Day 243 - Oasis Pica

We left Mejillones early this morning and stopped further up the coast for a while. I collected a bucket of tiny crabs at the beach and boiled them for our Büsi. He went crazy over the delicacy.

In Tocopilla, we met a German couple traveling with two children in a VW camper. Unique that they all fit in such a small space. We were wondering how they manage the kids' education. Homeschooling was the answer. The family started their trip in Peru and are going to Tierra del Fuego.

They highly recommend we visit Oasis Pica with its thermal baths. We didn’t think twice and headed that way. Oasis Pica was 23 miles off the Panamericana in the desert. The tire that gave us trouble a few days ago went flat again. This was a bad sign.

As I changed the wheel, another camper stopped to ask if we needed help. He was Chilean, and she an American from Seattle. The two were also on their way to the Oasis.

The thermal baths were very relaxing. The water smelled slightly of Sulfur and was about 86 degrees. We met with the other couple in the evening and chatted for a long time after dinner over a bottle of wine and Pisco. Then we all slipped into the thermal baths again before going to bed.

When we returned to our camper, we realized our car keys were locked inside. Heinz quickly had to transform himself into a car thief and open the door with a wire hanger. We all laughed about it and happily slipped into bed.

Stats: Miles 301, Expenses $17.25Read more