Blood tests, Birthday & BBQ´s

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Where do I start...maybe by explaining my title. I was recently informed by the Australian embassy that I needed to supply more information for my visa application, otherwise they would not process it any further. So after being told I couldn´t wait until I return from my travels, I had to get on with sorting out things out. This included having a medical, which I happen to have on my Birthday!! Not quite how I planned my Birthday would be in SA! I do have one thing to say, the medical service here in Chile is super efficient. Managed to sort it all out within a week. Good old UK told me it would take three weeks for an appointment than another two to three weeks for the results.

Managed to enjoy the afternoon/evening of my Birthday, headed up to a great view point (Cerro San Cristobal) where you could see all of Santiago through the smog!! In the evening we tucked into a ton of tapas washed down with some very good red vino. A Dutch couple from our hostel join us for the meal, they were a great laugh unfortunately I can´t remember their names. Got back to our hostel around 1ish to be welcomed by Sebastian (one of the guys who worked there) who was on another planet. Lets just say there was a strong aroma that the dutch couple recognised straight away!! Wish I had taken a picture.

Following evening our hostel had a BBQ, which turned out to be very entertaining, the vino was flowing (again) and the guys who worked in the hostel joined us. One of them Tonino was in a band (ciudad satellite), he started jamming some tunes out. He was very arty and was into all the moon and stars talk. We asked how old he was and his reply was ´I believe in the moon' . Need I say anymore, he was a really lovely guy though and made us laugh all night long. Simon, another fellow backpacker entertained us with his views on Israeli travellers!! We have a very interested video clip of his discussion, not for public viewing!

From Santiago we headed back into Argentina to Mendoza (will update about Mendoza in another blog). After a few days in sunny Mendoza we spent another day in Santiago as we didn´t get to see much of it due to my medical tests etc. Spent a few hours chilling out around downtown just watching life go by. One of the highlights was watching a load of men play chess in the main square really interesting to watch, especially the speed chess match. Ads was going to have a go but we had to go catch a bus to Valparasio!!

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