Chile

This is one of those hostels that makes you think: "why can't every city have a hostel like this?" It's just so warm and friendly, and the fellow guests are such great people, and there really aren't too many more freebies that they could possibly offer. They have a games room (with pool table, fussball, and even an Xbox), they have an Internet room, they have a DVD room. They have a lovely patio out the back. They have Aussies, and Kiwis, and all the rest of us. They have it all. Don't even consider staying anywhere else in Santiago.

After getting through my two connecting flights yesterday evening, from Quito to Santiago, I arrived back in Chile at about 2am this morning. Let's just say that I had a bit of a "rough" welcome. They let me into the country in the end: but not until I'd paid yet another gringo tax. Which, upon stepping off the plane, I quite literally could not afford.

It's been a quick whizz through the northern reaches of Chile, in between my mad time in Bolivia, and Peru Take Two. I didn't stay anywhere around here for longer than two days; and my whole time in Chile has been less than a week. But it was a good introduction to this very long country, and it was certainly a big, contrasting change from Peru and Bolivia. Anyway, I'll be back here in about six weeks' time; second time round to see Santiago and the Lake District, which I imagine will be very different to the deserts of the north.

Maria (known as "Meli") is a lady who lived in Sydney for quite a number of years, and who worked (as a nurse) taking care of my mother's partner's father a few years back. She's now returned to her home of Arica, Chile, where she's living with a crazy Pommy ex-pat called Phillip, and his family, and where she's retired. Today, I dragged Chris along for a Sunday lunch with these people, and we had a great day of eating, chatting, and hanging out.

When we arrived in Sunny Days hostel this evening, Chris and I decided to immediately take advantage of the great kitchen on offer there, and to cook something up for dinner. Somehow, when we actually started cooking, I ended up being in charge of it. We ended up with a weird kind of risotto slash omelette slash stir-fry thing, of fried rice, fried chicken, fried egg, and fried carrot and onion. All fried together. Looked like prison food. Smelled a bit burnt. But tasted good: at least, I thought so! Anyway, we're still in Chile, so at least the ingredients didn't give me food poisoning.

This place is one of the best hostels I've been to, so far on my trip. Definitely up there with Amigo, as a contender for numero uno in my good hostels book. At the moment, the owners are away, and it's being run by a super-friendly 6-foot-tall Kiwi guy, and his German girlfriend. These two are bending over backwards for their guests 24/7, offering us free food constantly (way above and beyond the complementary breakfast, which alone is the most gawdamn outstanding brekky I've seen this side of the Pacific), providing little luxuries everywhere (like soap, hand towels, and free local phone calls), and hanging out with the guests each night, and entertaining us with their lively company. And it's not in Lonely Planet yet, so just be sure to remember it!

So many farewells these days; ah, mais c'est la vie, such is the life of a traveller. This afternoon, Chris and I caught a bus north, from Iquique to Arica; while Leila and Christina, our fine, female, central European travelling companions for the past week, caught a different bus south, to Antofagasta. It's sad to see them go; although I must say, their crazy German ways (e.g. saying "Schultz" after burping — anyone who forgets to say this is liable to be slapped on the head), and their obsession with the card game Yaniv, were getting a bit much. Can't really say I'll miss Iquique, however; as we didn't really do much there, and as there ain't much there to miss, truth be told.

For the past few days, myself, Chris, Leila and Christina have been playing a card game called Yaniv quite a lot. Leila and Christina learned it from some Israelis a few months back (it's an Israeli-invented game — hence the name). It's quite a fun game, although Chris and I seem to lose at it most of the time. Great way to pass the time, and always good to learn new card games.

Iquique is a town at sea level, right on the coast of an extremely earthquake-prone area, full of beaches; so I guess it makes sense that it would be prone to tsunamis. But do they really have to be this blunt about the danger of a wave hitting the town? Makes me feel so safe and reassured, as a tourist walking through the central square, smiling in the sunshine. Anyway, at least if a tsunami does hit, I'll know which way to run. I wonder if that will make the slightest bit of difference, or if I'd still be 90% likely to die anyway?

Reasonable enough hostel, situated in the middle of things in Iquique. As with San Pedro, they have the annoying thing about paying for each night in advance; but at least here, they'll let you dump your bags in a storeroom after you've checked out. The place has a good vibe, even though I didn't particularly think the same of the city that it's in.