The latest bus ride was the worst one yet. It was not because there were many problems. In fact, not once did the bus have to stop for mechanical problems, which seems almost a rarity down here. It was not because they did not feed us. We actually had a first class meal in a restaurant that was included in the bus ticket. In terms of services and overall quality, this might be the best bus ride we have taken. So, why am I complaining? Well, I have about 15,000 reasons. After leaving Salta, Argentina (at an altitude a shade under 4000 feet), the bus climbed and climbed, reaching its peak at over 15,000 feet. You read that correctly. That is over 500 feet higher than the tallest peak in the continental US, Mount Whitney, which stands at 14,494 feet. For those uneducated in altitude sickness, traveling from under 4000 feet to over 15000 feet in a matter of a few hours can cause problems. It did not help that we were stopped at the Argentinian customs for over 2 hours at an altitude of over 13000 feet. While we did receive a lunch that was geared toward high altitude, it probably did not help that I threw it up promptly after getting back in the bus. It felt like the longest bus ride yet as all my energy was mostly focused on breathing, trying not to pass out, and not throwing up on anyone´s lap. Adam and Fabrice, who I suspect are secretly sherpas, seemed like superman compared to my miserable state. Finally we started losing altitude, into San Pedro de Atacama, Chile, and I thanked God that the Chilean customs resided in San Pedro (at about 7700 feet) and not way up in the moutains like the sickening customs of Argentina.
The past few days before that we were in Salta, Argentina where we did, for the most part, umm, nothing. We spent a lot of our time hanging out with a couple from England named Sam and Katie. We had a lot of fun comparing slang words, discussing the merits of the metric system, and trying to figure out what exactly happened in the movie Syriana. Later in our stay, we met back up with Fabrice and Mounya who had just arrived from Iguazu. Apparently, they almost got arrested in Iguazu National Park for trespassing but nothing ever came of it. Sadly we had to say goodbye to Mounya, and then Sam and Katie. Now, with Fabrice in tow, we are on the verge of exploring the great Atacama desert. Stay tuned.
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