Groceries 

A quick pit stop in town for lunches and water for the next couple days of exploration. Also to find an ATM and a money exchange, as not everywhere in town takes credit cards.

 

After two days of driving this town, we decided it is a good thing we got 4WD vehicles — for San Pedro’s cities streets, not the Atacama desert.

Finally

We are all checked-in now at our various lodgings, and now downtown for dinner.

Turns out it takes 28-hours door-to-door from Ann Arbor to San Pedro de Atacama. Hopefully dinner will be a little more expedient. We’ll be making a late start tomorrow after all the fun we had today.

Calama – Almost There…

Enjoyed some wonderful views of the Lithium extraction operations and El Tesoro mine on our approach to Calama. 

Unfortunately we suffered a set back on the ground with a backpack swiped as we waited at the Budget counter for someone help us. We’re still waiting more than hour on… No passport or IDs lost, but a laptop and clothes gone. Someone walked through the middle of our group, grabbed the backpack and left a similar looking empty one in its place. 

Meanwhile, on the bright side, we are finally in the sunshine…