Jon and I have reached the island of Chiloe just south of the lake district in Chile. As we make our way south to Torres del Paine we´re experiencing colder weather, cities replaced by smaller towns, and friendlier faces. Chiloe is a real chilled fishing island with a rich culture of it´s own and the beautiful fishing huts called Palafitos where fresh fish rules!
We are currently staying in Castro for 2 nights to refuel our legs and stock up on food for our trek through the Chiloe national park. We had an amazing dinner last night (deciding to splurge on a 10$ US meal). I had the freshest Chilean sea bass with native purple potatoes and fresh veggies. It was extraordinary! I made Jon walk all over town searching for this place I´d read about in Lonely Planet. Azul Luna. Great great food! Totally worth the wait, and walk.
We had just arrived in Castro after a looong bumpy bus ride from Puerto Montt where we scoured the town for Camping equipment. We need fuel and I had my swiss army knife lost, or stolen. In a lank of treks and camping it has been impossible to find gear. We keep being pointed to shops where they specialize in just about everything, but find only a couple of tents, stylized camping clothes, lawn mowers and bikinis all in the same aisle!! Puerto Montt did not prove totally a waste of time in the pouring rain with our heavy packs...we saw el presidente del Chile, or at least the body guards and Jon bumped into a man he shared some hours with in the Sri Lanka airport years ago. Pretty amazing!
Our heads were also still full of blissful memories of Puerto Varas, the very relaxed town on the sea. We loved this place famous for german style chalets and churches. In our cozy, pine walled hostel we met Mark. He´s an ex stock broker turned Colorado river guide. We spent a few days together eagerly planning the 9 to 10 day Q trek we want to do in Torres del Paine. This trek promises extreme wind and metre deep snow and mud, so I´m happy to be sticking with two boys, one of which is experienced in dangerous situtations. We´re also hoping to do some sea kayaking with him, and life jackets!
Anyway, he´s off to run one of the top 3 rivers in the world, the futulafue (sp!!?) So we´ll meet up in a month or so....
It´s time for Jon and I to search this town for camping gear and a couple of trekking poles for me so I don´t blow away. I´m also hoping to find an alpaca sweater. We´ve already purchased 2 caps hand made for 2000 pesoes, around 3 bucks us. We´re trying our hardest to blend in, but with our lack of spanish (I´still study every day!!) and white skin, it´s proving difficult. The people are lovely and friendly though. Chile is proving to be a comfortable, safe, beautiful country to travel in.
We´ve been staying with a local famiily in their house in Castro. Our room overlooks the sea and we´ve just been stuffed with a breakfast we didn´t know we were getting!
Adios amigos y hasta pronto!
Emilia
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Adios Santiago
It is hot here! Too hot and polluted.
We are ready to leave. Lounging by the pool, drinking cheap beer and listening to 90s classic rock has been fun and all, but we've already warn every article of clothing we own, and are ready to blend in with our fellow, equally stinky, trekkers.
So tonight (a las noches) we hop on a comfy overnight bus to Puerto Varas, just outside of Puerto Montt in the lake district. We are inching ourselves closer to Patagonia and have opted to spend most of our time in the near future in the Chilean side before trekking up Argentina in the later, less touristy months.
I know this might be lame, but here's my top 10 list of things I've discovered about Santiago...
1/pisco sour really is sour and sweet and leaves you with the worst hangovers. No more...
2/ Santiago is polluted! We climbed Cerro Santa Lucia at 628 m to get a better view of the Andes, but couldn't see past the smog
3/ The men are gorgeous! Especially the mestisos!
4/ the women dress like they're teenagers until they hit 60ish.
5/ the people are warm and patient with our pathetic spanish attempts
6/ no one speaks english! Trying to get our bus tickets was a really riot! Lots of confused faces
7/ beeer is wonderfully cheap and better than water (thanks for your advice mom!)
8/ there are lots of parks here and even more stray dogs *jon has taken on the mother teresa roll for all filthy animals
9. a good way to get to know any city is to spend time in the markets and try all of the amazing dishes even if you don't know what you're eating
10. It is more fun travelling with a friend (: Jon has saved my life more than once. Traffic here is brutal and drivers DON'T stop! It's funny watching locals run for their lives.
Muchos besos! Siempre, Emily
We are ready to leave. Lounging by the pool, drinking cheap beer and listening to 90s classic rock has been fun and all, but we've already warn every article of clothing we own, and are ready to blend in with our fellow, equally stinky, trekkers.
So tonight (a las noches) we hop on a comfy overnight bus to Puerto Varas, just outside of Puerto Montt in the lake district. We are inching ourselves closer to Patagonia and have opted to spend most of our time in the near future in the Chilean side before trekking up Argentina in the later, less touristy months.
I know this might be lame, but here's my top 10 list of things I've discovered about Santiago...
1/pisco sour really is sour and sweet and leaves you with the worst hangovers. No more...
2/ Santiago is polluted! We climbed Cerro Santa Lucia at 628 m to get a better view of the Andes, but couldn't see past the smog
3/ The men are gorgeous! Especially the mestisos!
4/ the women dress like they're teenagers until they hit 60ish.
5/ the people are warm and patient with our pathetic spanish attempts
6/ no one speaks english! Trying to get our bus tickets was a really riot! Lots of confused faces
7/ beeer is wonderfully cheap and better than water (thanks for your advice mom!)
8/ there are lots of parks here and even more stray dogs *jon has taken on the mother teresa roll for all filthy animals
9. a good way to get to know any city is to spend time in the markets and try all of the amazing dishes even if you don't know what you're eating
10. It is more fun travelling with a friend (: Jon has saved my life more than once. Traffic here is brutal and drivers DON'T stop! It's funny watching locals run for their lives.
Muchos besos! Siempre, Emily
Friday, January 9, 2009
Sunny Santiago
Hola!
Jon and I have arrived in Santiago, Chile after what proved to be an exhausting long day and night of travel. We left Jon's place at 6am, arriving at the airport late due to doors being frozen shut. Jon and I had not had much sleep so we were pooped but ready to go.
We knew we would be in for a long flight, with a connection in Costa Rica, but what we didn't know was that our 2 flights had somehow doubled. 4 boarding passes were handed to us in Pearson. The fun was only beginning.
Flight number one was delayed an hour and a half. Eventually we arrived in San Salvador, El Salvador (a country I will visit properly one day). Flight #2 was delayed almost 2 hours due to an earthquake shaking things up in Costa Rica. We eventually made it after a couple of hours in the air. From the airport window Costa Rica looks stunning and I really cannot wait to spend some time there in July. Flight #3 brought us to a large, clean and comfortable Hugo Chavez airport in Lima, Peru. Finally flight #4 arrived us tired and cranky, but excited nonetheless in Santiago, Chile.
4 countries, 3 contenants, 3 times zones and 17 hours later we had a breezy time getting through customs at 330am. We were shocked, however, to learn that the mandatory $55 us entry fee for Canadians had now increased to $132!! A whole dollar more than Americans! Obviously Canada has been making some changes and the Chileans are paying us back!
It was too late for us to book a hotel, or find a taxi into town so we begrudgingly opted to making the best of a couple of chairs in the airport. Horrible, horrible sleep. I woke up miserable, but then looked out the massive airport windows to see the snow capped Andes welcoming me to this stunning country!!!
Now we're lounging at our hostel, La Casa Roja in the bohemian district of Santiago. The city is big, loud and very European. Polution is a problem, as are crazy drivers. Food is cheap. Beer even cheaper. Jon and I bought a leter bottle of cerveza for $2 and enjoyed it by the pool. Tonight we''re having a bbq in hope of meeting some fellow travellers and learning about their adventures.
We hope to stay in Santiago for 2 nights before taking a late bus down to the lake district and Puerto Montt, beginning our time in Patagonia. I CANNOT FREAKING WAIT!!!!!!! The Andes, from what I can see are monstrously massive and overwhelmingly beautiful. Photos will soon follow! Many many photoos.
Ok all. I've managed ot have my first conversation in Spanish, and drink tap water without vomitting. So far so good.
Lots of love, hasta luego.
Emilia xo
Jon and I have arrived in Santiago, Chile after what proved to be an exhausting long day and night of travel. We left Jon's place at 6am, arriving at the airport late due to doors being frozen shut. Jon and I had not had much sleep so we were pooped but ready to go.
We knew we would be in for a long flight, with a connection in Costa Rica, but what we didn't know was that our 2 flights had somehow doubled. 4 boarding passes were handed to us in Pearson. The fun was only beginning.
Flight number one was delayed an hour and a half. Eventually we arrived in San Salvador, El Salvador (a country I will visit properly one day). Flight #2 was delayed almost 2 hours due to an earthquake shaking things up in Costa Rica. We eventually made it after a couple of hours in the air. From the airport window Costa Rica looks stunning and I really cannot wait to spend some time there in July. Flight #3 brought us to a large, clean and comfortable Hugo Chavez airport in Lima, Peru. Finally flight #4 arrived us tired and cranky, but excited nonetheless in Santiago, Chile.
4 countries, 3 contenants, 3 times zones and 17 hours later we had a breezy time getting through customs at 330am. We were shocked, however, to learn that the mandatory $55 us entry fee for Canadians had now increased to $132!! A whole dollar more than Americans! Obviously Canada has been making some changes and the Chileans are paying us back!
It was too late for us to book a hotel, or find a taxi into town so we begrudgingly opted to making the best of a couple of chairs in the airport. Horrible, horrible sleep. I woke up miserable, but then looked out the massive airport windows to see the snow capped Andes welcoming me to this stunning country!!!
Now we're lounging at our hostel, La Casa Roja in the bohemian district of Santiago. The city is big, loud and very European. Polution is a problem, as are crazy drivers. Food is cheap. Beer even cheaper. Jon and I bought a leter bottle of cerveza for $2 and enjoyed it by the pool. Tonight we''re having a bbq in hope of meeting some fellow travellers and learning about their adventures.
We hope to stay in Santiago for 2 nights before taking a late bus down to the lake district and Puerto Montt, beginning our time in Patagonia. I CANNOT FREAKING WAIT!!!!!!! The Andes, from what I can see are monstrously massive and overwhelmingly beautiful. Photos will soon follow! Many many photoos.
Ok all. I've managed ot have my first conversation in Spanish, and drink tap water without vomitting. So far so good.
Lots of love, hasta luego.
Emilia xo
Monday, December 29, 2008
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Less is More?
The nightmares are beginning. It's the day of my flight and I haven't even started packing...Panic!
I am determined to be prepared for this trip. I'll be experiencing a huge variety of climate (hopefully no El Nino!) and terrain. Patagonia is cold and windy even in the summer, and frequently sees snow! We have decided to bring a proper 4-season tent as well as a tarp for summer nights.
I just purchased the Canon G9 from Henrys. I have yet to figure out how it works, but it shoots RAW and is light and steel-cased. I really don't want to lug around a DSLR. They're too cumbersome and tempting to steal.
I've also decided to do without an MP3 player. I just know it won't last long. They're a hot item for theives. I'll probably regret this decision half-way through the year when I'm seriously craving my music! Oh well, that's what meeting new friends is for...
I'll make a list of what I packed later on....
I still need to wash my stinky pack (from years of travel) and sew up new holes.
My pack is amazing, by the way... a little too big at 85 L, but lighter than most 65L. It's gortex sealed and very durable. I bought it for under $500 7 years ago and have taken it everywhere. It is the love of my life (though I have been tempted to ditch it on numerous occassions). It's a Serratus design and was made in Canada before the company had to outsource to Asia.
I still recommend these bags! Very very durable!
xo
Vaccine after vaccine after vaccine!
Jon and I leave in a little over one month. I'm kind of losing my mind with excitement, and the stress of having to move out of my aparment, contact OHIP, deal with bank loans, work issues, and all of these bloody needles I keep needing! I just got the Flu Shot which is a must for travellers to third world countries. I am also getting the typhoid vaccine on Thursday and have already been jabbed with tetanus and dyptheria boosters. I also have Hep A and B.
I hate taking medicine and am a firm believer in any cold being cured by a generous dram of whisky and extra spicy curry, however it is better to be prepared travelling to countries where travellers constantly succumb to illness. I would hate to miss out on any adventure because I'm stuck to the toilet! I'm also stocking up on diarrhea tablets (lovely) and malaria pills.
In Buenos Aires, Argentina, the Yellow Fever vaccine is free from the clinic at 690 Ingeniero Huergo Avenue. I'll be visiting!
Jon and I leave in 37 days. The countdown has begun! I will continue to nurse my sore arms and try to sort through the remainder of my flights.
Tchuss!
I hate taking medicine and am a firm believer in any cold being cured by a generous dram of whisky and extra spicy curry, however it is better to be prepared travelling to countries where travellers constantly succumb to illness. I would hate to miss out on any adventure because I'm stuck to the toilet! I'm also stocking up on diarrhea tablets (lovely) and malaria pills.
In Buenos Aires, Argentina, the Yellow Fever vaccine is free from the clinic at 690 Ingeniero Huergo Avenue. I'll be visiting!
Jon and I leave in 37 days. The countdown has begun! I will continue to nurse my sore arms and try to sort through the remainder of my flights.
Tchuss!
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