major part of our trip. Insects were thankfully very few and far between. Birds were either solitary or crowded together on the few lakes. We did see a strange big eared mouse at one camping spot, but Llamas and Vicunas( a humpless South American Camel ) were the most common and did their best to graze the arid scrub. They survived were a Welsh hill sheep would have starved. The scarcity of animal life made for memorable appearances. An osprey, a condor, 4 woodpeckers, 2 ants, and a horse fly. I can place them all. Flamingos made a wonderful splash of color as they moved together on the isolated lakes. It really felt like nature at the edge of its abilities to survive in the harsh conditions ofcyclists riding on cheap Chinese bikes who would stop and shake our hands.

Aucanquilcha - The Yellow Mountain

At times we had immersed ourselves in our journey and forgotten that the summit of the volcano was our objective. But as days passed into weeks, as the salt lake was crossed, the landscape again subtly changed, and we arrived on a plain in between two 20,000 foot volcanoes. We were on schedule and ,after half a day's rest, set off up our mining track with enough food and water for three days. The distances were not great but the altitude began to tell as we camped at 14,000 feet on the first night. The colors and lighting at sunset were outstanding, and the altitude gave us maximum sunlight, and a longer