Just to say I´m back from my vacation...
By marguicha
@marguicha (223077)
Chile
August 18, 2010 2:27am CST
... with a new avatar. I like to put a picture of the last place I have been as my vacations are paid by my earnings online.
I went to Arica, Chile. While I was there I took a day´s tour to the Chungará Lake which is 4500 meters above sea level. In the back is the majestic Parinacota, the highest volcano in my country.
This avatar is the first of many pictures I will show you. They are not the best pictures: I think I will have to read the camera´s booklet and learn how to use it. But the volcano can be seen and the lake is there.
The trip to Chungará was difficult as it is too high and most of us got sick in one way or another. My pressure went op for a couple of days and my head still hurts. But it was worth it. Tomorrow I´ll begin telling you all about it. I´ll put it in my interest "travel".
Meanwhile I want to tell you all that I have missed mylot and you, my friends.
A hug!
1 person likes this
10 responses
@ElicBxn (63594)
• United States
18 Aug 10
I'm glad you had a fun trip. I, too, have had trouble with altitudes, even as a child, I couldn't ride in the back seat at a higher altitude without becoming car sick, and its only gotten worse (the back seat stuff) as I got older.
My mother also traveled with a lady once who when they went up to Aspen Colorado, she became quite ill and spent a few hours in the hospital getting oxygen. They had to spend the rest of the trip trying to find lower passes so she didn't get sick again.
I'm going to guess that my low red blood count has something to do with the altitude sickness - but what I've seen in travel shows is that the place you visited was so high that a LOT of healthy people have problems there.
@marguicha (223077)
• Chile
18 Aug 10
Altitude causes problems in many people.But Aspen is not much ascompared to the altiplano. Vicuñas, the slender and SO beautiful cousins of llamas, live at 12000 feet, lower than Lago Chungará.
Most of the people who were on the bus had problems with the altitude. The guide has knowledge on how to deal with this though and they even have an oxigen tank just in case. High blood pressure is a problem there for people who are not acostumed. I don´t usually have high blood pressure but I am slowly getting back my usual digits after the trip. I wouldn´t have missed it for the world though
.
.1 person likes this
@marguicha (223077)
• Chile
19 Aug 10
Different people have different reactions to altitude no mayyer what age although age doesn´t help. I´m 65 and I know I would have done better when I was young. But I was chatting today with my 18 year old grandson and he said he has had an awful time at Chungará with the altitude.
1 person likes this
@mr_pearl (5018)
• India
18 Aug 10
Welcome back dear friend... 
I hope you have had a wonderful time... Please do post the pics of your adventure tour here, it will great to look at the volcano.... Take care ...
I hope you have had a wonderful time... Please do post the pics of your adventure tour here, it will great to look at the volcano.... Take care ... 
@moonchild1au (6237)
• Australia
18 Aug 10
Glad to see you back here! I can't wait to hear all about your holiday! I hope you had a great time.
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
18 Aug 10
Another fantastic trip by the sound of it! I can’t wait to learn more! Isn’t that great that your work online has helped you to achieve such a holiday! I love your new avatar; it looks like a beautiful place. I hope you are not feeling too bad now. We’ve missed you too and we’re glad you’re back marguicha!
@marguicha (223077)
• Chile
18 Aug 10
Hi Paula!
The headache went away (I bet the high blood pressure too) but the memories stay.The tripto Lago Chungará was an extra I took by myself. My friends decided they would not risk the altitude. I think it was worth it. I saw the the awesome Atacama desert (the dryest in the world) the surrounds Arica and climbed up to the 4500 meters where the lake is. Along the way you could see the aymara villages and the animals of the altiplano: llamas, wanakus, alpaca (they are domestic) and the slender vicuñas. I also saw ñandus and a couple of flamingos at the lake.
I do wish I was a better phographer though. I promise that I will learn how to use my camera now
Take care, friend!
The headache went away (I bet the high blood pressure too) but the memories stay.The tripto Lago Chungará was an extra I took by myself. My friends decided they would not risk the altitude. I think it was worth it. I saw the the awesome Atacama desert (the dryest in the world) the surrounds Arica and climbed up to the 4500 meters where the lake is. Along the way you could see the aymara villages and the animals of the altiplano: llamas, wanakus, alpaca (they are domestic) and the slender vicuñas. I also saw ñandus and a couple of flamingos at the lake.
I do wish I was a better phographer though. I promise that I will learn how to use my camera now
Take care, friend!1 person likes this
@vathsala30 (3732)
• India
18 Aug 10
Hi Marguicha,
Really we missed you very much. It is great to know about your pleasant trip. Hope to hear more about it in your next discussion. Have a great day. Cheers
Really we missed you very much. It is great to know about your pleasant trip. Hope to hear more about it in your next discussion. Have a great day. Cheers
@magtibaygom (4858)
• Philippines
19 Aug 10
Welcome back my friend! You're becoming a jet-setter now! I envy you my friend. I wish someday I will spend my life with my loved one visiting the places you are visiting right now! I'd like to ask, how are you able to do that? Are you living on big pension you can afford not work anymore and just spend your life traveling and visiting the beautiful tourist destinations in the world?
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
21 Aug 10
Hiya, - nice volcano. Sorry about your head. :D
@ada8may21 (2405)
• Philippines
18 Aug 10
I am kinda thinking what are your online earnings that you could afford to have this kind of vacation. I am some how envy you because you have that earnings, I bet that earnings is not only for a month. How many months did you save that to have this vacation? I am just curious. Sorry for too much asking. I dont force you to answer me you have the right to just ignore my questions.
