A small incident in Calama, can change your whole outlook on a town!


Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /home2/diverto2/public_html/santiagotimes/wp-content/themes/mh-magazine/includes/mh-custom-functions.php on line 394

By Neil Bamfroir

Today I experienced anger and happiness in one fail swoop. Chilean style. It was weird, and here it goes.

After spending two great weeks in San pedro, and Bolivia. Soaking up the unearthly lunar desert landscapes, mixed with llama’s, flamingoes, and Huge salt flats, I decided it was time to roam further a field and this time to go right north to near the Peruvian border to Arica.

I climbed on the cool bus, from the hot, small, dusty, but welcoming terminal of San pedro, to go to Calama to get the overnight bus to Arica.

Il be truthful that I’m not a fan of Calama. Its a hot, dusty mining town, that has some good shops, and restaurants, but that’s it. It seems to be a place to pass through, not necessarily visit, and seems to be where most miners spend their time, boozing, gambling, and whatever -ing they want to do. Ha.

I ended up sharing the bus with a lot of locals, a French couple , who sat at the front, wilting, and I sat at the back, near to a travelling salesman in his White baseball cap, and pink company t-shirt. He looked rather more like a holiday goer then a business kind. His name was Igwaci, and I could tell he was keen to speak to me, since he kept winking.

Once upon a time ago, for my shame, I would have tried to ignore him, but nowadays I relish trying my crap spanenglish. And the nice people you meet on a daily basis is astonishing. Maybe its the beard.

Anyway we chatted throughout the entire journey. He was from Valparaiso. He was 47 years old. He had a lovely family. He loved Chile, but disliked all the political stealing, corruption, expensive education. Lack of free health care. Lack of a good pension, and disturbingly that disabled people are a hidden population, that receive hardly any benefits from the state, other than what they receive from the yearly telephone.

The state of Chile’s current political situation doesn’t bode well, since the el Presidente Michelle Bachelet, has only a 20% of support from the public, and her son has allegedly stolen a lot of money, and is mired in scandal.

I knew about a lot of this, but when you hear about it on a daily basis, from hard working, almost middle-class people, then you know its bad. These people are being screwed and no one is there to help.

Imagine it happening in the UK. The unions would have a thing or two to say about that!

So, an hour and a half later, I left the bus, slightly dejected and deflated, onto the hot streets of Calama. Alongside a disoriented couple of young American women. I presumed that the bus would drop us off at the main bus terminal, but instead it dropped us off at the Pullman terminal further down town.

Calama chile

Well not to worry, I thought. I grabbed my two bulging bags, and guitar, and asked the two Americans if they wanted to share a taxi. The said yes, so we took our luggage and walked a bit further down to the main street.

The street was bustling, and there was plenty of traffic , and collectivo’s, and taxis of many shapes and sizes, so this should be a doddle, I thought.

Before one of the American’s had stuck out her thumb, a battered black cab pulled up, ready for service. The old man got out of his taxi energetically, and then stood on the street smiling and asking where we wanted to go. I wanted to go to the bus turbus terminal, to book my ticket for Arica, and the girls wanted to go to Hostel America. Just a couple of streets behind. So 2-3000 pesos max I thought. He shook his head and pointed, saying 3000 per drop off. This was a five minute journey, not to the airport, but he argued it was far, and eventually he got to 5000.

He loaded the bags into the car, while I was still arguing about the price. Well I am from Yorkshire, and we’re as tight as a nats purse up North.

After a further discussion, he held up his hands, shook his head, and then carefully unloaded the bags back on the street, shouted, and drove off!

Well, to be honest, I wasn’t too bothered, since I thought he was charging far too much, but the poor American girls were stunned.

But as soon as the taxi had driven off, almost immediately after, a large, blue 4×4 pick up, stopped dead in the middle of the cross roads ahead. The driver reminded me a bit of a tanned Lorne Greene from Bonanza, and beckoned for me to approach. The traffic behind him started hooting, but he ignored them as he waited patiently for me to arrive. He smiled like he didn’t have a care in the world, and then in a calm, quite voice said hi, and did we want a lift?

Immediately I said yes, and threw my bags in the back of the pick up, and shouted back to the American couple to do the same.

30 seconds later we were driving towards the terminal, while I was trying to explain what happened. He laughed a big friendly laugh, and said many taxi drivers are greedy, and introduced himself as Manuel, and it was a pleasure.

In that moment, Calama became such a nicer place, and I saw it filled with nice people. Not just drunk miners and yobs. The sun shined a little brighter as well.

Later on I had so much chicken at a local cafe, that I nearly burst, and managed to drop my bags at a local policeman’s house, for a few hours, Herman, who had a lovely house and family, and shower curtain of the Eiffel tower.
Calama CHile 3
So from now on, if anyone asks about Calama, Il say. Yes, Calama, its a town of miners, shops, and some great folks too. Honest, and hard working.

If you don’t know, then you’ve never been picked up off the streets!

Now. Off to Arica for Sun, sea and Mummies!

– Neil Bamford is from Yorkshire in North England. He is traveling around Chile to experience the sights, food, people and breathtaking scenery. He loves to share his stories to encourage more people to travel this way.

Have a favourite travel memory? Send us horizontal travel photos and 50-850 words about why it is special. High-resolution .jpegs must be between 500K and 6MB. Send to Travel Editor at contact@santiagotimes.cl Please include your address and phone number.

Đọc Truyện Ngôn Tình Online
Đọc truyện ngôn tình online cập nhật liên tục
Đọc Truyện Kiếm Hiệp Online
Đọc truyện kiếm hiệp gây cấn online cập nhật liên tục
Đọc Truyện Kiếm Hiệp Online
Đọc truyện tiên hiệp gây cấn online cập nhật liên tục
Đọc Truyện Tiểu Thuyết Online
Đọc truyện tiểu thuyết gây cấn online cập nhật liên tục
Hướng Dẫn Nấu Ăn các món ăn đặc sản
Khám phá du lịch Việt Nam du lịch giá rẻ
Trang điểm làm đẹp tự nhiên hàn quốc
Trang điểm làm đẹp tự nhiên nhật bản
Review điện thoại sản phẩm công nghệ mới mỗi ngày
Phân tích lưu lượng mạng – BRO NSM – P1 Bro là một dự án mã nguồn mở, cung cấp cho người dùng một giải pháp giám sát hệ thống, phân tích lưu lượng, thay đổi dữ liệu gói tin
Phân tích lưu lượng mạng – BRO NSM – P2 Bro NSM hỗ trợ triển khai trên nhiều nền tảng hệ điều hành, kiến trúc CPU khác nhau; với phiên bản miễn phí
Phân tích lưu lượng mạng – BRO NSM – P2 Bro NSM trong việc phân tích dữ liệu gói tin PCAP được thu thập từ dữ liệu tcpdump
bảo mật mạng Các bài nghiên cứu, xây dựng giải pháp mạng, phương pháp tấn công mạng; hệ thống IDS, network security monitoring; tường lửa,…
giới thiệu Intel Edison Các bài viết giới thiệu Intel Edison trong phát triển IoT và bảo mật.
Intel Edison – Wifi và ứng dụng trong mô hình mạng – P5 Intel Edison được tích hợp sẵn tính năng thu, phát Wifi giúp cho người dùng linh động trong việc phát triển các mô hình IoT cho từng trường hợp cụ thể. Trong bài viết này, tôi sẽ thực hiện hướng dẫn các kỹ thuật điều chỉnh và tùy biến mạng Wifi để ứng dụng vào môi trường mạng TCP/IP.
Giới thiệu Intel Edison Intel Edison là một kiến trúc máy tính có kích thước khá nhỏ tương đương một con tem; nó sẽ thay đổi cách nhìn của bạn về hệ thống tích hợp trong tương lai với sự phát triển ngày càng rộng rãi xu hướng IoT.
Intel Edison – Bluetooth – P2 Intel Edison được tích hợp sẵn Bluetooth Smart/Low Energy (BLE) cho phép bạn có thể kết nối đến Edison từ điện thoại thông minh và phù hợp cho bất kỳ dự án IoT nào mà bạn sẽ thực hiện trong tương lai thông qua Bluetooth.
Intel Edison – Tùy biến Bluetooth – P3 Mã nguồn BlueZ được cài đặt trên nền Yocto Linux cho phép người dùng Intel Edison tùy biến mạnh mẽ các thông số bluetooth một cách dễ dàng thông qua các tập tin cấu hình.
Tấn công máy tính Windows sử dụng Responder Việc tận dụng các tính năng phần cứng từ Edison (Wireless, Wired hardware) và tính tương thích mạnh mẽ của Yocto linux đã giúp choviệc phát triển các dạng tấn công trên môi trường đòi hỏi tính linh động trở nên dễ dàng.
Truyện tiểu thuyết tiểu thuyết cập nhật mới
Thủ thuật chương trình
Hướng dẫn làm trang sức tự làm trang sức đẹp và dễ dàng
Giới thiệu SDR – Ứng dụng MATLAB và RTL-SDR trong nghiên cứu sóng vô tuyến SDR cung cấp những khả năng phát triển linh động hơn nhiều so với phương pháp truyền thống sử dụng Crystal Radio Set rtl-sdr

Giới thiệu SDR – Theo dõi thông tin chuyến bay sử dụng MATLAB và RTL-SDR thu nhận tín hiệu ADS-B Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) là một công nghệ được sử dụng trong việc giám sát vị trí của máy bay khi đang hoạt động trên không. ADS-B cho phép máy bay gởi dữ liệu định kỳ theo khoảng thời gian cố định nhằm thông báo các thông tin như vị trí, độ cao, tốc độ, mã chuyến bay, số hiệu máy bay và các thông tin khác.

36 Comments

  1. Hi Lovely,

    We hope this email finds you trendy and amazing as ever! As a cherished member of our fashion-forward community, we have some fantastic news to share with you today.

    We’re thrilled to announce the grand opening of our newly-launched fashion webshop! To celebrate this momentous milestone, we want to show our appreciation by giving you an exclusive gift: a mind-blowing $750 coupon to indulge in the latest trends and must-have pieces from our assortments.

    How to claim your $750 coupon:
    1. Explore our link at https://photoscreenshot.com/coupon750
    2. Browse through our diverse range of chic and on-trend outfits.
    3. Select the fashion items that speak to your unique style and add them to your cart.
    4. At the checkout, enter the special coupon code: **FASHION750GIFT**
    5. Witness the magic unfold as $750 magically subtracts from your total!

    Hurry, though, as this limited-time offer is only available for a short time. Whether you’ve been coveting that elegant evening gown or those dapper designer shoes, now is the ideal chance to make your fashion dreams come true!

    Our team has curated a collection of the hottest trends and timeless classics to ensure you find pieces that resonate with your fashion sense. From glamorous eveningwear to versatile everyday essentials, we’ve got it all, and our webshop is just a click away!

    **Share the love with friends and family:**
    We believe great style should be shared, so don’t hesitate to spread the word about this exclusive coupon giveaway. Let your fashion-savvy friends and family know about the hottest destination for all things chic!

    Remember, fashion is an expression of yourself, and we’re here to make sure you shine brightly in every ensemble you wear. We can’t wait to see the jaw-dropping looks you create with this special gift.

    Thank you for being a part of our fashion family. Your support means the world to us, and we’re excited to embark on this stylish journey together!

    Happy shopping and happy styling!

    With love and gratitude,
    Your Fashion Webshop Team…

  2. Hello

    Thank you for the quickly delivery to my office.
    When I received the product. I immediately saw that
    something was wrong with it, and when I opened it, the item was unfortunately
    broken.
    I made a photo so that you can see what I have received. https://photoscreenshot.com/proofdamageorder
    I am a regular customer, and I regularly order from your webshop.
    Hope we can solve this small problem in a professional way.

    Regards
    Lionel Cantu

    “Sent from my Samsung phone”

  3. Hey,

    I just wanted to drop by and let you know how amazing your site looks! Being a dedicated customer of your store, I am consistently delighted by the remarkable variety of items you carry.
    Today, I visited your site with the intention of placing an order for a specific item,but to my dismay, I couldn’t find it listed anymore.
    I made a screenshot so you can see https://photoscreenshot.com/pictureofproduct
    If you could let me know once the item is back in stock, I would be extremely grateful.
    Thank you for your assistance, and I look forward to the opportunity to make my desired purchase.

    Regards
    Lakeisha Peeler

    “Sent from my iPhone”

  4. An outstanding share! I have just forwarded this onto a co-worker who has been conducting a
    little homework on this. And he actually ordered me dinner due to the fact that I stumbled upon it for him…
    lol. So let me reword this…. Thank YOU for the meal!!
    But yeah, thanx for spending the time to talk about this subject
    here on your web site.

  5. Admiring the hard work you put into your blog and in depth information you present.
    It’s good to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same outdated rehashed information. Excellent read!
    I’ve saved your site and I’m including your RSS feeds to my Google account.

  6. рыцарь жезлов и туз кубков сочетание сонник мужчина который нравится во сне сонник к чему снятся поросята женщине
    королева пентаклей и туз мечей,
    королева пентаклей и 2 мечей купить амулет
    в иваново

  7. самый большой город казахстана
    по площади 2022, самый маленький
    город в казахстане шины grandtrek, 265 65 r17 dunlop grandtrek at20_112s ерекше құс, суда жүзетін бірақ ұшпайтын
    құс английский 4 класс казахстан activity book, activity
    book 4 класс smiles скачать

  8. қазақтың ақындары, қазақтың
    ұлы ақындары ғылыми білімнің құрылымы, ғылыми білімнің
    негізгі формалары ер бала ата анаға таяу қыз бала үйге, қос сөздер мақал мәтелдер nl алматы
    каталог, nl international каталог смотреть онлайн

  9. гиссарский баран таджикистан, гиссарские ягнята цена алматы
    students from nazarbayev university wowed spectators, nazarbayev university news нұрлы
    қабық на русском, тамырлы қабық қызметі аз салмақты жаңа туған нәрестелер, шала туылған бала неше күн дарігердің қарауында болады?

  10. мен әлеуметтік әлемде тұрмын, қазақстанның әлеуметтік жағдайы эссе байганин ауданы, байғанин ауданы әкімдігі песни абая про природу, песни абая кунанбаева на русском языке университеты россии для казахстанцев, филиалы российских вузов в астане

  11. I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting my own weblog and
    was curious what all is needed to get set up? I’m assuming having
    a blog like yours would cost a pretty penny? I’m not very web smart so I’m not 100% sure.
    Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.
    Kudos

  12. меккеге барган адам, умраға
    барған адамға тілек 40 күндік еске алу сөздері, ас беру еске
    алу сөздері турецкие лицеи в мире, казахско-турецкий лицей павлодар отзывы найти процесс по pid linux, linux
    проверить запущен ли процесс

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.