After the leaving of the Carabiñeros, I could finally sleep… And woke up today morning well, even the night was cold (-4C). Due to condensation, the tent was a little humid and I needed to wait until packing it. So I ate outside, allowing the sunto warm the side that had frost on it.
The ride started quite difficult: about 400m of uphill with cold muscles. All people had told me that after that pent, the rest wouldbe easy. The cerro Parinacota appeared on the left: nice, simetrical volcano covered by powder sugar…so beautiful! And on the south: some fumaroles coming out from another vulcano.
Finally, I passed the pass and could enjoy the small downhill to the lake Chungara and the control station. The police asked me, where I came from and as I had not crossed the boarder, I could pass. I went to the carabiñeros to ask for news from my digicam…and hoping for some hospitality. As you might think, there was no news from the digicam.. And in contrast to the Carabiñeros from the Salar of Surire, from Ujina and from Ascotan, the hospitaly was very restricted: I had asked for some water and bread so I could folllow a Carabiñeros to the kittchen, were large table was prepared for lunch. But they had no bread, only the rest of Cocacola I could have. And of course, I was not invited for lunch.
So I left to the 900m below Putre…. Everyone tolding it would only go don, which of course is not possible with Chilean Ingeneers. On the way, I had a stop for lunch at a truck restaurant, as the frontal wind was taking a lot of energy. Then I passes another control and was harrassed by three Alpagas hoping for some food. One of those even lickedd at my throusers, which made me unconfortable: could they bit?
The road went up again, the wind blew a little bit stronger…. And finally, the road was going steeper and steeper down through a king of canyon. A few kilometers before Putre, I took the road to it, even it was said to be under construction: I did not want to rise again uphill once more. The first part was new and only about 1km was a bit sandy to prepare their sand-water-salt mixture.
I arrived then in Putre and found the tour guide I met with Zetha before at the Salar of Surire (www.andinotours.com). We talked a bit and he recommende an hostal. After the check-in, the shower and shaving I enjoyed Llama meat with a glas of wine.
Good n8
Number and path:http://connect.garmin.com/activity/30783203