Sat. 26th Jan

Arrived in Santiago yesterday. Met up with a couple from Oz, Lynda and Max. They invited me to spend the day with Juan, a Chilean friend of theirs who works with Max in Oz. Juan was home in Chile on holiday and offered to show them around the city. He turned up with his nephew Miguel and proceeded to drive us fifty kilometers from the city around all the villages. We saw stalls at the side of the roads selling everything from leather goods to fruit and pots and pans. The villages were a delight with beautiful churches and some wonderful old buildings. We eventually landed up in Juan's village and had a beer overlooking the village square. When we came down we found the local traffic warden by his car brandishing a parking ticket. She then proceeded to give Juan a hug and a kiss but still presented him with the ticket. It cost all of twenty five pence. You can't get away from them even over here! It turned out she was his cousin but didn't let that stop her issuing the ticket. Juan then took us out to lunch in a Chilean restaurant in the country. We started with a fruit wine punch, followed by pork rillettes, then a barbeque bought to the table, consisting of pork, beef steaks, sausages of various sorts, lamb chops, potatoes, veg. Then pudding, lots of wine and then a sort of Benedictine liquer. Three hours later we staggered from the table into the garden of the restaurant. It had lovely old deck chairs that we thankfully sank into for a few minutes but then we had to leave to go back to Santiago. Good day to start off this trip.

Sunday

Twelve hour trip to Pucon, stopping at waterfall at Salto del Laga for lunch. Very impressive. We are travelling in 'Peggy', a big yellow bus that is extremely comfortable and the seats are high up so you have a really good view all round.

Monday

Walked in the local National Park, more wonderful views and another super day. Had a fillet mignon steak for dinner for about three english pounds. Good value or what.

Tuesday

Went for walk a.m to find local beach and lake. Found the lake and a very cross guard who popped out of a box at the side of the road and who didn,t want us to walk down his road. Anyway never found the beach but landed up in a very nice local cafe drinking coffee and eating cake. I know, I don't normally drink coffee but with their cake it was quite nice. In the afternoon went out zip lining over the tree canopy in the forest. It was brilliant. Twelve different lines at different angles, across and between trees, over rivers. We went for over two miles. The first couple I was so petrified I forgot the breath and was gasping for breath when I got to the end but once I was used to it it was great. It was the most exhilarating thing I have done for a long time - I am getting to be an adrenaline junky. Tried a Pisco Sour drink in the evening. Not sure what was in it - you either love it or hate it. I loved it - obviously have very little good taste. It was quite strong but not bad. Good day.

Wed.

Another twelve hour drive through the Lake District of Chile. Went along Seven Lakes Drive. Eventually arrived at Bariloche in Argentina. Crossing the border was fun. The border was in the forest in the middle of no where. We all had to disembark the bus, wait in a building, get our passports checked and stampedon the Chile side then repeat the performance on the Argentina border five minutes down the track. Most of the drive that day was on gravel roads - not to be recommended! Good thing the bus is well sprung.

Thursday

Bariloche is delightful. It was settled by migrants from Switzerland, Italy and Germany that accounts for the Swiss chalets, Grand St Bernard Dogs complete with barrels around their necks and the chocolate shops . Caught the bus to Cerro Cathedral (Mount Cathedral) one of Argentinas's premier ski resorts. Took the chair lifts to the summit. Wonderful chalet at top and sun terrace so made the most of the weather and chilled out for a bit. Then a walk around the top. Yet more views that took your breath away. I thought there were tlescopes all around the place and said how refreshing it was not to have to pay for such a facility. I then realised they were bits of pipe that were pointed at mountains and glaciers - I really need some new glasses! This part of the world is stunning.

Fri

Another early start and long drive to Perito Merino. Patagonia is truly a barren wilderness in places but quite majestic in others. Today was miles of desert and nothing then a little town in the middle of nowhere where we stayed the night.

Sat.

On to Los Glaciers National Park. Another long drive but a tad more interesting than yesterday with some rheas (emus), quanacos (llamas), wild horses, hares, sheep and cattle and some mountains in the distance. Arrived in El Chalton about 6 00 pm

Sun

Went to Lake Viedma. Caught boat to face of Viedma glacier then disembarked, walked over boulders to face of the ice. Then came the exciting bit. Put on crampons and spent two hours walking on the glacier. Up ice walls, down the other side, looked into ice caves, deep crevasses. It was magial and the time went all too quickly. Finished off with Baileys on ice from the glacier. Didn't want to leave there , want to go and do that again. Yet another great day.