November 20 : Nick and Fabrice versus the volcano. Reference for Marie ;) The day started rudely at 5:30am to get up and be kitted out for the arduous 4 hour climb. The kit included a pick axe and crampons. Time to get serious. We boarded the bus and set off for the Villarrica Volcano. This is one of Chile's most active volcanos, you can often see lava in the crater. We had seen smoke coming out of the top the day before. Check out Wikipedia for full stats. Bac...

After a reasonably comfortable night on the bus - no wine, Tia Maria or hellish snorers this time - we arrived in Pucón in the heart of Chile's Lake District. In actual fact we appeared to have arrived in an out of season Swiss ski resort. The main street and the newer parts of town in particular consist of wooden chalet-style buildings. A lake to one side and overlooked by a snowcapped volcano on the other, it is a very pretty town indeed. There is in fact a s...