juddtrip: San Pedro de Atacama, CHILE and Salar de Uyuni, BOLIVIA

... Let´s see... last blog in Santiago. So after knocking on my old host family’s door and getting a very warm welcome, I stayed with them for several more days and had a wonderful time catching up. We even hiked up a nearby mountain to get above the perennial smog that lingers over this otherwise bustling and beautiful city. Then I jumped on a 24 hour bus along the coast and desert through the extremely bleak landscape of the northern third of Chile. A certain part of the Atacama region hasn’t seen a drop of rain in over 70 years!

Upon arrival in San Pedro de Atacama (elevation 8052), I wandered the dirt streets looking to see what I could do for the next couple of days... So I popped my head in a place that offered hikes, climbs, and other excursions that tried to stay away from the "bus tour options." A young Chilean guide started to tell me about an all day hike that I could do and I told him I wasn’t sure I wanted to pay a lot of money for a hike and I was actually looking to doing something on my own without a guide. He then started asking what kind of experience I had, and I told him I used to be a guide and what not. He then started inquiring whether I had certain certifications, like a Wilderness First Responder. I told him yes...

He then turned to me and asked if I would help him guide a couple from Washington DC that demanded two guides up a 18,492 foot mountain named Cerro Toco. He said the route was easy, but I started to think about the fact that I was at sea level six hours before. But I couldn’t resist and I knew I would be coming down the same day, thus avoiding the serious altitude problems.

The next day I met him at 6 am and we picked up the American couple and headed to the trailhead. I had to tell a few white lies about guiding in this area, but everything else went very smoothly. I stuck with the wife, who was a bit slower and prudently decided to stop about 300 feet from the summit. She was exhausted and barely had enough energy to get back down. I felt the elevation big time and had a standard headache and a bit of nausea, but kept my cool. I even managed to take a few ¨touristy photos” in the midst of being a professional guide (see photo below). At the end of the day, I even got a tip and invited to drink champagne at their 5 star hotel...

For my services rendered, the company allowed me to take some of their other great day excursions for free, which I did and enjoyed. One included a hike across the valle de la luna, with wine to follow during the sunset from above the valle, which provided great views of the mountain I had climbed a couple days before. Needless to say, San Pedro treated me well.

Then it was off to cross the border of Bolivia in 4x4 Toyota land cruisers. I bought into this 3 day trip that took you across the high altiplano desert and salt flats of Bolivia. Of the 12 people in the two 4x4´s, there was 10 countries represented (USA, Ireland, UK, Bolivia, Chile, France, Brazil, Netherlands, Sweden, and Spain.) We had an incredible time seeing some the most bizarre and equally beautiful landscape I have ever seen. From flamingos, to geysers at 16,500 feet, to red lakes, to red skies, to the surreal (and worlds largest) salt flat of Uyuni, my camera- and my lungs- got a good work out...

Kicking it with mi madre Chilena.

Getting a little fresh air above Santiago with Paula and Jorge, my Chilean hermana and her husband.

Sneaking in a picture while "on the job." Coming down off of Cerro Toco (18,492 ft.) with San Pedro de Atacama and other peaks in the distance.

Beautiful sunset with Valle de la Luna below, with peaks (Cerro Toco on right) shimmering in background. I had a glass of Chilean wine in my other hand- just earning back my hard work the day before!

Chile and Bolivia border crossing at just under 16,000 feet.

Doing my stupid headstand thing at the Bosque de Piedras (Rock Forest) along the 4x4 Bolivian adventure.

Flamingos and beautiful backdrops.

Sunset neat the Lago Colorado (Red Lake). I was almost convinced that the color of the lake was causing the red sky, but then realized it was just the fact that I was on a different planet.