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Thermals and hot chocolate...21 May 2008
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| My earliest rise in a long long time as we got up at 4am to head to the El Taito geysers this morning. Thermals, hats, scarves and gloves all required as it was about -10 in San Pedro before you factored in any winds that were out there! It was about a 2hour drive, but boy, what a sight when we arrived. Steam gently rises from the holes and pools in the ground - some small, some wide - or in some cases the water violently ejects, thrusting ferociously boiling water into the atmosphere. Some are constantly bubbling, whilst others suddenly erupt for 10-90 seconds before subsiding for a short time, then erupting again as if an internal alarm clock had just gone off. It was an absolutely incredible morning. As we walked back to the bus, Alejandro our driver had prepared our breakfast of sandwiches and biscuits, and hot chocolate that he had cooked by lowering the cartons into the centre of the geysers! Just what was needed, and I probably did drink more than my fair share. Then it was back to San Pedro for lunch, and another fruitless search for the post office before heading off to the Atacama salt flats in the afternoon. The salt flats were pretty impressive, but not so much flat as a series of 'balls' of salt, or roughed up cake icing is probably a better way of putting it. Regardless of flat or spherical shapes, it did have a beautiful sunset, and a large collection of birds and flamingos in the lakes. Still bloody freezing though! |
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