San Pedro de Atacama...an oasis in the middle of the driest desert in the world

Sorry for the long delay...we have been kicking back and kicking up dust at a desert oasis known as San Pedro de Atacama...the driest desert in the world! We are at a mere 2,700 meters above sea level (that´s meters folks, not to be confused with feet). The village is an amusing mix of ex-pats from all over the world, nutsy locals, and young Chileans immigrating from other, less interesting cities (we guess). Since we arrived here on Thursday morning, we have been all over town seeing the sights, eating the food, and enjoying the laid back atmosphere of this little dusty village.
We got here after an overnight ride, which was 12 hours long, from Arica, Chile. Dazed and confused by the sun once we arrived, we settled into our hostel - which, although an improvement over the icebox in Puno, is no cozy cottage. But whatever, our skins are toughened and it ain´t no thing.
Here is a rundown of some of the crazy things we have seen and done since we have been in San Pedro:

1. A nighttime trek to Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley) which apparently looks like the surface of the moon, where an Irish girl tried to convince Lorna that the Americans landing on the moon was all a conspiracy...pssh. It was beautiful, and Lia licked a wall of the canyon to see if it would taste like salt (it did) and then was warned by the guide (Um, have you ever heard or arsenic?) We watched the sun set over the mountains and turn the whole desert pink.

2. A full day whirlwind tour of the Salar de Atacama and the Flamenco reserve (the Atacama salt flat and the pink flamingos that live there) - this might have been one of the most otherwordly sights than any of us had EVER seen...knee high craggy salt formations as far as the eye can see...with strange, absolutely still lagoons in the middle. Pink flamingos stalked about as the three of us tried to be quiet (it is hard when you are walking on craggy salt) and surprise them. The whole scene of the mountains, the salt, and the birds was perfectly reflected in the lagoon...amazing.

3. A visit to an idyllic mountain lake, amazingly still and glass-like. The snow capped mountain that rose above it was perfectly reflected once again...almost as though another mountain grew down into the ground. The guide, Alan (who, by the way, definitely stopped the van to make a shady deal on the way to the Salar) was a little too entranced by Las Tres Profesoras, but it was all in good fun, and anyway, we understood his English.

4. This morning, Natalie and Lia got up at 3:00 am in the bitter cold (they had slept in their clothes to avoid having to unnecessarily expose skin) and took a bumpy, crazy van ride up to 15,000 feet to watch a moutain explode with geysers. Too bad their toes were too cold to stay out long, but it was definitely almost like an alien planet, with steamy geysers of all sizes rising out of the earth while making sputtering noises. What was even more amazing was 20 minutes later, when they got to wade with their frozen feet in a natural hot spring...despite all the Europeans getting naked and jumping in, Nat and Lia, needless to say, where not going to risk hypothermia. However, wading was fun enough, and definitely toasted our feet and hands back to life. From there we went on to a little village stop where Nat had here first Empanada and Lia had a llama kabob (delicious!).

Other than these sights, we have been just enjoying the culinary array that San Pedro has to offer (and REAL omelettes....so exciting), the cheap beer and the fun and crazy people. Last night, Natalie and Lia found themselves haphazardly at the local hangout spot. Unable to communicate with anyone (people in Chile talk REALLY fast), they hung out by the fire, unable to figure out why the wiry Chilean dude all in black kept taking pictures of them. On some random Chileans myspace page, we are sure you will find us, beer in hand and confused look on face. The night before, Lorna and Lia were in a fire pit debating American politics with some brits. All in all, a great time :)

We are here in San Pedro until Tuesday morning, when we take off for Salta, Argentina...supposedly a beautiful and bustling colonial city in the Northwest. From there on to Buenos Aires. We love and miss you all and can´t wait to read your emails or comment so keep em coming!

Lia, Lorna and Nat (Las Tres Profesoras)