Hey all!
So I have decided that I would like to live in Santiago! It's a really cool city with everything you could want but it has a great Latin American spirit and the people are so friendly and nice, plus it's cheap for a capital city! After spending Sunday sleeping and s***ting, Monday started much the same- it was strange, I felt totally spaced out and disorientated. But in the afternoon I got chatting to a German woman in my dorm who had just had food poisoning too and could share my pain. We went up to the roof terrace to watch the sunset over the city and there was a group of Brazillian guys up for a party and also a few Chilean guys. We sat chatting and then me and Eva went for food- had a Subway which was the first thing I had eaten for a while. We joined them back on the roof for a bit, but I wasn't late as I was still feeling a bit s***.
Tuesday: on a mission to sort out my visa for Argentina. I found my way to the Argentine embassy to be told that I needed the consulate?! So they gave me the address and I walked there and was told I needed my ticket to and from argentina, plus proof of address there, a declaration from a notary place, bank statements, etc.
I met Eva at 1 and we walked around and found the big fish market where had lunch, which was nice. Then I went to the bus station to sort out my ticket to Argentina before heading back to sort out some bits online, such as my boat ticket from Argentina to Uruguay. I must admit I was rather stressed and winding myself up at the thought of all this unnecessary hassle because of my stolen passport! I had wanted to go down Chile to explore Patagonia, but it involves crossing between Argentina and Chile which I can't do now! So I'm not going to get to see much of Chile and I'll have to explore Patagonia from Argentinas side. Eva bought us strawberries, avocado, tomatoes and cucumber which was nice and we played pool with the brazillians and then just talked- she's 35 and a successful businesswoman, but she has just quit her job and loves to travel. She heads to Easter Island tomorrow which will be her 40th country. She doesn't want kids or anything either and I can see myself like her in 10 years.
Wednesday: another mission to the notary place first- I never even knew these places existed, but they typed me an official document and I fingerprinted it and stuff, haha. I went back to the visa office with my stuff and she said she'd make the application and email me the outcome in a few days.
I met Eva at 3 and we done the free walking tour of the city for 4 hours! It was great to see all the different parts of the city and learn so much about the history and culture of Chile! It made me love the city even more!
We grabbed an empanada (a poor mans cheese pastie) before jumping on the metro back to the hostel. We got ready- I had to borrow one of Eva's tops as I literally bought no going out clothes!!
Then at 10 some of the Chilean guys we met the other night picked us up in one of their Audi's and drove us to a salsa club.
It was the best night out I have ever had! Forget Ibiza! I have never known anything like this! It's fantastic! The club was just an old building really with cool (but rude) artwork! There was a huge queue but our friends had someone near the front waiting for us! It was so cheap too :) straightaway inside people were dancing! All couples doing salsa and wow can they move! People don't go to get drunk! And the men are the ones leading and starting the dancing! None of the usual standing round the edge looking awkward! We had a drink but it wasn't long before I was persuaded to give it a go! Luckily the man leads, so I just followed and shimmied a bit! Haha! It was so fun! They had a live band who are well known in Chile- loads of members playing a dozen different instruments! We danced more with several of the group but I by no means mastered the art of salsa!
We went to the karaoke nearby for a while afterwards and Eva got a little friendly with one of the Chileans. I had a sweet guy Omar trying everything but I couldn't bring myself to kiss him. We got a taxi back to our hostel!
Thursday: breakfast and then a walk to a Starbucks which Eva was desperate for! Catching up on my journal and stuff. I left her to walk around the city and grab a salad for lunch.
I am getting a bus to Mendoza on Tuesday and so thanks to the whole visa/passport thing it has been rather a quick and limited tour of Chile. I am planning on visiting Valpraiso for a day or two maybe tomorrow before coming back to get the bus.
Hope your all well!