So last time I wrote we were at the start of our time in Santiago. We were there for a total of 8 days and now we're in a town called Puerto Varas in the Lakes District in Chile.
We're learning that very few things here are simple or logical and that whatever good experiences we have, they are invariably preceded or followed by a challenge- which may or may not be making the good times better- we're not sure yet...there are too many challenged and too few good times thus far.
As an example of the systems here in Chile, we had to find a hardware store (suprisingly when we set off to find one we just walked down the street and turned one corner and then found a strip of shops that seemed to be populated solely by hardware stores which was odd) to find some locks for my bag. The process at the hardware store was;
1. Speak to a person behind a counter and tell them what you want. They get the item for you and scan it and give you a piece of paper. They then drop the item that you are purchasing off to the 'pick-up counter'
2. You take the piece of paper to another person behind another counter who doesn't even make eye contact with you who seems to simply do data entry for stock control. You are given another piece of paper.
3. You go to another person who is sitting in a booth. You give them the second piece of paper and then you pay. They give you another piece of paper
4. You go to the pick-up desk where your item has been dropped by the person in the first step of the process. They give the item to you and you receive a receipt.
We've come to understand that pre-paying systems are typical here in Chile. If you order food, you must pay first then take your docket to the counter to order.
Also while we were in Santiago we had to go to a doctor in an area called Las Condes (about 20 minutes out of the city). Turns out this wasn't has bad as we thought it would be, even though the doctor was in a hospital that seemed bigger than RPA. The pain in the ass was getting the train home.
The trains in Santiago are fine outside of peak hours but terrible within peak hours. Overcrowded to the point where you don't even have to worry about being pickpocketed or even holding on to anything because no one can actually move. Combine this with a train stopping and everyone getting off and hurrying to another platform only to get on a train going the completely wrong direction from where we needed to go and we were not happy by the end of the trip.
We left Santiago on an overpriced tour on Thursday which has brought us down to the Lakes District.
Highlight of the tour was going to Hot Springs near a place called Pucon and while we were in the springs it started snowing. Was quite amazing to sit in a hot spring when the air temperature is about 0 degrees and have snow falling on you and to feel quite comfortable.
But as with every highlight there are negative things. Getting fromt he mountain where the hot springs were to back to Pucon our bus didn't have any traction and started sliding and so we had to sit int he bus for over an hour waiting for someone to bring chains to put on the tyres so we could come down the mountain. Turns out the snow stopped about 100m down the road so we probably could have made it- but better to be safe than over the edge of a mountain.
So now we're in Puerto Varas. Like many of the towns in this area of Chile there is a large German influence and for once I'm not the only person with blue eyes around town.
We were planning on getting a reasonably cheap bus to Bariloche, Argentina (approx AU$26 each) but due to a section of the road being closed to buses we have to take a touristy bus ferry combination which consists of 4 buses and 3 ferries. This option is costing us AU$220 each.
The weather has been miserable. Constantly cloudy and usually when it rains it's actually tiny hail as it's so cold. We're pretty sick of this weather especially as it obscures the views of the volcanoes in the area. Apparently this town is surrounded by 3- we can't see any of them and there was also one in Pucon which we couldn't see.
At our current hostel there is an enormous dog (about my height when it stands on its hind legs) which likes to hump everything. Had a go at me yesterday and now has a thing for Marcello.
Chile doesn't seem to understand the concept of real coffee- Nescafe is rampant here and Marcello is going through withdrawals.
However after our trip to Bariloche tomorrow we will be on our way to Buenos Aires which is full of Italians so we are hoping there will be good coffee there.
I think the hail outside has turned to snow so I'm to go investigate now- hope I don't get humped by the dog!
Love to you all!
