Have decided to break up journey to Santaigo with trip to observatory in Vicuna, part of the rich Elqui valley region.
Mamalluca Observatory
Is the name of it.
High in the hills.
Gabriel Mistral
She lived was raised then died.
Here’s her picture.
the tour of Chuquicamata, have a few hours till I catch the bus to La Serena.
Calama is alright to hang around for a few hours, it has a few markets.
Used to be the world’s biggest but is no longer.
Fun’s over I now have to return to Calama.
I have a tour booked tommorrow in the city.
Misty Andes Hotel
This place looked cheap and innocous.
Surreally, a clown with and consatina neck and extending head follows me in, thanks me for opening the doors.
Morning
At about 6am I hear other guests waking up and vacating their rooms.
This lasts an hour, I go back to sleep.
The tour is at 2pm.
Rather than sit round and do nothing for the rest of the day, took a trip to the place called Aguas Puritama, a water source warmer than normal temperature but not sulphurous, clear and pure.
Hitched
I have hitched up there and the place is closed.
I hitch back and some girls drop me off at a free version of Agua Puritama known to locals complete with pampas grass, dragon flies plus the warm clean stream water.
Spend an hour in the stream & sunbathing on the rocks.
Very relaxing.
Runs through the valley.
Not far from the fun Geysers you will find the warm baths, slightly muddy, slightly smelly lots of Germans, don’t let this worry you.
Strip off make sure everyone is looking, slip yer togs on and wade in.
Spent at least twenty minutes in this fashion, relaxing with the multinational crowd which had gathered in fashion to take the waters.
English
Saw the English girls from yesterday who reported that they were going to spend the afternoon horse riding then take a 25 hour bus trip to Santiago.
It was Nonnies birthday in two days and she wanted to spend it in Santiago.
Waters
Very relaxing after a 4am start.
High point in fact.
