Got up about 1145 and left hotel about 1330. Felt a bit like was wasting time but in reality I wasn't. Booked a hostel in San Pedro de Atacama for Sat/Sun nights, it may suck but it's hard to tell. Also bought a bus ticket for tomorrow 1330 during my peregrinations. Have withdrawn CLP150,000 on the vague suspicion (from the guide book) there are few/no cash machines in San Pedro. Surely that cannot be true - you can't milk your tourists properly without a cash machine - but better safe than sorry.
Walked down to Parque El Loa. Bit scrubby but not too bad. Museum of desert culture closed and padlocked, even when I went back half an hour later after walking back up the road to get a drink. Park scantily populated with the odd little group of people but largely empty. There's a mini suspension bridge which I walked across rather nervously as it wobbled like mad, and a strange netted dome which appears to be empty and inaccessible.
1637 Cafe was El Buen Gusto in La Torre. More on the park later maybe.
1658 Back at hotel. CLP4,900 for the half chicken and chips. I should just have had the quarter (which is what they mainly advertise), it was enormous. The chicken was just a little pink in places; I am fairly sure I have seen that before in the UK and it's been fine, but now a bit concerned I'm going to get sick. Also suffering from slight bowel trouble which I hope is not going to cause any problems.
Vague plan now is to maybe check the guide book one last time for anything I've missed here and probably not go anyway. I intend to repack my bag, maybe dick around on the internet and bowels permitting perhaps go out around 8 or 9.
Don't think there was much else to say about the park actually.
2013 Had a bath, repacked, shaved, tried to read up on sandboarding and see just how fucking risky it might be (no real joy). Just popped out to get a bottle of water (mainly for tonight, not tomorrow - the bottle of diet coke I bought in La Serena is finally just about empty.)
Bit dubious about going out tonight especially with this slight doubt over my bowels, but they have behaved themselves for the last couple of hours. Will probably go out, saw a Mexican pub/bar this afternoon which I may try (suspect it may be cerveza con piernas) if I can find it again and will probably end up at American *Pub* (as it is actually called) on Ramirez unless the Mexican place turns out to be good. Also bit concerned about walk back but I guess I have to treat it like last night.
Looking at guide book, sort of wish I had done a tour of the nearby mine (open mine, not Potosi style thing) Chaquisomethinglikethat. Not sure how I could have got there though probably a bus or colectivo. Mon-Fri at 1400 according to guide book. Just possibly might do that if I come back this way from San Pedro, if not I guess it's something to save for next time.
Starting to get dark, will probably go out in next 30 mins or so. Will send this now and start a fresh entry for tonight.
No comments:
Post a Comment