So headed back to Santiago again after my day in Valparisio and Vina Del Mar, arriving last minute for my 6pm pre-tour meeting with my new group.

First impressions are important, so after a super quick shower, makeup over sunburn, and change of clothes, I headed off to meet my new buddies!

Initially we were all disappointed when our tour leader Anton, put us all off side by saying without consultation, 'I've made the decision we"re not going to Bariloche!'

Of course no one said anything about it at the time & we b****ed about it the next day instead :-)

This is something to do with the amount of time we would have available at Pucon / Bariloche due to leaving earlier on the Navimag ferry than other tours ... Also there was a risk of being stuck at the border crossing between Chile & Argentina due to blockades over fuel prices (or something like that?!).

Second upset was we were not leaving Santiago in the morning as per the itinerary but were staying another nite .... Might have been nice to know this earlier as could have had a crazy 48 hours in LA or a couple of days in Mendoza!

Alas, so what to do after already squeezing in all I was interested in doing in Santiago in my 3 days?!

Wine time!  One of our new compadres had turned up very happy & chatty at meeting having just come from a winery tour that day, so a few of us noted directions from her on how to get there via metro & cab, then tried to phone ahead & make the required reservation with no reply ...

Arranged to meet in foyer in morning & go anyway ...

That night those who were interested headed off to dinner together - which fortunately was most of the group :-)

It was like first night of big brother without cameras ... Always so funny to see the conversation that ensues over a few vinos when strangers are thrown together!

So the group stats I've found out so far .... 

Seems a pretty good mix, youngest 22 & oldest in early 60s ... 3 people same age as me & is also probably avg age.

There's 8 girls, 3 boys + male driver & tour leader.

Good mix of nationalities but as always more Aussies! Breakdown is 4 x Aus, 1 x Swedish living in Aus, 1 x Aus living in Swiss, 2 x Aus living in London, 1 x Canadian (i think ) 1 x NZ, 1 x Netherlands & 2 x chilled out dred wearing South African tour leaders...

Mostly flash packers & most travelling South America for more than this trip ... 

One does not work & only travels, one quit work & spending inheritance, one works less than 6 months of year and travels rest, one works for rich family and project manages a foundation traveling all over the world for work & enjoying more down to earth camping holiday... Remaining have various jobs from admin to driving for a rich family, to no job and just a travelling backpacker ...

All are traveling solo except a father & daughter, which is pretty rare as usually always some friends travelling together or couples ...

All are getting along well so far but there is a few strong personalities so time will tell :-)

Great number of people as bus fits 24 so theres room to spread out!!!

Winery tour was great although ended up at a different place then the one we set out for as that one was closed -and it was a Saturday! 

Got lucky finding other place, Cousino Macul, which at midday was just commencing last tour for the day so had to do a few 'pretty pleases' and puppy dog eyes to be let in!

Didn't like the wine but it was good to do, and now have souvenir glass (no more needing to drink straight from the bottle or decanter into water bottle - blah!).

So after winery headed back to hotel & met up with others for lunch in my favorite cosmopolitan area - Barrio Bella Vista. 

Lunch was the 'menu del dia' (menu of the day) which included salad / corn chowder type dish / fruit as dessert / a juice / a wine AND a Pisco Sour!  All for the equivalent of approx $12 AUD!

Still full for dinner so met the group for after dinner drinks, (more Pisco Sour), then as lucky me ended up with my own room again, half of us went back there and watched bad taste 80s hits on tv & cracked a bottle of vino from the winery visit. 

With 6am start the next morning, all were gone by 12.30 and of course me still wide eyed til about 1.30am and awake again at 4.30!!! 

Santiago is approx 13 hours behind Brissy so I have been REALLY struggling to adjust body and not getting much sleep :-(

Writing this whilst on Kumuka bus now, plenty of space on bus due to only 11 on tour - time to try for nanny nap - although probably should not have ordered grande expresso!

Have all day to sleep as 14 hour drive to Pucon ...