Chile, Part I - Jan 4-Jan 22

We both will admit that after 4 months in Colombia and Ecuador, it was nice to arrive in Chile and experience a culture more like what we are used to:   less trash, less noise, more organized….  The down side is no more 3 mangos for $1.  Instead there are wonderful nectarines.  And you pay for it.  Suddenly everything costs at least twice as much.  We spent maybe 5 days in Santiago.   We rented bikes one day, walked around the capital buildings, got a nice view of the surrounding area at sunset...  I was really happy to meet up with two Motivational Interviewing folks who I have met at meetings - they treated me to a typical Chilean meal.  Duane and I also shopped for second hand rain pants & fleece in preparation for Patagonia weather, we had to find an electrical adapter and a battery charger with the 110 voltage...  Details…   

Things you think of doing after traveling with your partner for 4 months!

Since there was train travel available and we were a bit tired of bus travel, we took the train 5 hours south to the end of the line and stayed in Chillán, a pleasant smallish city (180K), for a few days.  The highlight of my birthday was happening upon an incredibly awesome vegetarian buffet.  I haven't eaten that well the entire time we have been here in south america!

Then we headed for Pucón (17k) - a very tourist center with great access to mountains and hotsprings.  We planned for 3 days out in Parque Nacional Huerquehue, but had enough food so stayed for 5.  It was really beautiful landscape with the auracania trees everywhere (monkey puzzle trees), lakes and we got to a hotsprings that felt luxurious!

Chile and Argentina share the andean mountains and most travel in the the area involves some time in both countries, so from Pucón, we then crossed the border into Argentina.

At the border crossing - El Volcán Lanín - partly in Argentina & partly in Chile.