Long Day at the Border

Last night was one of my favorite kind of nights on a tour. We stayed at a little lodge in the middle of nowhere. There was limited hot water, shared rooms and no internet. No worries there was vodka, wine, and games. These are my favorite nights because without internet we get to hang out and talk to each other. I wish I could have gotten pictures of the stars for you. It was another night with more stars than I have ever seen.
I had a great conversation with a couple of guys from Denmark. Schooling in Denmark is very different from the States and for many reasons I can see why they are a happier society. After they finish traditional high school they go to a boarding type school where they specialize in something. It is not always career focused and may include music, sports, or school subjects. They have the chance to live away from home and establish their independence. It is similar to the first year of college without the pressure to know what you want to do when you grow up. They are given time to explore and take time to experience the world a bit before making the decision. After that they attend state sponsored University. I like the fact it takes the pressure off kids and gives them time to figure out themselves before they figure out their career.
The next morning we left early for a few hours in the hot springs before more exploring of this beautiful national park. Multi colored lagoons, more flamingos, natural rock monuments and natural toilets (not a fan of that part).
As I have seen in other countries land borders are an interesting experience. This was nothing compared to Cambodia crossing of walking booth to booth for a half mile, 95 degrees, surrounded by men with guns, and an extra $5 payment to speed up the process. None the less it was still a 3rd world land border. This includes confusion over where immigration is, bus transfer issues, more natural toilets and about 5 hours of waiting. Naps were taken, games were played and I listened to another book.
As we arrived into San Pedro De Atacama it was again like a town from the Wild West. This one reminded me of the old town in Albuquerque New Mexico. It was a low laying city located on a small oasis in the desert. Mountains and desert sand surround the city. Our street consisted of 1 story adobe buildings with dogs roaming free. At dinner there was a dog who sat in the doorway to the restaurant fondly looking inside. I could imagine him saying to the owner "hire me, I will be the best dishwasher you have ever had."Read more