Santiago

This week, for the first time, I felt like a traveller. No more working, or drinking with the locals, I was out in the wild. I arrived at my hostel on Saturday night and immediately went out with two English guys. Later on in the week a few more English guys arrived and we all grouped together. On Monday, we ascended the hill with a statue of the Virgin Mary looking down over the whole city. The view was incredible, despite a layer of pollution that rendered the distant Andes hazy. We had a barbecue back at the hostel which lasted over 4 hours and happily exchanged football trivia. I was happily surprised to discover that our group contained supporters of Stoke City, Everton, Newcastle, Blackburn and Wolves; a very mixed bag.

The following morning, we headed to a nearby 5-a-side pitch for a game of football. It was very entertaining, but playing in 30 degree midday heat and in barefeet probably wasn't the best idea.. Indeed, 4 days later, I am still struggling to walk! In the afternoon we headed up to a swimming pool in the mountains. The setting was spectacular, but the water was verging on Lake Baikal levels of cold; in other words, there was some shrinkage. The evening inevitably led to another barbecue and further hours of sports discussions. As the early hours drew in, I found myself talking to three Peruvian girls with a Cumbrian lad. It seems that Peruvians have the same sense of humour as the English, so I naturally introduced them to the Inbetweeners, a British treasure.

Last night, we ended up playing lots of drinking games at the hostel before heading to a club. I sneakily managed to wangle the taxis and club entry free of charge. I don't know if 3 hours sleep is the best thing before a long Andean bus journey, but there's only one way to find out! 

Other highlights of the week include a trip South to the town of Rancagua. I went with an Australian guy, hoping to see a rodeo. Alas, our book had misled us. In our futile attempt to find something to do, we wandered around for a while and saw a dog get run over. It was a cool sight from only a few metres away, not in a sadistic way, just in that it was something I had never seen before. In case you're wondering, the dog was fine.. 

I have also drunk a little wine and managed not to grimace at the taste, so I've taken it as a sign that I'm growing up. I haven't yet met anyone younger than 21, so until I do, I might pretend I'm older too; I seem to be able to get away with it. Also, my accent has taken on a Northern twang due to prolonged conversations hearing Northern accents and I have to say that I love it!