Desert Whirlwind

Whew. Okay, we´re back in civilization after lots more traveling. Sorry for taking so long for the update, but we´ve been as capricious as the South American wind.

We took a half-hour flight due south over the riots in Tacna from Arequipa, Peru to Arica, Chile (we lost two hours in the time change, oddly enough). Arica is beautiful and, apparently, the scene of some big wave surfing championships. We were quick to pass through, though, and caught the overnight bus to San Pedro de Atacama, smack dab in the middle of the dryest desert in the world. It was great to back in the desert, continuing our Desert LoveAffair (as I like to call it). There, we met up with bunches of other travelers, including some Californians land roving over South America with their dog. We hopped in with them to ride over the border to do some climbing in Tugzle, Argentina, where a bashed ankle happened. We met another "overlander" couple, who are really doing it right! Checked into a great hospital experience in Salta (where all visits are free and the service was very fast!) and were relieved to see a crack-free x-ray. That was good. Anna´s still getting around on crutches, but getting better all the time. After reposing in Salta for a few days, we got a crazy hair and decided to take 24 hour (!!!) bus ride to Iguazu Falls, back on the border with Brazil and Paraguay, which is where we are now. It´s hot and there´s a pet monkey down the street named Mona who mostly ignores you, but when she looks at you, she raises her eyebrows in the most curious way. We head to the Falls proper tomorrow, and I´m sure there will be lots of photos to share about that!

Ok. Here´s a bit of what we got:

Wow. The Valley of the Moon. Sunset bike ride. Awesome.

Dunes

Near San Pedro is the Chuquicamata copper mine, the world´s largest copper mine (this place is full of superlatives). My grandfather (this is Tony writing), Robert Lydon, worked there as a chemist in the late 1920´s and early 1930´s. Here´s a photo of him from the same epoch, in front of the monument in Civic Center Park in Denver, where he grew up.


It was emotional for me to be there. I never met him. Things sure have changed since he was there. The Chuquicamata town and it´s buildings have all been closed off; most North Americans are gone, and the mine has expanded to epic proportions. Nonetheless, it felt good to make some connection to the past and to a place where he was as a young man.



So, about our friends from California: check their page. We had a lot in common! Turns out, they were on their way to do some rock climbing across the border from Argentina. "Well, how about that!", we said, and promptly tagged along!

The beautiful rig.

Steve and the GPS wait for the llamas to cross the road, somewhere out in the middle of the Altiplano, on the Tropic of Cancercorn (as we kept calling it; the altitude was going to our heads).

With Sierra, the dog, always on the lookout for stray vicuñas and llamas that have wandered from the herd.

Pretty good volcanic tuff bouldering to be had at Tugzle, with lots more to be cleaned up and climbed on. Although at 4000+ meters, even walking is tough.

A delicious frisbee of bread for lunch. Mmm! Gus, you´re missing out!

The beautiful view from SprainedAnkle´sVille. Look at the size of that thing!

Anna getting around with her make-shift crutches: a shovel and a camp chair, showing off the cruiser of a couple from Holland who have been traveling the world now for FIVE AND HALF YEARS!! Check out their site.

Unbelievable. I think all this exposure to these long-term overland travellers has planted some ideas in our heads...

Love that desert! Blazing hot and windy during the day, and freezing cold and still windy at night! It´s the only way to keep the dust out of your eyes.

Thanks for reading and we love you all! More pics in Picasa!