Hotel Montecatini I Copiapo

We will post trip information here as soon as it starts. For 2010, we will continue planning the project and look for Sponsors that are willing to invest and support the Project. All indications in that regard is ...

... UK has very very few animals which could theoretically pose a danger to people (and don't come from a zoo.) The only one that springs to mind is the adder, a poisonous snake that makes its home out on the moors. I lived in a village on the moors for over fifteen years, and I still have never seen an adder. The notion of dangerous wildlife is not one I have had to live with, and consequently is not, or rather was not, before I moved to Chile, a factor that ...

... forced its move from north Africa, where it's been staged for 29 years. So this year, the Dakar Rally begins and ends in Buenos Aires, and spends 2 weeks crossing the mountains and deserts of Argentina and Chile. We were going to catch it in Copiapo, Chile. To do this, we rode across the Atacama Desert, which makes up most of the northern half of Chile. It is very mineral and ore rich, but not much lives ...

... and bundle up. The road curves itīs way around the ocean and we cross the Tropic of Capricorn late in the morning. We pass a golf course made entirely of sand and also a military zone just outside the city of Antofagasta. We stop for gas early in the afternoon and met a Brazilian Rider who is in Chile to watch the Dakkar Rally. I noticed my chain is loose and adjust. We enter the Atacama ...

... a big no no. We found another gringo in town, who told us that weīd be better off renting a 4X4 and go there by ourselves, he was right, that divides the cost in 6, so we spent our day going to about 10 different rent-a-car places in town, which was such a long walk, under the burning sun, i was so tired at the end. We found after about 3 hours a great deal, last question we were asked before concluding the deal was "how old are you", the answer being 22, 24 and 24 ...

... 5 costs money. every 80km there is a "peaje" that wants 5$. About 100km north of Santiago i turned of the highway and took the costroad south to Valparaiso. The first towns have the very richy houses and properties. Further south is a fishing village named Horcon. reminds me of France somehow. Pretty "Cool" there.. After Vina de Mar i reached Valparaiso. I was expecting a ...

... gate which are locked shut. Maybe they are just late in opening it I figure and decide to walk the 30 minutes across town to check out another site. Upon arrival I find itīs closed as well. Thatīs it - no more museumīs or sites in this town, I gave up and walked back to the center to get a coffee. I figure itīs just Karmaīs way of equalling things out for my earlier small victory. I smile a little as I think about my long journey ahead.

... a string of ill-advised detours, wrong turns and emergency pit stops, we made it to La Serena and decided to spend a day enjoying the beach before heading inland to explore Valle Elqui. We unanimously agreed that we had come at the perfect time of year, when the vacationers had all gone home, and we were accompanied by a pack of stray dogs instead of throngs of tourists. The canines, as it turns out, are much better company. We then headed into the Valle Elqui, a lush ...

... to a darkened room without natural sunlight I was disorientated to the time of day. Itīs quite a dreary room and I was glad to get going and be out in the sunshine. Today I have become better acquainted with the town, as it is Sunday only one of the museums was open- as its Sunday it was also free. I went to Museo Reginal de Atacama. Which to be honest wouldnīt have be a disappointment should I have not gone but, I ...

... nice and small...easy to get around with a huge shopping mall(if needs must). Didn't do any tours as they were just landscape stuff. More of what we have already seen. Not that fuss on La Serna....Best in the summer I expect as it is a resort town.