Up the Volcano

The plan had always been to go from Santiago to Mendoza, cross into Argentina and bike around the vineyards tasting wine. My long contemplative walks led me question if this plan of winning was worth skipping over the temptingly close mountains and glaciers of Patagonia. At the terminal ticket counter i bought the ticket south, heart set on seeing a glacier. First an overnight bus to Pucon, the last place i would stay in Chile. I woke smiling to lush forests, mountians, a massive lake and the famous volcano. In the evening I took a kayak out into the lake till i found a small beach and filled a journal page in the black sand. Packing up to paddle back only when the sun began to set into the mountains glistening gold in the chops of the water. 

Before arriving i was decided not to summit the volcano, yet the next morning i  strapped into crampons and with an ice pick in hand began to to summit the smoking mountain.  Unlike the snow storming, altitude challenging climb, and leg shaking steep decent of Huayna Potosi, volcano Villarrica treated us with beach weather, and the decent was sledding on plastic saucers, tobogganing! Back at the hostel a small group of us dipped into the lake for a quick swim. And we all sat together in the sunny front lawn toasting the adventure with beers.

Santiago to Stay

Morning classes coaxed me into a routine. Wake for breakfast, take the metro to school, ask teachers for extra homework, take school work to a cafe or park, and celebrate with an adventure. Most adventures would really equate to a long walk, as i love to taste the tempo of each neighborhood. 

My favorite museum in Santiago was the Museum Memoria. I visited twice and could go back again. The comprehensice yet personal narration of the Pinochet dictatorship expanded my identity as a world citizen. 

My school organized activities for the students daily, my favorite was the soccer game. Thursdays after school a group of us met at the park and played on a small court. The games were fast, chaotic and fun. I ended up scoring 5 goals earning the title ‘estrella’. 

The Hearthrob Valpo

I loved Valparaiso from the first day. My taxi driver shared directions to  his favorite hidden gems, fish markets and cerros. The bright and beautiful Planeta Lindo is a hostel with an abuelita mural, roof top kitchen and terrance with spectacular views of the city and bay. The first afternoon i wandered the animated streets, admiring all the characters painted on the walls, stairwells and buildings. In the morning I attempted yoga poses on the sun roof and jogged to Pablo Nerudas house. I was fast friends with my Brazilian roommates and we took a field trip to Vina del mar to spend the day at the beach. The last day i went bouldering on some rocks by the sea. The grip of granite on my chalky hands was enough to counter the salty spray from the crashing waves. Monday morning i took a bus  at 5am, back to Santiago to start my first day of classes.

Santiago Take 1

It takes 30 hours in a bus to get half way down the length of chile. My nighttime arrival was brightened by the women who beckoned me to the safe taxi area, and even shared a cab with me. The hostel reception welcomed me warmly but cautioned they only had enough space to house me for two nights. I happily accepted and spent the next two days touristing my way about the city. Hiked up the lovely Cerro San Cristobal to gape at the expanse of Santiago, took a free walking tour and investigated the highly recommended elect language school. Thursday i left on a bus for Valpariaso debating the two week intensive spanish course.

Guided by Turtles

There is a way the water can carry you. Unlike snow or skate boarding the wave moves with and away from you. Sometimes you have to keep catching it pumping your legs for speed, other times you just glide riding the wave. My ‘one time surf class’ had turned into a week long surf camp. Everyday we head down in the afternoon and paddle out to the break ignoring the shoulder muscles burning into existence. Panting, faces blue from sunblock, and eyes red from salt water we wait watching, the waves, the other surfers, and the turtles. In my last days of surfing they came so close to me, though I had my underwater camera I failed to get a picture. Or maybe succeed by not getting a picture, its a great moment to just be gazing into the eyes of a massive turtle. Once paddling I thought I was passing a rock, when infact i just stroked the solid shell of a passing turtle. Many tiimes when i felt so tired, that my arms would surely fall off, i saw a turtle peak out of the water in the direction I was heading. Smiling I could always paddle just a bit further with them as my guides

¡Buena onda!

A night bus to Arica landed me on the door step of Sunny Days Friday morning. Yes, I did go there just because of the name. Ross, the Kiwi manger welcomed me to the breakfast table. He is a grandfather like character, super warm and filled with stories. I had a quick jog at the beach, toes in the sand for the first time since the states. I passed a white mustached caballero training a horse, leading it into tight circles just above the shore. In the afternoon I met Yo-yo, the surfing teacher. Just like the movies he had flowing blond streaked locks and a green van blasting reggae music stacked with surfboards. On the drive down to the water my lesson began and he talked about the waves, how to see the sets. I was given a blue whale of a board, and a lesson on techniques and saftey. On the first wave, with yo-yos help, I stood up and rode it to shore.  The next day I was due to go live and volunteer with a family in the afternoon. Yo-yo invited me to join the surfing in the morning I saw red, my new board smaller with a yellow belly rimmed with red. The water was warm and the turtles were sticking close, they appear like hedgehogs, peeping their heads out of the water and then back under again. After hours in the water with withered fingertips we peeled of the wetsuits and headed back to the hostel singing to sublime's Summertime. 

Estrella

The stars in San Pedro de Atacama are so close and clear. I chose my favorite star through a telescope, it was a twinkling rainbow. Nanita Diane and I took the space tour, that started with an animated Canadian astronomer telling stories of the sky, and ended with a rich hot chocolate.  During the day we strolled around, happily slowing our pace to that of flip-flops after 3 days of speeding over salt flats in a 4x4. The best discovery we made was Cafe Cia. Off the main strip of identical white shops Cafe Cia’s front gate is decorated by leafy overgrown vines, a chalk board is propped up colorfully listing the days’ delights. We shared our first and last meal on the patio at a large table of driftwood speckled with sunshine.