After a flight from Bogotá to Lima, onto a bus and, after 52 hours, lots of deserts, mountain ranges and the deep blue Pacific on my right, I pulled into Santiago in Chile. What a trip through the arid south of Peru and northern Chile, watching the sun rise and set from the top of the double decker bus. As I was still in need of more bus travel(!) I got straight on a bus to Valparaiso, 1.5 hours from Santiago on the coast and the former home of Pablo Neruda and many other Chilean artists and romantics. Its steep hills with colourful houses remind me of parts of San Francisco, and there is a similar vibe on the streets with cosy little restaurants, florests brimming with spring flowers and open air art exhibitions.

I wish I could stay longer but am on the move again tomorrow to head 1.5 hours south to Neruda´s house on Isla Negra and then onto Pucon in the Lake District. Then just in time to meet Jess in Puerto Montt on the 30th..and begin the real adventure of sailing the fjords and climbing the peaks of Patagonia..