Cruising in Chile

Welcome back!

We have been too busy to entertain you all with blog entries. Actually, we have just been lazy and couldn´t be arsed being inside behind a computer instead of outside in the awesome sunshine. hahaha - how is the NZ `summer` going?

Well, Chile was comfortable. A huge contrast to Bolivia. The place was suspiciously like NZ. We enjoyed the following:

- Cable TV - hours of it. And we mean that literally, not figuratively.

- BK and combos in general - Ainsley did have a wierd reaction to BK though, we were getting stared at enough without a bung eye in the team. Does this give anyone else the creeps?

- Normal people. ie no bowler hats or peeing on the street by woman
- A lot more English speakers. Some of you may tsk at us, but frankly we have decided the ´when in rome´ rule does not apply anymore. Especially when they can´t understand our espanyo anyway.
- Great wine and vineyards. Is it appropriate to visit a vineyard for tastings at 10am? When one of us was driving?

After being scarred for life by public transport in Bolivia we decided to hire a car and cruise the Lake District and the surrounding vicinity at our own pace. The´when in Romé´ rule did apply to the side of the road we drove on. A heap of lakes, mountains, a thermal pool thrown in there, numerous bottles of wine = a road trip down to Queenstown. One town we visited was suspiciously exactly like Queenstown - a heap of rich people, flash resorts, a lake with a mountain back drop. We fitted in really well. Tshirts, shorts, ugly sandals and drinking cheap wine out of plastic cups that looked suspiciously like icecream sundae containers on the waters edge = serenity. A guy even wanted a photo with us we were so classy.



One key difference to a NZ road trip was the four lane straight high way, with 120km speed limit and unlimited potential for face pulling = rock on!

Unfortunately, great road = a fack load of tolls. We didn´t like the tolls and told the toll booth peeps this on several occasions. We also ordered some fries at the toll booth (which we didn´t get) and called them thieves on our way through. Being in Sth America with very little spanish is difficult, but on the other hand being around people who know little english slang or abuse = an awesome time for people who like to get smart!

One of our highlights of the road trip: Picture this - a nice seaside town (a fishing port called Valdivia), a cosy little cabana (a kit set aluminum house squished on the back porch of a suburban flat), a couple of bottles of Chiles finest (cheapest) wine, a delicious meal (packet pasta and a can of not-Watties sauce) and great company (cable TV and a dirty leather lounge suite) = one hell of a Valentines day!

It was the rustic character of the place that caught our eye...

Pity this hottie from the ´beach´couldn´t join us for dinner. He had a date with a sea lion.

Cosy. Romantic even...


And we even waved out to you guys from the Pacific coast of Chile! Did you see us?