SANTIAGO
Our first stop in Chile was Santiago, where we flew in from Auckland all the way back at the begining of January. Our plane had taken off in New Zealand on Monday 3rd at 4.20 PM and it landed on the same day, Monday 3rd at 11.40 AM! So apon arrival Caitlin and I congratulated ourselves on becoming TIME TRAVELERS!! Even though we were advised not to, I went straight to sleep when we reached the hostel. I had a good 17 hour kip right through untill morning which seemed to sort the jet lag out a bit.
The following day we went to see the ruins at Cerro Santa Lucia, once a hermitage, then a convent and then a military bastion. Now the park offers a rest from the city chaos happening all around it. We made our way up to the fountains up the curving staircases that lead to the summit, trying to avoid the heavy petting in the shady corners.
Some of the interesting graffitti found around the city.
After browsing some of the markets we went over to the Cerro San Christobal on the other side of the Mapocho River that runs through the city. From the plaza we took the funicular that climbs nearly 500m to the top which hosts a grand statue of the Virgin Mary that over looks the city that seems to stretch out forever. If you look closely you can just about see the Andean mountain range at the eaat of Santiago, but the thick smog from the city below does a good job in disgising the mountains. 
The next day we headed out west of the city on a bus to Valparaiso. Valparaiso is a frenetic port with houses stacked up to gaping heights along the sea. The irregular street patterns lead up to the residential hills which are all conected by steep footpaths and Valparaiso´s famous ´asensores´ elevators!
When we got into town we headed for the sea front, hopped on a little wooden boat, strapped into life jackets and took a ride around the harbour.
Neither Caitlin nor I understood a word of what our spanish speaking guide was telling us but it was a great way to see the towns landscape, the huge navy vessels and some sea lions too.
For the rest of the afternoon we just spent time being in the sun, relaxing in the plazas before making our way back to Santiago. That evening the hostel put on a Chilean BBQ which we enjoyed with all the other geusts. There was a huge amount of sood cooked up for us, mostly all meat including fat Chorizo sausages, chicken thighs, racks and racks of pork ribs and thick, bloody steaks... MUY BONITO!
After our time in Santiago we flew up to Peru, if you have been following my blog then you may have read about my adventures there and in Bolivia.
SAN PEDRO
So a few weeks later Caitlin and I arrived back in Chile at san Pedro in the north. After some cold nights in Bolivia, San Pedro gave us a very warm welcome. The small town, which was once only a short stop on the Andean cattle drive, is an oases set in the Atacma Desert. We found a little hostel on the edge of town with a pretty, hammock-strewn garden. For our time in San Pedro we allowed ourselves to rest up and do nothing for a couple of days after our fats paced travel through Peru and Bolivia.
CALDERA
Getting into Caldera, Caitlin and I got droped of the bus outside of town at 2 in the morning. After a bit of a search we managed to find a bed for the night in a little place that was truely vintage, or some might say begging for an update! While in Caldera we joined in with the Chilean vacationers at this seaside town by taking their slow pace of life and exploring the town, it´s port, the markets, exhibitions and the odd disney coloured church in the central plaza.
We spent our beach days at Bahia Inglesa, a white shell beach fronting the turquoise waters.
After our stay in Caldera Caitlin and I felt ready to take on the next part of our journey. Our next stop was to be in Pucon, far south of Santiago, and we were currently far north. We arranged an overnight bus to take us to Santiago followed, consectutivly, by another overnight bus that stopped in Pucon. Ensuing a total of 25 hours on the bus, a lot of fast food and a lot of sitting we eventually arrived in Pucon after 2 days on the go, feeling tired, smelly and dirty!
PUCON
Pucon is situated on the edge of the shimmering waters of Lake Vallarrica and under the huffing cone of Volcano Vallerrica and is included as part of Chile´s Lake District. The towns lush mountainous surroundings and little wooden chalets reminded me of small alpine villages in the Swiss Alpes, and if we had come at the right time of the year (winter in July and August) we would have even been able to ski!
For the first 2 days in Pucon we helped out at the local orphanage in the afternoons. I think it must have been the girl summer holidays as the seemed to have been left to run riot about the place! Caitlin and I were left alone to amuse the children, they all thoguht it was hilarious that neither of us could speak Spanish and they probably got away with murder as our answer to everything was "ahh CI!".
Me with Nicola, Alejandra and little Saray.
Neither Caitlin nor I understood a word of what our spanish speaking guide was telling us but it was a great way to see the towns landscape, the huge navy vessels and some sea lions too.For the rest of the afternoon we just spent time being in the sun, relaxing in the plazas before making our way back to Santiago. That evening the hostel put on a Chilean BBQ which we enjoyed with all the other geusts. There was a huge amount of sood cooked up for us, mostly all meat including fat Chorizo sausages, chicken thighs, racks and racks of pork ribs and thick, bloody steaks... MUY BONITO!After our time in Santiago we flew up to Peru, if you have been following my blog then you may have read about my adventures there and in Bolivia.
SAN PEDRO
So a few weeks later Caitlin and I arrived back in Chile at san Pedro in the north. After some cold nights in Bolivia, San Pedro gave us a very warm welcome. The small town, which was once only a short stop on the Andean cattle drive, is an oases set in the Atacma Desert. We found a little hostel on the edge of town with a pretty, hammock-strewn garden. For our time in San Pedro we allowed ourselves to rest up and do nothing for a couple of days after our fats paced travel through Peru and Bolivia.
The little church in the centre of San Pedro.
CALDERA
Getting into Caldera, Caitlin and I got droped of the bus outside of town at 2 in the morning. After a bit of a search we managed to find a bed for the night in a little place that was truely vintage, or some might say begging for an update! While in Caldera we joined in with the Chilean vacationers at this seaside town by taking their slow pace of life and exploring the town, it´s port, the markets, exhibitions and the odd disney coloured church in the central plaza.
We spent our beach days at Bahia Inglesa, a white shell beach fronting the turquoise waters.
After our stay in Caldera Caitlin and I felt ready to take on the next part of our journey. Our next stop was to be in Pucon, far south of Santiago, and we were currently far north. We arranged an overnight bus to take us to Santiago followed, consectutivly, by another overnight bus that stopped in Pucon. Ensuing a total of 25 hours on the bus, a lot of fast food and a lot of sitting we eventually arrived in Pucon after 2 days on the go, feeling tired, smelly and dirty!PUCON
Pucon is situated on the edge of the shimmering waters of Lake Vallarrica and under the huffing cone of Volcano Vallerrica and is included as part of Chile´s Lake District. The towns lush mountainous surroundings and little wooden chalets reminded me of small alpine villages in the Swiss Alpes, and if we had come at the right time of the year (winter in July and August) we would have even been able to ski!
For the first 2 days in Pucon we helped out at the local orphanage in the afternoons. I think it must have been the girl summer holidays as the seemed to have been left to run riot about the place! Caitlin and I were left alone to amuse the children, they all thoguht it was hilarious that neither of us could speak Spanish and they probably got away with murder as our answer to everything was "ahh CI!".Trying to calm the girls down with some colouring in:
Me with Nicola, Alejandra and little Saray.Our last day in Pucon we rented a car out for the day to explore the area around town. We headed out down the Liucura River Valley, once we figured out where we were, we went to go and see the Ojos del Carileufu Waterfalls. As you can see in the picture they were a beautiful set of falls, the setting reminded me of Neverland - the island in Peter Pan!
Our next stop was at Villarrica Volcano. The live volcano, that still smokes and and bubbles from inside the cone, was a very impressive sight and made a good lunch time spot too! And... it is here in the winter that you are able to ski > gutted I forgot my salopettes! 
Another stunning spot we drove to was at Salto de le China, another waterfall. While we were there we couldn´t get too close to the falls without getting wet, the spray coming at us from the plunge pool was so strong we didn´t want to get soaked. I´m sorry that my picture does not do it justice, becasue the fall was sooo tall you cannot see the top! 
Alot of the day was spent in the car, becasue the area around Pucon is so large, but the landscape that Caitlin and I were going though was amazing! This was our car for the day overlooking Lake Villarrica.
At the end of the day Caitlin and I were at the end of the valley and found ´Termas Los Pozones´- a set of six natural hot springs, we thought this was the perfect way to end the day, bathing in the hot water as the sun was going down! It was also a lovely end to our time in Chile as the following day we were up ealry for long day of bus rides to cross the boarder into Argentina.
Our next stop was at Villarrica Volcano. The live volcano, that still smokes and and bubbles from inside the cone, was a very impressive sight and made a good lunch time spot too! And... it is here in the winter that you are able to ski > gutted I forgot my salopettes! Another stunning spot we drove to was at Salto de le China, another waterfall. While we were there we couldn´t get too close to the falls without getting wet, the spray coming at us from the plunge pool was so strong we didn´t want to get soaked. I´m sorry that my picture does not do it justice, becasue the fall was sooo tall you cannot see the top! Alot of the day was spent in the car, becasue the area around Pucon is so large, but the landscape that Caitlin and I were going though was amazing! This was our car for the day overlooking Lake Villarrica. At the end of the day Caitlin and I were at the end of the valley and found ´Termas Los Pozones´- a set of six natural hot springs, we thought this was the perfect way to end the day, bathing in the hot water as the sun was going down! It was also a lovely end to our time in Chile as the following day we were up ealry for long day of bus rides to cross the boarder into Argentina. 
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