There seems to be a consensus forming that there will be peak flowering in northern Chile this coming Southern Hemisphere spring. I enjoyed the previous Desierto Florido in 2002 and would love to go back and replace my old slides with a digital album, along with the sheer pleasure of exploring unfamiliar plants in a marvelous landscape. I'm a little hesitant about posting this inquiry here, but here goes: I'd like to find two or three traveling companions, at least one of whom is willing to do a lot of driving (I have an eye problem that makes me anxious about long highway driving). I'm willing to pay the whole cost of the rental vehicle. The timeframe is between mid-September and mid-October. I was there in mid to late October in 2002 and saw nearly everything in flower, but some observers feel the earlier time might be better. The Alstroemeria species do tend to flower later. The travel arrangement is to fly to Santiago, take a day or two to recover (the time zone is just one hour earlier than US Eastern Time), pick up a vehicle, and head north on I-5 (yes, it's called that there, just as on our west coast). I have a library of reference books, including the wonderful booklet of botanical drives and hikes, and I've been to the area twice. I'd like to make it clear that I'm NOT organizing a group tour with me as leader. I'd just like some friends along, with more eyes on the roadside and above the trail, and more voices to shout "Stop here!" I haven't looked yet to see how much airfare is now, but I'd expect it to be around $1800 from the US west coast. Hotels are comparable to US prices or a little lower; gas is more expensive; food is less expensive. There are also campgrounds, but that means carrying a lot of extra gear. If you're interested, please contact me soon, privately, at <janemcgary@earthlink.net>. BEst regards, Jane McGary Portland, Oregon, USA