We got up at 3. 45 am to be met by our VERY excitable guide ‘Iggy’. After a looong drive on some rubbish roads we got to our destination just after 6.30 am.

It was dark and bloody freezing.

The area is one of the highest geothermic regions in the world at 4250+ K above sea level. If you’re going to suffer from altitude sickness - this is where it’s going to happen. Luckily we had drunk the local ‘coco’ tea - which smoothes round the edges of all sickness 🧐 . We were ok, but I’m not sure I would want to have pushed it to much round here.

The geysers were ‘meh’ - really not worthy of the early start or long drive and despite Iggy’s enthusiasm - I struggled to be enthralled.

Later we stopped for a breakfast picnic on the mountain plain, surrounded by those beautiful mountains, snow on the ground the sun rising. It was absolutely sublime.