Finally a real post! So I`m sitting here in a rather seedy 2nd floor internet place in the rather seedy town of Puerto Montt. Trevor and I just spent a day on a bus getting here from Chiloè, a big island just south of here.

We left Santiago last Monday, after a busy time of moving my stuff from one place to another, getting packed and saying rather strange goodbyes. The latter of those had started last month, but got more and more frequent as February went on. Some of them were quite hard, just knowing that I wouldn`t see some of these amazing people for a year, or even for the rest of my life.

Anyway, we left the city on a night bus which had us falling asleep in the noisy dark of Santiago and waking up in the lovely gray morning of the Lakes district. After a quick bus change in Pto. Montt, and a beautiful ferry ride to the Isla Grande, we got off in the small fishing port of Ancud, in North Chiloè.

To talk of one Chilote town is to talk of all of them, in my opinion. Serene, beautiful, great somewhat-cheap seafood--and absolutely nothing to do. After my insane last week in Santiago, the prospect of just having to relax and read was almos too stressful. I wanted to be out doing something, being proactive with my time, saving the stupid world--and the cows would just moo at me.

Some highlights, though--visiting the penguins near Ancud, Restaurante Mar y Velas in Achao, Kuntsmann beer for only about 2.50 USD, checking out the various wood-and-corrugated-metal churches (which seemed the only thing to change between the villages), and spending some quality time with the Pacific.

The island wasn`t that populated with tourists, for good or bad (the bad was nothing was open). I think it was a good transition period from Santiago, but, as I remarked to Trevor, Chiloè chilled me out enough by the end. Any longer and I would have been in deep-freeze.

Also been getting used to the life of traveling. I love not being pinned down, and the lack of responsibility can be either liberating or bewildering, depending on my mood, but I do miss my life in Santiago sometimes too. For all my b****ing about that city, it was a kind of home to me. Ah, restlessness.

We`re staying here in a hostal-type place near the dock so we don`t have too much of a walk in the morning. We`re expected to report at 0900 to the port of our ferry, the Evangelista, to drop off our bags. We then plan on getting as much food and alcohol as we can carry and board around 3ish.

The ferry will be taking us to a town called Puerto Natales, in southern Patagonia, where we will be stocking up on supplies and gear (lost my stupid stove and trekking boots in Santiago) before making our start in Parque Nacional Torres del Paine. The boat ride is expensive, but will be passing through 4 days of Patagonian fijords and glaciers to reach our target (I can`t even look at a bus for right now, anyways).

Well, believe that`s it for now...I should be back on around Friday, so email me! Also I will call you if you ask me to...so ask me! Love and kisses!