Chillen in Chile.

I'm currently in Chile! 

I arrived in Chile after the amazing salt plains tour and landed in San Pedro de Atacama. I really like San Pedro not only because it was finally warm but because it was a really quirky little town with some fun activities to do. Yes .. it is tourist central with tourism offices and gringos galore but something about the desert and red dirt streets stuck out to me.  I only stayed a couple of nights here and had my first experience of sand boarding. After a few failed attempts and a mouthful of sand I started to master the technique. I’m going to head up to Peru in a few weeks and do some more sand boarding to really get the hang of it. Looking forward to speeding things up in Canada on the snow.

1. Holding it together

2. Nearly had it... 

3. It's all over.

                                 

Finally starting to get the hang of it.

Loving it! 

Lovely new friends in Santiago.

I then headed to Santiago, which is the capital city of Chile for some great cultural experiences. One thing I loved doing with some new friends was the tips for tours walking experience. It was a great way to see the highlights of the city and get some great history and information on Chile. Also got to try the infamous Chilean hot dog called a completo which you can pick up for about $2 in the street markets it comes with guacamole, mayonnaise, roasted tomatoes and ketchup – AMAZING. 

Amazing street food in Chile. 

One thing I'm realising more and more whilst travelling is how Australia has nothing to boast about when it comes to drinks and food. All these countries have so many wonderful traditional beverages and foods to taste, which makes the experience so much more authentic. I think we need to come up with some new authentic foods besides a meat pie or Lamington (which could be argued to be from the UK ...Been having plenty of those arguments recently on the road!) 

After a couple of days in Santiago I then headed for Valparaiso which is about an hour and half west of the city on the harbour. You can read all about my 4 days in Valpo on my blog at Ash's website themostalive.com 

My two new chilean friends were pros at the Cueca and great teachers also

Once I was satisfied with my time in Valparaiso, I boarded a bus back to Santiago to relax for a couple of days by the pool before I headed off on a bus adventure into the south of Chile. I found a nice hostel called Casa Roja that had a beautiful pool area and great location for lying and reading in the sun for a couple of days. On one of my nights back in the city, I had the privilege to catch up with some local Chileans I had met previously on my travels. They took me to the streets to learn how to dance the traditional Cueca. This was one of the greatest experiences as it was exactly how you would picture the streets of  Latin America. The local community came alive as people of all ages came out of their homes to dance and enjoy other locals playing music. Large gatherings have been banned in public places in Chile due to fear of political riots breaking out. So the people find quiet secluded streets in the suburbs to dance and meet away from the police. It was a very fun experience watching people passionately dance the Cueca which is actually a resemblance of a rooster and a hen trying to mate. A great culture experience to say the least and I was very lucky to have the opportunity. 

Two people doing the Cueca. A scarf is a must! 

I’m really enjoying taking in all the food, people, landscapes and culture that each place brings. I love how God has created us all so differently with tastes and scenery to match. I love that every place has a different vibe and I’m learning so much about life and people not only from the places I visit but also from the incredible, interesting travellers I’m meeting. I feel so grateful and blessed to be able to live this dream and am so excited for the great things still to come! 

Stay tuned for a new blog coming about my amazing time down here in the south of Chile. Including an amazing three days on Chiloe island.