Vilma my friend came to visit me. Later than expected, (the travel agent her a ticket for a Saturday flight , but when she turned up at the airport , she was told the flight didn’t exist , so she had to wait until Monday ! )

Me and Vilma in front of  Maria Elena's Theatre

Vilma in front of the San Pedro Valley

The weekend was a holiday weekend so we went up to San Pedro. Saturday morning wee went up to the ruined Inca fort of Quitor, which was a bit of a laugh, cos Vilma can’t ride a bicycle so she had to sit on the back of mine. In the afternoon we took a tour to the salt desert, which I have to say was a disappointment compared to the spectacular Salt Desert in Uyuni, Bolivia it looks so scruffy.  

Flamingo over the salt desert

Sunday we went out on another tour to Valley De La Luna. The rocky desert scenery was more impressive than the salt desert. We finished up on top of a big dune for sunset and saw the nearby mountains change colour.  

Views of Valley de la Muerte

Monday was the day when all the Chilean people visit cemeteries. So we came back to Maria Elena.  Then we visited the mining ghost town of Pedro de Valdivia.

Nelly and me in Pedro de Valdivia

Monday - Don Miguel took Vilma out to the mine and to see the rock blasting.

Then we had a relaxing weekend at home. Claudia took us to Rio Loa

Friday - The next Monday Vilma had to take a flight from Lima. So we went up to Arica and took a day trip to the Altiplano....0-4500m above sea level in less then 3 hours through picturesque scenary to Lago Chungara near the tri country borded. (Chile, Peru, Bolivia). Vilma loved to se the Vicunas and Llamas, but for me it didn't really have the same Indian atmosphere of Bolivia or Peru. 

y plan is to work up until Christmas and then go to visit the Patagonia and the south of Chile going via San Pedro and Juy Juy in  Argentina. Southern Chile and Argentina in summer then Uruguay then maybe May June ..back to England