Cacti and Desert

We only realized how long Chile was when we started driving north! Infact it is 5000km from top to bottom. We drove 1300km from Pucon and its still another 1000km to the true Atacama Desert!

We are in Semi-desert and it is amazing. Cacti are everywhere, all different shapes and sizes, from Prickly Pears to Chandelabra Cacti. Many of the latter are bigger than me and some of them have beautiful red flowers. The size of some of the spikes is a bit scarey... lets just say you wouldn´t want to fall into one!

Yesterday we headed up one of the highest passes across the Andes to have a look. At its highest point it reaches about 4500m! Its only open in summer and is amazing. we didn´t get all the way to the top, but were completly dwarfed by the mountains. The boys had a lesson in plate tectonics and mountain building.... or at least we told them what we could remember!

This area is famous for the grape that they make into the national drink Pisco, a kind of brandy and you wouldn´t believe the scrubby ground that the vines grow on. Also due to the clarity of the air here there are lots of Astronomical Observatories. We have booked to go to one tonight so will have to rport back on that!

There is a pool where we are staying so at least we can cool off when we need to. The Holidays are over here now so it is quite quiet... we have noticed the lack of Gringos generally on the trip, but he boys have met afew local kids along the way and have managed to communicate.

We are off to the coast tomorrow and hope to find some more penguins and sealions, I´ll let you know!

Good luck to the Ironmen and Women this weekend hopefully it won´t be as hot as it is here!