Santiago, by mistake

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So this is the start of a number of "retrospective" blog entries, as have been either too lazy or it has been too tricky / expensive to get regular internet access for the last 3 weeks or so.. anyway here goes.

We crossed the andes on 8th June having enjoyed a lovely last couple of days in Mendoza, we even went in for some thermal springs at Termes Cachueta - very relaxing. Amusingly all the Argentinians were dousing themselves in the mud, posing in calendar girl style and taking pictures of themselves with anything they had to hand; phone, video camera, digital cam... extreme photo posing was something we had seen a lot of in Argentina!!

The journey was breathtaking and extremely cold especially in the rather austere border crossing where in customs everyone just lines up and waits to be picked on - it felt a bit like a firing squad. The plan was to get the bus from Mendoza to Valparaiso as we had been told not to bother with Santiago by numerous people. Long story short, we missed the stop (or rather the bus just didn't stop there) and so ended up heading to Santiago not Valparaiso - oh well!!

Despite being prepared for the worse, we actually really enjoyed Santiago. The weather was gorgeous so we managed to get a game of tennis in, we had a delicious lunch in the fish market, strolled around, saw some sites, experienced the intensity of Chilean park chess and fell in love with the Andean backdrop - a view available from every angle. Plus Nige managed to get us upgraded in the hotel - the old charmer.

Next stop Easter Island...

TBC...

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