We have moved on from Patagonia after our Torres del Paine hike going from Puerto Natales to Puerto Montt, Puerto Varas, Petroyue and finally arriving in Santiago. We have both recovered from our bed bug bites (thank goodness - Roy got bitten quite bad!), and have also crammed in a hop to Easter Island, where we hired a 4WD and explored the Island.
On arriving in Santiago we had 4 days before we headed off to Easter Island so we chilled a bit and walked a lot exploring different areas of the city. We had a nice room right in the middle of town so very handy.
Last friday we flew over to Easter Island arriving at lunch time. We chose our hostel from the many lined up in the arrivals hall. Unfortantly the room didn´t match the pictures (dirty and smelly) so we spent the afternoon walking around trying to find somewhere else. Every where we tried was either full or the person that does the bookings was out so we had to return in an hour. We finally found somewhere clean and not smelly (though not as cheap either) and moved our stuff there. It was a lot of walking around in the sun, so we both picked up a bit of colour (Me - nice deep tan, Roy - red!)
The next day we hired the 4WD and drove round part of the island going to the maui nursery (the quarry they were carved from) and a varity of maui sites. We ended at a palm tree lined beach (pacific ocean) for a refreshing swim.
The next day we covered the rest of the island, a crater from one of the significant volcano´s that shaped the island, explored a cave where they would have lived and saw more maui.
We headed back to Santiago the next day and here we still are. We had hoped to head off today, but it is proving very expensive to leave! Flights anywhere out of Chile are at a premium - the LAN stranglehold. We are either going to La Paz (Boliva) and from there (once we are altituded) going to Cuzco via Puno, or we will go straight to Cuzco. Inca trail on the 11th. It´s getting closer ;-)
We have changed our plans slightly and will then head to the Amazon (Fingers crossed).
Will keep you posted.
Roy & Sarah x
