Trip to Arica and Iquique - Day 3

Saturday morning, we ate a very yummy breakfast of qunoa and hot milk (like a cream of wheat type thing), coca tea, and bread/butter. We then continued our trip up to the precordillera. We stopped on various occasions for pictures of the llamas, vacuñas, and alpacas, as well as in a couple smaller towns for a glimpse of atacameñan culture. About late morning, we reached Lake Chungara and the Parinacota volcano. Absolutely gorgeous (pictures coming soon)! Situated at 20, 413 feet, it was DEFINITELY high up! walking from the van to the edge of the lake (about 50 feet) was enough to leave us all breathless and dizzy - but totally worth it! After having our fill of picture taking, we stopped for a leisurely lunch nearby, where we also had a chance to buy various handicrafts made from alpaca wool, and then began the 5 hour descent back to Arica. As we quickly learned, the trip down is definitely harder than the trip up...all of us (including our driver) almost fell asleep on various occasions due to the altitude change. But, we made it safe and sound, bought our bus tickets for Iquique the next day, went out to dinner, and got to go clothes shopping in one of the cheapest cities in Chile for clothes (knock-off skirts for less than $4, for example). As we checked in to our hostel that night (the same as the first night), we were given a significant upgrade in rooms, which definitely made the stay a great deal more enjoyable.