In desert country

Trip Start Jan 12, 2009
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27
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Trip End Apr 02, 2009


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Where I stayed
Residencial Vilacoyo
(San Pedro de Atacama hotels)

Flag of Chile  ,
Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Got in to San Pedro de Atacama at about 3:30 pm, after enduring yet another ride on an overnight bus from Santiago (I set a personal record this time - a little over 24 hours!).  Wasn't sure exactly how to get to the hostel from the bus terminal, since there were no taxis waiting and it absolutely didn't seem like any would wander by.  I decided to follow the other backpackers, and luckily I found the street my hostel was located on after only 3 blocks.  With much relief, I discovered that Hiyasmin and Kushal had already checked in (which meant that our plan to meet up in the desert was coming into fruition).  The reception lady took me to our room, and I hurriedly collapsed on the upper bunk bed, glad to be lying flat and eager for a bit of sleep...

Didn't do much for the remainder of the day - surfed the net a little at a small, cramped, hot internet café with a nice owner, had a glass of cold mango juice at a café next door, bought some groceries, cooked some dinner Atacama
Atacama
 .  San Pedro de Atacama is a small little town in the middle of the desert and looks like the set of a classic Western movie - one-storey adobe buildings, dirt roads, narrow streets, scorching sun...

Tomorrow, a full day tour is in order of I don't know quite what, but it should be exciting.  As members of SAE, we got a 15% discount too which is good.  We are also still eagerly waiting for Julia and Andy, and wondering when and even where we will meet up...

On another important note, things are so much more expensive in Chile than in Perú!  I am still in shock after 3 days!  (edit:  also, it is much more difficult to do math in your head since $1 USD = 600 Chilean pesos!  On the plus side, one kinda feels richer having thousands of pesos in the wallet.)
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