My second day in San Pedro was memorable, I thought I had already seen something surreal with the Valley of the Moon but this highland tour beat it all.
We left very early in the morning (like 6:30) driving out of the city towards the mountains. First stop for breakfast which our guide cooked in front of a salt lagoon under a volcano.
I mean... STELLAR!!!
The altitude was a challenge (we were at around 4,000 metres) but then the fairytale atmosphere really made it up for me. I felt like in watercolor painting, tufts of yellow grass (the only food for my beloved vicuna), white evaporated salt scattered near the lagoons with still waters, perfectly drawn mountains, the clear sky... see the photos here because my words can't describe the wonders.
Silence reigns supreme, sitting down to silently observe the view projects you into your own inner world but here, like never before, I feel like I emptied everything. My mind fel free, light, no longer rushing to think: a landscape that annihilates you. In the face of so much, even the mind finally surrenders.
We then continued for a walk facing 3 volcanoes (if I remember correctly, 2 active...), postcards that gave us goosebumps.
As we then descended in altitude we found the first large salt lake, also breathtaking. I never thought that colors like this existed, the sky, the clouds... everything looked fake, nothing seems to be real here... but everything magically is.
The photos are repetitive, I know, but I can't resist...
We then arrived in the Atacama Salt Flats, a protected park made up of salt lagoons where Chilean flamingos live.
Another positive, more personal note is that this tour included other very fun and interesting people. Among them is a German lady (oh god, miss?) who like me has decided to abandon her career and is now traveling for several months. Her destinations were all in South America and she would be there for about 4 months. Then it was nice to chat about our new visions of life, of rebirth, of non-compromises... talking to her was like reaffirming the path that led me to my choice.
Without warning, the tour strengthened me, more and more convinced that I had taken the right step, or at least, the one that is right for me.
So, the path of two nomads crosses but leaves no traces, who knows if I will meet her again on another journey.
This idea of getting to know each other, talking about personal, almost intimate projects and then saying goodbye with mutual good luck, leaving everything else to fate made me smile, happy.
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