Santiago to Puerto Montt 2005 - 0800

So I think all these long journeys are doing me no good! Glad it's the last for a while. I ache all over and last night didn't whizz by like the previous night. Perhaps a combination of the wee hill I climbed, as well as the buses. Who knows. Ok so at last I'm in Puerto Montt. Trevor told me to go instead to Puerto Varas 20 mins away which sits right next to the beautiful Lago Llanquihue and Puerto Montt is a tiny port type fishing village with nothing there, but I really want to spend the day at Chiloe Island. It's meant to be GORGEOUS there (and also it reminds me of my beautiful Chloe) and Puerto Montt was a better base. After researching, however, it takes 4 hours to get there. And another 4 to get back. Surprisingly. Now my maths isn't too good these days but really, if I only have the one day, I simply have no time.

So instead, the owner of my next hostel (with a comfortable, non moving bed!) says just go to the island across the road, Isla Tengo. So I did. And guess what? A cool wee hill to climb, full of forest and bushes with, not a huge Jesus this time but a huge cross!

Well what an adventure THAT turned out to be! I was taken across on a wee boat and when asked if there was a path and where is it, I was told, "go to that white house and the path is there next to it". So I did. I followed the path. Let's just talk about this word for a moment. All "paths" I've ever come across in my time have been fairly easy to follow. A definite difference between that and the rest of the surrounding area, which is easy to follow. Right? Wrong! It started off ok, well ok in that it was a definite path, albeit narrow. After a while (of not much going up I hasten to add) I found myself guessing a bit. Does it go this way or that? The foliage was getting thicker and I had to tread carefully over slippery roots (oh, it was raining by the way) and stop branches from hitting me in the face. The "path" was most definitely no more. But the determination of my father is in me and I was not going to let this tiny hill get the better of me so I kept going. I found a fence. I crawled under it. Clambering up a steep bit I slipped and to stop myself from dying I desperately grabbed a skinny tree, and found myself swinging from it with both legs flying through the air (think Gene Kelly, Singing In The Rain?)!! A dog saw me, started barking and growling and pounded towards me only to be stopped inches from my throat by a long rope attached to it. I squeezed between some thick branches, my backpack got tangled up and pinged me backwards again making me fall on my nether region. I found another fence. I climbed through it, back pack thrown over 1st this time, avoiding the barbed wire on top. Bramble bushes were attacking me from all angles, catching and ripping my ultra light goose down jacket! (Ok snagging not ripping. You know me. Never one to exaggerate). There were steep muddy treacherous inclines, and when eventually at the top (of the steep incline not the actual hill), had to go slip sliding back down cos that way was clearly not passable, only to look for another way.

At this point you should know, if there was a path up this hill, it would have taken me probably half an hour max, it was that small. I'd been to-ing and fro-ing now for 2 and a half hours and not actually getting anywhere so I finally admitted defeat and headed down. OMG even that in itself was a nightmare! Another 2 fences, 3 more dogs and I ended up in someone's garden (with one of said dogs barking furiously at me)! I sneaked out their front gate (as unobtrusive as possible when a huge dog is shouting "INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT!" and plonked myself down on the beach exhausted, sweaty, dirty and feeling utterly deflated that this tiny hill defeated me. Just then I looked up and saw 3 people at the top, next to the cross, all laughing at me! No really. Well they were too far away too see if they were laughing or not but in my head they were. I was far too broken to figure out where the REAL path was to try again!

Poker Tournament and Karaoke Competition

So this all took me to lunch time so I decided to take the local bus to Puerto Varas to see what all the fuss was about. Trevor was right. It's fab there! Quaint I'd say. Very touristy, lots of nice unusual cafe's and shops. Reminded me of Market Harborough a bit. I went to the tourist info to ask about entertainment tonight. She said this pub and that pub both have live bands on but not sure if tonight. Also there's the casino. Oh. I don't mind if I do I thought. I went to the casino and booked myself into a poker tournament at 8pm. £40. (with all the fannying about it was 5 by now) so I killed the 3 hours having a slow dinner (eating once again - it's never ending). 745pm came and I walked over there. at 810 I asked what was happening. Apparently there were only 12 of us and we needed 20 before we start, so we were waiting till 830. Now I'd already been told by the tourist info lady that my last bus home was 1030. I decided that if I was still in the game after 2 and a half hours, I'd had a good night and wouldn't mind paying extra for a taxi if I miss my bus. The later it got though, this theory was becoming invalid. It got to 830. Only 16 so it was scrapped.

I got my money back and walked to one of the live music bars. Karaoke! Yey! I'll maybe go in for one. It starts at midnight. Hmmm maybe another time then. Bus home, 3 blogs and photos on (cos felt happy in family home leaving laptop all day to charge! When I got back they were even worried about me cos I'd been out all day. Aaw )

Need to be at ferry port at 0630