The Atacama Desert

While many resourceful and skilled Indigenous Australians have subsisted on the arid desert regions at the centre of our country for millions of years, the less skilled and less resourceful Anglo-Australians largely occupy the more temperate coastal regions.

So while Australians have a vague knowledge of something red called a desert we generally don't have much familiarity with it. Thus, Julia and I jumped at the chance to traverse through the driest desert in the world - the Atacama desert. Interestingly before we bid Bon voyage for this very trip, the Atacama was making global headlines after unseasonal rains saw beautiful and usually dormant flowers spring to life in all their unusual fecundity. A changing climate perchance?

Chile an unusually phallic shaped country with its arbitrary borders offers a striking array of geographic marvels. From glaciers in the south to the as mentioned driest desert in the world in the centre. So we headed off to the desert, acutely aware that Melbourne was in the grip of, yet more, unseasonably warm weather and that we'd in fact be escaping such searing temperatures despite heading into the driest desert in the world! What was that about climate change?

The desert conflicts you. Its imperceptible expanses both overwhelm you but at the same time invigorate you. It reminds you that we're yet to inexorably fuck up every inch of this planet but in the same breath you yearn for the comforts of the city. The irony is that whilst there is vastly less flaura and fauna, this very fact makes it stand out more starkly amidst the barren surrounds - you actually notice more it. The hare fleeing its predator, the barely perceptible lizard on the cactus.

Based out of the adobe tourist town of San Pedro, Julia and I set off on a few day trips. Specifically we headed off to see some lakes at over 4000m of altitude and also a small portion of the salt flats (including flamingos!) that many travellers head across the border to see in Bolivia.

This trip has increasingly highlighted to me the sheer amount of things we do not know and understand, a sobering and also empowering thought. It has also highlighted the pitfalls of not only our rationality but our perception too. Walking around at over 4000m, in the driest desert in the world, marvelling at the turquoise waters of the lake before us, we couldn't quite fathom those facts. The very fact that globalisation, warts and all, and a couple of winning genetic lottery tickets enabled us the privilege of experiencing that instant wasn't lost on either of us as we somewhat existentially pondered the purpose and meaning of it all. Why us? Is travel right or wrong?

Something I love about travel, not necessarily international travel but forced sabbaticals, is the opportunity to questions things. Things you value and why you value them. Travel has been in the cross hairs this trip! I can't shake the aforementioned notions of privilege but also unnecessary environmental impacts.

However, equally invigorating are the robust discussions you share with fellow travellers from around the world. Gleaning new insights and most definitely perspectives. This was exemplified during some heated debate with a big German man who unfortunately and ignorantly praised Australia's handling of asylum seekers. Needless to say that particular global issue has been a regular and intriguing source of discussions along our journey thus far.

I could conclude with photos and borrow the tired adage that a picture says a thousand words but I get the sense that photos of the dessert don't in-fact do such a thing but merely downplay the awesome vastness of it all.

Thus, we headed off in a blaze of red dust and stubborn mercury. As we made our way towards Peru and a new adventure we couldn't help but once again ponder how arbitrary our very existence was.

This vulnerability was exacerbated during our ill-fated border crossing into Peru. But for that anecdote dear reader, you will have to await the next instalment.