The "Geyser Blanco" or white geyser, nurtures a nearby river by warming and enriching the waters of the high mountain ecosystem of the Andes. At 13779ft above sea level, the wind pushes cold thin air through my lungs in this life-breathing and hope-blooming area of the world, that gently holds the title of the world's most arid non-polar desert. As the faint smell of sulfur and clay reminds everyone here to be careful crossing the river, in our search for a comfortable area close by where we can rest and submerge ourselves in these healing waters. *Note: Our guide had been allowed to take us there by the local indigenous authorities, and the land was profoundly respected and treated with care as we crossed it.