I have reached Santiago de Chile, my final destination on the South American continent. I now have four days in the Chilean capital, the longest stretch since Buenos Aires and it will be nice to not have to pack again for four days.
My flight got in at 9 pm last night, and I took a shared shuttle to the apartment I've rented. The journey took about an hour and cost 7000 pesos. The apartment is also quite affordable and very central and well comparable with a hotel room, but with the added comfort of a kitchenette so I can keep drinks cold and do some cooking to save money. The temperature here will be around 30 for the next few days, so plenty of cold drinks will be consumed! I found the Peruvian classic Inca Kola in a supermarket in Puerto Varas, so hopefully I can get a large bottle of that while I'm here. I didn't think it was ever sold outside of Peru. It's a sweet, citrony, chewing gum type taste, but quite refreshing on a hot day.
I have actually been to Santiago twice before, so I won't be ferretting around this city of 5 million during my stay. I'll do some sightseeing but take it easy in the heat, the point is to enjoy the experience, not to stress. There is a neighbourhood called "Suecia" (Sweden) which of course I want to visit, and my guide book recommends two Mexican restaurants I also want to check out. I LOVE tacos! Not the Tex-mex hard shell abominations most people think are tacos, but the authentic, soft-tortilla Mexican variety, filled only with spicy meat and salsa, not with bunny food. If they have tacos al pastor, I might never leave!
Nearing the end of my South American adventure, I can take stock. I have written about the desmadre, which means you have to expect the unexpected here. There is only so much research and preparation you can do online, most things you will only find out once you are here. One thing is, never trust booking.com if it says "We speak your language" on a hotel's page. Chances are they don't. And that is a general rule, don't bother visiting South America if you don't speak Spanish (or Portuguese if Brazil is your thing). You will constantly struggle to communicate and you will not enjoy it. The only reason I've been able to get around at all is because I still speak the lingo.
Argentina is a country obsessed with cash. Partly because of the economic chaos that still seems to mar the country, but also because tax evasion is as normal as brushing your teeth. From my posts from Buenos Aires, readers will know that the Government doesn't make it easy to get cash out of the ATM's either, and I couldn't find anyone in the UK who sold Argentinian pesos.
In Chile, cash is of course also King, but so is the US dollar, apparently. I've never really understood this, but there is some rule that if you pay your hotel in USD you avoid a 19% surcharge, which should be levied if you pay in Chilean pesos. One hotel charged my credit card in USD, while the next claimed they couldn't and charged my card in CLP instead. Like so many things in this part of the world it makes no bloody sense, but that is something you have to learn to live with here. Or indeed leave, as I did a while ago.
I've also mentioned the comfort of South American long-distance coaches. Look out for the semi-cama if you're travelling long distances, they are actually quite comfy. Pullman means a normal seat with limited recline and legroom. Even if several bus companies ply the same route, they seem to be leaving around the same time, so not sure how much competition that is. ALWAYS reconfirm schedules, and keep in mind tickets are not interchangeable so you have to stick to the bus company you bought the ticket from (usually).
So for all the challenges, Patagonia is a beautiful place on this Earth! Well worth visiting and the more time you spend, the more you will marvel. There is some stunning scenery, and if you're the outdoors type, plenty of untouched nature for you to explore. The summers down here are not as warm as in the northern hemisphere due to cold winds from Antarctica and no Gulf Stream, but I've been quite happy with temperatures between 10 and 15 at the tail end of summer here.
I will also say that people overall have been very friendly, but again, without Spanish, you will be very isolated indeed. People here love a chat and they also like to know where you're from and what you do, so it's not difficult to break the ice. Also, if you speak Spanish, they are less likely to take advantage of you as a tourist and rip you off.
Argentina and Chile are not the cheapest countries on the continent, I actually just read that Chile is now the most expensive. Some years ago it was Brazil, but I suppose their recent troubles have impacted the real. If you want cheap, Peru, Bolivia, and probably Paraguay are the places to go. On this trip I think I have visited the safest and most developed countries on the continent.
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