Atacama Crossing

April 2013

2013 has not been very exciting as far as our leisure trips are concerned. We just didn't have enough time to plan a holiday. The year is almost coming to an end and I don't see anything changing.  We managed to escape to San Pedro de Atacama in April and that stands as the only highlight of the year. Ofcourse I did go to Oxford, UK a number of times but those don't count as holidays.

This was our first trip to the North of Chile which is known for its perspicuously different flora and fauna from the south. The village of San Pedro is small and pretty but there is not much to do in the village itself. I

was impressed with the eating options available in this village. In general the food was very good; very unlike Vina del Mar!

Most tourists use San Pedro as a base to venture out into places like Laguna Altiplanico, the Geysers and the Moon valley. The trip to the Geysers is probably the most popular, starting at around 4 in the morning. Tourists are expected to combat below freezing temperatures to catch a glimpse of the smoke coming out of the geysers precisely before sunrise. We didn't enjoy it much but we weren't the majority. The Moon Valley also seems to be a popular touristy thing to do. With the afternoon sun burning down your neck, it is really not enjoyable. Having said that, sunset is the right time to visit the Moon Valley to capture breathtaking views of the moon against the back drop of the famous lunar type surface (hence the name Moon Valley).

Then there was the astronomical tour provided by STAR Space Tours. This is absolutely recommended for every visitor to San Pedro. Incidentally, the famous ALMA telescope is located in Atacama. The highlight of our trip was the visit to Laguna Altiplanico. These lakes are at  an altitude but we got rewarded with some beautiful views. This is probably one place where we would have liked to spend more time.

This last photo above is one of my favourites.
That was all about San Pedro de Atacama. I really hope that 2014 is more exciting, atleast as much as 2012 was.  We are going to start the year with a bang so watch out for this space!

Chiloé and Puerto Varas

November 2012

It took me a lot of time to sit down and finally write about this trip of ours to Northern Patagonia. Life has been so busy since this memorable journey down south that now, while I put pen to paper, I am reminded of that beautiful landscape that passed through in front of our eyes. Let me begin with Puerto Varas.

A drive from the Puerto Montt airport to the city of Puerto Varas would probably take not more than an hour if I remember correctly. The city of Puerto Varas is small and dominated by the magnificient Volcan Osorno. We had found a cottage which was set on the banks of lago Llanquihue. A very picturesque setting and appropriate for an evening stroll by the 2nd largest lake in Chile. We had this beach all to ourselves and two very friendly dogs who constantly ensured that we didn`t get lost.

Fruitillar is a nearby town along this lake which is about 30 minutes drive from Puerto Varas. It is a beautiful town espcially known for its Tulip plantations..too bad that there weren`t any when we went.

Our next stop was Lago Todos Los Santos and the Petrohue falls. These two picturesque water bodies should be on everybody`s to-do list on a trip to Puerto Varas. They are beautiful, especially the green colored Todos Los Santos lake.

There wasn`t any time to waste and we headed off down south to the beautiful island of Chiloe. Ancud was our first stop. A small town and very very different from anything that you would have seen in mainland Chile. There is a reason why there are no roads that lead directly to Ancud (or for that matter to Chiloe); you have to take a ferry and part of the reason is to control the flow of tourists into this area and help preserve their uniqueness. There is an airport though in Castro.

From Ancud, our next stop was Castro. One would be a complete insane to not go further down south into the island and return back to the mainland from Ancud. I know some people who did that and I really feel sorry for them! Now for Castro (and for the entire island of Chiloe), wooden churches are famous. These are very old churches built entirely out of wood and they are a treat to your eyes. I especially loved the one in Castro. While you are in Castro, you should not miss the exquisite sea food, the Palafitos de Castro and the city Church.

We managed to carve some time out for Dalcahue, the national park near Chonchi and ofcourse the penguin sanctury near Ancud.

So that was our 10 day trip to Northern Patagonia. Chiloe has a landscape worth admiring, something we would not find anywhere else. Whats left on our list is southern Patagonia and the North of Chile. Ofcourse, every country in this continent is so beautiful that you really cannot pick one and not feel bad about leaving the rest out. But we returned back very satisfied and eager to plan our next trip.

Vivid Valdivia

September 2012

Chile never ceases to surprise us with its splendid natural beauty. Over the last one year, we have had to raise our standard of a 'wow' place, which means we don`t say ,'ah its so beautiful' just at the sight of a nice beach or a lake or a mountain. We are accustomed to natural beauty which is really breathtaking and Valdivia did not disappoint us. Having been to Pucon already, Validivia didn`t seem like an inviting proposition, afterall its the lakes again we thought. But now, having finished the trip, we are happy that we went to this small town down south. So here is how it went.

Valdivia is surrounded by 3 rivers, rio Valdivia being the primary. On a sunny afternoon, which is not usual, a walk along the riverside is definitely relaxing. The other side of the river holds the famous Universidad Austral de Chile campus. There isn`t much to do in the city as such unless you have not already tasted the vivid varieties of Kunstamann beer at La Cervecera Kunstmann SA.

Having a car helps a lot. A drive down to Niebla is truely amazing. This is the place where one could take a ferry across to Corral which marks the entry to the Reserva Costeria Valdiviana. On our way to this national park, we came across some beautiful sights, but this one on the right was out of the world. This is the place where the river meets the ocean. We were lucky to have the sun shine upon us for most of the day which added to the grandeur of this place.

The Costeria national park is famous for its colony of sea lions. We did find them in huge collections and of all sizes! On our way back, it had started to rain and if you do not have a 4x4, its a little difficult to drive on those unpaved roads. We were helped a lot by the forest department officials who were instrumental in advising us with directions. By the time we reached corral, we were hungry like crazy. 

The next thing on our list was Lago Ranco which is about 100 KM from Validivia. I must mention here that according to google maps it is 100 KM but in reality some of the turns that google maps claimed werent there at all. So actually it was 140 KM from Valdivia but it was worth the drive. A quiet and beautiful lake awaited us.

The water was so clean and inviting that I almost felt like diving into it but I held myself back so that I could return with the necessary swimming skills another day! We have made notice of the fact that our trips to the south seem to be following a pattern: Pucon, Valdivia, Chiloe (soon to be ticked off) and then the final frontier - the glaciers of Patagonia. Hasta pronto!

Royal Rajasthan

December 2010

Let me begin this post by saying that if there is one place in India where you would get a chance to appreciate the rich history of this very old land, then that place wouldn`t be too far away from Rajasthan. This is the state where every alley, every street, every fort has a story to tell ,dating well over a 500 years. Where the  ruins of Chittorgarh narrate a story of defiance and sacrifice, the majestic Mehrangarh leaves the curious traveller spellbound. Welcome to Rajasthan, the land of the Kings!

Our trip started off from Jaipur (named after Raja Jai Singh), also known as the famous 'Pink City'. The Amer fort (also known as Amber Fort) is a must see. There is also a light and sound show at Amer Fort in the evening and it is one of the best in India. We did a city tour which covered the usual places like the City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal and Jal Mahal. Of all these places, the beautiful Amer Fort deserves atleast one full day because there is a lot to see and learn about the history of this fort.

After a 2 day stopover in Jaipur, Udaipur was our next stop. I remember that the bus ride from Jaipur to Udaipur wasn`t one of the best; it was either too cold or hot like crazy inside the bus . Udaipur is beautiful and the lake forms an integral part of this historic city. The Lake Palace hotel is the place to be for a luxurious stay. The city palace definitely deserves a day from your schedule and the surrounding markets are well worth exploring.
The city palace also hosts an interesting light and sound show which is worth the penny (we missed it!)

From Udaipur, we ventured out to two very interesting places that were not a part of our original plan. They were Chittorgarh and Mount Abu. Let me talk about Chittorgarh first. The average human being who claims a significant bit of his descendancy from Chittorgarh is generally defiant and unnecessarily brave! Blame it on the bloody past of this place which has witnessed braves like Rana Pratap Singh defying Akbar, Chittorgarh is a story about its glorious past. You will not see anything beuatiful but you will not miss the fort which beholds many legends.

Now about Mount Abu. The Dilwara temples at Mount Abu deserve a mention in the list architectural beauties around the world. From outside, these group of temples give an impression of utter mediocracy and waste of time but transforms a casual observer into a gaping admirer once inside them. It is humanly impossible to carve such intricate stone designs not just in one temple or on one wall but on every inch of stone. Dating back to 1200 AD, Dilwara temples were probably one of the best kept secrets in the world and they continue to do so even to this day. Photography is not allowed and rightly so. You have to be there to experience them.

Next up from Udaipur was Jodhpur. We had a rough bus ride again. The Mehrangarh fort at Jodhpur is one of the biggest and one the most well maintained forts in India. This beautiful architecture in red sand stone is a  must see. Historically, this is an important fort and a good place to imbibe a little bit of history. Interestingly, a trip across Rajasthan reveals different styles of turban and male ear piercings which symolize vastly different cultures.

Our last stop from Jodhpur was the desert city of Jaiselmer, bordering Pakistan. This city, among other things, is generally known for two things. The first being the Thar Desert itself and the second being the Jaiselmer Fort. Let me start with the fort first. This is another beautiful fort no doubt and it is made out of yellow stand stone. Infact whole of Jaiselmer is made out of yellow sand stone which gives the city a very homogenous look. This fort unfortunately is in a very bad state and several NGOs have taken up the responsibility for its restoration. Staying inside the fort should be avoided as it has a very hazardous impact on the already deteriorating drainage system of the fort. All said, this fort is a beauty.

Finally about Thar. Miles of sand stretch out in all imaginable directions and at sunset, a camel ride into the Thar is generally beautiful unless it is too cold.We spent the night at a desert camp and four blankets weren`t enough to keep us warm. But this is India`s only desert and if you are in Rajasthan, Thar should be in your list. This camel in the right was the one which carried us and I remember its name: Lalu Bhai.The desert camp generally has several local artists performing and no defnitely its not going to be belly dancing (atleast not in my lifetime!)

That was it. We took a train (1st class), hoping to reach Jaipur but as luck would have it, we had to get down in Jodhpur again and drive our way to Jaipur the next morning. That night in Jodhpur, the owner of the guest house made his wife cook for us in the middle of the night! At Jaipur, we had enough time to go for the light and sound show at Amer fort, which was just too good. Next morning, we flew back to Bangalore, only to realize (in a few months time) that we were going to be dining by the pacific ocean every night...soon.

Pristine Pucon

November 2011

Having returned back to Chile after a 3 month long business stayover in the US in September 2011, there was an obvious desperation in our hearts for a sheer lack of indulgence that we call 'vacation'. Our last long one at that time was Rajasthan which was around December 2010; almost a year ago. While in the US, we did spend some time in Chicago and Washington DC but upon our return to Chile, we couldn`t resist the idea of a holiday not filled with museums or a long list of things to do. Pucon was almost an immediate choice for its proximity to Santiago and mainly because it serves as a magnificent entry to the world famous lake districts of Chile.

As the Tur Bus slowly makes its way through the narrow streets in downtown Pucon, you will not miss the 2nd most active volcano in Chile, volcan Villarica overlooking the beautiful town of Pucon. On a clear sunny day (which shouldn`t be taken for granted), volcan Villarica is a beautiful sight and enough to inspire an ascent. At an altitude of about 2800 meters, a guided ascent is something we should have done and that is something which will be reason enough to go back to Pucon for the 3rd time.

Lago Villarica is a major attraction in downtown Pucon. This is a big lake and around November it wasn`t as crowded as it is during the summer months. In case one is thrilled by unparallel natural beauty, the best thing to do while in Pucon is to hire a car and drive around. During our drive across Pucon, we came upon numerous picturesque waterfalls and hot springs which were around 20 km to 70 km from Pucon and with great roads all along, driving was never a problem. It was during this trip that we tried river rafting for the first time on river Trancura : another amazing experience.

About 20 km to 30 km from Pucon is Lago Currarahue. This is another beautiful lake surrounded by snow capped peaks and easily one of the best in this continent. About 75 km from Pucon lies the frontier to Argentina and the remains of the dead volcano Lanin. The international highway is a mouth watering opportunity to drive at speeds of more than 120 km/hr. However the last 20 km of this trail has been left as a gravel road and definitely driving is difficult especially if it has rained. We were lucky as November was relatively dry. While we were driving up to Lanin, the gravel road was almost never ending with no sight of any volcano in the vicinity. Thats the best part of this drive because you don`t see this volcano at all along the drive until it suddenly emerges. 

The proximity of this amazing volcano forces you to stop your car and ponder, ' where was it hiding all along the way !' We almost had an inclination to come back the next day and hike this one but we somehow assured ourselves of a return not the next day but some other time in the near future. I must also mention about a wonderful lake that we came across while laboriously driving through the gravel road up to Lanin.

This lake is called Huechulafquen (a tounge twister almost!). There was absolutely no one around and I have to admit that the whole setting was just spectacular. I wish we were there during sunset. We spent sometime on this lake and quietly marvelled at the amazing natural beauty. The only sound that we could hear was that of the water hitting the shores of this beautiful lake. It was time to go back and bid good bye to Pucon. We had promised ourselves that we would be back for the Villarica ascent and so we were there once again in February 2012. 

At that time Pucon was crowded with many tourists (mostly Europeans) and it rained quite a bit. So the ascent was almost out of the question. In this second trip, we went to the Huerquehue national park for a short trek and that was splendid as well. I hope to finally add the details about the pending ascent as soon as we finish ticking it off. Thats planned for December 2012!

Beautiful Bolivia

Here I am again to write about our very recent trip to the beautiful country of Bolivia. This country of awe inspiring natural beauty, studded with lakes, snow capped Andes, volcanos and national parks, is also famous for its delicious cuisine. One of the poorest nations in Latin America, Bolivia does remind me a lot of India in many ways.This trip was in June 2012 for a period of about 12 days. Our original aim was to just visit the famous Salar de Uyuni via San Pedro de Atacama in Chile but this wasnt enough to cover a good 10 days of a much needed break that we had promised ourselves. So after a little bit of research, a trip around Bolivia seemed an obvious conclusion ( and we werent really interested in doing another desert after the Thar in India).

La Paz was our main base camp, so to speak. At an altitude of about 4000 m above the sea level, La Paz is the highest capital in the world. If you are not too taken over by altitude sickness upon ariving at La Paz, a city bus tour is highly recommended. I wouldn`t claim that altitude sickness didn`t strike us. In fact the moment the aircraft doors were opened, I developed a headache and thinking was just too much work! This lasted for about 3 days but it wasn`t a spoiler at all. La Paz as a city is characterized by ' too many people breathing too few oxygen molecules.' We didn`t do a lot of touristy things in La Paz but I did find sometime to click this picture which is near the Presidential Palace.

After spending 2 nights in La Paz, we were off to Lago Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world. This lake is about 4 hours drive from La Paz thorugh Copacabana. Bordered by Peru in the north, Lago Titicaca is simply majestic. The shape of this lake apparantly resembles the head of a puma and hence the name Titicaca in the aymara language. Set in the middle of this lake is Isla del Sol which is of significant importance to the Incas. We spent a night at Isla del Sol although the climb from the ferry to the hostel was very tiring (yeah this too was above 4000 m). I could barely breathe and walk at the same time but the scenery on the right just blew whatever breath I had left in my lungs. Next morning, we were on our way back to the ferry when I clicked this (on the right). It was a beautiful morning, bright and sunny with the snow capped Andes bordering the blue waters of Titicaca. I didn't want to go back.

Back in La Paz and it was time to visit the famous Salar de Uyuni. We decided against the more adventurous 3 day Uyuni trip since living conditions are very basic in a 3 day trip to Uyuni. At altitudes of more than 5000 m and freezing cold, a 3 day trip to Uyuni wasn`t too appealing. So a day trip to Uyuni was finally what we set out for but as luck would have it, our bus arrived at Uyuni very late. We had to spend a night in the Uyuni village which I must add is in the middle of nowhere, however our accomodation was great! The Salar is one of its kind in the world and its the biggest of its kind. Its a fun place to take crazy photographs against the blinding wihite backgrounds ( sun screens and shades are an absolute must for all travellers to the Salar). We did have a lot of fun but honestly, after a point, there wasn`t much to do. Its just white all around unless you are there in the rainy season when those mirages form. We hope to cover the other parts of the Salar (not covered in the 1 day tour) in our trip to San Pedro de Atacama in Chile.

Our next destination after a brief 2 nights stay in La Paz was Parque Nacional Sajama. We almost went to the Madidi National Park in north eastern Bolivia. Madidi is part of the Amazon rain forests and is one of the few places on earth with exceptional bio diversity. Somehow, we had developed a fancy for heights and freezing temperatures and so we decided that Sajama it would be. Sajama is the highest peak in Bolivia and is almost 6500 m. We stayed in a small village (again in the middle of noweher) called Tomarapi which was unbelievelaby close to Sajama. On our way to this tiny village, we met many curious looking Llamas but this one in the right stole the show with its smile! We had never seen such a clear night sky before than what we saw in Tomarapi. That start studded night sky  is something I should have captured in my camera  but for the cold. We explored quite a bit  around Tomarapi and Sajama village, had a good  relaxing bath in one of the hot springs and while we were on our way back to the hostel, we came upon this beautiful lake around sun set. This is my favorite lake in the whole world (so far). They call it Huñacota.

We flew back to Santiago from La Paz and  that was the end of a very good trip across Bolivia. The photographs pasted in this blog will not do justice to the beautiful landscape that Bolivia has. There is so much that we couldn`t see. We were quite sad to leave La Paz because in that short span of 12 days, we had almost gotten used to the life there, the mad chaotic traffic, the delicious food and ofcourse to their amazing language - Español.

Shift & Spin

"

Shift & spin, Wrap & Twine,

Makin` thread course & fine,

Dreamin` 'o' ma little princess,

Workin` in the mill.

keep yer bobbins runnin' easy,

Show yer gallus bright & breezy,

Waitin` till Prince Charmin` sees ye,

Workin` in the mill.

Oil yer runners, mend yer thread,

Do yer best until yer dead,

Wish ye were a wife instead o`

Workin` in the mill.

Used to dream you`d be the rage,

Smilin on the fashion page,

Never dreamt you`d be a wage slave,

Workin` in the mill.

Used to think that life was kind,

No it isn`t- never mind-

Maybe someday you will be happy,

Workin` in the mill.

He knows you not? So What?

Do the best with what you`ve got,

Win your pay spin yer cotton,

Workin` in the mill.

When you choose the thread you need,

For crochet or embroidery,

Do you ever think of me,

Workin` in the mill.

On a fatefull night,

Not too far away from yer sight,

Oh ma princess, ye will be won,

Workin` in the mill.

"

-Found these lines while travelling along the beautifull Lochs of Calidonia. The original author being Evan MacVicar. A few modifications have been made.