Day 19 (Thursday 1 December 2016)
Iquique to Arica 440 kms
Followed the coast road to arrive at the Autodromo Iquique circuit. We took it easy around the circuit much to Phil's frustration but we have to be careful of the springs and we still have over 1,300 kms to go to reach Lima. Finishing the lap local car enthusiasts presented us with a large bottle of Pisco. With limited luggage space, that's the last thing we needed but took it gracefully.
Near Humberstone we arrived at the old Saltpetre village. This whole village is a museum with all the old equipment displayed and the buildings kept as they were.
Leaving the village we then drove nearly 140kms of road works, diversions onto gravel, traffic controls where the delay was up to 40 minutes (in the hot sun) and trucks everywhere.
It was a rocky barren landscape, no habitation or plants. At the 30km police check all rally cars were told very severely that the speed limit was 100kph and police radar was in operation.
Coming down to a lower altitude there were some attempts at cultivation in the desert, palm trees and maize.
At the end of this stretch it was into the Autodromo Sergio Benavente. Again we took it slowly.
At the Arica hotel we discovered that one of the spring repairs had slipped so a piece of chain, a bit of bungy cord, silicone and nuts should hold that piece in place to Lima.
Iquique to Arica 440 kms
Followed the coast road to arrive at the Autodromo Iquique circuit. We took it easy around the circuit much to Phil's frustration but we have to be careful of the springs and we still have over 1,300 kms to go to reach Lima. Finishing the lap local car enthusiasts presented us with a large bottle of Pisco. With limited luggage space, that's the last thing we needed but took it gracefully.
Near Humberstone we arrived at the old Saltpetre village. This whole village is a museum with all the old equipment displayed and the buildings kept as they were.
Leaving the village we then drove nearly 140kms of road works, diversions onto gravel, traffic controls where the delay was up to 40 minutes (in the hot sun) and trucks everywhere.
It was a rocky barren landscape, no habitation or plants. At the 30km police check all rally cars were told very severely that the speed limit was 100kph and police radar was in operation.
Coming down to a lower altitude there were some attempts at cultivation in the desert, palm trees and maize.
At the end of this stretch it was into the Autodromo Sergio Benavente. Again we took it slowly.
At the Arica hotel we discovered that one of the spring repairs had slipped so a piece of chain, a bit of bungy cord, silicone and nuts should hold that piece in place to Lima.
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