Pumpernickel on Tour   … in South America

Wednesday 8th October 2014

As you know, we prefer travelling during the day because we want to see the countryside. Therefore, for the approx. 10-hour journey from Arica to Antofagasta we have booked a coach that leaves Arica at 7.15 in the morning. So the alarm goes off at 5 o’clock, we are showered, dressed and packed by 6.00 am and our host at the Hostal Sunny Days has also got up early to prepare an oppulent breakfast for us.

We arrive at the bus terminal with plenty of time (what do you expect? We’re German after all…) and head straight to the agency’s counter to enquire which platform our bus will be leaving from. Lo siento, says the friendly señorita, tengo malas noticias – sorry, I’ve got bad news: the service has been cancelled and the next bus isn’t scheduled until 9.20 am. Great, all the effort for nothing; we won’t get our seats in the front row, we won’t cross the Tropic of Capricorn in daylight and will arrive in Antofagasta after dark…

The driver of the later coach tries to make up some time but there are lots of roadworks –

Due to all the (partly unvoluntary) stops and delays it is already 21.00 hours when we arrive in Antofagasta. Now we have to organise our onward journey for the next day, find accommodation and something to eat. Too much hassle for this time of the day; and so we spontaneously ask the bus driver if we can carry on to La Serena on the same coach. Yep, not a problem, they just have to find new seats for us each time the bus stops and passengers with a booking get on. The crew even serves a snack for dinner…

 

Thursday 9th October 2014

We have a pleasant night-journey and don’t sleep too bad in our semi-cama (reclining seats) bus.

After 24 hours we finally arrive in La Serena…

We find accommodation in the Hostal El Punto, a lovely German run place close to bus terminal and town centre and then head for a sight-seeing trip into the city.

In the evening we meet my friend Elisabeth, who has moved from San Fernando to La Serena since 2010, for dinner.

 

Friday 10th October 2014

… so brilliant that we sleep until 9 o’clock the next morning and just make it in time for the excellent breakfast for which the Hostal El Punto is known.

As a reward we treat ourselves to another ice cream in the afternoon – and a trip to the local supermarket where they have a ‘German Week’.

Far too soon the evening and our time with Elisabeth in the beautiful city of La Serena are over…

Tomorrow we will head to Valparaíso.