Pays not to lose hope as you never know what it around the next corner and with cycle touring each day can be so different in so many ways. We left our train station camp (after a big breakfast in the cocina of course) and finally we had a day with no wind at the start and when we made a major turn to the east – our westerly started a blowing- yes today the wind is our friend not foe. It is all about perspective and what direction you are travelling!

As well as pleasant cycling we finally started getting colour and life back into our world. We climbed up to a high region of colourful volcanoes and grasses and finally saw some wildlife again (apart from Alan that is). We had a great ride through to a mining camp where we were allowed to camp in the shelter of the church and we made inroads into the camp kitchen again – scoring a wonderful vege/chicken soup with fresh bread for dinner and of course more eggs.

And today another great day past 2 large salt flats (salars), and even a laguna of flamingos – the first of the trip. The wind was calm again this morning and we had a tail westerly as we biked east into Ollague. Smiles again on our faces today. It was probably the coldest morning of our trip this morning and it pays to set up the tent to get the sun as soon as poss. Maybe -10 or -15, hard to tell. Our sleeping bags and clothes are doing the trick tho’ Alan does get cold toes (and is sick of hearing about my lovely warm (blue) Keenes that were a last minute purchase whe I decided to go for cages not cleats. So very happy about that decision.

Ollague is a train station town and the last town in Chile before we cross to Bolivia tomorrow. It seemed all the accommodation was full but we were taken under the wing of a lovely chilean woman who opened another bunkroom, with a fire box for us and then bought us a good supply of wood and now we have a big dinner to look forward to – the simple pleasures  – a roof over your head, warmth and food.