Spent the last week living it up! Am I really backpacking? Have been with Leslie-Ann whom I met in Quito and we`ve been having such a tough time: lazing on the beach, drinking coffee, eating in seafood restaurants overlooking the sea. It's hard but someone has to do it. We decided it is good we are going our separate ways as we are doing eachothers waistlines and pockets no good. Valpariso was a really interesting place. Much more character than Viña del Mar. Lots of attractive, steep, cobbled alleys with colourful houses, and colonial buildings situated on a macho port with all types of boats: fishing boats, huge frigates, cruise liners, tourist boats and big warships. Of course, walking up steep alleys necessitated many rests in coffee shops and restaurants. In fact there are lots of funiculars (mini railways) to help you and at the top of one near our hotel was a great seafood restaurant, described by the Lying Planet as having great seafood at sky-high prices - so we decided to treat ourselves! It wasnt THAT expensive, but we didnt see any 20 year old gap year travellers there! But supping white wine and taking photographs of the great view, slapping on the sun cream, we did concede that we were having a really tough day... Off to NZ tonight where I MUST spend less!