Channy's Travels: Final Week in Chile

Chile has been good fun. Period. With my final hour in the country today I thought it might be a good time to catch up on what I've been up to lately instead of the tangents I like to write about. From the beginning of the week then.

Santiago

Arrived in the city only to find that I had missed my good friend Euan by a few hours.. However another friend from Ushuaia was actually there in my hostel so it was a good surprise instead. I spent my first day exploring the city by foot, discovering the city barrio by barrio. Not going to lie when I wasn't too impressed by it. Big cities all look like other big cities in my opinion. I awoke the following day to Fiesta Patrias! The 18th of september is Chile's version of Independence day. With huge parties called Fondas, everyone in the city is either at one, at a park bbqing or hawking their wares to tourists and locals alike. I literally spent a solid two hours eating street food in Parque O'higgins, everything from mussel and fish ceviche to goat and chorizo sandwiches! Later that night I met up with Max, a friend from Valpo and had a blast late into the evening. Even ended up meeting 3 Vancouverites who lived about 15 minutes from me! Travelling eh?

Mote con Huesillo - Peach nectar, barley, rehydrated peaches

Cue the best 24 hour bus ride of my life.

San Pedro de Atacama

A gringo town in the middle of the Atacama desert. Literally just built on the backs of restaurants, tour shops and bike rentals. I was lucky enough to spend 4 solid days in the dusty town. On my first day in the city, I actually ended up bumping into a friend that I met in Ushuaia (another one) and we immediately made plans to go sandboarding later that day! After an evening of finding sand everywhere and sweaty legs, we arrive at day two which was quite a relaxing day. Slept in, got some coffee with amigos, biked through a few canyons and had my first proper meal in about two weeks. Two more full on days of tours, good snaps and a complete overhaul of my Bolivian "itinerary" and now I'm off to Salar de Uyuni! It's been funny hanging out with new friends from different hostels these few days however I've literally not stopped to say hello to anyone in my own hostel.. Oops!