Mar 3, 2009 - Copiapo

It’s amazing how one’s expectations of a place colour how it looks when you first arrive. Like so many cities in the world, the area around the bus station was nothing short of ugly. We walked the several blocks to the hotel we had booked and were dismayed to find a somewhat shabby motel with disgusting carpets on the floor. We used the excuse that I have allergies to things that live in carpets, and asked to leave our suitcases at the hotel while we went in search for another place to stay. I am thankful Anil was willing to trudge around...

Feb 10, 2009 - Du karate a Copiapó

La route continue toujours vers le nord. Nous atteigons sans probleme la ville de Copiapo, ou nous avons une connaissance rencontrée au stage de karate a Villarrica (dossier 33). Mauricio nous propose tout de suite de loger dans son petit dojo, avec salle de bain a disposition. Manu participe au cours de karate des jeunes. Le jour suivant nous nous rendons sur une plage magnifique de sable blanc et eau turquoise et nous goutons quelques specialites locales. Mauricio est prof de karate mais aussi d'aerobox, un genre de gymnastique avec...

Oct 31, 2008 - More of Chile

After leaving our new friends Ivan & Silvia, we headed North into Chile. At this point, we are officially on the PanAmerican Highway! YEA!! One of the things we've enjoyed seeing is the different plant life along the road. In Paraguay, we were almost over spring and into summer. Here in Chile, spring is just beginning. There are lots of avocados & artichokes growing - it reminds us of California. In Argentina & Chile, there are lots of grapes. Sometimes there are fields of grapes as far as you can see. We traveled from La Calera to La...

Feb 21, 2006 - Copiapo, Chile

So, we are here in Copiapo. Its pretty much in the middle of the desert. Yesterday, we drove 5 hours on bus, through the Atacama Dessert, and there was a whole bunch of NOTHING. But on Friday, Alex and I are going to head out to Laguna Verde, and I will try to post some pictures. Gotta run. Ryan

Jan 8, 2006 - The long bus journey south

We had already done a monster of a bus journey all the way north from Santiago a month ago, now it was time to go back down again. This time we decided to stop 22 hours down the line at La Serena. We went back down with the same company but we didn't have quite as good an experience as last time. After about an hour the air conditioning started leaking over Anna's head and some 6 hours later a waterfall erupted over her. The films were poor, we got fed at stupid times and the staff weren't as good. We had to change buses in the middle of...

Sep 23, 2005 - Copiapo, Chile... Trying my luck slightly further south

When I went to the bus company again on Thursday - to check the progress of the bus leaving to Salta on Friday - there was no change in the situation. So it was decided that I should try further south - Sebastian had said that it should be ok crossing in Santiago, which is only five hours West of Mendoza, Argentina. It's such a busy crossing, that the high demand would ensure enough people would be employed to clear the snow away to make the road passable. If going straight down, it would be a 19 hours trip. So I thought I might as well see...