South America - part three
Well we promised that it would not be ages before we put another story on here. Another two weeks down and we are now into March - scary how time is flying by and only 4 weeks left before we fly home.....flat broke!
After leaving Santiago for the final time on the 20th we headed South through Chile to the town of Pucon. Apparently the place where well to do Chileans head for their summer vacation...and also the site of an active volcano.
It was absolutely heaving with South American holiday makers...though thankfully the weather continued to be kind to us and with temps into the 30`s we managed to grab some time on the beach.
Iain couldn`t take the beach for too long (try 5 mins!) and decided to go off for the day to climb the Volcano, leaving me behind for some peace and quiet on the beach.
(Iain) And so armed with an attractive hard hat, crampons and ice axe I headed off on Sunday morning at 6am for the 5 hour climb to the sumitt with a group of 8 other foreigners and 3 guides.
There was some pretty stunning views as we picked our way slowly over the glacier to the top - where to be fair I had expected some amazing lava spurting sight but had to be content with a massive crater which was smoking continuously.
The best bit of the day had to be the descent, as we sat on the plastic rescue spades and tobogganed down the glacier using the ice axes as brakes (or not in my case!) - really great fun and meant we got down the mountain in about 2 hours!
Bec meanwhile had managed to survive the day......speaking Spanish twice in the internet cafe and buying lunch in the supermarket....but had managed to get lost on the way to the beach! Had also been given a minor scare during the day as the town`s volcano eruption warning siren had gone off without any explanation (given it was Sunday we think it must have been a test).
Then it was back into Argentina - to the lake resort of San Martin de Los Andes, which was advertised as a mini Switzerland...sorry Austria (Uli). Spent one day relaxing on the lake....
before we moved onto Bariloche - where we are writing this from.
Yesterday we headed off horseriding and I (Bec) managed to get my own back on Iain for last few months (years!). After Iain`s pep talk about "not being scared first time on a horse...and all you have to do is be confident", I sailed off like I had riden all my life into the National Park with Iain being shouted at by the instructor and the people behind him for going so slowly.
All you guys can imagine the look on his face...and the look on mine (and laughter) as I kept turning round to see him kicking the horse to move but not actually going anywhere. He is now blaming the horse! However I think this is just a case of a bad workman blaming his tools.
We actually had a great time....an amazing ride through the mountains followed by a typical Argentinian BBQ with enough meat to feed a small army.
Hope everyone is doing well back home. We are off back across the mountains to Chile tomorrow before our boat cruise in a weeks time. Love Bec and Iain.
After leaving Santiago for the final time on the 20th we headed South through Chile to the town of Pucon. Apparently the place where well to do Chileans head for their summer vacation...and also the site of an active volcano.
It was absolutely heaving with South American holiday makers...though thankfully the weather continued to be kind to us and with temps into the 30`s we managed to grab some time on the beach.
Iain couldn`t take the beach for too long (try 5 mins!) and decided to go off for the day to climb the Volcano, leaving me behind for some peace and quiet on the beach.
(Iain) And so armed with an attractive hard hat, crampons and ice axe I headed off on Sunday morning at 6am for the 5 hour climb to the sumitt with a group of 8 other foreigners and 3 guides.
There was some pretty stunning views as we picked our way slowly over the glacier to the top - where to be fair I had expected some amazing lava spurting sight but had to be content with a massive crater which was smoking continuously.
The best bit of the day had to be the descent, as we sat on the plastic rescue spades and tobogganed down the glacier using the ice axes as brakes (or not in my case!) - really great fun and meant we got down the mountain in about 2 hours!
Bec meanwhile had managed to survive the day......speaking Spanish twice in the internet cafe and buying lunch in the supermarket....but had managed to get lost on the way to the beach! Had also been given a minor scare during the day as the town`s volcano eruption warning siren had gone off without any explanation (given it was Sunday we think it must have been a test).
Then it was back into Argentina - to the lake resort of San Martin de Los Andes, which was advertised as a mini Switzerland...sorry Austria (Uli). Spent one day relaxing on the lake....
before we moved onto Bariloche - where we are writing this from.
Yesterday we headed off horseriding and I (Bec) managed to get my own back on Iain for last few months (years!). After Iain`s pep talk about "not being scared first time on a horse...and all you have to do is be confident", I sailed off like I had riden all my life into the National Park with Iain being shouted at by the instructor and the people behind him for going so slowly.
All you guys can imagine the look on his face...and the look on mine (and laughter) as I kept turning round to see him kicking the horse to move but not actually going anywhere. He is now blaming the horse! However I think this is just a case of a bad workman blaming his tools.
We actually had a great time....an amazing ride through the mountains followed by a typical Argentinian BBQ with enough meat to feed a small army.
Hope everyone is doing well back home. We are off back across the mountains to Chile tomorrow before our boat cruise in a weeks time. Love Bec and Iain.
BecandIain - 2. Mar, 07:46
