Text: Peter Johansson
Editing: Christer Lundstedt
Photos: Christer Lundstedt, Peter Johansson
Videos: Christer Lundstedt
Tuesday 30th of July
08.18 Morning dawns here in Antofagasta and at Hotel Diego del Almagro Express (http://www.dahoteles.com). It feels like this has been done before and it has. A lot of new things await us. We are about to find out how much and what. First, on this departure day, there will be breakfast.
08.57 We are not alone here at the hotel. On the way to breakfast we went in the lift with one in the cleaning staff. The lift with us in went up to the penthouse and there was one in the staff waiting there. Then we went down to breakfast and here we are now.
09.39 After breakfast we came again in contact with one in the staff. On our way up to our floor we first went down with one of them. It is always interesting to meet others, even if it is in a lift.
10.58 Departure days are days when we need to wait. The only question is where to wait. Should it be done in the quiet corner of the hotel? Is it better to wait at the bus station knowing that we are in place and that everything is ready?
11.59 What a mess! It's a good description of things here at bus station. At first everything went well. A taxi smoothly took us here. Christer then ordered one large coffee and a sandwich in a coffee shop here at the terminal. He somehow unexpected had to pay for two coffees to a stressed cashier with a mouth mask. After pointing it out, he received his money back. Messy routines here, order to one, pay to another one and pick up at the first one again. Baños, toilet visits are a procedure in itself. Pay 500 pesos (below US$1) get a jetton that is released in a slide at a turnstile and then you are inside. Now there will be no more errors, or?
12.47 We had hopes! But I guess that it can continue to go wrong once it's started. We went to the bus company Ciktur´s booth to pick up the pre-ordered tickets. There we were told that the bus does not go, the departure does not exist. However, we do not know what it is due to. We did not follow the Spanish language explanation. However, we seemed expected; money to pay back to us was already ready. We brought those banknotes with us to Turbus ticket booth. There we bought tickets for their departure 14.10. It's later than planned. Maybe it's time to rename Ciktur to circus?
17.07 The descending sun spreads a small magical light over the horizon. I can't stop being fascinated by the sun's rises and sets. There's something special about it.
Wednesday 31st of July
Terminal de Buses Cardenal Carlos Oviedo Cavada.
Drinking coffee is one thing you can do when waiting for a bus.
It is still desert around us.
The sun is going down behind the waters of the Pacific.
Our room at Hotel Montecatini.
08.46 I do not know much about what will happen today, the last day of the month of July. Once more, we will have spent all days in the month of July on foreign soil. What I do know is that we should treat ourselves to something pleasant here in Copiapó. We can't just travel by bus. Sometimes we have to have something nice too. We find ourselves in one of the two different buildings in the city, owned and operated by Hotel Montecatini (https://www.hotelmontecatini.cl). Our hotel is located at the address Atacama 374.
09.13 The last breakfast of the month will give us the strength to cope with yet another travel day. Honestly, I can make it a long way on a cup of coffee but the body certainly needs more than that. 10.26 After breakfast served in a nice little dining room, we have prepared for the day and read the hotel rules. It is as usual with rules, some things that we are expected to do and others that it is less smart to get to. Let's get out of here soon. We are wondering if the key should be left at the hotel. 10.37 The staff did not mind letting our key stay with them while we walk around and get acquainted with this city. Copiapó has about 150 000 inhabitants and is well known for nothing special. At least it was here nearby that 33 miners were stuck underground for 69 days before they could be saved. This happened in 2010. We mostly use the city as a place for sleep on the way south. 11.00 Finally a chance for genuine eleven o'clock coffee. We are at popular Café Diventare. On one wall you can read We love to make coffee for the city that loves to drink it. I can't ignore the coffee if they've taken the time to make coffee it.
Peter outside room 4 at Hotel Montecatini.
Dogs in winter clothes, Copiapó.
We are walking along Atacama street.
Café Diventare, Copiapó.
Nothing unexpected has happened. Peter has had a cup of coffee.
Christer at Café Diventare.
12.00 In front of us we have a man who would fit into Monty Python's sketch about "the ministry of silly walks". It is alternating cloudiness and windy today. The bells of the cathedral ring. What about us, well we sit in the city centre, in the square/in the Park Plaza de Armas. Before we got here, we've been walking around the city to see what's on offer.
12.17 A man stands right now in the square and talks about the final time, the word of God and Jesus. He has with quotes from the various letters of the Bible. I can't come up with any direct details. The knowledge I have about the Bible is not so advanced. Neither is my Spanish. 12.47 It's time for a bench break in front of the Mineral Museum, Museo Mineralógico. I wonder if their boss's name is Stone. Soon it's time to find a suitable restaurant for lunch. Nothing wrong with breakfast today but the bodies wants something steadier. 13.05 Using Google Maps, we found another restaurant in the chain Bavaria (http://www.bavaria.cl). It had hidden itself in a corner of the square, more or less in the only place in the city centre we had not had time to walk past. In here, music is played from the time I was a pimply, fussy teenager. More straightforward and truthful, the time that made itself known as the Eighties. 13.38 The breakfast may be an important goal but if you want to be filled then it is lunch that applies. It's about having the right balance when it comes to lunch. It should take over from where breakfast disappeared but not remain so long that there is no room for dinner. At Bavaria we got great food but we are not yet so confident they have succeeded with their German theme. 14.09 We have had visitors here at home in room four. The beds are made and the room is tidy. What if I was just as skilled with the bed making and room cleaning at home? But at home, I work for myself and for free. There are people here who have it as a job and a source of income.
Exploring the streets of Copiapó.
Peter is looking at a map of the Atacama region.
Plaza de Armas in Copiapó.
The Chile flag along Avenida Copayapu.
Catedral de Copiapó.
14.37 Out in the streets there were mostly people on move. Our movement will have to wait for a later today.
15.12 In room four, two gentlemen gather energy and desire to get things done. However, we need something that attracts, pushes us out. If you go out without meaning and goal, there's a risk of a quick return. In such cases, it is less clever to go out. 16.00 The church bells of the cathedral are ringing again. We see that as a calling to us. A call to enjoy. But I think they're tolling more because it's four o'clock than to lure us out. 16.53 It's time to visit another shopping mall, time for a new Mall Plaza (https://copiapo.mallplaza.cl) and a new cafe in the chain Le Coin (http://lecoin.cl). As I was about to order I created new coffee, Espresso Americano. I was supposed to say double espresso. 17.56 Before we left the shopping mall, I tried to buy something for the next diary. All I found was checkered or unlined booklets. Before returning home, however, we found another stationery store in what I found what I was looking for. I think there'll be more diaries written after all.
Christer in the central parts of Copiapó.
Lunch at the restaurant Bavaria.
We are heading to Mall Plaza Copiapó.
Inside another Mall Plaza here in Chile.
19.22 Most of our room goes in white. The only thing that breaks the colours is the clothes we have with us as well as the sodas we purchased on the way home from Mall Plaza.
20.19 We have promised ourselves to treat ourselves to things as well as enjoy today. We have done the best we could in a rather empty city and half-cold weather. To keep this up, we are now going to visit a dinner room. Where could it be this evening? 20.44 This with enjoying seems to be linked to return. We are again at a restaurant we recognize from the past, namely Raconto (http://www.raconto.cl). It is in the same chain as the nice restaurant we visited the second evening in Antofagasta. We have here ordered wine and entrecote. Both of these are wanted and awaited. 21.52 It cost some us some money but I think we were worth it. Entrecote and wine are a very good combination in several ways. It is not as cheap to eat meat in Chile as it is in Argentina but compared to Sweden, the price is acceptable.
We are visiting Raconto in this city as well.
Thursday 1st of August
08.15 A new month is here. I just told Christer what the current time is. In two weeks, we'll be back in our workplaces. But a lot should be done before that. We have at least three cities left to visit here in Chile before the journey home begins.
09.01 The month of August begins as so many other months before and from now on with a morning meal. 09.27 Before we travel on with another bus, we must make sure that we leave hotel Montecatini free of debts. It's almost time to pay for our stay. 10.10 It did not go quite smooth to pay. The card reader wanted us to call my VISA card for credit card for it to draw money. Now we and a group of people I don't know are down at the bus station. Again we will travel with Turbus. The problem is we're at Turbus terminal and all buses look the same. 10.42 After Christer asked in his most polite Spanish, we were referred to a bus. The luggage and we are now in place. We hope that it is the right bus. Today we will travel 342 kilometres. We have also learned that handicap toilet is called baño minusválido in Spanish. It is positive to learn something new.
We are on the road again.
Dry landscapes with nice views.
11.10 The land is brown and flat. What else can you expect in these parts? The Atacama Desert doesn't really want to give up yet. We'll have to wait a while longer for the greenery. Our journey this day is seriously underway. We sit upfront in the bus and the view is probably nothing to complain about.
11.37 A gray white haze slowly spreads over the dry landscape. The bus just stopped at a toll. Now everything is ready and the boom just went up. We continue the journey south towards La Serena, now there are 262 kilometres left. 12.28 A saleswoman has offered us sandwiches. The bus is standing still in Vallenar. The lady with sandwiches can offer her services and sandwiches to someone else, some others. 13.07 Not much does happen to us this day. The bus continues at its usual pace. Nothing fantastic is offered when it comes to action and views either. 14.00 There is hopefully just an hour until we will reach, La Serena. Just now, we passed some wind turbines. They are thinking about the environment here in Chile. 15.15 Before we leave the bus terminal here in La Serena, we will have lunch at the restaurant Bustop which is located upstairs here in the bus terminal. Food in the stomachs is always good before check-in. It's never nice to have to rush out in search of food when you just arrived at a nice hotel room.
Our bus has reached La Serena.
Peter is enjoying a good lunch at La Serena bus terminal.
16.22 Hotel Soberania (http://www.hotelsoberania.cl) offered us a room with the number 33. We have a unique room in a narrow building in the courtyard. We have our own door and a long flight of stairs up to it. It's important to know about and think about when we're going out.
16.50 Christer's brave attempts to press the remote did nothing about the TV. However, he got the attention from one in the staff, most likely the owner. He had seen through the window as Christer tried to turn on the TV. He also tried but he did not succeed either. Finally, we got the remote from room 34. 17.20 We can watch TV even though it's not our remote control. It is also nice to take it easy after another long bus trip. 18.03 We're a little lazy but what can we do? It's too early to go out for dinner and the property itself has nothing more than just one room to offer. 19.09 Sometimes time goes particularly fast. The planned coffee stop followed by a restaurant visit may now be modified. We simply remained in the room for so long that hunger drives away the coffee break. Possibly it can be taken later. 19.44 Irene Cara sings the theme song of "Flashdance". We are within the walls of yet another shopping mall, yet another Mall Plaza. Here we have found another restaurant in the chain Schopdog. Another acquaintance that we have not seen since the beginning of the trip resides one floor up. Who knows, maybe we'll be reunited?
Peter in the room at Hotel Soberania.
A new Schopdog meal, this time in La Serena.
Mall Plaza in La Serena.
We can finally visit Starbucks again.
20.43 It was a classic Schopdog visit, nothing culinary fantastic but tasty and satisfying. Now we have regained and united with our old acquaintance. We're at Starbucks Coffee. I firmly believe that it is the 35th Starbucks country in the last 15 years. The first visit was in Beirut, Lebanon, 2005. I can't help thinking about what country we're at Starbucks next time?
21.30 The mall we visited wanted to close but we had time to finish our coffee. We're back in the room. We are almost royally received here at the property. One person unlocks the gate to the hotel and another gives us the key and guides us to the room as well as turn on the lights. 22.37 Sometimes the rooms we live in are completely magical and amazing; in other occasions they are just mediocre. In this case, we are somewhere in between. 23.29 Imagine that we got a cool/cold room on this trip. Well, we tend to sleep well in rooms of that kind. Is that what happens now? Is this the last summer trip we make when we are in cold rooms? The truth is that we have been in most countries of the world when it is cold during the time we in Sweden call summer. The only ones left are Australia and New Zealand.
You can see 8 photos from July 30 in this photoalbum.
You can see 42 photos from July 31 in this photoalbum.
You can see 15 photos from August 1 in this photoalbum.