Time to claim the Chilean prize

By Louise Mayor in Santiago, Chile

When I got to immigration at Santiago airport in Chile this morning, the man behind the glass asked me whether I was here for business or pleasure. “Business,” I replied. But that word didn’t sit right with me. To me, the word “business” conjures the image of some dull suit-and-briefcase affair. But I’m here to go to the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) as my reward for winning the European Astronomy Journalism Prize 2014, and I’ve been thinking of it as quite the once-in-a-lifetime treat. “Perhaps,” I thought to myself in those split-seconds following my reply, “my trip does fall under ‘pleasure’ after all?”

Not one to mislead immigration officers, I immediately wanted to clarify the situation. “Well,” I added, “er,” before quickly realizing that changing one’s answer at the immigration counter is perhaps not the best idea. The man then stopped his document-checking and looked at me square-on, fixing me with an intense gaze. “Why are you here?” he asked.

Twenty-six hours in from the start of my journey, I paused briefly as my mind – as frantically as it could muster at this stage – sought the words that would get me through. “I’m going to the Atacama Desert,” I said. “To see some telescopes.” He started nodding, which I took as my cue that he was getting on board with my story. “It’s a science thing!” I added, to seal the deal. But by then he’d already decided I was legit, as he waved his hand from side to side and said, “Yes, yes. I know it.”

Clearly he was more familiar with this topic than the man I met yesterday at the Wagamama’s at Heathrow airport who, after me giving him some vague details of where I was going, asked, “That’s some kind of astrology thing isn’t it?” I tend to think I have a good poker face, but on this occasion it must have failed me. “Oh,” he said, looking rather abashed, “that’s the wrong word isn’t it, and I’ve probably just rather insulted you.” I assured him that no offence had been taken, but I did clarify the meanings of the words “astrology” and “astronomy”. Just to be sure, you understand – we get enough enquiries about Psychics World without adding horoscopes into the mix too.

Tomorrow will be my third day of travel and will see me reach San Pedro de Atacama, the town nearest to ALMA at an altitude of 2400 m, which will be my base for the next few days. Once checked in to my hotel I will visit the nearby ALMA Operations Support Facility at 2900 m – the bit where all the astronomers stay and work. The trip up to the Array Operations Site at 5000 m – the bit where all the radio telescopes are – will have to wait one more day, as a condition of me going up that high is that I first stay a night at San Pedro de Atacama to adjust to the altitude.

Fingers crossed I don’t get altitude sickness so that I’m in a fit state to visit these sites and find out exactly what those astronomers are up to. So stay tuned for more over the next few days, altitude-sickness allowing.