We arrive into Valparaiso after a short bus ride from Santiago and head for the harbour thinking that is where all the action will be and it's kind of en route to our hostel. We're greeted with stacks of faded and rusting shipping containers stacked up blocking any view of the sea. A little bit miffed by this we continue on to the hostel. We're on the right lines but a little lost when a lovelly old gentleman asks us where we're going in Spanish and we show him the address. He points up a steep passageway we're at the bottom of and indicates left. We start up the stairs and are relieved the hostel was only moments away hidden amongst the graffitti, and brightly painted corrugated metal buildings perched on the hill.

Paula the owner speaks no English but is friendly and Conny who speaks good English tells us tonight is terramoto night so we make a note of the time and look forward to the evening.

We spend the day exploring the tightly woven paseos and streets which give good views of the port hidden from us when we arrived. There is much grafitti some of which is great art whilst others is just scrawl. We take a fernicular train, admire the colourful houses crammed on the surrounding hills in every shape and size, eat empanadas (the seafood one smells and tastes rather like rotting fish guts!) and have a cup of tea at the Color Cafe which had 6 of the 10 page menu dedicated to their tea range. Helena was in her element here.

We meet some of the other guests back at the hostel and head out for dinner. There is some disparity between peoples budgets and the first restaurant suggested has no menu del dia and is rather pricey. We split into two groups and head for different places. We ended having food with Jess and Issy in a lovelly restaurant/pub and then head back for the terramotos.

We'd been told these were the best terramotos in Chile but these just didn't have the same kick as those in Santiago. We have a couple each and still suffering with a bit of jetleg turn in fairly early by latino standards.

The next day we headed out to scour the markets lining the streets and plazas around Valparaiso. You can buy anything from empty bottles to forging paraphernalia. On the way back we hire pedal go-carts for a 10 minute spin around a plaza much to the amusement and bewilderment of the locals.

Still suffering with the jetlag (when will it go away) we again turn in early and hope for a better nights sleep. No such luck and we get up earl, walk accompanied by a couple of local stray dogs and catch the bus to La Serena.