San Pedro – Atamcama

With the bus to San Pedro, Atacama, Chile. Crossing the Andes from east to west. We started with the same route we drove two days ago for our little excursion. On the second flor from the bus, front row, I even had a better view!

Hadn’t have any breakfast at the hotel, at the bus terminal nothing was open, yet. Luckely, the driver choose to stop at a little bakery. sandwiches, juice and coffee. Saved the day!

Took a lot, really a lot of photos along the road! what a beautiful interesting landscape! 10 hours in the bus. Wasn’t bored for a second! Snow, vicuñas, flamingos, dessert fox, salinas,…

The chilenian boardercontrol was said to be tough. The declaration was interesting. You’re not aloud anything of materials of organic origin into the country. Because of the seedpaper booklet I had from my friends, I declared to bring something of organic origin into the country. They didn’t even asked. Further, it was quite traditional: first counter – check out of Argentina, second – check in in Chile (no stamp, just a PDI), the third: costums. The only thing: you had to take all your luggage along, at 4300m altitude. Though you have your physical check, too.

From there, it was mostly downhill, to San Pedro. For quite a while. 

San Pedro, an oasis in the Atacama, is a kind of grown streetvillage. In the mainstreet, three kinds of selling places: excursion centers, restaurants and souvenir shops. Or any combination of it. Kind of hip, kind of hype, lots of nowerdays activities (bikes, boards, balloons, off road), and yet, I didn’t bring up the average age by much. It’s defenitly rural: people know each other, making contact quite easily. Even already met Maike, a german girl who works for one of the agencies.

Strayed arround for about an hour. Visited the little church, a charming old building, partly made from cactus wood. Sat there for a while, sorted my thoughts.

Dinner, I had at the restaurant of the hotel. Good italian food.