On The Road Again: San Pedro de Ata-semi-cama

Once again another really boring blog entry, hope you enjoy guys!!
25 hours in semi-cama ´luxory´ on the Tur bus and finally I hit San Pedro de Atacama, the driest dessert in the world at an altitude of around 2500m above sea level. Fate mouldered me together with 3 other travelling folk 2 sweedish girls (I forget there names) and a Mexican named jose. We then set off into town to find a place to sleep which is no problem in the tourist haven of San Pedro.
Walking through the dusty streets curtained by simple but beautiful clay and mortar structures with a backdrop of the andes sharing borders with Argentina and Bolivia. I instantly fell in love with this town, despite a tour agency on almost along every street San Pedro holds its own modest and unique character with many a foreign language bouncing off the walls and the impeccable friendliness of the locals.
After a good sleep in the chosen hostel myself and Jose went on a sand boarding mission, not to keen on the tour option we hired out some push bikes and the most important ingredient 2 sand boards. We get directions to the nearest dunes and set off with water and a little supply of food. Inevitably getting lost on the way after realising we had forgotten the map! However soon found our bearings and entered valle de morte (death valley) namely because of the lack of life that resides here. We ride through a winding gorge reminiscent of Indiana Jones movies, getting stuck in the sand and eventually giving up and walking the rest of the way but to find some dunes worthy of testing out the sand boards.
Applying a ridiculous amount of candle wax to the bottom of the boards we manage to get some small runs in. For around 3 hours lots of laughs, sand in places you didn’t know even existed and many a photo was had, but here in lies the problem- DO NOT SAND BOARD WITH A CAMERA IN YOUR POCKET!! That’s right, somehow the sand god possessed my camera and brainwashed it into not working anymore, a slight downer but not all was lost as all the photos were saved on the card.
That evening I met my climbing contact – Weffa, an awesome chillean guy working in San Pedro whos kindness and friendliness continually shines. Weffa gave me a place to stay much cheaper than the hostel and great company. Unfortunatly another 2 weeks of work was on the cards for him so no long trips to the climbing (yet). Slackline and boulder training was the only option for now.
The next evening myself and Jose booked up a tour for the valle de luna (moon valley). We set off in the afternoon via mini bus and started off in valle de morte where the guide explained the history and landscape, then onto some walks through gorges and caves and then to the beautiful valle de luna where we soaked in a mighty sun set, set over huge sand dunes and jagged rock formations watching the colours fuel the atmosphere. An inspiring and thought provoking place spoilt only by the waves of tourists fully armed with cannons, Fujifilm, sony and what have yous, robbing the soul of this magical place(ok a little hypocritical but heh you know what I mean). On a return visit the hire of a bike will be the only option to avoid the swarms and stay for a longer time.
Once again I met up with Weffa and a plan was made, the next day we would climb at Nacimiento Gorge for the day, and so we did! Around about an hour and a half in the car armed with climbing equipment and 3 other local climbers from San Pedro we arrive at the gorge where approx 800 routes of sport climbing, traditional and bouldering resides, a true climbers paradise. This place has a kind of magnetic energy drawing you into a state of tranquillity and calmness, never have I been to such a place, a true high point of my trip.
Starting off on a nice 5.11 (6a) for the warm up and to get the leading head back on, then onto an amazing 5.11 (6c) starting on fairly thin holds then moving up to a series of diagonal ledges to a not so positive arête making the clip then moving left on a narley 3 finger crimp to grab the polished jug, a little bit of disco leg then to the anchor and a huge gulp of relief- a classic route completed with the flash. Next up anoher 5.11 but slightly harder, possibly 6c+ with balency moves and endurance on crimps, to cracks, to slopers, pockets and even a Thailand style tofa at the top, 2 attempts and I managed it clean. Last stop was a top roped 5.12 (7a) again another classic on thin inclining holds. On return to San Pedro food and bed was all that could be achieved.
After discussion with Weffa and Jose a plan was hatched for me to return to San Pedro in about 2 weeks time for a 2 week session at the gorge with Weffa. But what to do in 2 weeks? A trip through the bolivian salt flats then onto Peru for a visit to Machu Pichu with a Mexican, sounds like a fine plan to me…………
Untill the next time guys, chao!!!!