Calama itself seemed to comprise the airport, rows of prefabricated houses and little else of any interest. Like the hordes before us we too were bound for the region's cultural capital and were soon bumping along a seemingly interminable but ruggedly awe-inspiring road through barren rocky desert towards San Pedro de Atacama. It was a longer journey than we'd imagined but when at last the bus chugged towards a shimmering green oasis amid the swirling dust clouds, we knew we had arrived at our destination.
San Pedro is even more spectacular than one expects; its position on the edge of the desert and poised between dramatic valleys, lakes, canyons and volcanoes must be one of the most naturally fortunate in the world. The town itself is pretty, faithfully preserved with its original adobe architectural style while also being very well-developed as a tourist and serious traveller destination. Clearly the town's raison d'etre is the sheer panoply of excursions possible and available to be purchased from any one of the numerous tour operators lining its streets (along with the hotels, hostels, cafes, restaurants and shops) although it is also a calmly pleasant environment in which to relax between tours, whether sipping a drink in the shady main square (complete with picturesque church) or ambling around its dusty corners. Judging from the number of northern European travellers, both budget and luxury, one can only conclude that San Pedro de Atacama must have achieved legendary status on the traveller trail as backpackers and young people in general abound, both visitors and local workers, though surprisingly so do senior citizens evidently in search of pastures new as a busload of French pensioners proved...
The first thing we did on arrival was to take time to acclimatise to our new environment, paying particular attention to the adjustment in altitude which was over 2400m. However we were all fine, some dry skin apparent even on the girls' lips by the end of our stay but nothing more serious than that. Sunglasses were essential equipment, even for the children, as were hats and sunblock to resist the glare of a very strong sun. Our hotel was comfortable and clean though we were wary of not wasting tap water while also drinking copious amounts of the bottled variety. Soon we were busy exploring the town centre, weighing up the possibilities, staving off the touts and trying to strike a balance between nature, adventure, activity and relaxation with two -admittedly robust- small children in tow.
Our first excursion bright and early the next morning was to Laguna Cejar in the middle of the salt plain although it soon transformed itself into something of an endurance test, largely due to an incommunicative and incompetent driver. However the lake itself was a wonder to contemplate, not just for its beauty but also for its apparent ability to keep even the heaviest person afloat due to its high salt concentration as DH successfully tested...
The next afternoon came probably the highlight of our stay: a trip to the Valle de la Luna, so-called for its other-worldly landscape, sense of infinite space and of course lack of vegetation. In this case even the bus ride was spectacular but walking along its stony surface surrounded by mineral-rich rocks and jutting cliffs was even more evocative of space exploration. It was a little like being on a vast film set or a photo shoot as the opportunities to remain impressed were endless. The children loved it, DD1 running up and down sand dunes while DD2 scrambled to keep up, collecting as many stones and crystals as she could carry.
It was a tough choice but for the last day we plumped for an afternoon spent at Termas de Puritama, a series of eight natural rock pools with thermal properties and water at a temperature of around 34°C. The pools themselves were dramatically set in a breathtakingly verdant canyon under the watchful gaze of the active volcano Licancabur whose smoke one could see rising... Only snag was that DD2 refused to set foot in any of the pools once she knew there were fish and other creatures swimming in it, not to mention algae and other suspicious-looking "green things"... DD1 on the other hand had to be forcibly removed from the water when it was time to go.
Back in Santiago and it feels as if we were really on another planet for a few exciting and unforgettable days...
It was a tough choice but for the last day we plumped for an afternoon spent at Termas de Puritama, a series of eight natural rock pools with thermal properties and water at a temperature of around 34°C. The pools themselves were dramatically set in a breathtakingly verdant canyon under the watchful gaze of the active volcano Licancabur whose smoke one could see rising... Only snag was that DD2 refused to set foot in any of the pools once she knew there were fish and other creatures swimming in it, not to mention algae and other suspicious-looking "green things"... DD1 on the other hand had to be forcibly removed from the water when it was time to go.
Back in Santiago and it feels as if we were really on another planet for a few exciting and unforgettable days...
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