Next day going towards Arica I visited an old abandoned mining village Humberstone that now serves as a museum. The village and production of saltpeter was stopped in 1960 – it did hold accomodation for the workers, a theatre, a cinema, “town square” and shops besides the production plant. At that time the mining had been operational for almost 80 years.
Heading into the high mountains again after Arica at the coast I ended up in the mountain village of Putre just 80km from the Bolivian border. I will rest a few days here, find some trekking, Perpignan for Bolivia and reading some – and get fully adjusted to the Bolivian high altitude flats of 4.000+ meters the next week.
