Local Pucon - exploring day #2
Okay okay a number two and relaxing here in Pucon, Chile. I woke up today around 8 AM. I got a good nights sleep and I feel good. I mean I feel really good. I went downstairs to have breakfast as soon as they opened the kitchen and the maid was ready to serve breakfast. This woman works a long day. She must get up around 6 AM, and go to bed at like 10 AM. In every and all day she's wearing a maid outfit. I took on my cell phone, open up Google translate, and thank her in English to Spanish for doing my laundry yesterday. I thank you very much actually. Very generous helpful people. Latina/Latino people are very friendly indeed. Anyway I ate my breakfast like yesterday and thought about what I had to do today. You have a lot of a lot to do actually went tomorrow you have to drive about 700 kilometers North towards Santiago.
Anyway so I ate my breakfast while talking to this Latina maid using my Google translate. She use my phone to speak Spanish into it to translate it for me. It works pretty well, but it still has some problems. I'm thinking though within 10 years this whole language translation software will be really good, but it won't replace the need to learn foreign languages for people. After all, What if you don't have batteries for your gadgets to do the translation for you. And your pretty much fucked if that's the case. Anyway I finished up my simple breakfast, washed my dishes, and went upstairs to my room to change. All during breakfast my laptop is charging, so it's good to go now. I forgot to charge it last night so it's my fault. Anyway I packed my portable hard drive, and my laptop in my white waterproof bag and I was ready to go.
Around 9:45 AM I left to go meet the two girls from Spain, actually they're from the Canary Islands which are owned by Spain. Is the same islands were in the past those 2-747 jumbo jets collided on the runway back in 1971 in about 500 people died in one minute. That's the only reason why I really know well about where they are from. But aside from that I here the canary rounds are quite beautiful. I would like going there one day because of scene photographs of it and it looks amazing. Anyway the girls are about five minutes late to arrive but that's no big worry. We found a coffee shop right near my hostel and I whipped out my laptop and hard drive. I told him that I wasn't ready to do a slideshow, And I wasn't too prepared to do a presentation sort of thing, but they were still happy to see some photos nonetheless. Anyway after the slideshow, we all walked back towards where I was staying. I showed them the camper van I used from my long trip. They were quite excited about it. And they want to take photos with me in front of the van. So they asked a local to take a few photos of us together with the van. Very funny indeed considering the van is very funky itself.
I have to admit I wasn't too organized and my little mini presentation, but I did my best in the in the two hours I had. We join the coffee tea etc., but the girls had to get going and I had to get going to run some errands. I also had to get back to the hostel to clean up the van and finish up packing for tomorrow's long ass hot drive to Santiago. It's always nice to meet some fellow travelers who appreciate what you've just completed ...as in my Antarctic adventure cruise. The two girls were also interested in New Zealand as a travel destination as I guess most everybody is. Did watch Lord of the Rings by chance? ;-) By the way their names are Maria and Atti. Very friendly girls and I'm sure I'll see them in the future if I ever go to the Canary Islands.
I went to get another cup coffee café actually to do some more blog entry work in Microsoft Word. I got a quick lunch at the same time, but I'm unfortunately I don't recall the name of the café whatsoever. Am I losing my mind or something? I guess so. I went back to the hostel after going to the café. I need you to pack more I wasn't ready for tomorrow. Anyway after packing a little more I got a quick nap, but I was starting to think about dinner already. Why I've no idea because I was not hungry. Maybe because I didn't feel like eating to pasta and sauce in the kitchen of the hostel. I felt like company again, but didn't know anybody really, so I texted the girls from the Canary Islands to see what they're doing for dinner. They said they were going to be back around 7 PM from their day trip to some local town/ sightseeing thing. They wrote me back on text and said they'd meet me at the backpacker where I was staying.
So between now and 7 PM I have to find some things to do. I realize I haven't gone tourist gift shopping yet shopping yet here in this town yet. So I grab my backpack, and went walking up and down the streets. I got some stuff for Rebecca's b-day, for the house, and for me. On the way back to the hostel, I saw chocolate restaurant... You know what those gourmet chocolate places. Yummy Yum! I know Rebecca what would've liked that place. So I went inside to see what they have. I don't want to eat a full meal as I was going to have a meal with the girls, so I grab some overpriced little piece of chocolate, it was dark chocolate with some Hawaiian nuts. I got another piece of something as well which had some sort of fruit in it but it was also dark chocolate.
So very good it was like the cost of NZ$8 but that didn't surprise me at all. I started to walk back to the hostel which was two blocks away, then I got a text from Maria. There are yet my hostel as I got there a little early from their afternoon excursion. Of what I also didn't mention, is that today I was able to clean out the van, both on the outside in the inside thanks to the supplies hostel owner and his maid provided me. Very very friendly people and if I ever go back to this town, I will be sure to stay there.
I met them in front of the hostel, but never went inside. I didn't know where to go to be honest. They look a little tired, But happy to have some company. Same feeling I had I suppose. We message stopped at one restaurant/ café on the main street but the restaurant dinner menu was very limited. Was so limited that we decided to leave and try somewhere else. We ended up a place across the street which had a much fuller menu. We got some appetizer, into mains to share. We also got some drinks too. The food was okay, but I don't think any one of us really look at the prices because when we finally got the bill, it was so very fucking expensive.
Some of it was deep-fried food too, so my belly started to grumble because of it. Anyway we have some nice conversations about all sorts of stuff. I was teaching them some "kiwisms". In other words I was teaching them some sayings, that New Zealanders only say back in New Zealand (or whenever they travel of course). It was quite funny, because we all had our smart phones with Internet access. I asked Maria to Google following search,"Kiwisms". She did that and started smiling.
When I think about it ..it's very funny because New Zealanders a.k.a. Kiwis, say some very strange things in English. Well I wouldn't like all English, I call it lazy English. LOL! Things like, "cool as", "eh", or "heeeey" or "Choice!". Or about the most famous one of the mall, "sweet as!". I warned the girls about the word "sweet as", because if you say it wrong or too slowly, someone will think you're saying "sweet ass!" and make it a strange look or slap in the face for being a pervert. It was all fun! Although I'm not originally from New Zealand, still like to teach some foreigners some New Zealand slang.
Anyway we left the restaurant, walk down the street towards the lake. The girls wanted to go see the lake under the moonlight, but I had to get back to my room. So we exchanged goodbyes, in the Chilean way of saying goodbye would lite kisses on cheeks. They asked me to send him a postcard from New Zealand, and I was more than happy to say yes. They walked on the street into the darkness, and I did not see this see them since.
Walking back towards the hostel, I snapped a few photos of the nightlife from Pucon. I can see the mountains in the distance, I mean the volcano that is. The town is amazing it's warm during the day, and cool at night just like I can imagine the fictional town of Dante's Peak from the Hollywood movie. I was happy here, I could easy live here if I were able to find work in my profession and learn how to speak Spanish better. Oh I don't know, perhaps in the future, or maybe not. Time will tell.
Back in my room, I packed some more until I was 99% packed except for my bath it and clothes I was going to wear tomorrow.
I updated my notes in my paper blog from today's activities. I'm feeling quite sad now because I know the rest the trip is not going to be in a mountainous lovely town like this. I'm going to be either on open highways with speeding lories/semis going by me on the blazing sun passing by dirty small towns on my way to the large city of Santiago. I was especially was not keen bout where I was going to sleep tomorrow night I'm thinking on when I have to sleep in back of a petrol station with other large truck in their drivers. I don't call this adventurous, I call it being desperate for sleep.
I should've taken more than 24 days to do this trip. Perhaps more like 40 days up to 6 months. Like six days ago I was bivvy camping on a beautiful lake with nobody around except for me in my camper van. That was amazing and I miss it already.
Anyway I should be appreciative of what I've already done, an plan to come back another year. Yes that's the mindset I have now.
My trip is almost over even though I have about five days left before my flight home to New Zealand. While I'm looking forward to couch surfing with and meeting Leo and Andrea, I'm really not looking forward to spending 4 hot days in a large city.
Time for bed catch you tomorrow... Cheers it's 11 PM now
Daily Summary:
The sadness I am feeling just the reality that my Patagonia trip is basically over. My only experience left for this road trip will be hot long straight roads and probably about 700 KMs for tomorrow.
I am very appreciative of my experiences here in Patagonia. These experiences have been life changing for me for sure...
Okay okay a number two and relaxing here in Pucon, Chile. I woke up today around 8 AM. I got a good nights sleep and I feel good. I mean I feel really good. I went downstairs to have breakfast as soon as they opened the kitchen and the maid was ready to serve breakfast. This woman works a long day. She must get up around 6 AM, and go to bed at like 10 AM. In every and all day she's wearing a maid outfit. I took on my cell phone, open up Google translate, and thank her in English to Spanish for doing my laundry yesterday. I thank you very much actually. Very generous helpful people. Latina/Latino people are very friendly indeed. Anyway I ate my breakfast like yesterday and thought about what I had to do today. You have a lot of a lot to do actually went tomorrow you have to drive about 700 kilometers North towards Santiago.
Anyway so I ate my breakfast while talking to this Latina maid using my Google translate. She use my phone to speak Spanish into it to translate it for me. It works pretty well, but it still has some problems. I'm thinking though within 10 years this whole language translation software will be really good, but it won't replace the need to learn foreign languages for people. After all, What if you don't have batteries for your gadgets to do the translation for you. And your pretty much fucked if that's the case. Anyway I finished up my simple breakfast, washed my dishes, and went upstairs to my room to change. All during breakfast my laptop is charging, so it's good to go now. I forgot to charge it last night so it's my fault. Anyway I packed my portable hard drive, and my laptop in my white waterproof bag and I was ready to go.
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| Atti, myself and Maria posing for a pic with my van in front of my accommodation... (they really enjoyed seeing my Antarctic photos and videos) |
I have to admit I wasn't too organized and my little mini presentation, but I did my best in the in the two hours I had. We join the coffee tea etc., but the girls had to get going and I had to get going to run some errands. I also had to get back to the hostel to clean up the van and finish up packing for tomorrow's long ass hot drive to Santiago. It's always nice to meet some fellow travelers who appreciate what you've just completed ...as in my Antarctic adventure cruise. The two girls were also interested in New Zealand as a travel destination as I guess most everybody is. Did watch Lord of the Rings by chance? ;-) By the way their names are Maria and Atti. Very friendly girls and I'm sure I'll see them in the future if I ever go to the Canary Islands.
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| A artistic set of shoppes in Pucon, Chile.. |
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| Shoppes, cafes, and etc along the main street in Pucon, Chile |
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| Some damm good chocolate! Ummm yeah |
I met them in front of the hostel, but never went inside. I didn't know where to go to be honest. They look a little tired, But happy to have some company. Same feeling I had I suppose. We message stopped at one restaurant/ café on the main street but the restaurant dinner menu was very limited. Was so limited that we decided to leave and try somewhere else. We ended up a place across the street which had a much fuller menu. We got some appetizer, into mains to share. We also got some drinks too. The food was okay, but I don't think any one of us really look at the prices because when we finally got the bill, it was so very fucking expensive.
 |
| Night time arrives for the peaceful volcanic town of Pucon, Chile. |
When I think about it ..it's very funny because New Zealanders a.k.a. Kiwis, say some very strange things in English. Well I wouldn't like all English, I call it lazy English. LOL! Things like, "cool as", "eh", or "heeeey" or "Choice!". Or about the most famous one of the mall, "sweet as!". I warned the girls about the word "sweet as", because if you say it wrong or too slowly, someone will think you're saying "sweet ass!" and make it a strange look or slap in the face for being a pervert. It was all fun! Although I'm not originally from New Zealand, still like to teach some foreigners some New Zealand slang.
Anyway we left the restaurant, walk down the street towards the lake. The girls wanted to go see the lake under the moonlight, but I had to get back to my room. So we exchanged goodbyes, in the Chilean way of saying goodbye would lite kisses on cheeks. They asked me to send him a postcard from New Zealand, and I was more than happy to say yes. They walked on the street into the darkness, and I did not see this see them since.
Walking back towards the hostel, I snapped a few photos of the nightlife from Pucon. I can see the mountains in the distance, I mean the volcano that is. The town is amazing it's warm during the day, and cool at night just like I can imagine the fictional town of Dante's Peak from the Hollywood movie. I was happy here, I could easy live here if I were able to find work in my profession and learn how to speak Spanish better. Oh I don't know, perhaps in the future, or maybe not. Time will tell.
Back in my room, I packed some more until I was 99% packed except for my bath it and clothes I was going to wear tomorrow.
I updated my notes in my paper blog from today's activities. I'm feeling quite sad now because I know the rest the trip is not going to be in a mountainous lovely town like this. I'm going to be either on open highways with speeding lories/semis going by me on the blazing sun passing by dirty small towns on my way to the large city of Santiago. I was especially was not keen bout where I was going to sleep tomorrow night I'm thinking on when I have to sleep in back of a petrol station with other large truck in their drivers. I don't call this adventurous, I call it being desperate for sleep.
I should've taken more than 24 days to do this trip. Perhaps more like 40 days up to 6 months. Like six days ago I was bivvy camping on a beautiful lake with nobody around except for me in my camper van. That was amazing and I miss it already.
Anyway I should be appreciative of what I've already done, an plan to come back another year. Yes that's the mindset I have now.
My trip is almost over even though I have about five days left before my flight home to New Zealand. While I'm looking forward to couch surfing with and meeting Leo and Andrea, I'm really not looking forward to spending 4 hot days in a large city.
Time for bed catch you tomorrow... Cheers it's 11 PM now
Daily Summary:
The sadness I am feeling just the reality that my Patagonia trip is basically over. My only experience left for this road trip will be hot long straight roads and probably about 700 KMs for tomorrow.
I am very appreciative of my experiences here in Patagonia. These experiences have been life changing for me for sure...
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