Puerto Montt, Chile 25th - 30th Aug

Rained and blew all night long, and it wasn't until we left the island that we left the weather behind too. This time in Puerto Montt Simon knew exactly where to go for lodging, and we are really living in style in our very own appartment. It's great, but so weird to be in a place that has all that a small flat would, and, is all to ourselves. Hospedajies are great as they allow you to use the kitchen, but they can be a pretty strange experience. Some are more hotel-like, but others are just a couple of rooms extra in a person's house and you find yourself rummaging through their cupboards and belongings trying to find a knife, whilst the husband is stood ironing, or sat trying to watch tv with the family on the couch next to you, or going about their normal lives, making phone calls, having friends around etc. It's all a little too personal, or at best feels like a flat share with complete strangers for one night. Therefore we are making the most of our little flat till the boat comes on Friday. Most of our time here has been spent walking around the shops and markets (they have many stalls selling a variety of horific looking seaweeds and shellfish which are strung out onto long strings and hung up to dry out), or going down to the bay to watch the boats, or further around the prettier side to watch the pelicans and the seals. We have also spent much time cooking (you can get a two and a half foot fresh salmon for about 2pound 50p and they gut, clean and fillet it for free) so we have indulged ourselves, and are back to having a normal bit of weight on us at last (and I have once again become used to butter and milk after a diet void of both for many months -and at first found both of them far too rich for my system when I did start eating them again). It has rained every day, though we have had a couple of nice afternoons too, and we go for a walk despite what the weather is doing anyway. And of course we have had television (plenty of 'Friends' and evening films) but even that has become old hat now, and doesn't hold my interest much. Enjoyed the time here, it's given us a bit of a breather, but tommorrow we go on our seafaring adventure and though I am very nervous about the rough part of the crossing, I am looking forward to the rest of it, and, on the last day on board I will have my birthday - so that should be one to remember! 29 Western Samoa,South Pasific Island, 30 London, England, 31 Puerto Natales, Chilean Antarctic.

Castro, Chiloe, Chile 24th Aug

Woke to the same sound as when I drifted off; the rain against the window pane. Breakfasted alone as we are the only people staying here (no suprise there).Caughth bus further south to Castro , the capital of the island. The countryside was beautiful in it's harshness, like the wild moors of northern England or how I'd imagine the Shetland Islands, but more rich, fertile and fecund despite (or more likely because of) it's endless opressive rain. Wooden houses in the middle of the countryside stand alone except for the old fashioned metal milk churns that wait by the gate. A place left in time, forgotten by people - but who could blame them? Was hard to find somewhere open, but eventually got a corner room, all in pink, with a good view out to the lake (or so I'm told - the weather being so grim that you can't see that much). Went for a walk around the bay and had a look at the Palofitos (wooden houses that look regular from the road, but the backs are built out on large stilts over the sea). They're painted lively candy colours - like ones in Belize, but looked lost, and I felt they should be in a happy sunshinny place, and not here, where an arc would be more appropriate. As we made our way through the rain and the gale, old women stared out madly from doorways or piles of soaked firewood, curtains twitched and packs of dogs more akin to shaggy great wolves prowled the streets. This is a strange place - like you can visit, but might never return. Found a restuarant and ate a great fish dinner and had to go back eventually as our soaked clothes were now turning just a little too cold in the wind. The room is cold but dry and it roars and pours outside. I try to read but my mind keeps wandering off to Dorothy as I feel that the house will surely be blown to Oz. How can people live here? This island is famous for it's none-stop rain. OK, you may ask why we came here - maybe it's something to do with variety and spices, or maybe it's simply because I have a wanderlust for the world in all its marvelous compulsive contrasts.

Ancud, Chiloe, Chile 23rd Aug

Naughty naughty I had peaches and cream for breakfast! Caught 10.45am bus to Ancud on the island of Chiloe. We passed through misty moorlike terrain with deep rusty grasses. Very atmospheric. The ferry crossing was a little rough, and made me wonder if I am actually insane to agree to this long southern boat trip. Got a nice hotel and headed out to explore in the rain. Found a restaurant overlooking the harbour, which looked like the little fishing village of Howth near Dublin ( or infact any other little fishing village with small hardy boats, wooden shack houses that have seen the harshest of weather, and low lying clouds/mist/rain. They all look the same - forgotten by people and time.) Upstairs we had a wonderful view. It was posh and empty - there just aren't any tourists of any kind - but the restaurant was all laid out and ready waiting, like a bus load would come through it's doors at any moment. As we ate our soup we watched about 6 seals playing in the bay. In perfect sync to the soothing lyrical music playing in the restaurant ( or was it a siren? - or the call of the sea? ). Tails flip, flippers turn and wave and they frolic and somersault out of the water. It seemed so normal, yet so beautiful it suddenly made me feel very sad for all the seals I'd seen (looking happy enough at the time) in zoos or sealife centres. This was real and powerful and mesmerising - but ordinary (like watching dogs chase sticks - or their tails). They were happy and were free. You couldn't help but feel lifted and touched. Later we went around the tiny local museumn, and the old turrets outside, then returned to our room to dry off. We had an evening in with the tv and a bottle of wine, feeling cosy as we listened to the relentless rain beat out time on our window.

Puerto Montt, Chile 22nd Aug

Only remembered this morning that we called into a Tex Mex restaurant for a coffee ( which when Simon ordered turned into "Una pitcher de beer por favor" - mmmmm!?) Bit of a haze, but I do remember that we had our bit of revenge on the old bat in the hospedaje as we had to wake her up to let us in! The following morning over breakfast she was a little kinder, despite going on that we must have drunk Pisco (as she said she could smell it) We weren't that bad! Half an hour later we were in Puerto Montt and instantly liked it. Throughout this region the houses are wooden and most are covered in wooden tiles shaped like armadillo scales. They make the houses look like large feathery brown owls sitting along the pavements. So cute. There is also alot of German architecture - especially the churches. We are staying in a large (& friendly this time) hospedaje and can cook for ourselves in the kitchen. Took a nice walk along the harbour and made enquiries about the boat down to Puerto Natales (by Torres del Paine) in the southern tip of Chile as close to the Antarctic as you can get. We decided to do it. It's a big freight ship and it takes 3 nights 4 days going through the Fjords. It should be a real adventure, though I'm really frightened. I'm not too hot on boats to start with, but this one has a notoriously bad part of the journey when it goes out into the Golfo. They say that it rocks so violently that you shouldn't eat or drink before hand and that it's better if you go to bed (coz the stewards make them so tight that there isn't much chance of falling out) and to take seasickness pills. You will think the boat will go down - but that's just how it is! This isn't going to be nice!

Puerto Varas, Chile Tuesday 21st August

Up early to get bus to Valdavia to spend our second anniversary somewhere new. However, when the bus pulled in, we didn't like the look of the place too much so stayed on to Frutilla. We were expecting a beautiful lake town, but when we got off the bus and explored the one street town, it was more or less closed and we couldn't even see the lake due to heavy hanging cloud/fog. It was cold and miserable and not a place for celebration, so we got a bus to Puerto Montt, past Nordic forests and English fields, but the bus terminated at Puerto Varas. It looked ok, and we'd spent most of the day travelling so we opted to stay. Si found a hospedaje - small house & room & a real Hitler of an owner who grilled us about giving her a photocopy of the passports to copy our detail from. We both bit our tongues and breathed deeply. Wash and changed,& I put on lipstick and mascara and couldn't do a thing with my hair and ended up putting it up - which usually is ok, but when I'd finished I felt like a 5yr old American beauty pagent victim - totally unused to being 'Glam' and totally OTT for this sleepy foggy town. Had a malt ber till it was a reasonable time to eat and went to a restaurant called Gorditos (and we certainly were!) It was located in the doorway of the fish market, but it was more like the doorway to the past. Two soliders sat sat in their smart green unifroms, with their hats cast onto the backs of nearby chairs, the waiter was in black jacket and dickie bow, and the small restuarant looked like what you'd find in France in the fourties. It was like I was seeing in black and white. My hair etc now fitted in perfectly in our little time capsule. Felt typsy after the pisco sour cocktail we had (but went onto a bottle of white wine and half a red! - oops) The meal was fantastic. Huge fresh fish soaked in butter, garlic etc and topped with fresh juicey prawns - oh double yum! We had such a lovely evening, and Simon gave me a postcard of where we are today with a poiniant and beautiful quote on the back (sorry, but some things aren't meant to be shared) and a present. It was the rock that I got Simon to break off one of the boulders in Tupiza ; that is translucent white on the inside and the colours of the valley on the outside. Might sound pretty rubbish to you, but really meant alot to me - something I can't really explain (or rather, aren't going to get into). Felt only a little bad that I hadn't got Simon anything; in London I used to get Simon a card for every tiny occasion (I guess I had to try and put my dreams and hopes and love onto paper to make them more real), but out here, now, we are living the dream, and every day I can see how much Simon loves me, and he sees how much I love him. Words alone no longer are important, and actions are what speak loudest of all.

Pucon, Chile 20th August
More of the same today. Swapped two more books (reading about a book a week) and spent the morning by the lake. Then we seperated for an hour - I wanted to find another thin but warm layer top and a lipliner (for use on anniversary and birthday) and can do that sort of shopping better on my own. Was v pleased with bargin shopping I got & also tried to get a little something for Si for our anniversary - but couldn't find anything he would like! Had lots of good chats (was getting a bit down about my Spanish since being in Chile as can't understand them, and feel my speaking skills likewise going down the pan) but today conversation flowed freely and naturally on both sides and I really enjoyed it. Got increasingly hot and by the time I got back to Simon I was stripped down to a tee-shirt and making the most of the weather. That hour is the longest we've been apart for months, and felt good to be back together again (god, we're going to be such social misfits by the end of this trip... if we weren't already!). Spicy bean and potatoe stew re-hash of the pasta sauce and out again to make most of weather, and sat in our usual place by the lake in only a vest! Beautiful romantic sunset and walked back home past the many birds of prey that live here - to... more food of course!

Pucon, Chile Sunday 19th Aug

3 bad dreams last night, but nice blue sky through heavy white clouds outside and altogether much sunnier day. Breakfast of....soup and out to explore. Sat by lake (I can see that this is going to get repetitive) and watched children playing by upturned row boats on the black sand beach and a toddler wander into the sea before realising what he'd done and let out a loud suprised cry. Gulls divebombed us with short skreechy calls and we had to sheild the sun from our eyes. The scenery is in 3 layers; first being all shades of green pines and firs and dotted cabins and lodges, the second being steep nearby mountains covered in dark trees, which in turn are covered in a light dusting of snow as if sprinkled by caster sugar, and the third being the snow covered volcano like a chain smoker constantly puffing out smoke rings to impress. Back at the hotel we started cooking the next meal.... huge pasta sauce, and went back out to check email. Everything finally working, so transfered the blog I wrote in Santiago on disk, onto the net. Phew. Back to hotel and worked through the next step of trip (and variations to plan if weather is against us.. it's off season here as it's still the end of the winter) eat the pasta meal .... mmmm, will be so fat by the time we leave here ( or well stocked up for the bad weather). Now updating this and will go back (after another stroll around) and eat more pasta and drink some wine. Glad to be relaxed and happy again. It's great here.

Pucon, Chile 18th Aug

Lovely sleep. Up, packed and on bus by 11.15am and in new hotel room in Pucon at 1pm. Hotel is in family house (no, nothing like the nut house in La Serena) and we have double bed, private bathroom (still can't get used to hot water coming from the basin tap) and use of kitchen!!!! Getting so spoiled. Rained all day. Most of the time we sat in the livingroom by the Argor type fire and watched wrestling from 1981 (ahh, fond memories of Saturday afternoons as a kid doing just the same in Sheffield - some things are the same the world over!) Used our kitchen privilages to make an enormous soup of veg and potatoes and stuffed ourselves. Finally we had a look around the town in time for sunset by the lake. The town seems great - like the posh cousin of Villaricca - with it's ski shops, fancy cosy restaurants and exquisit gift shops all looking like log cabins of the rich and famous. The wood smoke floating from the tin chimneys made it smell gorgeous and feel like Bonfire Night, whist the cold night and the glowing fairy lights made it look beautiful and feel like Christmas. It was all so so lovely. One thing that wasn't lovely was that we picked up a 'friend' who followed us everywhere for over an hour, wagging his tail and looking up at me with "I'd like you for my mummy" eyes - even putting it's paw out to me - god he knew all the tricks to tug on the old heart strings. Started to feel really sad and guilty - of course I would have loved to have taken him home - and I know he would have been the perfect pal, but I don't have a home! What can I do? At last we went into the supermarket, and as we emerged from a different exit we looked back and he was still stood at the enterance looking in after us and waiting for us. My heart nearly broke. Poor thing. Back at home more soup, and heavens opened once more as we sat warm and full by the roaring fire. As we listened to rain beating down on the roof I couldn't help but think of our little furry friend. I hope he does have a home to go to ... no can't bear to think about it. How much of a soft touch am I?

Villaricca, Chile 17th Aug

Mmmm, lovely long sleep till about 9.30am - then we were naughty and stayed in bed all morning reading and eating banana sandwiches. Washed my hair in the new shampoo and it smells like sick! Then had a go at cutting it. Not crying, so it must have gone ok - though I seemed to have had no system apart from grabbing a bit of hair and cutting it. Seemed to cut lots ( some parts many times over) but hardly any hair in the sink - strange. Also, doesn't exactly look well blended to me - and still as many split ends! Never mind, I always put it up or back so guess will just look the same as ever. Had sandwiches of Tuna fish today ( good change from cheese - yum yum). Went and sat by the lake. It's warm today, so it actually made everything seen even nicer. Tried to get online .. still with no luck, so back to the lake. The sun was just setting and colours that it cast across the water were so subtle it made you breathe gentler as if not to disturb the scene. I complained about how annoying all the blobs that I have infront of my eyes are, and just then Simon said that he had them too (1st time). He stuck his finger in his eye and wiped it all around - then said they were gone. I was reluctant to let him have a go with me as I hate messing around with eyes, and also I have had these blobs for 2 years and even visited the doctor about them, so didn't think it would do any good. 2 minutes later after my eyelids doing their best to close, and Simon's finger doing it's best to poke, I was cured. It's a miricle! Can't believe that I have spent all this time, all this frustration, all this worry, and all that was wrong was that my eyes just needed a good cleaning, like a dirty pair of spctacles! It's good to see again though. Evening spent the same way as yesterday - a beer down stairs before the pizza place - and a smile on my face.

Villaricca Chile 16th August

So glad to be out of the city (did I mention that Santiago is full of blind people - most of them selling goods on the street corners, in fact, come to think of it, the whole of Chile has been full of blind people) and back feeling like a human being. What a difference a day makes! The overnight bus was v. cold - should have known better really as we are alot further south now. However managed to get some sleep and even had a nice dream about Keanu Reeves and Robbie Williams! Si went off to find a hotel (easier said than done as it is off season and most places were closed) and I waited in the freezing cold - unable to sit on the bench as it had a thin layer of ice frozen to it. Despite the cold this is a delightful little town. I immediately felt relaxed and happy. Had a scout around and ended up down by the lake. A beautiful big blue shimmering lake with the active volcano as the perfect backdrop (and that you can see from anywhere in town - and our bedroom window). It's covered in thick white snow with a continuous puff of a cotton-wool ball of smoke being belched from the top. Where the snow stops to the edge of the town there are various pines and furs. Are we in the Alps? Feels like it.All the houses are wooden and look like log cabins and such and chug out smoke from their log fires. It's all so quaint and pretty. A real tonic for the soul. By the lake we flied high on the swings, skimmed stones, talked, had giggles on the see-saw and admired the big beyond. Tucked into cheese and bread and onions from the supermarket. Later had a beer in the cafe downstairs and wrote some postcards by the open log fire (just what we needed in todays cold cold weather. Then we went for a pizza at a place that had a special offer on - again by their open log fire- aahhh. Been a lovely cold on the outside, but sunny on the inside sort of day.

Santiago, Chile 15th August

Happy birthday to Laura - hope you had a good party! Today was better - hot shower, found a place that served us egg and chips (yipee) and then set about killing time before our 9.30pm bus. Walked around the few shops that were open (as today is a public holiday) and then found a small supermarket (yeh, on the last day!) and bought bread, cheese, crisps and...pickled onions. In the internet cafe we still have the same problem - can't use the internet, blogger or hotmail - with out it crashing. So, saved all this to a disk and will use it later when we find a cafe that actually works. Be so glad to get out of the city - it's such hard work. Sorry that the blog has been really boring recently - I'm awaiting inspiration!

Santiago, Chile 14th August

Cursed day despite on paper it being a very productive day. Bad dreams. No hot water. Problems with internet and trying to get printouts of ticket info. However - we did manage to get replacement tickets straight away (thanks to all the ground work Laura did... it was all on file already) -they did charge us $50 for them, despite the fact that we had a police report, but we've got them and that is the main thing, aswell as a huge weight off our shoulders. Next door (swanky part of town) was a TGI Fridays rip-off and we celebrated by having a mushroom soup and a baked potatoe....oh what bliss. How nice, how yummy and how needed. I couldn't have appreciated anything more. Walking by the hotel I heard English voices (a rarity as there are practically no tourists), so I rushed upto them, explained our lack of guide book and asked if we could photocopy theirs. They were just off to the airport so Simon bombed it to a shop, copied and got back in time. Great - saved us so much money. Then time for food again (Simon hadn't eaten yet), but was nothing around - he settled for a couple of dry and greesy empinadas (deep fried thin cheese pasties) and then ages trying to find an internet place. Then we couldn't publish our blogs or send email without it crashing and loosing all our work. My face must have been like thunder when I walked down the stairs because the man asked if everything was alright, to which I answered with a harsh, biting NO! I tried to explain all the problems and despite my lack of technical computer related Spanish (or because of the look on my face) he didn't charge us full price. By this time we were at the end of our tether and decided to head for the security of our little room. No longer with a hunger (just couldn't be bothered with it all - almost like self preservation against disapointment) we decided instead to buy 2 bottles of the cheapest wine (even this wasn't hitch free) and try and salvage our sanity through booze. It worked! Along with the cast of 'Friends' we forgot the frustrating day and enjoyed the evening together.

Santiago, Capital of Chile 13th August

Today is my friends birthday who I have known since I was 4 years old - so I gave her a call to wish her happy 30th. It was really nice to talk to her - there has been no contact (except I sent the kids postcards - which I hear they loved and took to school) for 7months. We got the bus to Santiago, only 2 hours away, through fog and gentle forest laden hills that made me think I was back in Central America.. Nicuragua maybee? Caught the tube -clean, modern, easy and stress free - as they were asking 4pounds each in a cab!!!!! Staying in a great place of town that looks like old Paris - so lovely - and... we have private bathroom, double bed and a tv - such luxeries! Straightaway took the opportunity to do a load of washing (inc my coat that was so loppy that I looked worse than the gypsies). Then goggled out infront of the tv a while (well it was Deer Hunter on there and you can't not watch it) before searching the city for a travel guide for Argentina. Found only one copy in the whole of the city and they were asking $40 for it!!! We can't afford that, but... we can't not have a guide! Walked around the city that reminds me of parts of Paris and also the newer rundown parts of New Orleans and became more and more depressed (not only coz of the guide, but also in expectation of the difficulties we might encounter tomorrow when trying to replace the stolen tickets - and not being able to find a place where we can eat!) I had great expectations for food in Chile, a place that seems to be so civilised in all other ways - but no, it's just as difficult - or worse! We ran back to get some comfort from our hotel - and found it....with 3 consecutive episodes of 'Friends' to lift our spirits.

Valparaiso, Chile Sunday 12th August

Didn’t feel groggy this morning - to my suprise - and if Simon did he hid it well. He was hungry though so was off to the supermarket before I had even gotten up. Had a feast when he returned before setting out into the fresh blue day with a spring in our steps.Yesterday I found the city dirty, rundown, nothing to see and no reason to stay, but today I saw it’s rundown charm - some streets reminding me of Pigalle in Paris (once grand and affluant, now faded, dirty and a bit sleezy - where it once housed people of importance it now sells burgers and shop seconds. But I liked it).Went to the end of the docks, surrounded by Chilean families out for the day, and watched the ships. We went up an 'Ascensor' - a cable car on tracks that runs up the side of the hillside (the surrounding hills are very steep and there are 20 of these contraptions around the city to take you up). In the cable car Simon was 'The People's Favorite' as a young boy talked to him about his McDonald's Furbie, a family took him to thier heart and then an old woman grabbed him and dragged him to the window to show him the city. It was lovely at the top - large honey smelling trees and a small promanade around a large white and pretty looking naval museum. We took a look around it and learned more about the national obsession with Bernard O'Higgins and Arthur Pratt ( you really don't want to know!). We walked back down the hill past peeling paint wooden slat houses on stilts (rather like in Belize), but instead of these being out over the sea, they were out over the hill's edge, like a giant tide had gone out and never come back again, leaving them stranded. They were so dilapitated that one puff from the Big Bad Wolf, and they would all have come tumbling down. Sat in the lovely park (one thing that I love so much about South America) with it's towering trees, black iron statues and the most beautiful fountain I have seen yet, whilst kids drove rented peddle cars around. Decided all we needed to eat (and dared risk) was a bag of chips - but they were yuck and we had to chuck them before we chucked! Finished the day off by going to the 8pm show of Jurassic Park 3. It was ok, but the best part was seeing the kids' extreme reactions in the audience. We always seem to have a good Sunday!

Valparaiso, Chile 11th Aug

Was a good journey last night and we arrived at about 7am this morning. No hotels were open though and Si kept trying to rouse them until at last he managed to - but it was 8am by then and I had gotten cold, so when we got in the room I lept into bed with all my clothes on and had a lazy morning. Was starving so went to find somewhere to eat. Mmmm, easier said than done! It got to that crucial point, where it was food or a screaming fit just in time, as we found a veggie place! Simon had a pizza and I had a stew (took all the meat substitue out, but boy was it good to eat potatoes!!! What a treat. Poor old Simon’s pizza was rather strange. The base was more like a dumplin, topped not by a sauce and the usual additions, but by 3 slices of tomatoe and a thin slice of barely melted cheese!! Nice!!) This whole food thin has become a bit of an issue with me again recently - it’s just so depressing. Anyway, we drowned our sorrows after by going and havind a beer- or two. Got into some heavy & heated decussions (Simon’s sea pull versus my land pull. Simon’s argument of nurture/society keeping people down (especially relating to beggers and gypsies - which we’ll come back to later) versus my idea of spirit overcoming all of family or social limitations) By the time we stumbled home (Simon a little more than stumbling!) we had put the world to rights - but agreed to differ on our methods. * About the gypsies - they are everywhere, trying to get money off of you in quite an agressive manner - holding onto you and not taking no for an answer - which makes me really angry, but we'll not go into the ins and outs of it.

La Serena, Chile 10th August

The last day of watching slobberchops quote Eliza Doolittle with egg running down his mouth. Thank god! Finished my bad and overdone book and swapped it for a light hearted look at travel through Central America and started on it whilst Simon did the internet (he wasn’t able to get online yesterday). Spent time in the park before returning to the house to finish the last of our enormous salad. Was cornered by ‘Ugly Dog’ Charles who wanted us to write down Cockney-Ryhming Slang, and it’s meanings for him. I was fighting the giggles as I could only think of rude examples, and was dying to tell them to him, but with an innocent explanation. Luckily for him, the giggles didn’t go away and so I wasn’t able to say anything. Then we took our bags to the bus station and read outside until it was too cold to, then we went and window shopped inside the big mall. At 8pm we saw Planet of the Apes - which was a load of rubbish- but it killed the time till our 11.15pm bus.

La Serena, Chile 9th August

Simon bought me museli and yogurt yesterday, so there was no need for me to go to breakfast - but after a while my good manners (or guilt from leaving Simon to cope with the musical king alone) got the better of me and I joined them for a drink. After a few verses of a song from My Fair Lady (I know it's predictable.. you should be there sat opposite him trying either to keep your own face straight, or your fist from going through his!) and a discussion on why the man singing it sounds strange (not as strange as he does!) because he is singing with an accent, I had to drive a fork into the back of my hand or leave. I chose the second option. Had a nice long walk up the hills and around the city. Lovely views and warm fresh morning. Later called in at the malls as they have fantastically cheap video cameras that were too much of a bargin to pass up - but unfortunately were the wrong format - so we had to! More of our enormous and delicious salad and then here to fill you in on the latest. We are moving on tommorrow - to Valpariaso - a coastal city right by Santiago. Think we will be torn limb from limb later as Alexandro and his (thought it was his dad) brother vi for our attentions. Patience Rachel,... or another fake headache maybe?

La Serena, (Pisco Elqui) Chile, 8th August

My book has gone to my head - all last night I thought that people were out to brainwash me, and I was looking out for secret passwords and Haiku poetry - mad! Breakfast I wished someone had brainwashed me! Not sure how many more songs from musicals sung in bad English and even worse tune, along with conversations about English sayings (minus any real understanding of what is being talked about) I can take. So we escaped. To the Elqui Valley. The landscape was odd - so many contradictions - barren hills, colourful flowres, dry giant cacti, assortment of trees (from lime green to snow white), a river the strangest light apple-green and miles upon miles of vinyards. Kept thinking "It is like Greece - no it's like Swiss Alps - no more like Tuscanny" until I gave up and realised that it isn't like anywhere else - it's like Chile!! Was very pretty. Got off at Pisco Elqui (named after the famous drink down here). Walked all around this sweet, tranquil village and made the most of it's lovely hot climate. Ate our lunch of banana and bread in the square overshadowed behind by a candy coloured painted steeple church and lulled infront by a quaint fountain sculpured with small children. Aquired a dog friend that followed us everywhere - even around the Pisco distillery that we toured, and saw all the steps of pisco production - even onto the bus to go home... but reluctantly I had to get him back off the bus and leave him behind. Was a lovely relaxing day (apart from meeting a bitch from Australia at the distilery and then on the bus back - yak yak yak from her and ggrrrr from me - keep me at arms length!) Back at the house I wasn't in the mood to suffer any more fools, so when a half cut Alexandro headed towards us with invitations to join him for a drink and to listen to his music as soon as we opened the door, I jumped and said that I had a headache and would be going to bed. Simon left to get some food (salad actually -need real veg) and some iron tablets for me - think I'm lacking- and we had a real feast when he got back. Unfortunately Simon did get dragged off to listen to Britney, but managed to escape easy enough as his kidnapper slipped even further into oblivion to notice. Been a nice day - good to see a little more of the countryside

La Serena, Chile 7th August

Spent most of the day getting things done at a very leisurely pace (photocopying guide book of Chile, catching up with Weblog and emails, looking for a pocket diary etc etc). Later leaped on a bus to Coquimbo (the harbour where we went the other day) for a fish dinner by the sea. Although the fish wasn't exactly tasty, it was nice to eat something other than pizza or pasta. We watched the sun go down over the yellow-golden boats before heading home, where I read whilst poor old Simon got roped into drinks with Alexandro whilst listening to Shirley Bassey, My Fair Lady and Britney Speers!

La Serena, Chile 6th August

Strange breakfast as Alexandro sat with us and sang (in almost unrecognisable English) most of the lyrics from 'My Fair Lady'. Washed loads of clothes and didn't leave the house until about midday. Simon was in a devilish but sweet mood today. We caught he bus to the port. Clear light and soft sun bounced off the bright 'St Clements' coloured boats as large pelicans circled ahead or rested on the dingys waiting for a beakful of fish and remember the one of the many riddles, poems and ditties my grandma used to quote (A great big bird is a pelican, it's beak holds more than it's belly can. It holds in it's beak enough to last it a week; I don't know how the hell it can!). The boat ride Simon wanted to take me on may not be going ahead (lack of passengers) so we sit and have a cup of tea, walk around the fish market (Simon samples the Cervice - raw fish and seafood in brine, lemon and corriander), then rest on a bench by stalls selling driftwood and shell mobiles and ornamental flamingos made from small pink conch shells and watch the sea. We are saved by a last minute group booking by day-tripping old people. The sea is very 'hilly' and we go up and down and side to side a little too much for my liking (probably made worse by the fact that we were made to wear life jackets). It's a nice ride past rocks of pelicans till we reach a tall rocky island where I did a semi 'Tortuguero reaction on seeing the turtle' - but this time it was to the Sealions that were splayed across the rocks! Simon hadn't told me so it was a great suprise. Dozens of sunning sealions between preening pelicans. Huge blubber-wrapped beasts. The boss on top showing off his tremendous neck fat and bearing his long sharp teeth in an extended yawn to warn us off as the catamaran pulled up increadably and dangerously close to the island (hence the life jackets). It was fantastic. Didn't mind that we didn't see any dolphins - only the odd sealion along side of the boat on our journey back. Back on dry land we decided to walk part way back around the wide curved light-black sandy beach. I chased seaguls and pelicans along with a wolf dog that had joined us and when we came to shallow river outlets to the sea, Simon carried me across 'St. Christopher' style. We talked and sang and laughed for an hour and a half as we crunched hundreds of white calm shells and red crab backs under foot whilst the light changed and the distantant mountains faded to invisible. Peaceful, relaxing, spacious and lungs full of fresh air. Back in town we found a cosy little resaurant playing Bing Crosby, Dean Martin and other old greats and reminissed. Was the perfect end to a perfect day.

La Serena, Chile Sunday 5th August

Arrived at 5.30am and as we were sat by a corner waiting to telephone a place that was recomended to us - the man cycled past! It's not a hotel but his home, and is nice to be there with furniture around us. Haven't been in a home since leaving Jenkins'. The city was deserted as it was Sunday, but meant we could explore and enjoy it in peace. It's beautiful. Lovely grand detailed painted buildings, peaceful squares, lots of statues and palm trees and fountains - (all sound the same don't they?). They really know how to build towns in South America. They wipe the floor with British towns - and you won't find any rubbish in the streets at all. It's so bizzare being here though as it is all modern. Real shops where you can buy anything! Proper cafes that are not only clean but decorated (wallpaper - blast from the past)... we are in a dazed and confused state walking around. I think the highlight of the day was going to s super supermarket - like KMart- and being overwhelmed and excited by everything. Strolled back in light that is remenisant of hot and humid times (dark blue sky growing lighter until it is a yellow band down at the horizon, silhouetted by palm trees). So far the worst thing about Chile is that they have a terrible accent. Can't understand a word of it (and they can't understand us either!). They talk so fast, gabbled, clipped yet sloppy, dropping consanants. It's impossible! Evening was spent talking to the old man of the house (who looked like 'Ugly Dog' from Utila with his strange eyes and protruding lower teeth) about everything from The Royal Family to the Chiliean wine we were drinking (in English!!!) whilst he showed us his painting of the Middle East.

San Pedro - La Serena, Chile 4th August

2 hours to Calama, 1 hour waitover and then 16 hours to La Serena - but oh a treat like no other - one that had Simon and I dancing with glee and as excited as a couple of kids on Christmas day. The buses, the buses of course. After over 5 months of the poorest excuse for a bus you can imagine, we are in a country where the buses seem to be made by god's own hands. Touching the fixtures and fittings to make sure they were real -toilet, reclining seats, leg-room, tv and video, drinks served and blankets and pillows. Wow with cherries on top! Spent all day and night very happy in our spanking bus watching videos, as well as the desert landscape beyond our cosy capsule. Ahhh, I like Chile!

San Pedro de Aticama, Northern Chile, 3rd August

Relaxed, chilled out and let the past 3 days sink in. Nice walks and long spells of sitting in the square in the warm sunshine filled the day. Little more sorting to do with stolen tickets puts our minds a little more at ease, and was lovely to speak to my parents over the telephone (couldn't get hold of Simon's). Feel a little anxious about 12 rolls of film we sent home not arrived yet (but that is because of having the bag stolen just one day after taking the films out of the bag... now I'm paranoid about their saftey). Enjoying my body adjusting to lack of very high altitude -(dry sore throat, collapsing soft pallat, difficulty breathing, runny/blocked nose and the harsh cough). Feeling halthier. Suppose we'd been at altitude quite some time.

Desert to San Pedro de Aticama, CHILE 2nd Aug

Haven't been able to wash since leaving Uyuni and can't wait to get to Chile and have a shower .. but many more things to see first. Woken at 5.30am, no breakfast so we could cross more desert and be somewhere spectacular for sunrise. These are the world's highest Geysers. Forcefully blowing hundreds of feet into the air with the sun coming up behind it made the main one glow bright golden and I almost expected to see a Genie form at the top of it. Spectacular. As we walked around there were hundreds of smaller ones - magical dragons imprisoned in the earth and screaming for release. In and out of the moon like terrain dodging boing pits of bubbling mud (double double toil and trouble, fire burn and couldren bubble) or angry outbursts of spitting spraying mud. Yet another landscape almost unacceptable to the brain, with figures silhouetted against bright smoke like the descending aliens exiting their ship in 'Close Encounters' . Beautiful calm amist such struggle. Our breakfast stop was by a lake frozen at one end, but with hot springs at the other, and whilst our driver cooked our scrambled eggs, we stripped off shoes and socks and soaked in the very hot and very soothing water. Then past more lakes and mountains to one that should have looked green - but the wind was in the wrong direction that day, and so didn't! It was however frozen solid so we ventured out onto it. How beautiful and fulfilling. What a way to say goodbye to Bolivia. We really have seen some unbelievable things .. and they still haven't sunk in yet. As we crossed the border and into Chile, the change was immediate. Tarmac roads!!! Oh, this is some distant luxery from somewhere back in my memory. We turned around the side of a mountain on par with it's cap of snow to see an ongoing flat swirl of muted colours far far below us (like seeing the bottom of a depp ocean) ... this was Chile. San Pedro de Aticama certainly was a welcome village, making us feel relaxed straight away. Though it is flat sand buildings it's warm and civilised. Long hot shower, and a meal in a 'proper' restaurant with decor, candle light, good music and... red wine!!! Oh a lovely end to a fantasic trip, and a good start to a whole new country!

Salar de Uyuni - Laguna Colorada , Bolivia Wed 1st August!

Awoke to the 1st day of August (so soon!) in the cold and dark for breakfast at 6am. Set off with morning light fighting it's way up to combat night sky. Today was deserts - every size, shape and variation. Occsational stretches of hard small scrub was the only vegitation we saw. Lovely deep golden orange sand leading upto gentle mountains of hughes of yellow, red, brown swirlling in patterns around them.Stopped at a lake that was full of Flamingos (3 kinds, from almost white to deep bright pink with flashes of black under their wings.) Elegant - obscure in this environment. On through the desert to a long tall boulder on which we saw a desert fox stalking out an Andies rabbit-like creature. How can anything survive out here? Next a 'rock - tree' and finally a lake that is surrounded by mountains ... but this lake is unique as it changes colour from blue to red. Here we are spending the night and there is plenty of time to expolre before dinner. Around the lake are mineral deposits that looks like snow but aren't despite deep frozen puddles and outlet that interweave it. When we first arrived the water was mainly red with areas and sheens of blue, but the lake soon turned into something from biblical times and a lake of blood lay before us. Girls and boys red means red - thick solid bright red. Amazing! As Simon and I walked around it it changed to cerice, deep salmon, alake full of baked been juice and orange. All these colours were vivid and intense - you couldn't keep your eyes off of it - so so strange and wonderful. Pinch me is this real? Round the side more flamingos and passing heards of llamas. At night put on even more clothes to sleep in (all my clothes I think), as well as the sleeping bag and blankets. Despite the estimated outside temperature of -20 degrees, I was warm, and it was my horid altitude cough that kept me awake ( we are over 4500 meters high ). Great great day.

Salars de Uyuni, Bolivia 31st July

Sharing our 3 day trip in a jeep with 2 Dutch, a crazy Scot and an ex marine from England. We all hit it off fantastically and the whole time travelling was a huge laugh / party / shared experience of being dumb-struck. The next 3 day's installment are going to be the hardest bit of writing I have ever done. The things we have seen are so beyond explanation or comprehention, that I don't know how I can put it into words to do it justice. First we crossed the salt desert. This was a giant lake thousands of years ago, and all that is left now is a flat expanse hundreds of miles long and wide that is white and gleaming as snow - salt! It changes from hard to powdery, to be covered by water, and to be in the shape of large hexagonals (like being on the back of a giant albino tortoise). Doesn't sound too impressive does it.. but 'By eck!' as they say in Sheffield! We were surrounded by grand imposing mountains in the distance, which with the water on the horizon made them seem to be floating. Optical illustions all around, not able to tell salt from sky, islands being reflected by the water so perfectly that strange symetrical shapes like psychoanalyst's butterfly splodges hung from nothing - in the middle of nothing. The most inspiring and spooky feeling - what sort of world have I come to? - not one that I know! At last we came to Fish Island (named so because of it's reflective shape). In the middle of this endless flat barren world of salt lies a tall island made from rock that looks like coral or petrified boiling mud, and is covered with giant giant cacti. Explored the crazy island with the even crazier surrounds with open mouthed wonder. Wow - is seeing believing? Back to Uyuni to pick up our packs and hired sleeping bags (so cold at night - in fact a week ago a jeep broke down in the middle of the night and the 7 Bolivia passengers decided to try and walk back - ending in the 7 people being frozen to death!) This time we travelled through 'real' desert landscape, the dimming colours of the evening making the scenery a set from Star Wars. In a tiny village we bed down for the night (after our driver has cooked for us) in a dormitory with other people crossing the desert, and dream of weird shapes and wonderful lands.

Uyuni, Bolivia 30th July

Spent the day sorting out stuff - how to get replacement tickets (with much needed and appreciated help from Laura), finding torches and alarm clocks - a new camera (only 8 to choose from - 3 of them being brand rip-offs), obtaining a police report and booking a trip to the desert. In the morning I felt quite ill and found it hard to get up (only natural I suppose), but once I got going I was o.k. It all could have been much worse thinking about it, and figured we got off lightly, so we got on with not letting it pull us down. Uyuni is as bizzare as it's name - a desert town in the middle of a desert; bare, sandy, obscure - could be from a sci-fi film... but I like it. Now can't wait for our trip tommorrow, not only to visit the salt plains and desert, but also at the end of the 3 days to be away from this country, and into a new one. Bolivia has been an amazing country- full of great natural wonders - but it has been a very trying country to travel through, and we feel we have had enough of walking through treacle. Hope lies ahead for Chile.

Sucre - Uyuni, Bolivia 29th July

What a day! Can't be bothered with all the ins and outs, so to cut a long story short, today I fell for the oldest trick in the book... Divertion in order to steal! Changed busses at Potosi (the grim mining town) and whilst we were stood right by the door of the bus a man pointed out 'guck' down my sleeve - I argued with him as I'd seen him eating chocolate sauce and accused him of doing it - meanwhile an accomplis took our daypack along with our valuable items! I felt so stupid (along with many other feelings). Why didn't I realise it was a scam sooner - but he was very slick, a real pro. Like I said, I don't really want to go on about it - it happened and it's behind us now - along with camera, exposed film (1 luckily), diaries (Simon's since Guatamala), torch, clock, guide book, account book, hat and tickets!!! As you can imagine, it wasn't a terribly pleasant journey, although the beautiful graceful scenery helped to sooth me. Arrived in Uyuni late and just wanted to curl away and not think about it.