so, it was almost the time of the wedding, i didn't know where i was going to next. i looked in my lonely planet for some ideas... the north looked quite different (san pedro de atacama, desert) and the south looked nice (apparently like queenstown in NZ). so in the next few days, i would need to look at the bus times and prices to see what i want to do... just pick a destination...
then, i arrived at Claudia and Shane's wedding... and Pollo checked that the reception hall was ok... and i went with her... and then she saw some people she knew, and this girl called Ely, came and spoke to me. 'hola, como estas'... it didn't take her long to figure out that i wasn't from chile. she has been living in london. she asked how long i had been in chile and when i was going to leave. i told her i still had a a week and a half before i left and what i was planning... then she invited me down south to go camping with her brother and 2 of her brasillian friends. an offer too good to refuse, although they were leaving Viña del Mar the next day. i was planning on hanging around for the next 2 nights. we figured out there is a bus to where they were staying, so i would join her on the tuesday (this was the friday). so, there, my plans were made. all i had to do was say farewell and thanks again to the Capels and join Ely in Pucon.
and i did. it was great! no trouble whatsoever. so, i arrived at Pucon (well, Villarica), pretty much in the centre of Chile, met Marco (Ely's brother) and then went to the campsite on Lago Calafquen, met the 2 brasillian girls (Luana and Elen) and had breakfast with them, before we packed up camp to go to another camping spot in the Parque Nacional Huerquehue. And it was COLD and RAINING... i only had my summer clothes, but they had lots of spare jackets for me... yay (and a sleeping bag i could borrow from their friend... because, me, being the good scout, didn't have one... haha).
so, the conversations were interesting... Ely speaks spanish, portugese and english, Luana and Elen speak portugese and english, marco speaks only spanish and i speak english and a bit of spanish. made for good conversations. although the others could all understand each other if they spoke clearly and slowly.
so, we camped in a lovely campsite right on a lake. went on a few walks up up up the mountains (one lasted 8hours... and saw snakes, spiders and ants that bit... and i developed arachnophobia of the tarantulas here!!! nearly fell off a cliff jumping from fright), chilled at the campsite, chatted with the neighbours, went on a canopy (flying fox), thermal pools, waterfalls and i experienced lots of traditional chilean food with lots of salt.
i couldn't have planned for a better trip... it was amazing. and i am so glad to have met ely and therefore marco, luana and elen.
we stayed here for 4 nights or so and drove back up to santiago for marco's 30th birthday party which was lots of fun... gee, all the boys at the party could dance sooooo well. the merengue music came on, and they all grabbed a girl and started twirling and swinging and just having a ball... it made me realise how important dancing is for me... and generally just having fun... they had the same crazy hats at the party as they did at the wedding... soooo much fun.
and then just spent a few days with the girls and exploring santiago and then a few days with marco exploring santiago. he was on holidays and wanted to explore too. it was interesting him not knowing much english, and me not knowing much spanish... but we could still communicate enough, and with the help of my little orange friend (my spanish dictionary tori gave me a few years ago), although we tried to not rely on it. because usually you could phrase something a different way and it could be understood.
oh, something which i found amazing through peru and chile was the hospitality of the people i met.... it was as though you were part of their family or a long-time friend the way they just opened themselves and their homes up to you. a great lesson that i can try and put into practice back home. how i can be generous with what i have.
and if this worked... then you can see some youtube clips...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYTsnmTI6Ak
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYTsnmTI6Ak
don't know why this one is sidewards... sorry... the thermal pools near pucon.
Ely on the canopy
the road to our camping spot
the camping group at lunch in pucon, me, luana, marco, elen and ely
at the top (or near the top, marco got vertigo, so we didn't go any higher) of our 8hr walk... it's pretty much a sheer drop to each side of where we were on the path.
the crazy hats/masks at the party
more party funtimes... me, algelina, ely, elen and luana... the girls... woot woot
the japonese garden at san cristobel, a mountain in santiago
me, ely and angelina out on my last night in santiago... with the piscola!!!!
so, that's it for now... i might get the the other photos of peru and the wedding up soon... but no promises...
anyways, what's happening now??? i'm wasting time at home (had a long list of things to do today, but haven't done any of them yet except for washing... whoops... oh well, i might get some done.) i'm definitely working 2 days a week at my school and maybe 3 days (i find out in 2 weeks time the final timetable). i'm also starting to take spanish lessons again and well, as for the rest of my life, i'll see what God has instore for me.
focussing on being more generous, learning spanish and slacklining for the moment.... we'll see how that goes.
hope you are well!
xx
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