We were still in Vicuña and somehow needed to get to Copiapo as soon as possible, we needed to check out a few things at the tourist information office and go to the Conaf office, its the main place to find out information about the regions parks, lakes and volcanoes. We managed to get a ride from near the bridge into Vicuña to a little bit away from there, there was a junction on the main road from La Serena to Pisco Elqui, we waited by a bus stop in the shade for about two and a half hours, the longest I have had to wait for a single ride in my short hitch hiking career so far. Finally a car stopped very unexpectedly, we weren't even sure if he had stopped for us, Dries had my ipod on so was in different world and I had to alert him that a car was waiting for us and was beeping to alert us of it stopping for us. We got in and found out he was going all the way to La Serena and would be able to drop us off in the centre, more walking, I'm really getting fed up with it now but it can be fun sometimes. I have to add that the person who gave us the lift from near Vicuña to La Serena was the first Piñera supporter, Piñera is the new Chilean presiident and is the first right wing leader or that country for about twenty five years or something, the reason I mention this is because everybody we have met so far are opposed to Piñera quite a lot.
Not knowing where we were in La Serena we just followed the panamerican north until we got to a Copec gas station, the walk was about an hour and a half so not too short but we got there, topped up on some drinking water and I bought some more crisps. We chose to go and wait at the exit of the gas station and hope a car or something would stop and pick us up and maybe take us all the way to Copiapo.