Today I have reached the oasis town of San Pedro de Atacama, my last stop before crossing over the roof of the continent at Paso de Jama and on into Northwest Argentina, with a projected one night stay tomorrow night in the Quechua Indian pueblo of Susques before continuing on to Salta and Cafayate. The computer at this internet cafe has a painstakingly feeble internet connection, so again I am posting maps instead of photos, ostensibly to preserve my camera batteries from wholesale drainage. The map above is of the town of San Pedro, which is not only an oasis in terms of agriculture here in the higher reaches of the Atacama Desert, but is also something of a neo-hippie bohemian outpost in a very remote but beautiful part of Chile. To the northeast, the Bolivian Cordillera reaches upwards toward the skies, dominated by the immense snow-covered Volcán Licancabur. Tomorrow I will drive past Licancabur and up onto the high altiplano and on to my planned routes south through Argentina.
Te above map shows the tenuous route I will be following across Northwest Argentina from Paso Jama on the far left, and finally into the strikingly scenic Quebrada de Humahuaca and Argentine RN 9 which will lead me through The cities of San Salvador de Jujuy and Salta before my arrival in that wonderful little gem of a town known as Cafayate. AS a matter of fact, I do not believe I will be able to post anything here until I have reached Cafayate, which will not be for a couple of days. For those of you who recall my adventures in this part of Argentina back in February of 2006, you will remember that this stretch of highway east of Susques was where I had my fateful collision with a llama, which was the saddest and most effecting moment in that whole 3½ months of touring.
This last schematic illustrates the elevations (in meters) of my climb up onto the altiplano and then the eventual descent into San Salvador de Jujuy. The highest points are real rarified air excursions - 4600 meters equals about 15,000 feet elevation! Breathe deep and move with measured efforts...I´ll catch you all on the other side.
Chao, amigos.
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