Hello Everyone, well due to the lack of contact you will deduce that there is some issue afoot!, yes here in Chile we have a big internet connection problem. Unlike Argentinia, where we had internet connections at every filling station, this is not the case here. Also, we have discovered in the big towns, there also is not a variety of places to connect to the internet either. On top of that, the speed of the internet is not particularily fast, so not alone have we problems just receiving basic emails we also have access problems to browsing and updating our blog. Another feature certainly for the northern half of this country, the distances between places are vast. Warnings all along the route can advise you of gaps of 150km before the next ‘diesel or petrol’ fill.
Cultural Hand, about 40km south of Antofagasta
Uploading photographs is also a big task here in Chile as well.
Since our last contact in La Serena we travelled north along the main Route number 5 throughout the mountain valleys and deserts. On Friday, the day we arrived here most of that day was so dry and so remote, one felt that at times you were the only person on the planet. A few times, I even compared our travelling with those of the space men who first walked on the moon. In the Chanaral are, it was so hot if you attempted to open the window to take a photograph, the heat of the wind would burn you. A really dry heat, I think the first time I really ever experienced such weather conditions for so many hours on any single occasion. On Friday afternoon/evening when we finally parked along the seafront, after about 3 hours, there was a knock on the door, two police officers informed us that we had to move, they escorted us further back down the esplanade and we are now currently parked in the Balinearos (swimming/recreation area of the beach) at least it is quiet at night, a little away from all the traffic.
The truck/camper held out well. Now we know we are not going to Peru for the Dakar Rally. Events beyond our control have overtaken us.
Our plan is now changed and we hope to be in Calama in Chile for the 9th and 10th of January to see the Dakar and we hope to see our friends there. Then on the 17th/18th January, we hope to be back south in the Copiapo region and see more of the rally there as well.
Since last Sunday, when Jan first reported to the hospital with his leg in Rodeo, Argentina he has been suffering from headaches as well and also his leg has not healed up yet, so yesterday we took the day to visit the local hospital in Antofagasta. It took us serveral hours to have his leg seen to and once again re-bandaged. Nothing was given to him for the headaches which still appear to plague him. If they get worse, he is to report back to the hospital.
Looking out the window at our parking spot: Antofagasta
We will stay here again tonight and maybe ultimately Monday evening but by then we will work our way up to Calama. It is only 200km from here and should only take us a few hours.
The weather here is lovely, nice, dry, sunny and I am slowly developing a nice tan. In contrast to me, Jan is going around in winter clothes because he still feels cold (part of his fever?)
I will stop typing now and see if I can manage to update one or two photos with the blog pages, just to give you a flavour of our recent travels.
