Miercoles 4 de febrero - Valdivia
A chilled out morning (and another rubbish breakfast at the hostel.. This place is missing character, energy, drive and care from the staff.. It has potential to be a lot better). I study some Spanish, pick up my washing (needed after a dirty and sweaty trip climbing the Volcano!), and then I am boarding my bus taking me to Valdivia.
The hostel here is great, very comfy, homely and a big focus on being green. There's a nice atmosphere, but I will only be here for one night. After checking in, I head back to bus terminal in order to buy my next bus ticket, for tomorrow to Puerto Montt.
Later, in the early evening, I head out to explore Valdivia. It is a beautiful sunny evening, and there are many people in the Plaza. At one of the crossroads a large crowd are being entertained by a silly clown fooling around with pedestrians. I walk down to the river, passing by live music to find great views to the countryside in the distance. After exploring the area I continue on to an area filled with restaurents/bars and try crudos (as told to by Carlos.. A weird raw meat spread on bread..), tapas and beer.
A chilled out morning (and another rubbish breakfast at the hostel.. This place is missing character, energy, drive and care from the staff.. It has potential to be a lot better). I study some Spanish, pick up my washing (needed after a dirty and sweaty trip climbing the Volcano!), and then I am boarding my bus taking me to Valdivia.
The hostel here is great, very comfy, homely and a big focus on being green. There's a nice atmosphere, but I will only be here for one night. After checking in, I head back to bus terminal in order to buy my next bus ticket, for tomorrow to Puerto Montt.
Later, in the early evening, I head out to explore Valdivia. It is a beautiful sunny evening, and there are many people in the Plaza. At one of the crossroads a large crowd are being entertained by a silly clown fooling around with pedestrians. I walk down to the river, passing by live music to find great views to the countryside in the distance. After exploring the area I continue on to an area filled with restaurents/bars and try crudos (as told to by Carlos.. A weird raw meat spread on bread..), tapas and beer.
Jueves 5 de febrero - Puerto Montt
I use the morning to practice some Spanish on my phone. The breakfast at this hostel is great.. best so far.. a table set up with home made bread, jams etc and a bowl filled with yoghurt, muesli and fresh fruit. My bus is at 11am, and a 3 hour journey to Puerto Montt.
On arrival to the bus terminal I take a taxi to my hostel for the night.. well in fact a home hostel.. 'Casa Perla', I have a bed in a room with 5 single beds.. no bunk beds tonight. I cook some pasta .. the go to dish.. then head back down the steep road to the bus terminal where I buy my return ticket to Chiloe for tomorrow.
Puerto Montt is not such a nice area.. the weather is also poor today so maybe that has an impact on it's impression on me. In the evening I go to a nearby bar/restaurant for some dinner and a beer. An uncomfortable sleep due to my body still aching from the previous day's Volcano climb!
Viernes 6 de febrero - Chiloe: Ancud
After breakfast I get packed up and walk down to the bus terminal where I board my bus that will take me to Chiloe, a small Island close by, via a ride on ferry. The journey is delayed when our bus brakes down climbing a steep road! But I am in no rush so it is all fine for me.
My hostel in Ancud (the area of Chiloe I will be staying for two nights), is located in front of the bay with beautiful views from my dorm and the lounge/dinning area. After checking in, showering, eating some lunch, I head out for a self guided walking tour of the town using a route given to me on an informative leaflet from the hostel. It is a sunny afternoon, with blue skies up above. I head to the Plaza, where the route begins then explore the museum.. (unfortunately the skeleton of the Whale that beached here a few years ago is closed because they are refurbishing that area.. crazy as it's February.. the high season in Chile!) Next I am taken to every corner of the town, seeing the historic churches, handicraft centre, old police station building, views out to the sea where there is as an amphitheatre carved out of the rocks, and ending at the Spanish fort.
Sabado 7 de febrero - Chiloe: Ancud
My plan had been to take the bus this afternoon to Castro, but after heading out after the game to have some lunch (a nice seafood dish) I decide to go on the Penguin trip at 4pm (.. instead of tomorrow morning before my bus back to P.Montt which might have been cutting it close).
It is again, another beautiful afternoon and a great trip seeing wild penguins. The Spanish guided commentary is a little difficult for me to follow though! In the evening (after cooking a tasty omelette for dinner) I meet Nina and a few others from the hostel.. we head out to a nearby bar for some drinks.. Pisco time.. a late night.. live music from two heavy metal bands.. random!
Domingo 8 de febrero.. en la mañana y tarde - Puerto Montt
A slightly fragile morning, but the breakfast here is very good.. with cheese, ham, fresh fruit, yoghurts, tasty bread.. so that gives me a much needed morning boost. Outside it is raining heavy.. hello England.. my bus is not untill 1.50pm so I have time to chill out.
I cook myself another omelette for lunch and then head up to nearby bus terminal, taking the bus back to Puerto Montt. My flight is not untill 8.20pm. I will be flying to Punta Arenas.. and then tomorrow I plan to take a bus to Puerto Natales, the closest town to travel into Torres del Paine. The bus tickets have been difficult to sort out as you have to make email correspondence. As I leave to take the airport transfer from the bus terminal in Puerto Montt an email appears with a paypal link for my bus tickets.. hopefully I can get wifi at the airport to sort this...
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