Door to door? I think it worked out to be around 36 hours. Lots of fun! Flights went pretty smoothly. Flying into Santiago was the first time it sunk in that I was on my own in South America! It was a mixture of excitement and fear. Flying into Santiago: Black peaks surrounded by thick clouds, almost like whipped cream. This was unlike anything I´ve ever seen before in Australia.
Attempt at Spanish #1: My stopover in Santiago was around 9 hours. After wondering around aimlessly for half an hour, I decided to test it out......Spanish. FAIL! Walk up to a lady in the shop to ask her, well I think I asked her, ¨Where can I access WIFI around here? She didn´t even look at me! Nothing! She stared straight through me. Oh god, is this what it´s going to be like! That small amount of confidence that I had in my travellers ability to speak Spanish? Demolished...
Attempt at Spanish # 2: So after and hour or two or building up the courage to give it another go, I approached a Starbucks (yes, they´re everywhere) I asked in my broken Spanish again, success! I was able to access WIFI, however, for some reason was unable to use my card to purchase food or water. So for 8 hours; no food, no water. How to waste time?...Waste time = Facebook... and Coffeebreak Spanish (crammimg Spanish lesson # How to ask for Internet Access, Ordering food and Describing Emotions (very important, cansado comes to mind!)
Flight to Lima: After 8 hours of waiting, I lined up to get onto my flight from Santigo to Lima. Hand over passport and the man says something in Spanish and pulls me aside. Oh crap! He explains to me, that I hadn´t checked in! Long story. So I start to sweat. He manages to get me on the flight and I tell him I love him forever. Him: No smile. Too much perhaps???
Flight to Lima: I´m ruined. Squeeze into my seat, pull my hood over my head and close my eyes...but...I can feel a presence. Two young Chilean girls are sitting next to me and staring...like I´m about to perform just for them....Well, perform I did.
Attempt at Spanish #3: They are just waiting for me to say something. Monologue: Okay Caz, think this through, what Spanish do you know? This is a good opportunity to practise speaking to children for when I´m teaching.
´Cual es tu Nombre?´ - they say their name
Ummmmmm, think Caz, what else Do you know? So I ask them how old they are. They look confused. I ask them again. I ask the big one, then the little one. They still look slightly puzzled and giggle a little. They answer my question finally, after me asking them numerous time. One´s 8, the other´s 12. I later found out from my tour guide after asking him how old he is, that I actually asked them ´How many anuses do you have´....repeatedly, infront of their parents. Too polite to correct me I assume... Anyway, it can only get better from here.
I land in Lima, find my guide amongst the 100s of yelling taxi drivers and head back to my hotel.
