Another day, another LAN Chile flight. Today, we leave
the high rainfall of the Lakes for the high altitude and low rainfall of the
Atacama Desert. It is actually the driest desert on earth; in places it has
never, ever rained!
Not at all like Wales, then.
'Wonderful website, thank for sharing.
I noted one little detail that may or may not be important to
you... in the first photo from the Chile series you mention Mig
jets, yet I believe the corresponding photo depicts a Northrup F-20
Tigershark. Certainly, this detail does nothing to diminish your
work and only aviation geeks might even notice.
Best Regards and thank-you again for
sharing.'
Andrew Thorne
Everett, Washington
We touch down in Santiago on our way to see a couple of
Northrup F-20 Tigershark planes
landing. (I previously thought that they were MIG's-sorry to
all aeroplane enthusiasts)
There is an important conference in Santiago (APEC) with both
Presidents Putin and Bush attending.
As we ascend, the many vineyards of the Central valley
are readily apparent.
Volcanoes emerge above the clouds. There are literally
hundreds in the Andes.
This one gently smoking...
An enormous depression.
As we come in to land in Calama, the giant Chuquicamata
Copper mine, created in 1911. It's the largest copper mine in the world.
We disembark into the bone dry atmosphere of the
altoplana at 2250 metres above sea level. We are advised to drink much water
to help prevent altitude sickness in the days to come.
It's a small airport so it's not long before we head for the hills...
The road is straighter than a ruler for mike after mile:
this is route 23 on its way to Argentina.
We pause at 3000 metres above sea level to
enjoy a sunset.
and arrive in San Pedro de Atacama in complete, warm
darkness. Our rooms are around the edge of a swimming pool. A pool in the
middle of the driest desert on earth? Can this be a mirage?!
No, it was there as we walked to breakfast, just as
inviting and twice as real.
