Chilean acquaintances

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Whilst on the bus filling in my customs declaration two Chilean boys offered to help me if there was anything didn't understand. We began chatting. When you spend so long on a bus ride with the same people you end up chatting with quite a few people. I think these long, comfortable and what have turned into educational bus rides are one of the highlights of my trip.

The boys had been on holiday in Argentina and were returning to Chile. They told me about Chile and pointed out the Chilean Condor flying high in the Andes mountains which is Chile’s national animal. In exchange they asked me about the UK, and told me how much Valparaiso (the town next to Santiago) had been influenced by the British and they talked about pubs, the Beatles, how the Brits and Chileans share the same custom of having tea and how unlike the Argentinians, Chileans don’t have siestas.

Once we arrived in Santiago they walked me to the bus station where I could exchange dollars for Chilean pesos at an exchange office, explained the notes and what each one was worth, then they bought my metro ticket for me and accompanied me to my hostel, asking people for directions along the way. They were proud to tell me how safe Santiago was compared to Buenos Aires and how if I got lost there would be an official on every street who I could ask and would show me the way. They said that in Buenos Aires they had been terrified, even traveling together as everybody had greeted them with the same welcome that I got ‘Be careful, it’s so dangerous here.’’

Thanks to these young guys I immediately felt at home in Santiago and had the same warm welcome in Chile that I'd received when I went to Argentina.

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