Floating in an Ice Cold Lagoon.

SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA, CHILE.

Our slot for La Laguna Cejar is at 11am. The turn off the A-23 is 15km south east. I've allowed 40 minutes but wasn't expecting such a long drive through the non-tarmac roads. Shortly after leaving the main road, a desert fox is stood in our path. I slow down and it lazily moves into the shrub. Two cars following us also slow down to take a look.

We arrive about 10:55am. The receipt on my phone is not what the guardis looking for. Ten minutes of hanging around before we are waved through. A very pleasant young guy explains the rules and kindly takes several photos of us.

The first Laguna Cejar is for photos only. Then a short walk to another two. Swimming is only permitted in the first but the recommendation is to visit the second first then return to swim. The lake is very cold, odd considering that the air temperature is in the mid-twenties. The instructions are to walk until the water is up to the knees then fall backwards. Don't swim forwards. The water is so salty and therefore bouyant that one lies there only slightly moving with the breeze. The body is covered in salt as it dries off.

Finally, we walk back to the start where there are cold outdoor showers and covered changing facilities. All told, it took between 70 and 80 minutes.

Later we stroll into town to enjoy an ice cream. Some different flavours are on display. PG chooses fig whilst RJ guava. We then spend a couple of hours packing our bags for tomorrow.

For dinner, we return to Los Borros, the restaurant from last night. The two young Americans from last night were just finishing again. We chat for several minutes about the lagunas. They haven't visited them yet, and are thinking about tomorrow when they discover that they are closed on Tuesdays. Unfortunately, they go home on Wednesday so no opportunity.