Chile to Bolivia. Fabulous lagoons, hot spring, serious altitude. 2nd April 2017

Sunday 2^nd April 2017

 

 

Collected by sprinter van about 8am, had our passports stamped in a small office in San Pedro de Atacama to exit Chile (would not have known this if we’d been travelling independently). Then about an hour’s journey to the Chile/Bolivian border at Hito Cajon.  Loads of other tours had also descended on the place (which was a slight problem as no toilet facilities) and we were met there by two Toyota Landcruisers, swapping all our gear over.  Clocks went back one hour.  Border formalities were easy and fairly swift with the official asking me whether I could speak any Spanish. I impressed him greatly by asking for a table for two, two beers and then two more, at which point he gave up and stamped my passport. 

We met our new guide, Martin and two drivers, then split up into 4x in one and 3x in the other landcruiser. We quickly appreciated the four-wheel drive and good suspension as the road quickly gave way to unmade volcanic corrugated track, then nothing at all.

First stop, Laguna Verde, where the emerald green was caused by the churning up of the minerals underneath. 

Then off to the geysers of the "Sol de Mañana which was a health and safety officer’s nightmare.  Bubbling hot mud pools in different colours, and shooting of steam meters into the air, all open to the visitors and no barriers. One lady put her foot onto what looked like solid earth and it gave way by a couple of inches.  As the geysers erupted you could feel little blobs of hot Sulphur landing. Very impressive though a little smelly. 

The next lagoon was Laguna Colorada, this time with red water from the algae which feeds a multitude of shrimp and therefore encourages the flamingos.  The white flamingoes are youngsters, the older they get the more pink they get from the shrimp. Lunch was at a hot springs where the drivers prepared sliced llama, boiled eggs, quinoa, tomato and potatoes. Washed down with soft drinks - due to the altitude, alcohol not a good idea.  While they were sorting lunch, Jude and I indulged in a dip into a hot spring pool – surprisingly hot and very clear. Beautiful location for a swim, up in the mountains, surrounded by volcanos.

Everyone started to be affected by the high altitude, especially with constantly going up and down mountains. Iain not well all day with a dodgy stomach, so altitude sickness didn’t help at all.  Our overnight hotel was quite basic and completely isolated in the high desert at 4600m - the Tayka del Desierto Hotel.  We had to shower quickly as the limited water was heated by solar power and would be cold in the morning. No heavy use electrical appliances could be used and charging small items was only allowed to 8pm to conserve electricity.  The hotel was made mostly of concrete, as was our beds, and the heating went off at 10pm.

The massive duvets and layers of blankets indicated that it would be a cold night (to zero now, minus 20 at other times). Dinner was set for 8pm and all guests ate the same meal together – quinoa and vegetable soup (v. nice), beef/mash/veggies and a very red e-number mousse. We were all so light headed, with headaches and breathless with every movement, that we drank mate-coca tea with dinner.

After dinner, we layered up and went outside to look at the stars – no light pollution at all, so we were treated to a breathtaking view of the stars.  The Southern Cross was easy to find and we used my new star-chart app to locate all the other systems and planets.

Bed early to keep warm!