08-Oct-2004 -- The confluence of 16S 71W required a side trip on our way up to the mining camp where we live and I work, high in the Andes Mountains.
We left Arequipa about 10:35 passing by the beautiful volcanoes, Misti and Chachani, with snow-capped Sabancay in the distance. We passed through the Vicuna reserve and counted several groups of the elegant animals feeding and resting along with many hot-pink Andean flamingoes.
We reached the pueblo of Imata about 1:00pm, picked up some bread and headed out of Imata on a very poor road that connects to homesteads and pueblos some 100 km away. We drove approximately 21km and finally came close to the confluence.
We got out of the car and walked about 40 meters off the “road” across loose alkaline sand in a dry lakebed with terrific cold winds. We were at an altitude of 4559m (14,954feet) above sea level and this place really defines “Boonies.”
We were happy that we found confluence number two and we were really glad to get back into the car and out of the wind and flying sand.