Llamas

We had a good sleep in the salt hotel. We had masses of blankets which felt very heavy, and slept in thermals. The wind was howling when we went to bed, then stopped during the night.

We had a very good drive in the 4x4 all day, stopping to see stuff on the way. Our driver, Lionel, was so nice, keeping the 5 of us informed as we drove along. (We are travelling with three British women). First stop was a museum with an Inca mummy and a necropolis on a hill, with the bones there.

We then headed up quite a high pass which was beautiful, and stopped for lunch over the other side. The drivers provided it as part of the trip. Avocado, tomatoes, and a nice potato, cheese and egg pie. We then pressed on, stopping if there were vicuña or llamas to take photos of, also at a lake for pink(ish) flamingoes.

After that, in the late afternoon, we stopped for a walk through a bit where there had been a pyroclastic flow and now there were great rocks in stunning formation. We walked through a marshy area to see various birds, but the guide didn't know what they were. There was also a creature that looked like a rabbit but wasn't.

Eventually we arrived at the hostel. We knew it would be badic, as mass tourism hasn't reached this region yet, but it is pretty grim, - concrete floor, door that won't shut, and a walk down steps, across a yard full of 4x4 to the flooding loo which won't lock. With the altitude we are bound to need to go in the night. However there is no light pollution so the stars are amazing.

This isn't the most interesting photo I took, but I feel you can't be in South America without a llama blip.