Chile? Quite pleasant actually!

Leigh and I arrived in Santiago after a reasonably uneventful flight on Lan Chile. Just the usual splay of bodies in cattle class as everyone tried to get comfy enough to sleep. Hooves/heads spilling over into the aisles. you get the idea.
First impressions of Santiago: oh my god look at the Andes in the horizon! Truly spectacular and quite surreal as you have to peer through the smog to see it.
Second impression: do they have a speed limit?? Cab driver sped along like a bat out of hell, we were thrown about like rag dolls...
Third impression: Dogs. Pooches. Manky old hounds. They rule the roost here in Chile. Everywhere you go, dogs casually sunning themselves at the top of steps, middle of footpaths, mincing down the median strip. Anywhere & everywhere.

The people of Santiago are sooooo friendly and even after the most ridiculous session of charades, they still smile and never look frustrated at our lack of Spanish. We are now masters of Charades though! Contemplating hitting the pro charades circuit when back in Oz.. Seriously though, our Spanish is pretty poor, although i like trying. Response i usually get back is "Que?", complete with blank look. Clearly I am not the international linguist i thought i was..

In a sea of black haired people, my blonde hair stands out like dog´s balls. I have reached celebrity status here in Chile, with everyone wanting to have a good old looksee.. Not in a pervy way, but more a look of recognition, like "oh yeah, i´ve heard of those, what are they again? albino??" Leigh laughed uproariously as one guy almost fell down some stairs outside a shopping centre trying to get just one more glimpse of the blonde.

Early to bed.. Skiing in the Andes tomorrow! Cannae wait!

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