Yastaah

As I couldn't keep travelling due to the recovering collar bone I stayed four months spent in San Pedro de Atacama working. The alternative was to go back in Italy or stay in La Paz doing basically nothing. The good thing of working for a tour agency was to join all kind of tour, hiking the Vulcan Lascar or the Uyuni salt flat tour. End of peak season, so it was time to go. I've been few days in Santiago for a job interview. After a short stay I decided to keep travelling. Still, it was nice as I met few friends known on the way. I decided to go north again. So I visited Valle del Elqui, apparently the clearest sky in the world hosting few astronomical observatory. The little village of Pisco Elqui hosts also vineyard producing wine and pisco. From there about 20hrs by bus to Iquique and them Arica. Both are beach towns. Arica is at the border with Peru, being the northern city of Chile. This terroty once belonged to Bolivia and Peru is full of ...

This south American trip started in Chile. The idea was to be there for about a month. "No reason I should be over there for more time", I was thinking. I couldn't have been so wrong. Landed in Santiago, the Chileans started speaking about the South and the North. In these exact terms. Like two places which didn't need to be specified better. They pushed me to go away from the capital and its region where I've visited Valparaiso and Viña del Mar. The South was Patagonia and the North was the desert. These are magic places. So different yet so alike, with unique landscapes. I've actually realized what the Chileans really meant just when I reached them. Still I wouldn't be fair if I wouldn't mention the beautiful places I've seen going south: Constitución, Pucón, Valdivia, Puerto Varas and Isla de Chiloé. I can actually say the Los Lagos region is one of my favourite. By boat from Quellón, south of Isla Chiloé, I reached Puerto Cisn...

Just 10 hours by bus from Salta, San Pedro de Atacama, north of Chile, hosts the "desert more desertic" of the world. I rented a bike twice to go to Valle de la Luna, Pukara del Quitor and to the Quebrada del diablo. They are located just few km away from San Pedro. Despite there is not a lot to do apart walking or cycling, These places are very suggestive. I've enjoyed so much the nature, watching the sunset or the Inca ruins, or in the distance the Andes with their tops still covered by snow. More than once you will find yourself completely alone. The feeling of peace and quiet will envelope your soul till you are one thing with the surrounding. I also went to the Las Lagunas Escondidas. It takes more than a hour by car. It's possible to have a swim in the lagoon. The water is crystal clear. The contrast between the water and the desert around looks unreal. This place is just magic. It's possible also to go to termas, or the geysers, or climb the Vulcans,...