Santiago

Our hostel in Santiago was Castillo Surfista, a welcoming site at 9 o clock after a very claustrophobic metro ride (James insisted on coffee after the bus which pushed us into rush hour. The commuters weren't to impressed with our space hogging bags. Sardines in a can...literally).

Our mission for the first day was to locate a camping shop to pick up sleeping bags and mats needed for the Dragoman tour. We took the now emptier metro to a colossal shopping centre which was strangely british. I spotted Oasis, The Body shop, Lush and Whittards! As tourists certain shops offered us 10% off including the camping shops. After some debate we settled on Doite a Chiloan brand that we had used for W trek. Hopefully the bags will keep us toasty warm up on the Bolivian altiplano!

We were starving on getting back to the hostel and raised the local supermarket for sandwiches and empanadas as well as burgers for super. In the hostel courtyard we chatted to the other guests, most of which were starting to work there. Loping around was a very big labrador-dobberman cross called Duke. There were signs everywhere warning of his greed as James found out. He left a sandwich on the table and within seconds Duke had gobbled the whole thing!
The evening passed helping a English traveller plan his W trek, and chatting away over multiple bottles of wine.

The next day we embarked on our 7th walking tour by our guide Franco. Chilian history has been as turbulant as Argentinas. Civil war raged for centuries between the Spanish and the local tribe, while later in its history military coups led to terror before democracy was regained.

Whilst a massive city, Santiago has an open feel with a lot of parks and a few hills but heavily polluted with smog. We meandered through the streets up to Bellavista the student and nightlife area. I bought a wine pipe hear which I'm looking forward to using with my Mendoza wine when I camp on the Dragoman tour.

After the tour we crossed the city to the meeting hostel of the Dragoman tour. For one month we will be travelling with 8 other people, 2 members of crew and one big truck. From Santiago to Cusco, crossing the andes, a 3 day stay in a ranch, the salt flats and a machu piccu trek are some of the highlights. I can't wait!Read more