South American Adventure - Day Twenty Two, Thursday 13th March 2014

Another of the benefits of staying at the Hotel Das Cataratas – they offer a complimentary guided tour of the Brazil side of the falls before the park opens.  So, after breakfast, we met the guide at 8.15am and just had to walk outside of the reception to start our tour.  The Argentine side of the falls are far bigger, far more spectacular, but you can only see the full extent of this  from the Brazilian side.  The Argentines have the show, but the Brazilians have the view.

How peaceful and pleasant it was this morning.  Yet another morning with not a cloud in the sky.  We walked across the road, and started on the tarmac trails that run alongside the falls.  To start with, you can see the smaller of the falls – the ones that we were walking over on metal walkways yesterday with the rest of the world!  Whenever I wanted to stop and take a picture there was no-one in the way – no-one barging past – heaven!  The guide gave us an overview of the river and how it had evolved, but as there were about twenty people in the group (and we were at the back, of course) it was hard to hear everything.  Didn’t really matter.  The spectacle was there before us, in all it’s glory.  And at this time in the morning, the rainbows were glinting in the sun as it came up over the thundering water and shone onto the spray.

All the way along the water was gushing over the edge of the eighty or so metre drop.  It was a completely different view to yesterday – and in the peace and quiet at this time of the morning was perfect.  The walkway went right up to the Devil’s Throat.  This time, the walkway was down at the bottom rather than at the top – so getting wet was the only option again!  But a completely different perspective.  A better one I think.  At this end, there is an elevator that takes you back up to the road, as the trail had been going gradually downhill all the way.  It is then a half mile walk back to the hotel.

If you only have one day here, then I think the Brazilian side would be the way to go.  If you had two, like us, then do the Argentine side first and then the Brazilian side.  And if you can, stay at the Das Cataratas to enjoy the falls virtually on your own.  You could have walked as soon as it was light – another benefit only applicable here – until it is dark.  It is so much better without other people!

When we got back to the hotel, we had a driver waiting for us to take us for our helicopter trip over the falls.  Another perspective!  The heliport is just outside the National Park Entrance, so not far.  The trip lasts ten minutes – long enough to get a really good view.  There were several people in front of us – the helicopter takes seven people – but at ten minutes a trip only we didn’t have to wait long.  We were all strapped in, and took off over the rainforest.  It was massive, and went on for miles.  Apart from the roads and the river, there was nothing but trees for miles.  The view was fabulous – and there was another rainbow shining in the middle of the falls.  It went over them a couple of times so everyone could get a good view – and a really good view of the hotel from the air.  It was all over too quickly. 

We got back to the heliport, and the driver was waiting to take us to the Bird Park – just across the road.  This, he said, was also paid for, so they have taken forgetting us at the airport seriously.  Unless this all comes on our hotel bill!  The Bird Park is meant to be one of the best in the world – not having been to any before I have nothing to compare it with.  I don’t really like seeing any animals caged, so this was not a totally comfortable experience.  They all seemed fairly happy – with some species not in cages at all.  It seems they can fly off whenever they want, but seem not to want to, so it can’t be all bad.  It does seem to be quite good – many of the areas have natural trees and it is all in natural light, so I suppose if they have to be caged this is as good as any.  There is also a butterfly house – a huge amount of butterflies, and massive!  And an alligator or two – not sure how they fit in to the “Bird Park” scenario.  And plenty of little nibbly crawly things that decided as we had arrived they would have lunch!

The driver waited and took us back to the hotel when we finished the mile or so walk around the different species.  Another part of an afternoon by the pool – someone’s happy!  We ate tonight in the A La Carte restaurant – with “breathtaking views of the falls”.  Unfortunately, all the outside tables were booked, and we sat inside with only a breathtaking sound of the falls!  It was pitch black, so they were very hard to see anyway.  The food, though, was excellent.  As one would expect!

South American Adventure - Day Twenty One, Wednesday 12th March 2014

An early start after a really good nights sleep!  We have got a tour booked this morning for the Argentine side of the Falls. The way through the grounds to breakfast there is a coati (racoon like creature) going through one of the bins to see what he could find.  What he didn’t want was just being thrown to the ground.   After a lovely breakfast we meet Arlete at 8.30am in the reception.  This is through one of the few companies that have access to the National Park in their own vehicles, so we are right ready to go.  There is a whole bus load of Japanese ready to get on their bus in reception – and another bus load just behind them.  Am I glad we have got a car!

We have to go through border controls again – the opposite way this time.  Arlete seems surprised we do not have a Brazilian paper in our passports – we would have had trouble with the next flight without it.  She has a few in her bag, so fills one in for us to get stamped on the way back.  It is quite quick, and then across the river.  In the daylight, we can see both ways up the river.  On the right hand side we could see to Paraguay.  The Brazilian side of the bridge had the colours of the Brazilian flag along the side, and after the middle it changed to the colours of the Argentinean flag.  Couldn’t see that in the dark last night.  We then had to go through the drive through Argentine passport control – we are going to have so many stamps in our passports!  From there it was straight to the Park on this side.  The driver left us at the main entrance, where there was a big map of the park so we could see where we were going. 

The first stop was a fall called The Devils Throat.  There was a fifteen or so minute walk to a little train station, where we had to queue to get on a train.  The queue was quite long, so we didn’t get on the first train.  Whilst we were waiting for the next one we were entertained by a family of coatis climbing up the trees opposite and pinching the fruit.  Fascinating!  The train took about ten minutes to get to the start of the walkways to get to the Devils Throat – so named because the sound it makes is like a throat noise.  It is the biggest of all of the falls.  It is about a kilometre and a half to walk along metal walkways to get there.  There is a lot of water to cross – this part is shut if the water is too high.  A few months ago parts of the bridge were swept away by the amount of water coming down the river.  It is all repaired now thankfully.  Once we get to a certain point, we can see the spray wafting high into the air that is coming from the falls. 

We also pass a little alligator in the water, and a huge catfish, and some lovely birds in the trees.  So much more here than just water!  As we near to the actual falls you can hear the water thundering down into the river below.  Deafening!  The walkways at the end are pretty crowded, and everyone coming back is soaked.  When we get to the end I can see why.  The mist and spray that comes off the water is fine when the wind is blowing away from you, but when a gust comes in your direction it is a wet gust.  All the water comes with it.  It cannot be avoided.  Does nothing for the hair!!  Or the camera.  Everything gets soaked.  Oh dear!  But hopefully got some good shots.

The camera does dry out eventually on the walk back to the train station.  There was a lovely condensation blob on the lens that I think may have upset some of the photos – not sure when it arrived.  Stopped me taking another hundred or so on the way back!  When we arrived at the station there was about a hundred butterflies flying around in the same area – they are so colourful, and there is so many of them, everywhere.  The train takes the ten minute journey back to the start, where we continue our walk to the Adam & Eve falls, and the Bossetti falls.  It is all on metal walkways, and really easy to see all of the falls.  That is, unless there are people in your way!  Everyone seems to want to take a “selfie” with the falls in the background.  It takes around an hour to go all around these.  The views are spectacular – with a lovely rainbow at the base of be Bossetti. 

We walk back via the Sheraton Hotel – and spy a toucan flying right overhead.  Arlete arranges for us to have a quick show round of the hotel – it is undergoing some outside painting at the minute, so has a lovely green coat on.  The rooms are very nice – and the ones facing the falls have a spectacular view.  I would say the rooms are better than the Das Cataratas lead in rooms, but the whole standard of the place is not quite there.  Second best if the Das Cataratas is full!

We then have to do the reverse journey – about an hour – through Argentine and then Brazilian border control.  At least we have our pieces of paper stamped now!  When we get back to the hotel we just go and have a quick word with the Tours people that should have arranged our transport last night.  They were very apologetic – boils down to they forgot!  They have arranged for a free helicopter trip tomorrow to make up for it.  Sounds fair enough!

Time for a chill out by the pool.  As soon as we get to the pool, an attendant is bringing us towels, followed by a waiter who takes the drinks order.  This is what you pay for here – and what was missing last night – service!  A lovely couple of hours recharging the batteries.  Cold towels come next, followed by nuts.  Ha!  I could get used to this.

There is a barbecue for dinner tonight.  Not just any old barbeque.  Soup, salad, ten sorts of meat with all the accompaniments and pudding.  So, not going to starve here then.  It is priced accordingly for a five star Orient Express Hotel, but you are paying for so much more than the food.  Apart from check in, the service has been exemplary.  We ate around the pool, the food was good, the service was excellent.  I love it here.

South American Adventure - Day Twenty, Tuesday 11th March

A really easy start to the day today – nothing to be on time for this morning.  We had a voucher for a “Welcome Coffee” when we arrived, so decided to have that whilst looking at the map and deciding what to do.  The Sheraton is right at the back of Salta, built into the San Bernadino hill.  There is a cable car that takes you up to the top of the hill for a view over the whole of Salta.  It is a really cloudy morning, so not much point.  There is a swimming pool on the second floor, which gives a fairly good view over the city, so that is good enough.  It is about eleven blocks to walk to the main square, along very Spanish looking roads and houses.  The graffiti on the walls is very artistic – albeit a bit weird.  About half way there, there is a puff of red smoke up ahead, and a lot of car horns.  It seems there is a protest of some sort – no idea what.  There are marshals, and all of the protestors are in cars with stickers on the side.  It gridlocks the whole place.  One of the cars conked out and had to be pushed.  All very peaceful and well behaved, as far as I could see.

We could see the main square in the distance by the large pink dome of the cathedral.  It wasn’t far to walk at all.  The main square was beautiful.  The buildings all around were all old, with pavement cafes most of the way round.  The middle had a large statue and waterfall and grassy area.  There were hundreds of birds – some chap was selling bird food, just like Trafalgar Square used to have.  Children were running about, and it had a really good feel.

We went into a museum just off the main square (just after I lost Paul, after I stopped to take pictures and he followed a policeman who was showing him where the museum was).  It was the MAAM – we had heard about this as in 1999 three mummified children were found at the top of a volcano.  They were here in this museum.  It was a really important Inca find.  They used to drug the children and bury them alive – to cut a long story short – and these three were found in fairly good shape.  But not alive of course!  It is amazing that we are still finding things from hundreds of years ago, and horrific to find out what is done in the name of religion.  Archaeology is still a good business to be in.

After a short walk around the main part of the town, we sat at one of the pavement cafes to have lunch.  This is where we realised that we had come out with only a handful of pesos, a few dollars and no credit card.  Not used to having to pay for things!  We did a deal with the waiter – who gave us somewhere in the middle of the official rate and the black market rate for our dollars.  Ha!  Seasoned travellers or plonkers!  It was a very pleasant way to spend lunch, although the food wasn’t.  Oh well – ambiance is king.

We slowly made our way back to the hotel, and spent an hour or so reading by the pool before having to get a taxi to the airport for our flight to Iguazu.  It was again a really old battered taxi that took us the thirty or so minutes to the airpot – 80 pesos, about £7.  We passed the bus station – I could see Paul thinking “Why don’t we go by bus” – not!  Driving into the airport was like driving into a country estate – lovely green grass and trees all along the perimeter.  Lovely little airport – very kind check in man that yet again did not give us any excess luggage charges.  And a good cup of coffee at the café.  Can recommend departing from this airport.  Let’s just hope the bags depart as well!

The flight has actually had a slight schedule change, and is leaving ten minutes earlier than originally planned at 1905.  And it leaves bang on time.  As we take off and go through the clouds, the tops of the Andes are still standing proud as we come through the top of them.  Magical – seeing the tops through a mass of white cotton wool.  The one and a half hour flight goes very smoothly and quickly – we have another box containing biscuit snacks, a lemon biscuit and a chocolate biscuit.  Last time on Aerolinas Argentinas, so last box!

We arrive, and the bags do too.  Unfortunately, the transfer didn’t.  Everyone on the flight got their transfers – we were the only ones left in the airport.  And the only ones that spoke English.  The telephone number of the hotel didn’t work from my mobile – a bit of déjà vu here!  Someone came that spoke English, and we organised a taxi that would take US dollars – didn’t have enough Argentinean for the trip to the Brazil side where we are staying.  But saying that, it was only $50 so not enough to break the bank.

We load the cases, and start the trip.  We quickly pass the turn off for the falls on the Argentinean side, and then pass a whole row of hotels with neon signs advertising their wares.  After about half an hour, we come to the border point.  They have been taking notes from Macdonalds – this one is a drive through.  Our passports are stamped to leave Argentina, and we go over the no mans land – the Iguazu River.  One side it is Argentina, the other is Brazil.  Once over the other side, no-one seems bothered to stamp our passports, we could have driven straight over.  Not sure how that would work when we come to leave!  The taxi driver takes our passports and parks and takes them in to get them stamped.

Another ten minutes or so down the road (he is a bit of a speedy Gonzales, who knows where the speed cameras are!) we are at the entrance to the National Park where the hotel is situated.  This is as far as the taxi can go – we then have to transfer to a National Park vehicle for the last twenty minutes to the Hotel Das Cataratas.  On the way, a skunk crosses the road in front of us.  The driver informs us that there are many animals in the park, including Jaguar and Puma.  Paul’s eyes light up.  Chances of seeing either of them – nada!!

The receptionist checks us in like a robot, and doesn’t seem too bothered that the transfer didn’t arrive (the one that they had arranged).  She blames someone else and quickly goes on to something else.  Not impressed so far!  But, this hotel is in the place you want to be.  They can perhaps not offer the service one expects for a hotel of this standard as they have the monopoly on the location.  The room was nothing special – but the views……….  And the noise of the falls thundering right in front of the hotel, and the fact that you are right there.  That is what you pay for here – hopefully my impression of the hotel will improve.  But you can’t get away from location, location, location!  And sitting having a campari and Brazil Nuts and being bitten by horrible little insects is second to none!

South American Adventure - Day Nineteen, Monday 10th March 2014

We are leaving the Explora in San Pedro de Atacama this morning – far too early.  Three nights is not enough – we could have done with one more.  At breakfast we say goodbye again to new found friends – some flying today at various times and some staying for an extra night.  Christian from Guest Relations has arranged a lunch box for us, as we are taking the bus from the San Pedro de Atacama Bus Station to Salta.  We have a transfer at 9.00am for the five minute journey to the bus station!  Overkill.  The bus station is so called because it is where buses call in and collect passengers – the similarity there ends.  There is a board with a whole list of departures for the day in chalk – a small room with chairs and a little shop where you can buy drinks and snacks.  The transfer drops us off, and we are in loads of time for the departure.  Buses come and go, but none so far to Salta.  9.30am comes and goes – apart from no-one speaking English – and we haven’t a clue what is going on.  There are a lot of back packers here, so I am sure they are waiting for the same bus as us!  A couple more come in – none with Salta on the front, and none saying Pullman which is the company we have booked with.  The bus station is right next to a football pitch with a small seating area.  Completely in sand, with no markings.  If you can play on this, grass must be a doddle!

At 10.00am a Pullman bus pulls in with Salta on the front.  Yippee!  At least we aren’t stranded.  Everyone in the bus station gets up – it must be a full bus.  Paul was not keen on this option to start with, and I can tell by his face he isn’t impressed so far!  Out luggage is loaded, and it seems we have paid for first class – what else?  I am glad to see the odd child that was getting on was not in our section.  Eventually everyone is loaded, and we set off – an hour late.  Manyana!  We get a few yards down the road and stop.  For about fifteen minutes.  No idea why, and as no-one speaks English no chance of finding out.  The bus started its journey in Calama about an hour earlier, so must have been held up there before even getting to us.  Doesn’t seem as if they are keen to make up for lost time!

We start off again, and a chap comes out with a couple of packets of biscuits.  Then he comes round with a Fanta.  I didn’t think we got anything on the bus – perhaps this is the first class treatment!  We leave San Pedro de Atacama the opposite way to which we came in.  The volcanoes and rolling mountains are on our left, and we continue on this road until we come to some more salt flats and lagoons on both sides of the road.  The border to Bolivia is only five kilometres away at one point, so we must be skirting that.  It is about two and a bit hours before we get to the border with Argentina.

This seems, as first glance, to be a much more efficient border control that the one we came from Argentina to Chile when we left El Calafate to get to Torres del Paine.  It seems there is only one office, which both countries share.  We all get off the bus, and get in the queue to leave Chile.  Once we have had our documents stamped, and I got a wink from the official (or he has a tick) we then have to get in the next queue to get in to Argentina.  This happens to be the man sitting next to the one that just checked us out of Chile.  Once we have then been checked into Argentina, we have to go back outside where all of our luggage has been taken out of the bus, and pull it into the same office and put it through a x-ray machine.  Then we have to drag it back out and load it back on the bus.  We left our lunch box on the bus, and wondered if it would have been confiscated by the time we got back on!  The luggage now has to be segregated, as there are two stops.  Jujoy and Salta.  Salta goes on first, because that is the last stop.  Once all the luggage as been reloaded, we had to hang around as one lady had an Australian passport and they seemed to want some visa money from her.  Her husband then seemed to lose her completely, so we had half an hour or so extra for this.  Not sure if it got sorted out or we left them behind! 

We then started to make our way through the mountains.  I could not believe how the scenery changed from one minute to the next.  The mountains were sand, then they were black volcanic rock, then they were covered in the yellow grass clumps, then they were copper red, then they were sand coloured again.  At points, they were like sand dunes, then they were gravel, then they were hard rock.  Amazing.  I took pictures all along as Paul had gone to sleep – at least he can see the replay!  The snow capped tips of some of the mountains were always in the distance.  There were dust storms over the ground near to the further mountains, that was pushing the dust up into twisters.

We then started the hard climb up through Andes.  The roads twisted and turned, and the scenery just got more and more amazing.  There were birds flying along the side of the bus, and llamas and donkeys on the sides of the mountains.  Then came the cacti.  I have never seen anything like it!  There were a few to start with, and I had to look twice.  They were growing on the sides of the mountains, and were about ten feet high.  Some higher than that.  A few to start with, and then the mountains were covered with them.  Some must have been higher than twenty feet.  Paul even stayed awake at this point.  We then went past more salt flats.  These were completely different to the ones we had walked in between. It looked as if the ground was completely covered with snow – really thick.  There were a couple of diggers scooping it up into huge piles – will have to look on the packet where my salt comes from next time I buy some!

Once we had gone through this region we started on the downward slope.  We passed a sign saying that we were at 4170 metres – not sure if that was the highest point or not.  Not long after this, going down the other side of the mountains, we could see the cloud below us.  What a weird sight.  It was like cotton wool stuffed between the rocks.  Not as nice when we actually drove into it though.  It was like going through thick fog – and with the roads very narrow and several hairpins in a row I was glad I was not driving.

We got our of the bottom of the clouds, and the mountains had changed completely again.  They were now covered with green vegetation, and there were trees appearing.  Don’t seem to have seen any trees for weeks!  There were waterfalls coming down the mountains, and it all seemed to be a different land.  Once we had travelled about two thirds of the way down, we stopped at a village called Jujoy, which is meant to be one of the prettiest villages in the Andes.  It certainly seems that way, although we are still covered in cloud.  I think the mountains must stop the clouds moving from this way, and maybe always have a cloud covering.

Once we had got to the bottom of the mountain range, and six o’clock was on its way we thought we were nearly there.  6.00pm was the scheduled arrival time at Salta, although we had had several delays.  6 o’clock came and went, as did 7 o’clock.  Paul predicted 7.30pm – one hour late and half an hour extra at the border.  7.30pm came and went as did 8.00pm.  It was now pitch black.  Every time we saw some lights, like a town, we got all excited only to sail past.  We were sitting on the driver side, with the drivers compartment similar to an airline cockpit.  The only window we could see out of was to our left, which had none of the signs on.  If we could have seen how far it was to go, we would have had a better idea.

8.30pm came and went.  Now we were getting fed up.  It has been a fantastic bus journey – whatever Paul says when we get back – and it was now taking too long.  At last we saw a huge amount of lights ahead – that must be Salta.  It was.  We arrived in the bus station (and it was a proper bus station – it was huge) at just gone 9.00pm.  Then it was a bun fight for the cases.  Two poor chaps were trying to unload them, and everyone was crowding round to get theirs.  We eventually got them, and walked out to the front where there were taxis waiting.  I had booked the Sheraton for just one night – but the taxi driver didn’t speak English.  I would have thought Sheraton was the same in any language.  I got the reservation email out to show him the address.  He still didn’t understand.  I don’t think he could read.  Paul showed him the Sheraton logo – the penny then dropped.  I knew I brought Paul for a reason!  It took ten minutes or so to get the hotel, and about 20 pesos - £3 or so.  Bargain!  A quick drink in the bar and drop – it is really exhausting sitting on your bum all day!

South American Adventure - Day Eighteen, Sunday 9th March 29014

Another six kilometre hike this morning – are we mad or what?  There was hardly anyone at breakfast – most of our “group” had decided on the trip at 6.00am start.  Just left us – and two guides.  Are we that bad?  Has our reputation preceded us?  It seems that there have been timing issues this morning.  All the mobile phones have changed time to one hour prior – this should have been the weekend that the clocks went back for summer time ending.  Apparently, because it has been such good weather the government have decided to postpone it for 28 days.  But the phones still all changed, so some people didn’t turn up until an hour later.  Some got up an hour earlier because they had set their phones to alarm.  Just trust the untechnological wrist watch!

We met our guides Danelo and Maria, and drove the twenty minutes or so to the start of the trek.  We had put on the factor 50, got the poles and hopefully were ready.  When we stopped in the front of a big mountain and said that was the way up I thought he was joking.  No.  That was the way up.  “This is the hard part” says Danelo.  I remember what the easy bit was yesterday, so I dreaded to think what hard was going to be like.  Perhaps that was why they sent two guides – to pull us up on ropes!  I was not proud at all – I accepted help right from the start.  I gave up one of my poles and let Danelo yank me up.  I wouldn’t say it was a sheer climb, but it seemed like it to me.  It was about forty metres straight up.  Because of the extra help I had, I got to the top feeling only slightly breathless. 

It was a great view from the top.  From here we went along inside the mountain range to a sheer face that had rock art on, that was around five hundred years old.  A llama, a face, a cross – nothing dramatic but amazing that it had survived that long.  This was a place, apparently, where shepherds used to camp out at night.  From here we could also see the sulphur rising from the two active volcanoes in the region.  One of them last erupted in about 2009 I think he said.  He also said Chile was a place where there is about fifty earthquakes a day – only little ones though.  Haven’t felt a thing!  We walked along the trails, and came to quite a sandy top.  There were bike tracks up here.  Danelo said they carry the bikes up – my god, bad enough me getting up let alone carrying a bicycle!

We then climbed a bit more – and yes, there had to be a track in the middle of the mountain with a sheer drop to the left that was only a shoe size wide.  Always has to be one!  We came out at the most amazing place.  It was as if we were walking along the top of the world.  We seemed to be higher than all the surrounding mountains, and we looked into a huge deep gorge that looked similar to the Grand Canyon.  We took a break here – the sun was beating down on us but from up here there was a beautiful breeze.  Wow – it was really a long way down!  Then Danelo said that’s where we are going.  Then he laughed.  I thought he was joking.  He wasn’t.  That’s where we went.  It was a bit tricky, but we made it.  The rock and sand made it very slippery, but I suppose it could have been worse if it had been raining.  There was only one bit that was a sheer drop of about three feet – Danelo put his leg up and said to use that as a step.  So I did.  Not sure if he knows how much I weigh!  We got into the gorge and there was a lovely flat trail.  The only downside was that the breeze had disappeared as we were now in between two high walls, and it was pretty hot down there.  We actually saw another person – mountain biking.  Because this bit is quite flat, it is ideal for bringing bikes into.  Don’t think I will bother though!  But over the two days of trekking, this is the first unknown person we have seen – can hardly say it has been crowded.  We worked our way like a snake in and out of the way the river used to be in years gone by.  All that is left now is an empty trail, with magnificent rock formations either side.  At one point the rocks looked as if they had faces carved in them like Mount Rushmore – but it was just an illusion.  High up in one of the crags was on owls nest – not much wildlife here! Some of the way was like going through caves where earthquakes had knocked huge pieces of rock to the ground, leaving a cavernous entrance and exit.

As we were in a gorge that we climbed a long way down into, I was dreading the bit at the end where we would have a long climb out.  I tried to put that bit to the back of my mind and just enjoy the bit I was on.  Fortunately, the gorge ended and was replaced by a tree lined avenue.  It was a really lovely hike.  Apart from the first bit, the rest was a piece of cake – that’s how I remember it now!  It was hot, but not too hot.  It was hard in places, but not too hard.  Perfect!  The car was waiting for us just down the road with cold juice and beer.  Ha!  I can put up with this.

We went back to the hotel for lunch, and met up with the rest of the group that had had the 6.00am start.  We had a lovely two hour lunch – this is what holidays are all about.  Talking American politics, Cuban politics, Colombian politics, the state of the world etc etc…..

We then had a trip out to the Atacama Salt Flats.  There were six of us on this trip – plus two guides again.  We are getting a reputation!  We first of all stopped off in the small village of Toconao.  We had a look at the old bell tower – very similar to the one in the Magnificent Seven.  I expected Yul Brynner to be in the church opposite!  We walked down a whole load of back streets and little footpaths, looking at various fruits and vegetation, then we came out on to an expanse of desert.  In the distance there was a dip, and in it was a pool of water and trees and dense green vegetation.  An oasis in the desert.  They do exist.  Or have I had one too many camparis?  We then drove on, past the famous Alma Observatory which is high in the mountains, onto the Flamingo National Park.  We were here for the sunset.  We first had a little video about the Park, how it was set up and what we were expected to see here.  There is a mass of salt – although it isn’t flat, it is extremely bumpy.  There is a flat path all the way past the lagoons though, for about half a mile or so, so the wildlife can be viewed.  There were some flamingos, but they were about 400 yards away.  Plenty of other little birds were feeding in the shallow waters though.  We were keeping our eye out for lizards – a couple quickly shot in holes so we really only viewed their tails.  Paul saw one shoot under a rock, that he lifted up, and managed to get on video.  I bet he wondered where his roof had gone!

When the sun went down, the mountains turned the most beautiful reds and browns.  It really cast a fantastic colour show on the mountain range – and even the volcano with the puff of sulphur escaping from the top.  We drove the forty five or so minutes to get back to the hotel – where we had dinner with the usual crowd.  Our last night here, so the last night we are all going to be together.  Sad, but I am sure we are all going to keep in touch.

South American Adventure - Day Seventeen, Saturday 8th March 2014

We had signed up for a six kilometre hike to the Luna Valley this morning.  At the presentation last night, we had been told it was an easy flat hike.  Seemed the perfect start to our time in the desert.

After breakfast, we met the five others that were going on the trip and Andreas, the guide.  Andreas suggested that I bring my walking poles – couldn’t see the point on a flat six kilometre hike, but I went back to the room and got them anyway.  Paul already had his. He suggested that I took a hat , but apart from my woolly one that I haven’t yet worn I haven’t got another one.  The temperature is going to be well in the twenties today, so I thought the woolly one inappropriate!   I hoped this group weren’t going to be too fast – not used to trekking with a group.  Oh well – it is only six kilometres so they can’t leave me too far behind!  We got in one of the Explorar vans, and drove the fifteen minutes to the start of the hike.

We started on a flat rock surface, that was very similar to entering the siq in Jordan to get to Petra.  High rocks either side that offered some shade at this time in the morning – the sun hadn’t quite come up over the top of the left hand ones.  The rock formations were amazing – and interspersed were sand dunes that were completely flat.  I was, as usual, back marker.  At least I could take pictures and go at my own pace.  After a couple of kilometres we came to a dead end.  Not quite sure what was going on, I heard one of the others say that Andreas was trying a new route today.  What?  He hadn’t been here before?  Oh well – have to go back to the beginning and start again.  No.  We went back a few yards, and he decided to climb up the top of the right hand mountain.  He cam running back down.  Glad that’s not the way I thought to myself.  Unfortunately, it was the way.  My god, am I glad I bought my poles.  It was steep, sandy, rocky, and excruciatingly difficult.  It just seemed to keep going up and up.  By this time, we were in full sun.  What had I signed up for today?  Not this!

We eventually got to the top – I have never seen anything like it.  How I ever got up I don’t know.  At least I was up – and perhaps the rest will be flat.  No.  Don’t be silly.  There may have been a couple of flat sections, but I think my mind missed them.  The rocks were now like giant cactuses, having to put your feet on the end of the rocks rather than down in between them.  How much more of this is there?  Some of the rock was really soft, like walking on a carpet.  Paul pointed out that he hoped there wasn’t a hole underneath so we went right through.  Thanks for that!  “Only just around that pyramid shaped mountain” said Andreas.  Oh good I thought.  Wrong.  Round and up over that pyramid shaped mountain was the entrance to a huge arena in the middle of a circle of mountains.  It must have been a mile across.  At least it was flat.  We all had a group picture taken here – looking really happy because we thought the end was near.  Wrong again.  We had to walk across the arena – but at the other end there was only mountains.  I had a feeling that we were going to have to go over them to get out.  Right.  “Over that black mountain, and then only another kilometre and a half the other side” says Andreas.  The black mountain was the biggest one there.  Bugger!

“It is extremely easy – nowhere near as hard as it looks.”  Ha!  I said I am taking a picture of that, and will tell him when (or if) I manage to get over it whether it was extremely easy.  As I thought, it wasn’t.  Climbing over that was one of the most scariest things I have ever done in my life.  The trail – if you could call it that – was probably a shoe width wide at most.  You had to balance on the cactus type rocks to traverse it, as well as going up.  To the right was a cavernous drop.  I taught Andreas a new phrase at that point.  “Really easy my arse.”  He thought that was funny.  He was now carrying my camera bag, and yanking me from one rock to the next.  Oh my god – how I got up that mountain I have no idea.  I was exhausted, hot, scared and thinking that if I fall down now I am going to die.  When we got to the top Andreas said he had never lost anyone before.  Always a first time!  He kept calling me his favourite – felt like he was Bruce Forsyth on Strictly with the no hopers!

When we got to the top was the finish – no!  More up and more down and more round the corner.  The sun has now been shining directly on my head for over three hours – that is going to be my excuse for any crazy things I do in the future.  Paul was not happy – I could see him thinking that the Caribbean would have been a much better option.  I am tending to agree with him!  My legs have now gone to jelly.  The Gatorade comes out of Andreas’ bag – refills the salt apparently.  I don’t argue – it is an excuse to stop to drink it.  As we go around another corner there is a little cave under an overhanging rock – and it is in the shade.  I did contemplate having a kip, but as it was rocks for the floor I thought I would be swapping one form of hell for another.

When was this ever going to end?  As we walked up a huge sand dune Paul spied a road in the distance.  Hope!  Did we go straight to it?  No.  Was it flat to get to?  No.  Even a flat surface in the distance is actually lots of ups and downs in reality.  After nearly four hours hiking in the direct sunlight the Explora van comes in to sight.  I have never been so pleased to sit in a car.  I have never sweated as much (you really didn’t need to know that) and been so exhausted.  Or I don’t think so.  Might be like having a baby and forgetting the pain.  I have been to Annapurna Base Camp, so it might have happened at some point in that trip.

There were cold drinks in the van, that were gladly received by all.  Two of the group fared better than the others – but as usual I was always at the end.  The end of my tether!  The drive back to the hotel was only twenty minutes or so – and we had the joy of picking what we wanted to do tomorrow when we got back.  Ha!  Another six kilometre trek.  Are we mad or what?  But the upside was that we cancelled this afternoons excursion and spent it by the pool.  Excellent recuperation.  And by the time we got back to the room we had a bottle of win delivered from the Excursions Desk for the rubbish information that they gave us about the trek.  Thank you very much, but I think we would have probably done it anyway, but been a little more prepared mentally.

We had dinner with the other five people on the trek – even if we were slow they are still talking to us.  Karen & Jim from New York, Stefan from Germany and Lilian and Michael from Colombia but living in Miami.  Lilian was kidnapped by Colombian guerrillas in 1999 for four months – fascinating people you meet on holiday!  We then had a little lesson on astronomy.  There is a giant telescope and observatory on the hotel site, and we saw a blazing star, the nebulas around Orion’s belt, the moons and the bands around Jupiter and all the craters on the moon.  Amazing end to the day!

South American Adventure - Day Sixteen, Friday 7th March 2014

We woke up this morning overlooking the Straits of Megallan – not a bad view – and the sun was shining!  The day started off with a bonus – the hotel had an egg station, and the chef was from New Zealand, so it was easy to convey what sort of omelette we wanted.  There was a bit of controversy over what time we were being picked up – our flight was at 10.40am, and when we arrived last night the hotel gave us a printed itinerary which said the transfer to the airport would be at 8.15am.  The guy that checked us in said that the transfer would be at 9.00am.  Hmm – what time do we go for?  The airport was about half an hour away, so for the two hour check in 8.15am would be about right.  He insisted that 9.00am was the up to date time, so we plumped for 9.00am.  At 9.00am on the dot the transfer arrived!  Phew.

We made our way to the airport.  On the way, there was a  replica of the ship that Ferdinand Magellan sailed over to Chile on when he discovered the water channel that was ultimately named after him.  It looked surprisingly like the Golden Hind – same era I suppose.  When we arrived at the airport, the queue for LAN was nearly out of the door.  No problemo, said the guide, and then scuttled off!  Up to us then!  An American couple behind us was on the same flight, so hopefully they wouldn’t go without both of us.  There were self service check in machines that we were supposed to have used if we hadn’t checked in online.  I tried – it was all in Spanish – and it didn’t like my name, my passport number or my booking reference.  Just hope I don’t get to the front of the queue then have to go back and try it again. 

The check in man was very helpful and checked us in – and didn’t notice the excess luggage kilos.  We have a connecting flight in Santiago – 35 minutes from landing from Punta Arenas to taking off for Calama.  Once we had given the luggage in, he asked me to sign for the baggage.  Never had to do that before.  Was this a sign that this was going to be the last we saw of it? Hope not! There was a later flight, but what is the point if the earlier one is sold as a connecting ticket?  He assured us that there would be no problem at all – I believed him!  We had time for a quick coffee (the second worst that Paul has ever had!) before we realised that the flight was delayed.  This is the first flight that has been delayed, and the only one that we really needed to take off on time.  Delayed for 35 minutes would you believe.  I saw the same check in man, so decided to see if he could change the flight now.  No problem he was still saying – it will arrive at 2.20pm.  How?  He is going to put his foot down!  OK – so the next flight takes off at 2.45pm.  We have now gone down to 25 minutes connection.

The flight actually takes off at 11.25am.  Que sera sera – whatever will be will be.  Nothing I can do about it now, so no point in speculating.  This flight is really full.  I have a very nice young man sitting between me and Paul who speaks a little English.  Quite pleasant.  We take off and the scenery soon changes from the green spaces to hills and mountains.  We leave the coastal waters behind, and head north for three hours to Santiago.  Paul takes his ticket to the air crew, and tells them to hold the plane – we will run!  They say no problem!  I have never had a plane that takes so long to disembark passengers.  Everyone seems to be taking their time, getting their bags down from the overhead lockers, putting their jackets on etc etc.  One person out every ten seconds or so.

Eventually it is our turn, and we run up the ramp.  The first chap we ask sends us in the wrong direction, but I notice the gate number on the overhead screens.  Backwards, down the escalator and along to gate number 30.  Some foreign gibberish comes our way when they scan the boarding cards, and we are the last on the bus to get to the aircraft, and they shut the doors and start reversing before we have hardly chance to put the seat belts on.  This was not a full flight, but someone else was sitting in our seats.  We are then shown to two empty rows, so we get three seats each.  The bonus of being last on!  Not sure about the luggage though.  Did they have it marked up for a short connection?  I don’t think so.  Oh well – have to see when we get there.

The flight was just under two hours.  The scenery now had really changed.  We had flown up the spine of South America with some good views of the Andes.  Now we were in the desert region, with nothing but sand for miles and miles.  I could see an airport below, but it had lots of construction vehicles all around.  As we landed, I could see steam rollers seeming to be laying out a runway.  The terminal building was nothing but a shell.  It was like the holiday in the Carry On movie that they rolled up to that had a half built hotel.  We walked off the plane, through a walkway made of red and white plastic shields, past all the workman knocking and painting, and past the back end of the luggage carousel.  The first lot had come off the plane – ours wasn’t on the trolley that I could see.  I was confident that if it wasn’t first off it didn’t make it.  We walked around to the front of the carousel and waited – I couldn’t help but think this was a futile exercise.  It was!  We were the last people standing, watching an empty carousel chug around.

We went to one official that didn’t speak any English.  I saw the Explora driver waiting for us – and he spoke English.  Good.  He could translate for us.  The first time ever I have arrived and the bags haven’t.  Could be a good few days in the hot desert, trekking, with jeans and shoes on.  I had the baggage receipts, so thought they would be scanned and the computer would tell them whereabouts the bags were.  No.  Had to fill in a form, and tell them what was in the case.  I am sure it will be on the next flight.  But still had to fill in the form.  I got a copy, and they said they would let me know when and if it turned up.  I could see the look on Paul’s face – he had already asked me why I booked such a short connection.  Why exactly?  Wish I hadn’t now.

We set off for the one and a quarter hour car journey to the Explora Hotel.  The landscape was amazing.  We went over mountains, past desert, past rock formations that looked as if we were on the moon and a huge volcano.  Wow.  What varying scenery we have had on this trip.  Just out of nowhere, we turned off the road and was transported into a little town that looked as if it had come straight out of a spaghetti western.  The little houses looked as if they were made of mud.  I expected Clint Eastwood to come around the corner at any time!  We turned into the hotel, and drove around the stables and onto a little courtyard at the front.  We were met and taken in to get the keys to the room – it looked like the High Chapparal (for those old enough to remember it).  The rooms were very authentic, and looked like we were staying on the ranch in the TV programme.  We had a wander, and found a beautiful pool.  I took a picture of an enormous caterpillar – but it turned out to be a bean.  I could have sworn I saw it move!

We then had a “presentation” of the hotel and all the excursions that are on offer.  It actually boiled down to only a couple for tomorrow, as the others were all booked.  Bit like Centre Parcs – you have to be first in the queue to get the ones you want.  JP – where are you?  There were a couple of nice ones – so as long as the bags arrive with our trekking boots we will be OK.  If not – massage and pool I think!

Dinner was very good.  The restaurant was lovely, and the food good.  The unfortunate thing about this hotel is that it follows Awasi – and that is never going to be easy.  I think it is going to take several years to get anything that comes up to the standard I feel!  But, the bags arrived at about 10pm, so full steam ahead.