Chile

21.09. Total: 2336 km.
San Pedro de Atacama- Calama: 108 km.

Yesterday I took a day off in San Pedro de Atacama and went sightseeing. San Pedro is very popular among tourists who want to go to the Atacama desert.

Today I cycled the first 40 km. always uphill and then as if that had not been hard enough, the wind started blowing. It's so frustrating having to endure strong headwind every single day...! Not being able to cycle faster than 8 km/h and always being prepared for gusts that might blow me away from the road is maddening.

Tomorrow I'm having a day off in Calama.  I' do some shopping and get ready for the next days which will also be very hard.

Church in San Pedro de Atacama

Sand, sand and more sand

I met this French cyclist between San Pedro and Calama. He's 75 and has been cycling in South America for 3 years. He cycles 9 months and then goes back home in France where he spends 3 months and then flies back to South America to cycle. He's planning to go on doing this until he is 80. He cycled across Paso Sico (Argentina- Chile) at 4800 ASL. The man's incredible!

19.09. Total: 2223 km.
San Pedro de Atacama: 90 kms

I camped at 4600 ASL. It was -10 degrees. In the morning my tent was covered with ice and my bottle of water was obviously frozen. Luckily I had taken two small bottles with me in the tent so that the next morning I would have something to drink. I cycled downhill for 40 kilometres which was fantastic! The landscape was amazing too!

18.09. Total: 2133 km.
Paso de Jama: ca. 78 km
San Pedro de Atacama: 90 km

Today I crossed the border between Argentina and Chile. The Customs officers were quite unfriendly. They thoroughly checked my bags and took some fruit away. Luckily they didn't see my coke leaves ;-). I was allowed to enter Chile at 9 am which left me only three hours till midday, when the wind gets much stronger. Except for the Customs officers, I felt welcomed in Chile since a tour guide, seeing that they had taken my fruit away, offered me some food and water. Cycling today was probably the hardest ever. I cycled uphill at 4800 above sea level enduring headwind and very little oxygen in the air. My speed was only 3 km/h and I had to stop many times to rest. It was very very hard.

At 4800 above sea level

No phone signal in the next 130 km.