we swung over to Argentina for a week settling in Mendoza for its wine and meeeeaatt. Hired bikes to ride around the wine country stopping all stations..vineyards first, sampling the local culture by the glass full. It was a great feeling to ride between the vineyards with an after wine buzz, the setting sun settling down to sleep soundly behind the slopey scales of the snowy scenic mountains...(derek is a poetic genius...yesssss!) Had our first taste of intestine, by accident. Derek has now got a taste for human flesh, we´re pretty sure it was human. Made tracks to Bariloche, again the setting sun and all that shit ...but around lakes. It was actually really beautiful. I think it made Derek cry. (it did). Day tripped it out to see a black glacier that closely resembled a large black crocodile,check out the photo.
Crossed back over to Chile to Pucon, the activity centre of Chile (although it only has 20,000 residents). Anddddd we climbed the biggest volcano in the whole world! This isn´t really factual, the truth maybe stretched a little. But we swear it sure isn´t far off being the biggest, it took us 5 hours just to hike to the top. The result was worth it. It stunk of sulfur, which we unfortunately took a big gasp of when we finally reached the top. It burnt all the way down...similar to tear gas. The views were amazing. Volcanoes all over this country, just like the people dry humping in parks here..they are everywhere. Ooh and on the way day, we put these nappy like underpants on our ass and slid down the whole volcano like a waterslide. Shit it was fun. But still we managed to stab ourselves in the leg with our ice picks. Derek managed to do this twice...on the same leg.Within minutes after the other. What an idiot.
We went hydrospeeding - whitewater rafting without the raft or lifejackets, but on idividual foam tampon-like contraptions. Yes, yes we are crazy. look at us go mum.woooohooo. Ha ha that´s right, Derek pissed in his wetsuit. But the wetsuits were not infact wetsuits, they were dry suits. And in turn, Derek smelt of piss as did the drysuit which he had hired and of course his underpants. Class.
Ooh one other thing which was a hoot, the thermal baths. Gorgeous setting, 5 natural out door thermal springs surrounded by nothing but mountains and trees. Took some wine, cheese and crackers one night and sat under the stars. If only we weren´t there together it could have been romantic. Derek nearly ate a slug.
From Pucon, we headed further down south to an island called Chiloe. Here we stayed in the main town Castro and down in a smaller port town Quellan.
On our way there we broke all of our rules and ate fish at a cafe that had no locals eating there, let alone customers. There were flies, heaps of flies. A cat, that walked over every surface. It was a little touch and go there for a while. We survived it.
In Chiloe we stood out like dogs balls. You don´t see too many tourists here. They had these amazing colourful stilt houses made of fibro, corregated iron stuck together with saliva, (quite possibly). Each year when the water level is high the community move their houses around, and so if a neighbour has pissed you off at some point, it´s ok. You are not stuck with them. You just pray for rain and just shift yourself away the next time the water level is high. The world would be a happier place if all countries took on this system.
Now in Coyhaique (still Chile) after a dodgy ferry ride that went for 48hours, 12 hours longer than it should have, after being delayed for 12 hours. It ran out of food, water and kind people. The boat had a hustle on it that will outlast time itself. We contributed to the smell, so we´re not pointing fingers.
We can´t put into words how god damned beautiful this country is, we´ve spent alot longer here than what we thought or than our bank balance can carry. Crystal clear lakes and river, snow capped volcanoes everywhere, green rolling hills and pastures and amazing friendly locals, and warm weather.
we´ve dribbled on enough. hope all is well with everyone. please send us an email, photos or anything. We need other interaction than ourselves, our stories are making their 3rd or 4th round, its getting boring, please help.
muchas love
