Well we tried to find a picture of a volcano but there are none.

Well there are lots on are camera now but none on the computer unfortunately. Volcan Villarica is deceptively large it looks quite small but when you get up close it's actually quite large.

An early start was required this morning as we had to report to the volcano company at 7.00 am so the alarm came at 6.00 we woke up and decided , cunningly, to set the alarm to snooze... then we went back to bed reawoke at 6.40 and all hell broke loose, so its fair to say we had a rushed morning, no time to brush teeth or have breakfast or anything.

Anyway we arrived for 7 o'clock just and there wasn't anyone in bloody office, even after i had to run back to the hostel for sun block. By 7.05 the guide saunters up and lets us in and hands out all the stuff, crampons, coat, gaiters the whole kubodle. By 7.20 a group of middle aged spanish men decide they want to climb the mountain too so we have to wait for another 15 minutes until finnaly we all pile into the minibus at around a quarter to eight for a very bumpy ride up to the ski station.

Now, in pucon there are a million and one people offering to take you up this volcano and the hard thing is deciding which one to trust to get you up there in one piece. Well we went for one of the most reputable looking places as our lives are very valuble to us unfortunately with a large company you inevitably, and not very professionally, get a degreee of seperation from their customers. However the company offered a full refund should the weather make the ascent impossible and good insurance included as well as English speaking guides and all the equipment for 35000 pesos per person.

Therefore when we arrived at the previously mentioned ski station our lovely guide and group of cocky middle aged men set off at a great rate of knots meaning we did what should be around a 6hr climb for beginners in about 4 hours. So by the time we were 100 meters from the summit we decided to call it a day and explore down there, I was never a fan of sulphurus gas anyway. There was just teg and me with one guide and we got to break away from the main group and explore all the crevases and ice formations on a different part of the glacier. We saw icicles and got to walk between huge walls of glacier which was pretty amazing.

Eventually we had to make our way down which is always a kick in the teeth as it takes a quarter of the time as it took to walk up. The way down was all dust and lava rocks so it was like sliding down on marbles so for every step you could travel down up to a meter.

Tomorow evening we take the night bus to Santiago, semi cama, or half bed, if you don't speak spanish. We've had mixed reviews of Santiago but everyone we know who's been there has said that its an awesome city and there's lots to do, we're also planning to meet an old friend from college whos at uni in Santiago so we're excited to have made it all the way round from Buenos Aires which seems so long ago, pretty cool.

Speak to all you avid reader soon

Toby (and edited by tegan)