further

a rundown of my arrivals and departures since Cafayate

Salta again 5/26
bought my ticket to Coquimbo, walked to the top of the big hill, took an early morning taxi to the bus terminal 5/28

Had the most epic and beautiful bus ride of my life crossing the Andes and the Atacama desert. I took about a million pictures, we´ll see if any turn out.

Antofagasta 5/28
waited three long hours in the inexplicably crowded terminal at Antofagasta. I should have just bought my ticket to there, and then bought another to Coquimbo once I arrived. There were buses leaving headed south every half-an-hour, but I had already purchased my ticket for 2am.

The bus ride down the coast and through the mountains was incredibly barren.
Coquimbo 5/29
A seedy but in its way charming little port city across the bay from La Serena. Stayed two nights in a neglected hostel in an majestic old house.

Vicuña 5/31
A charming little Chilean-Andean town up a sweet, relatively lush valley.  Met nice French and Spanish girls at the hostel. My camera battery died as I took pictures of the sunset from the big hill there. I haven´t yet found a way to charge it.

Santiago 6/1
Stayed three nights with a sweet, generous, and hilarious Anglo-Chilean couple at their nice house by the country club in Santiago. Explored downtown two days. It is an impressively modern, cultural, sophisticated, vibrant, efficient city.

Valparaiso 6/5
Just arrived in the most wonderful hostel I have ever seen. Can´t wait to explore this quirky, wonderful city. Had a big great meat-tomato-avocado-sauerkraut sandwich as I walked from the terminal. I will try and find a way to charge my camera.