Stranded!

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Stranded!

 South America » Chile » Santiago » Santiago By ChileOut
July 2nd 2007
DianaStarting off on a day trip to La Parva, a mountain about 45 minutes outside Santiago, Joel and I hitchhiked up to a famous ski resort with plans to meet some friends and, instead of spending money on skiing, just breathe in the mountains, yodel, roll down some hills, and build snow forts. Thanks to some unforseen snow invasion, all five of us (Joel, myself, and three other friends--Andrew, Mario, and Joe) were forced to hobble in the blowing snow up to the nearest hostel and beg for lodging for the night. It was, by far, the most beautiful Stranding I've ever experienced!

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Photos

Trying to stay warm
as we started to descend down the mountain at the end of the day, i snapped this right to capture my utter coldness (Southern girl + snow and cold = a pitiful, pitiful sight!). On our lookout for cars to hitch rides down the mountain with, we met a hiker who told us to forget it, that no one was going anywhere in this snow. The look you see is one of excited adventure!

My home
view of my home, good ole santiago, from la parva

Friends
At every police outpost the officials asked the awkward group of 5 gringos what in the world they were doing walking down this mountain? We explain how we had been stranded up the night before and now needed to get down. Because they didn't open up the windey roads for "Down" traffic until 4 when the skiiers got finished, we had decided to start the 30 kilometer walk down and see which happened first; 4 o'clock or the bottom. They all laughed at us, but agreed to let Joel wear one of their hats in a picture.

Cut through's
As I've learned from my two brothers, being on adventures with boys ensures some off-the-pavement traveling. With a winding road of switchbacks down the mountain, we decided to cut through them, rolling down a snowy mountain to "save time" and become more one with mother earth. Joel paved the way and waited to help me through the unknown territory, but below you can see the other boys scampering down the path we are about to take. Life's short. Get dirty!

Luis
The favorite little cabin restaurant we found had a fabulously weathered and true owner named Luis. All day he bakes bread and serves frigid little gringoes like us piping hot coffee. We quickly became BFF's (Best Friends Forever).

Mooching
We mooched several ski lodge's restaurants for their fires! I have no idea why they get so offended when you just order french fries with extra ketchup...

Options
Valle Nevado, some of the best skiing in South America. Santiago, my home.

Bus Stop
Our view from the bus stop in Santiago where it all begins...

Hiding
Hiding with hot, hot drinks from a cold cold world

Eee!
Snow makes me HAPPY!

From the ski lodge
View from the ski lodge. This is the morning after we all woke up and asked ourselves what we were going to do with a snowy paradise?

awkward
hey joel, strike the most awkward pose you can

Playing and frollicking
Sums up the general vibe of the day.

Breakfast
We stumbled back into Luis's restaurant the next morning to warm up next to the bread oven and get some out of this world eats. He just laughed. Of course we couldn't wait till night to go back down the mountain. Amateurs!

Yummmm
breakfastttt.....flannelllll......

Video around breakfast
Video index around the breakfast table

Valley
Mario and a valley.

i don't wanna grow up...
Proof that we are NOT adults.... we got rebuked by the cops for throwing snowballs at passing cars!!! After having all these scary thoughts recently that I might actually be mature and considerably more responsible than I would like, I was SO PROUD!

Nesting
Resting having a blast and eating some snow!