CHILE, onwards and upwards, Monday 8th October

My most recent self discovery is that I have a commitment phobia. The idea of a solid month (no, more) with the same people, being shepherded around by the same guide through me into such a panic that I was forced to go for a walk and take deep breaths. 7 months of self determination and suddenly I´m in a box, on a conveyor belt, I´m a name on a long suffering tour guide´s list. What am I doing?! A deep revulsion was stirred within me and I resolved to break fee and run for the hills as quickly as possible. Still, as I was out taking my deep breaths, I took stock. I have paid for this after all, it will take me to some amazing places that I otherwise might not visit (into the Amazon, for example) and it will save me the angst of arriving at places like La Paz at 4.00 in the morning and trying to figure out which of the taxi drivers were legit and worrying if they will take me to my hotel as asked or just drive me around from ATM to ATM at gun point as I have told is a nasty habit of some of them... To be relieved of that is a definite advantage, no doubt for my parents too. Plus, it might not really be all that bad. The jury is out.

Since my last entry, I was scooped up from Puerto Montt by Pachamama Tours again and joined a lively group of Australians, lead by our guide (a Bob Marley enthusiast called Hector) who took us back up North to Santiago stopping at a few journey breaking fill-ins on route to admire a waterfall and do a spot of wine tasting.
We were back in Santiago by Wednesday and I settled back into the Casa Roja way of life: Pottering to the fridge in reception at around 7pm for a bottle of beer, being transferred to the bar/building site at the back of the hostel at around 10.30, either heading out to Bellavista in search of nightclubs or just sitting in the bar wondering how it got to be 6.00 in the morning. A new group of friends and some funny stories to show for my days back in Santiago. On my last night my two friends from Patagonia, Mike and Matt materialised again, as did a few other familiar faces so it was only fair to go out and celebrate. On Saturday I tore myself away from the sun bathing and post-Rugby celebrations to make my way over to Hotel Libertador in the centre of town to hook up with my Tucan Tour. I sat on my bed in my 3 star hotel room with a sinking heart, talking to Jo, my New Zealand roommate and veteran of Tucan Tours, this being her 3rd.
That evening I met the rest of the group: A nice Swiss couple, around my age, Flo and Martin, a lively 65 year old Canadian gentleman called John and another Swiss guy called Daniel who seems world weary, bored and creepy. Hmmm, perhaps better if I don´t mention this blog to any of them... It will make the character studies more entertaining anyway. Our guide is a nice young Peruvian girl called Carla who took us out for dinner in a buzzy area of town, had us drinking happyhour pisco sours and, surprisingly, singing karaoke. Even Daniel, who announced that he just didn´t ´Do That' was up crooning ´Creep´ into the microphone by the end and I have some great pictures of a vigorous performance of 'Like a Virgin' by Carla, Jo and Martin. John announced that this was why he travelled with young people and hated 'oldies', he rejoiced in the fact that he was off travelling the world while his children worried about him and is so obsessed by the idea that he has to do What The Locals Do that Carla has to order everything for him.
On arrival back at our hotel I found that Carla and Martin had been plotting and we were back in taxis and back to Bellavista to go clubbing.
"Last night in Santiago" Carla explained. We chose a club with the largest queue that was busy IDing everyone as they walked in (a sure warning sign to the age group of the clientele). Carla managed to jump the queue for us and we were in straight away and bumping and grinding with the youngsters of Santiago. We watched the humiliation of 3 couples who were dragged up on stage to prove how sexy they were by means of the girls performing lap-dances and provocative banana eating on their grinning boyfriends and decided by 2am that enough was enough. We were being bashed on all sides by grinding teenagers and we had a 6.30 start the following morning.
I went to bed feeling better about things but still hatching a plan for an early escape. If I follow this tour all the way to Lima I´ll only have 10 more days before I fly home and the idea that my independent wanderings have come to an end is just too depressing. I think I might ditch these guys at Cuzco, after Machu Picchu, and rocket up north towards Equador and some sunny beaches before I return to an English winter...

However, it is early days. So far we are up as far as La Serena. A night bus will take us up to Antofagasta tonight an onwards towards the start of the silver route in Calama. Then on to the driest desert in the world and the stunning Salar de Uyuni before pikcing up a whole new group of people in La Paz. It can´t all be that bad...