Day 16 Monday 28th November 2016
Salta to Atacama (510 kms)
The next day or so it was going to be difficult to find petrol so the idea was to fill up when we could. On the way into town last night we bought a container to carry 20 litres now that we had room on the luggage rack as the boys were still carrying our bag.
It was drizzling but decided against putting up the bimany. The only Regularity today was "El Disconicidos', 70 kph, uphill and gravel. We were on target and keeping good speed until about 3 kms from the end we caught up with a commuter bus and a utility in front of it. There was no chance of passing so we were unlucky and would receive the maximum penalty.
From the regularity we reached Alba Blanca at 4,100mts. Not much habitation but the few houses blended in with the brown coloured rock.
We passed over a large number of railway crossings but never saw a train. After another time control we climbed to Alto Chorrillo at 4,600 mts, then another 180kms of rough road to the Argentine Chile border at Sico. After another lengthy immigration, passport and carnet & customs control we passed into Chile. The roads were immediately better. The landscape was lunar with yellow coloured scrub and the distant peaks were snow covered.
A group of guanacos ran across the road in front of us and their colour blended in with the yellow scrub. We passed several salt pans and hot springs.
About 90kms from the hotel we crossed the Tropic of Capricorn. We are now in the Atacama desert and the houses are adobe and mud covered rock. They blend in with the surroundings.
The hotel is lovely and tomorrow will be spent working on the car to fix the suspension, fix the passenger door which cannot open easily, tighten the hand brake, check the brakes and fix the Halda.
Salta to Atacama (510 kms)
The next day or so it was going to be difficult to find petrol so the idea was to fill up when we could. On the way into town last night we bought a container to carry 20 litres now that we had room on the luggage rack as the boys were still carrying our bag.
It was drizzling but decided against putting up the bimany. The only Regularity today was "El Disconicidos', 70 kph, uphill and gravel. We were on target and keeping good speed until about 3 kms from the end we caught up with a commuter bus and a utility in front of it. There was no chance of passing so we were unlucky and would receive the maximum penalty.
From the regularity we reached Alba Blanca at 4,100mts. Not much habitation but the few houses blended in with the brown coloured rock.
We passed over a large number of railway crossings but never saw a train. After another time control we climbed to Alto Chorrillo at 4,600 mts, then another 180kms of rough road to the Argentine Chile border at Sico. After another lengthy immigration, passport and carnet & customs control we passed into Chile. The roads were immediately better. The landscape was lunar with yellow coloured scrub and the distant peaks were snow covered.
A group of guanacos ran across the road in front of us and their colour blended in with the yellow scrub. We passed several salt pans and hot springs.
About 90kms from the hotel we crossed the Tropic of Capricorn. We are now in the Atacama desert and the houses are adobe and mud covered rock. They blend in with the surroundings.
The hotel is lovely and tomorrow will be spent working on the car to fix the suspension, fix the passenger door which cannot open easily, tighten the hand brake, check the brakes and fix the Halda.
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