Signed off in Style!

I write this from the VIP lounge of Santiago airport, about to board a business class flight having spent last night in a 5* hotel, with a gin a tonic in one hand, and a plate of sushi in the another (is bloody hard typing). Do feel a tad out of place with my trekking trousers and 'Chang Beer' T- shirt tho!

Well, not all a glamouress it it sounds unfortuantely, it involved about 5 hours faffing about in the airport yesterday, a day surviving of 15p and being looked on like crap by the concierge for 24hrs, but it is paying dividends now.

Not a bad way to end the South America leg!

Bloody tired

I have now safely arrived in Santiago de Chile after completing my two weeks of trekking. The amazing scenery just about made up for the hatful of early mornings, but i am now completely knackered and recovering by watching films and football in Santiago.

Last few days in Bariloche were good fun, including a few nights out and the trek was pretty good - surprisingly i wasn´t the slowest or most unfit. The view we had over the 3 towers was absolutely amazing as the weather was good and the glacier walking was a particular highlight. The group got on about as well as the boys of 165 on bad day - the French guys were really fit and the Spanish 7 took their time causing a bit of friction (there was no end of trek meal for us all). We stayed a night in an Estancia and had a traditional style Argentinian Asado of which Mr Markillie would have been proud.

I´m now trying to get everything sorted for New Zealand (head off on Sunday) and am also gonna try and fit in quick trip to Valporiso (the Chilean seaside resort) for the day. Also gotta try and send some stuff back to England which should be fun with my amazing amounts of Spanish!

Feliz Ano!

Happy New Year! Now two months of the trip completed - 7ish more to go. Christmas week has been pretty good, done quite a few walks and met a few people. Met a couple of English guys in Villa la Angostura and walked an incedible 26kms (had a few beers afterwards to reward myself) and did a couple kms more the next day. Minor problem involving a hostel manager trying to throw me out of his hostel but all resolved itself in the end.

New Years was spent in Bariloche - met a pretty cosmopilitan group and we went out for dinner (successful in the 5th restuarant we tried) and then hit a club. Amazingly i managed to last until 4am but i was up at 11 to complete my New Years day walk of 12kms. Only downside was that i watched Bolton lose to Liverpool afterwards but that was expected. Got a couple of days R & R in Bariloche before starting trekking on Saturday - good chocolate here so not sure if i´ll be in the best of shape by the time i start....