Chile-Bound...
February 14, 2006
There is really not much to report on my day other than spending 12-hours in a bus going from Ushuaia into Chile. I was sitting
next to a young Australian chatty-Cathy which was a bit much to take at 7am. I know I am probably going to hell for thinking this
way. But who really wants to talk at that hour?
One of my highlights during the day came when we were doing our border crossing. Argentina’s border crossing was nothing
special. But then in Chile, we were treated to one of the best 80’s mixes I have heard in ages. I didn’t even mind the line I had to
wait in and the fact that I had to bring everything off the bus so that they could inspect that I wasn’t smuggling any Argentinean
fruit or honey into their country. They also had a television set overhead that was playing an episode of Spin City. It was probably
dubbed in Spanish but all I could hear was the good ol’ 80’s music.
I would also learn at this border stop that Chile has a female president. I know this because there was a poster of her welcoming me
to her country. Who knew things were so progressive out here?
Our next stop was a little local restaurant near the border station. What I found a bit shocking was the television that was tuned
into CNN. And I am not talking about the common ‘CNN World News’ that you find in different places spanning the globe – this was
America’s CNN. American reporters, American stories (with a few world stories thrown in) and American sports. This, in a
restaurant that couldn’t understand the Australian girl’s Engish request for a menu (as she wasn’t attempting to speak Spanish).
Now I am in Punta Arenas. I am sure I am missing something. I have to be. Because I don’t see anything great about this place at
all. I take that back. I did go to a chocolate café this evening. Other than that, nada. I am getting the heck outta dodge tomorrow en
route to Puerto Natales. Plus Chile is appearing to be expensive. $20 US for a bed in a dorm. What??? Apparently this country is
going to cost me more than I had planned…
Early bus therefore time for bed.
Buenos noches.