Lauca2

A police truck drove by and the driver asked me where I was going. I was quick to defend--no where, just walking. I finally got that he was telling me there was another tourist climbing GuaneGuane and that I could join. I hopped in the back of the truck and met Laurent, a French guy who had been backpacking South America for 15 months. He was carrying his whole 50lb bag, but he was still the one stopping and waiting for me. My head was pounding as we headed higher and higher, past the scratchy bushes to the loose dirt and rock closer to the top. Laurent was a fellow couchsurfing and he was full of suggestions for my hut adventures in Chile, so while he waited for me to catch up, he made a long list of connections and recommendations for the rest of my time here. I shared my chocolate with him, which he said was like champagne to him since he was living off of just rice. The view from the top was incredible. It was a clear day, and I could see out to the twin volcanos and to the laguna cocacotani and lago chungara. We added our own little rocks to the cairn and then calmly sat at 5,096ft and went over the list Laurent wrote for me. I headed down at 5.45 but Laurent thought he would build his tent up there on top. I felt good the first 20minutes going down-every step I slid downwards at least a foot. It was like skiing in powder at Cystal. I made my way along a bifodal valley. I tried not to step where it was green-the bifodal was soft and squishy and crunchy, like walking on turf grass after rain. It seemed so delicate, and I couldn´t tell which parts would give way under my feet, so I just stayed on the rocks at the edge.

OK, well I can´t write more now. I have my bus ride (23.5 hours) from Iquique to Santiago in a half hour. From there I will visit one more refugio just a few hours from the city before meeting Carolyn in Santiago on Monday.