Chile Evaluation 216.7

Chile

Likes wonderfully clean Santiago, Starbucks ' i know its the same everywhere but it tastes better after a 3 month withdrawal), the flatness of Santiago contrasted with the glorious mountains surrounding it, Hostel Casa Roja a wonderfully restored old spacious building), steaks, cerro something park, crisp warm but not too hot sunshine all the time, free museums on Sundays, the number of EMO kids (and adults) walking around Santiago has a good taste in music, public snogging (even the adults) snogging is fun.

Dislikes: Valpariso, the way Americans pronounce Chileans, having to leave after 5 short days, very public snogging - i mean really, again, do you have to snog each time your eyes meet?, Men urinating everywhere with no attempt to turn away or shield my eyes from their manhood.

Sunrises missed from slumber: 5

Places visited: Santiago and Valpariso

Number of times i wanted to come home: 0!

Favourite Hostel Casa Roja. see their website for great pictures, and we even managed to make friends with their staff!

Traveller achievements being asked if i had checked a backpack onto our flight, still not brushing my hair, only having one pair of shorts since losing the other ones somewhere, Xss being complimented on his ripped jeans, always replying 'what's the cheapest' when presented with several options, being pally with hostel workers, throwing away clothes that i need to make my bag lighter but keeping impractical thing like the knife and fork i brought with me.

Favorite memory Walking home from climbing tired but very satisfied. See previous blog entry.

Worst Day VALPARISO. Why is this crap town a UNESCO world heritage site? on a par with Macchu Pichu? Smelly, dirty, teeming with nothingness. Don't go. We went on the bus 2 hours each way and only managed to spend 2 hours there, and that's only because it was such a long walk back to the bus station after searching for a reason to be there!

Favourite new food\drink pure pineapple juice. Why don't we do this in England. Fruit, in a blender. simples and great.

Best\worst noise: The Australians going to bed at 6am at Casa Roja after the cricket.

Worst\best smell: The intestines that accompany burgers on all the stands on the way to a football match (which we couldn't get tickets for), think tripe left out in the sun with some vomit stirred in for good measure.

Best Norwich Victory: Signing Henri Lansbury on loan from Arsenal!

Weirdest country 'fact': Potatoes cost about 10p in the shop, but in a restaurant it costs 4 pounds for a side of chips. This is 4 times more than a bottle of coke, why?

Times people looked at me like i was a unicorn walking down the street (Blonde's really do exist): 7,598

Number of Imodium instants left: 3 out of 12

Number of people in our marriage that need a haircut: 2

Number of six packs being maintained in our marriage: 1

New things learned: Having so much time to think about things whilst travelling, this revelation has been a long time coming. If you dress in your boyfriends clothes it doesn't make you sexy, if you still do your make-up and hair nicely then wear his clothes, then that's sexy. Since i don't do my make-up or hair, that's why i don't look like the girls in the magazines when i wear an over sized t-shirt or boy jeans, i just look like a boy.

Country score: 216.7

And i still have found what i`m looking for......

In a strange moment today i finally felt like i understood what it is to be a traveller, what it is we are supposed to be looking for and why people perceive times of travelling as so amazing.

Today we went rock climbing in the Andes surrounding Santiago.

This is us having our pic-nic (South American spelling) lunch down by the river. Hezus our climbing expert, Monica one of our hostel workers and me. Xss took the picture. As usual we managed to befriend a dog and it tried to sit on my lap throughout lunch, but was really rather nice. I think someone should invent a rent a dog business because it makes nice days outside even nice when you have a dog in tow. She turned up sad and lonesome and after some food and fuss was running home with us happy and bouncy!

So we decided to go climbing and called up Hezus from a hostel advert. He was really nice, spoke brilliant English and he invited Monica along (who turned out to be great). We took a tube to the end of the metro line then a cab to the middle of nowhere from where we proceeded to walk into the Andes, stopping at an idyllic spot near the river to climb. I was pretty bad at it but it was great to be in the great outdoors, being challenged, trying new things and enjoying peoples company.

Here is Xss at the top of the rock having climbed up the easy route. We then tried another easy way and two harder ways (one being near impossible i think). Xss excelled at it, was quick and sure and it was great to learn this about him. He also managed one of the very hard routes where you had to hang underneath the rock at a time. Because Hezus thought it was fun we also tried out ´jumping´off the wall. This involved climbing up higher than where the rope was attached and launching yourself off the wall knowing that the rope would catch you and pull you back in after a 2 meter drop. I tried this and did it, but the sensation of going against all your senses and falling backwards with nothing to hold onto was very strange and i had nothing to prove so didn't go very high. Xss on the other hand was lunching himself off the wall from the word go trusting the ropes instantly. He was truly fearless, another thing learnt.

It was after this, and chatting with Monica (our single serving, lovely, friend- openly acknowledged by all), and having yummy fresh avocado, chicken, tomato and cucumber rolls (with our feet in the river) for lunch, and the glorious surrounding scenery, and having some cold beers in the river which we drank as a celebration at the end, and walking down the dusty road at the end of the day ( we didn't get home until 9pm having left at 8.30am) tired from the physical exercise, with our now happy dog skipping along at our feet that i realised. I realised that i was truly content, not worried about anything, not wanting anything more, no plans for the future, satisfied with all i had learnt in the day. In this moment i was truly happy. For me, this is the best i could get from travelling, a time when i am happy in each moment, relaxed and not upset about anything, enjoying the world and Xss for all they have to offer and not making things complicated.

The view from the river rock

Brazil Evaluation 187.25

Brazil

Likes quality graffiti on all wall available, the friendly people who tell you when to get off the bus even though you haven't asked, lots of salt in the food, the way the mountains and cities integrate, the beaches in Morro de Sao Paulo, spending loads of time with Xss, doing physical work daily, getting a tan, having the satisfaction of having learn`t Portuguese well enough to communicate with others, listening to Ailtons long stories up in the forests after having raked all the trails (all in Portuguese so i couldn't understand a word of it, but obviously very funny stories judging by his chuckles), multipart handshakes which prove that you like someone.

Dislikes the ant war on humans, screaming children having tantrums about stupid things frequently, the dogs barking (for no reason) at 4am on the veranda outside my room, getting a fungal pattern from crappy hostel sheets on my back which looks pretty but is ruining my tan, no Starbucks in all of Brazil,

Sunrises in Brazil missed by me lazing in bed 103

Places visited Rio de Janeiro, Paraty, Ilha Grande, Belo Horizonte, Ouro Preto, Itabiritu, Salvador, Morro de Sao Paulo, Foz de Igazu.

Number of times i wanted to come home 2 (Once following a serious ant attack and once after we seemed to be spending all our time away planning our next hostel so we could then find another hostel)

Nights spent in strangers houses 4

Favourite hostel Ailton`s pousada in Morro de Sao Paulo. Two stories with our own hammock on the private veranda and a wonderful breakfast of fresh fruit, real juice, bread, cake and coffee.

Pirate experiences achieved posing with a parrot on my arm, seeing a pirate ship flying the jolly roger, eating at Pirates Pizza restaurant, and staying in several place that pirates used to pillage.

Times Xss got annoyed with me talking about Pirates 17

Favourite memory playing monopoly (which i won) with Ali, Paddy, Hafa, Marcus, Claire and Xss in the farm communal kitchen. (is that really sad) or the waterfalls in Purto Igassu -absolutely amazing.

Worst day One of the days when i failed to help anyone on the farm by following Ailton around holding things that didn't need holding, like a 5 year old who insists on helping and really hinders.
Favourite new food/drink Brigadiro (cocoa powder and condensed milk rolled into balls around a strawberry)

Worst smell The smell in `poo room` in Salvador. seriously.

Best/worst noise: Someone shouting `Almoco` (lunch) when you are sweating away at physical labour in the hot sunshine knowing you will have an hour in the shade to rest and chat.

Best Norwich City Victory 3-0 away at Bristol City.

Weirdest country 'fact' Rio`s Metro system is actually partly a bus system that goes along normal roads. You have to go down to buy tickets then surface again to get on a normal bus that isn't any quicker than a normal bus meaning that you have even less time in the Botanical gardens when you leave the hostel at 4pm and it closes at 5pm.

Days Xss wanted to be a plaid shirt and army boot wearing punk 0 :(

New thing learnt There is a time for everything (Ecc 13) a time to be sad, a time to be happy, a time to sunbathe and a time not to, a time for rain and one for sunshine. Enjoy each time you have as all have benefits and soon enough your`ll be on the other side wanting the old time back.
Country score: 187.25

Ive Made it!

I have been recognised as a back packer. I'm not sure if i should be proud of it, but since i am back packing i am proud. As i was standing in Rio airport looking at the books, an air hostess walked straight up to me and asked if i had checked a backpack. score. I'm not sure if it was the metal clip on my small bag, my dirty unkempt looks or the fact that my trainers were so dirty they looked like they had been thrown down a mountain with me running behind barefoot (how does the mud get right up to the top of my basketball boots when it only cakes the sole of Xss.
It was my bag and i am darn proud that i made little net bags to put all my underwear in to keep it together, as the security then proceeded to check my luggage by pulling it all out and delicately placing it on the floor. Luckily no pants flying everywhere and he realised that my ipod player was not dangerous.

So we have made it to Chile, and the NICEST hostel ever, apart from the noise. It is an old, old mansion and has a real commune feel to it. We arrived last night at 10pm and Xss already loves it and is suggesting we stay more days. However this was supposed to be a short city break where we didn't do much or spend much.

So this morning, in true backpacker style we are going out in search of Starbucks! Not sure if they have them here, but there weren't any in Brazil. The eternal optimism to try and find the most undiscovered, off the beaten track, new things that backpackers have, has not reached me yet. I'm happy to just see a new city and try to understand it.

Will upload some pics of the hostel here soon so check back, ok.

The dining room- looking old, but cool.