San Telmo in a storm

Today was another sweltering day and as summer heats up, so do my travel plans. Tomorrow, the deserted andean plateau and it could be a tricky climb. I have been studying ways to avoid altitude sickness and it appears coca leaves are the best remedy. I despair at the thought of my slightly pathetic, urbanised travel habits facing an isolated stretch of this enormous country. Cold at night and a desert closer than comfort to the Atacama, I am interested to see it and react to it and play with my humanity in these parts. And apart from that, buy a poncho.