06.04.17 – 15.04.17 – San Pedro de Atacama
The next day, I took the night bus to my favorite town and last stop in Chile. The favorite place of most of the travelers in Chile, I guess. San Pedro de Atacama. It’s a lovely town up in the north, in the middle of the Atacama desert. The area around San Pedro is just amazing. I never thought you would find that many different kinds of landscape, in the middle of the desert. Already while driving with the bus to San Pedro it was just impossible to put the camera away.
Well, if you don’t inform yourself about what to see there (like me of course) your first impression will be like: ”WOW! I never saw so many volcanos and peaky mountains at the same time.” or ” I never expected it’s actually possible to have mountains with snow on top, in the middle of the desert.” Well, everwhere you look you see mountains with snow, on top. I think I counted like 12 at the same time. Also the reason is that you can look like hundreds of kilometers far in any direction.
Looks like this in any direction
Anyway, I arrived in San Pedro and was in love with it, straightaway. Super quiet, chilled, hot, sunny and small. Exactly how I love my places to live (Well, it was really dry there… a bit of sea would be appreciated). After checking into my hostel I went into the town centre. I figured most of what happens there is focused on a few streets. You can find plenty of travel agencies, all along those streets. That moment I figured out how much you can actually do in this area. I knew, it’s going to be expensive few days. So I walked along the main street looking for some information about the tours and trying to find the cheapest deals.
Suddenly, a nice local girl called Camilla, working for an agency talked to me, trying to sell me tours.
I was like:” Yes, I wanna get information of her. She’s pretty!”
I couldn’t resist to ask her for a drink, after work. I picked her up at 10pm and we had a really nice evening. Oh man, I was so lucky. She offered me to stay at her house for the time I’m in San Pedro. Of course, without paying any rent. Jackpot! I’m still so grateful for that offer.
Actually, the first two nights we were both living inside a tent, in the garden of her mothers best friends. Then, her mother arrived and took us to the holiday houses they were living in, that time.
I also got the chance to meet Camillas crazy!!! dog Loic. Seriously, I never met such a hyperactive dog.
Of course, thanks to Camilla, I got awesome deals of the tours. One tour to 3 different lagoons you could float in, watch beautiful reflections of the volcanos in the background and an amazing sunset. Also, free Pisco- Sour and a lot of snacks were included. I got this tour for the price only agency employees would get it, actually.
Another day I went to the ”Valle de la luna” (valley of the moon) by bycicle. There’s no place in the world that looks so similar to the surface of the moon.
Both trips were absolutely brillant. The views unforgettable. After these tours I thought I don’t need to see more, there.
We went for dinner and drinks with Camilla’s mom almost every evening. I always wanted to pay but her mother forced me to keep my money. She always paid.
At some point I got very sick for one day. The moment the yellowfevee vaccination really kicked it. It was actually already like 9 days later. You can feel something until 10 days afterwards.
Basically, I spent my days hanging out in San Pedro, always close to Camillas agency as I had Wifi there. I didn’t mind to not do a lot as the atmosphere was just cool in general and I always got to meet people you already became friends with while tours, going out or just because Camilla was trying to sell them stuff and I got into the conversations.
As Camilla and her mom did so much good for me I thought it couldn’t become better, I couldn’t become luckier. I was wrong. One day, a friend of her mom who actually is the owner of one of those travel agencies, offered me to join him on a tour. Completely for free! And this tour was a very expensive one. (Actual price: 70€ per person) Into the ”Salar” (salt desert). It was so beautiful, indescribable. No photo could ever show the real beauty of it.
That made the highlight and a perfect end of my journey in Chile.
Thanks Camilla!!!! Thanks for all!!! You made my last days in Chile umforgettable!
The next evening I was taking the night bus to Uyuni, Bolivia.
I can’t express how happy I am I started this journey and chose Chile as first destination. This country is beautiful! The nature, the people, the places, the whole atmosphere… I love it!
I can just highly recommend to check it out, if you intend to travel Southamerica!
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