Final few days and retrospective on SA

My last blog left me in San Pedro, about to go star gazing. I arrived that night to find that the star gazing was on. I was to go on the spanish speaking only trip, but that didnt phase me, it was all about looking at the stars, and I had a feeling it wouldnt be too hardcore so therefore probably not missing much.

I headed out with the group, a small party of us, to a French chaps observatory. A small shack set in the middle of the desert, and about 8 or 9 telescopes pointing into the sky. WE arrived and sat in a small hut with a hole in teh roof, looking up, you could see everything, and i have some good photos to show as well, the milky way, imagine looking into a sky and rather than seeing pure black, nearly pure white, from the amount of stars there! After a small introduction to the trip, we headed outside, where he took his laser pointer and started to introduce us to the various stars, planets etc. We could see so clearly, the star signs, the moon, and unexpectedly, venus, jupiter, pluto and mars!!! WOW! Next stop, looking through the telescopes. For me, a massive fan of space and stars etc, it was mesmorising, to be able to see the different colours of the stars and most exciting of all to be able to see jupiter, no longer a dot, but at least 1cm wide with the rings! We also had the opportunity to take photos and I managed to get an amazing close up of the moon, never had i seen it like that before!

An hour later I was sat in the airport at Santiago, saying goodbye to South America and feeling very very depressed.

The next day, I bought my ticket out of there and decided upon heading further down the coast to La Serena, I still had some time to spare, and Santiago didnt really pose too much of a draw as originally, I had given up on snowboarding there because of the expense and that fact NZ should satisfy my desire. Having to spend 13hrs on this bus, I decided to upgrade to Full Cama, again, a bed, food and drink, luckily I managed to grab the front seat on top, so had a whole window with which to view the scenery leading out of San Pedro de Atacama. It was wonderful, and a managed to catch the sun going down over the desert and some great photos as well.

4hrs into the journey, our luxury bus breaks down. Of couse, I am on this bus with no other gringos and so we all have to get out in the middle of the dessert and wait, wait and wait for another bus to come along, to take us to the next bus station, where we will do, well at the time not sure! I really didnt have much idea what was going on of course, not speaking great spanish, but then again, doubt it would have made much difference, as nor did anyone else. So 40minutes later, another bus pulls up, they have 10 spaces on board and a conductor shouts at me to take one of them. I cram myself on and realise that this journey isnt going to be as nice as the last one, normal seats, somebody next to me, no food or view. We get to Antofogasta and the bus terminates, damn what to do. I join the queue of others complaining and patientaly wait my turn. The next bus is at 1am, a 3hr wait! Arhhh... So, I decide to take the next non luxury bus and 10hrs later we arrive in La Serena. Fortunatly I got most of my money back for the whole journey and after having little sleep I decide to treat myself to a luxury hotel by teh beach. I check into the top rated hotel in town, sat right on the beach, 4 star with double bed, cable tv, bath etc and a sea view. Needed!

That day, I perused the town, grabbed some chinese, there seems to be laods of chinese in Chile! At sunset, I head from the hotel to the beach and sit there watching the sun go down and producing the most spectacular sunset I have seen so far. The next day, i hedade off to catch a 11am bus to Valaparaiso, my last long distance ride. 8hrs, but to me thats nothing. As I was about to board my bus, Gabby turned up from her trip up from San Pedro. How bizarre... we had a quick chat, but we both had to run. How frustrating that we kept seeing each other but a day behind, I had to do something about this, but at the same time it was quiet funny...

A long, tiring and boring day bus journey, where I think  I managed to get some sleep and I arrived into Valparaiso. A UNESCO world heritage site, a town nestled on teh coast of CHile, on 42 different hills. It looked intriguing. Before I left I had booked a hostel which on hostelworld.com had got a good rating, looking exciting and I was ready after 3 or 4 days or relaxing, to have a bit of a night out, upon arrivel at the hostel, not only did the street, and the non hostel looking building suprise me, but the door was answered by a big fat hairy chilean with a equally hairy baby in his arms... I had the wrong place surely. No, I didnt. I checked in and was told that apart from me there was one other person in the whole hostel. THe place was more like somebodys house, he was tending to teh baby in teh lounge and the kitchen was there kitchen as well. It was strange. That evening I headed out to the town to find something going on. I grabbed some PIsco Sours, which i love... and then headed for a bite to eat on my own. I managed to find a really fancy french-esque restaurant, which with two glasses of nice red, and some well placed music in the background, was inspired to write and write and write in my paper journal. I felt so happy, so at home in this little town by the sea, but also really comign to realisation that I only had a few days left now!

That night, I decided to stay one more day, and last time I spoke with Gabby had told her that I might just do this, telling her which hostel I was in.The next day, I headed to the metro stop and grabbed a train to Vina Del Mar, it was a small beach resort up the coast, only 10 minutes away on train, and if Gabby did turn up, then we could check out Valparaiso the following day together. 50 minutes later on teh train and I realise I must have missed the stop altogether. We had come to the end of the line and there I was in the middle of nowhere... a small village in the hills... no beach in site and certainly not the place I was after. AFter checking the map, I had gone 15 stops too far, hmmm... So, back on the same train back and finally made it to the town, only to stay there for 15 minutes and get back to Valparaiso. If Gabby was to turn up, she would be there soon and didnt want to miss her...

I got back to the hostel, again empty and made myself at home in the lounge deciding to wathc a really rubbish horror film. Again, sometimes you have enough of amazing scenery, sunsets and culture and need to turn yourself to trash. The DVD in question, Freddy vs Jason. I enjoyed the hour and a half and minutes later a knock on the door, Gabby had turned up. I was soo excited, it meant good company for the next day or so and no longer eating on my own!

She dumped her stuff in my room, quizing me on how I find some wierd places... like me suprsied at how unhostel like this hostel was. We went out quite rapidly to a bar and spent a couple of ours drinking draught heinekin, which was so pleasing, chatting rubbish and getting to know each other a lot better... next stop, a bite to eat. Earlier that day I had spotted a nice restaurant high up overlooking the hills, so we pulled up there. We were wearing scruffs, hoodies and looking generally travellerish, we walked through the restaurant, perhaps THE nicest one i have been in south america and sat oursevles outside on the patio. The view was startling, it looked over teh whole bay, which was lit up and for 2 hours I had a big grin on my face. I was sat there in southern chile, eating at a top top top restaurnat, with an incredible nightscape with a beautiful girl I got on so well with...

The next morning, we headed off round the town. The town itself, as mentioend earlier, set on 42 cerros (hills) and so we walked up and down and admired the various coloured cluster of apartments. It was as if somebody had gathererd up all the houses from Edward Scisscorhands, shaken them around and thrown them down on a ground full of bumps. It made no sense, but looked great. After half a day of walking, we decided to get a bus to Santiago. I like that, I like the random, oh, lets just get on a bus to santiago, hte next one we can find!

An hour and half later, perhaps teh quickest hour and half ever, after spending the whole journey just talking rubbish, we end up in Santiago, and head to our hostel. La Casa Roja. I had been recommended this place from the moment I got to South America and wasnt disapointed. We checked into our room, then went out to grab a beer. AFter a couple of hours of drinking and chatting we headed back to get ready. We were due to meet our friends from IQuique, Andi and Kirsten for dinner. WE grab sushi first, bottle of red wine, then jump in a cab to meet them. We ended up in a mad student club, listening to over 120 80's songs mixed into each other, 20seconds each song, dancing all night long and having a great wednesday night out.

The next day, hungover, Gabby and I headed out for a walk. It was hilarious, we were both in a stupid mood so spent the day commenting and making fun of all the peoples clothes here, on top of that all the kids in their 20's seemed to have moustaches, they look stupid... and women we wearing Mc Hammer pants! When you are in that silly frame of mind you cant beat scenes like that for laughs.

Later that afternoon we catch the funicular up to teh top of one of the big cerros in Santiago, it was so peaceful and just what we ordered. 1000M up overlooking the whole of Santiago and you get to see just how and where the city is placed. Its surrounded by mountains, some as tall as 6km up!!! Its pretty stunning and gave me plenty of time to take it in and reflect on the whole trip so far, and where I was going... not only on the trip but on life.

That night, we grabbed some drink, partyed in the hostel in our little dorm and headed out once again to meet Andi and Kirsten. We got down to our reception, and we were warned that tonight we shouldnt head out. TOday was the anniversary of the military taking chile and therefor there would be serious demonstrations in teh streets and violence, and nobody had a clue where it would be so, not only were most the bars, restaurants not open, taxi drivers were being cautious. Regardless oft his, we decided to take off, our friends lived in Santiago so we knew where we were going. We finally found them, and had a good night chatting over sushi. This was my last night in South America, I wanted to party... but due to the violence, I couldnt so had to make do with a nice meal with good company, in fact, a nice and fitting end really to South America.

My final day in South America, Friday 12th September. It had been over 3 months. We spent the day walking round the city, and I spent the time thinking long and hard about whether taking that plane to NZ was the best thing to do. Technically I could still change everything. I really had built up something with Gabby and to be completely honest, it was only her that was keeping me there. I had wound down, I had already told myself that south america was done a week ago, but she was keeping me there.

An hour later I was sat in the airport at Santiago, saying goodbye to South America and feeling very very depressed.

At this moment I am in NZ and will save from making comment just yet, I am not in the correct frame of mind to make a call on what I think so far, and obviously have only seen my hotel room and the main shopping street. I will say one thing, its not South America, not by a long stretch, but hey, thats pretty damn obvious.

So, South America, my thoughts. I think the blog does a pretty good job, but looking back now, I feel that it satisfied certain things I was after, and didnt others. I had an incredible time  there, but found myself partying and doing more adventure orientated activity than originally anticipated. Perhaps a sign of the person I am or want to be. It also didnt proove the massive culture shock I thought it might be and also I dont feel as a person I have been moved or changed particularly by any of the countries, save Bolivia, which incidentally I hear now is turning into a war zone, expelling the US diplomat and more! I could nt recomment south america enough though and I really cant wait to go back and do the northern coastline, i.e. Columbia, Venezuala, Ecaudor etc.

So, Part 1 of my 4 is over, I feel like the whole trip is over, I really cant wait to get back into the stride, get back into the hostels, meet some people to travel with and see the sights on New Zealand and Australia, part 2 is here!