Chile

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Ok so i have not updated this since Brisbane which was months ago, and im not going to bother trying to catch up, so i have just arrived in South America and ill try to keep up to date from now on. missed out month in New zealand but ill tell you all about it when i get back over many weeks of stories.

We landed around 10 days ago in Santiago, Chile and were met with chaos, taxi drivers trying to literally take our backpacks and put in boots to take us and we had said no, eventually we gave in and got a taxi, it turned out to be fine but it was one of the many unlicensed taxis here and is not something i would do again. we got to the hostel and he used the classic i have no change, promised to return, and the hostel worker said they are trustworthy and will return, low and behold he didnt, so the con begins.

We stayed in Santiago around 8 days, 5 of which were spent in a language school trying to learn enough to get by, which i think i did. we sampled some fine food as we can finally just about afford to eat something other than pasta and noodles. we met up with 2 girls we met in NZ and travelled with them until yesterday when they went to Argentina. Santiago is a mad city, very busy and the traffic is truly something that has to be seen to be believed. There are no road rules and just constant beeps and it really feels like you have come to another planet. the streets are lined with shoe shiners and street sellers, at traffic lights, jugglers and clowns perform for petty change as drivers wait at red lights, people beg next to classy coffee shops ans the contrast of poverty and almost western culture and wealth is remarkable. the buildings are spectacular although some can be added to the many crimes of Pinochet. Taxis are generally a no go as they rip tourists off and charge more than the cost of a bed for the night.

At the hostel we stayed at second, there was a cricket team which both me and stu found insane, we played abit of cricket out back which was not something i thought we would be doing out here. The streets are littered with stray dogs, most of whom seem on their last legs and its really a big problem here. again though all this adds to the charm and the feeling that you are somewhere different.

May 1st is workers day a national holiday and in true south american style, there were riots in the street over working conditions and we had to stay indoors as the police sort everything like that by canoe firing tear gas along all the streets, not quite the way we do things hey! That aside Chile does not feel pàrticularly unsafe, areas are there to be avoided but do that and all seems fine. we have wandered at night to eat etc without trouble and in the day only the beggers and dogs bother you.

We have now moved north to Valparaiso, a cool city with a huge port and considered the cultural capital of Chile. the graffiti here is amazing and the buildings are a sight to be seen, the parliament sits uneasily amidst a backdrop of poverty and slums and the markets are littered with things that people surely threw out in the 50s. That said in contrast the place has some classy areas that are accessed by lifts into the hillsides, houses just continue to rise up into the hills for as far as the eye can see. So far the cities are a typical example of south america and the madness that goes on here. its an amazing place and im loving the edgyness of it all.

We went to the beachside town of Vina Del Mar yesterday which was very nice and did alot of walking along the beach front etc. Tomorow we travel 6 hours northt o the next town of La Serena, and hopefully to pisco brewerys, a liquor mixed with lemons and sugar to make a blow your head off kind of drink that is the speciality here, many nights already have ended with this.

Take care everyone and i will try to update facebook with pictures and blogs from here on in as its very hard to phone, or send individual emails.

Adios amigos.

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