So fabulous to read about your experiences at that wonderful place, Anne. Can't wait to see your photos & hear your impressions. We are STILL hoping to get there post ICE on 2/16. We met a couple enroute to Santiago who own a vacation home in La Serena which is on the beach at the edge of Atacama Desert. We have been invited to stay there (We would rent for a week. They are leaving before we return from ICE.) if our plans don't work out at Aswai (sp). Small world. Editing to Add: This is the 1st time we have ever traveled without definite plans set in stone. We are already finding it exhilarating, with a great sense of freedom. We thought we would hold to a set timetable, but we're finding that there are just too many things to do post ICE :)

We are smilin' over reading the news about "Haagen Dazs" actually getting his dream of a railroad built in S.A. He should do a special event for us ROARers after all the fun he had with us! Good intel!

Meanwhile, we arrived today in Santiago, exhausted. It took us 2-l/2 days to get from LAX to Santiago. Mechanical problems galore out of LAX, missed connection in Miami. No surprise. Ngaire taught us well: In addition to cross-packing, we packed 1 set of the several layers of clothing required per person for Antarctica in our carryon, plus all the camera equipment. Who needs anything else?? We simply are not going to miss this trip again for any reason!