Desert Activity

Kyle, Brad, Ali, Michelle and I started our adventure in the north of Chile in the Atacama desert. After 23 hours of riding a bus straight from Santiago to Calama, we stayed the night in a hostal and jumped on the earliest bus to San Pedro de Atacama for the next 3 days.

Salt flat left by meteor hitting the desert billions of years ago.

Inside a water pocket heated by volcanic activity around the region.

The water is only a few inches deep in this one.

The bottom is pure salt! And prickly to walk on!

Swimming in this one meant our feet were boiling, but the rest of us was freezing cold.

Our guide Jesús took us to a place we could bathe in thermal springs for free.

Kyle and Michelle sandboarding in the Atacama.

That is, attempting to.

The starting line.
Ali, practicing for what will surely be the new Summer Olympic event in '08.


Downtown desert city of San Pedro de Atacama.


Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley).

Walking across the valley to see the sunset.

Sunset in the desert.