Random Notes at Night

I’m writing this at night on the 25 of January, 2012. 

In some ways not having the internet is easier.  I don’t have to worry about whether or not the photos are going to upload or whether I can catch Renee and the boys online.  I figure now would be a good time to write some more random thoughts.

People.  People are the most amazing thing we have seen on this trip.  They have ranged from awful to magnificent.  Today we stopped at one hostel in San Pedro de Atacama.  They didn’t have room and weren’t much help.  While Jim was in learning that, I was sitting on my moto.  A car skids up with two couples inside, they crack open a beer and hand it out the open window.   Then they proceed to introduce themselves and welcome me to San Pedro.  They said the place to get a room was in Calama,  but we didn’t want to go back there.

We wandered through town.  I figured maybe on the far end from where the tourists enter we’d have a chance.  Sure enough I found a place.  The only people there were the operator and three truckers.  The three truckers, Andres, Carlos and one other were very helpful in route planning and were super social.  Pretty soon they had out a camera and were showing us photos of their last haul,  a trailer with mining equipment that had 96 wheels, with a pull tractor and push tractor.  Other photos were of Dakar vehicles and the same church/ town/ volcano photos we’ve been taking.  They shared their mate with us.  It is tasty.

We met Andres first.  He is probably the biggest South American we have come across so far.  As we were locking the bikes together he said "tranquillo".  They lock the gates and his room was right next to where we were parking and he’d take care of them.   Good bunch of guys.

San Pedro de Atacama is overrun with the tourist business.  The central district has the feel of a Disney version of a Chilean town.  You are constantly pestered by tour operators and restaurants.  The main walks are full of bewildered tourists and buskers.  Since most of our time has been away from touristy areas, it was quite an unpleasant change.

Dinner was good, if a little expensive.

So far the best day of riding has been from Putre to Iquique.  The road had seen little maintenance since the last storm that washed out sections.  We passed a grader that was working near the salar.  Only over took the grader and a tour van.  The tour van had 3 clients, including the Swiss woman we met the evening before.  The operator told us where to watch for ambush on the road.  During that section, do not stop for any people.

The difference between Peru and Chile is amazing.  Peru feels lawless and grubby.  Chile feels on the cusp of the first world.   Both countries have ample poverty.  In Peru you risk your life to cross the street.  In Chile, cars stop for pedestrians before they are even at the curb.  The food is much better in Peru.  The people are nice in both countries.

The Altiplano of Chile is just as I imagined, a high plain with volcanoes in the distance in every direction.  One was steaming, which was fun.  The KTMs were awesome on the rough dirt road. 

Rheas are cool.  It was funny to see an ostrich looking bird at 15,000 ft.

Another good person was our waiter at dinner in Iquique. At then end of the expensive meal Jim got the check.  Jim didn’t see that the propina was included.  He double tipped.  The waiter caught the mistake, backed out the transaction and ran it again.  He could have easily just taken the double tip and we never would have known.

Our hotel in Iquique was run down.  One of the first on the nice section of beach with a great location, but clearly maintenance has been ignored.  Too bad, because it could be primo like the pink palace on Waikiki. 

The bikes are running well.  You can really feel the power difference between sea level and 15,000 ft.  At high altitude gear selection matters.  We have acclimatized well.  I’m sure I could sleep comfortably at 13,000 ft.

Now  it is another night later. Who knew you could mix wine with agua gasificada or with coke or beer with coke or fix cars in the middle of nowhere or drink until 1:30 or have a great conversation with a bunch of people who didn’t speak the same language?  Really, people are awesome. 

Note about Chile:  Carlos was right, if you have a problem ask the guys in green (Carabineros) they can help.

Also, half the people we met from Finland didn’t have names that end in “nen”.