Between a rock and a hard place

As I sit here on this bus leaving Mendoza, I think back to these last three weeks. The first two weeks in Chile I enjoyed travelling and getting to know Santiago and Valparaiso with Boo Boo and Emi, but as I left them and Chile behind I began the real journey.

Crossing the Cordillera was amazing and I don't think that words nor pictures can adequately give it justice. Although that won't stop me from trying. As the climb starts, the mountains are endless, and even in the distance where the camera cannot focus, mountains can be seen. As I sip on my mate, I am overwhelmed and emotions fill my body and mind. I guess this is where the religious would say they saw God. I saw something greater, my eyes could not fill the lust I had for these mountains. The descent into Argentina is just as incredible as the ascent. The landscape transforms from dry arid rocks into green grassy hills within the mountains.

My first test as a solo traveller came quick and it came with the realisation I had lost my key-card. After a few hours on the phone it was all sorted but my stay in Mendoza was to double by four days. My experience with the mountain was intense and it was about to intensify further. With little or no access to funds, I was limited in my visit to Mendoza. Yet I did get to and watch La Bersuit Vergarabat play live and for free. Luckily though, the owner of Casa Pueblo Hostel, Daniel, spotted me and I was able to go horseback riding in the valley of Potrerillos. To my right was the Cordon del Plata mountain range, which in winter, when covered by snow looks like a mountain of silver. To my left a volcano which had last been active 40 years ago.

The wildlife we saw ranged from condors, chimangos, sparrows, hares, guanacos, a swarm of bees, and wild horses. Again I was completely humbled by my surroundings. The next day I went rafting in the Rio Mendoza. To be in direct contact with the icy cold water of the Andean mountains was incredible and when the guide gave us the opportunity to jump in from the moving raft into the fast flowing water I jumped at the opportunity. There I was flowing as one with the river. Later that day I went head to head with my fear of heights. The final “canopy” or flying fox was 420 metres long and 150 metres high. I flew over the Rio Mendoza through the Andean mountains.

Today I leave Mendoza, but I have a feeling Mendoza will never leave me.

I love the smell of protest in the morning

As I awake for the first time in the mystical city that is Valparaiso, I am accompanied by Emiliano and Natalie. We have some mate and start getting ready to head to the protest. A six month movement for quality and free education, was gaining huge momentum and it dominates the wall graffiti and the newspaper headlines. As we start asking directions to the Plaza Soto Mayor where protesters are to be congregating, everyone advises us that same thing, “once the guys covering their faces appear, get out”. We arrive and whilst there is a large group of people, most of these are teachers in solidarity with students. In actual fact even the services sectors are out there supporting their cause.

The sentiment here is that Chileans are enslaved to an education system designed to treat them as clients and their major goal being massive profit turnovers rather than quality education. We quickly learn the chants, acquire flags and are in the mix. We eventually, somehow arrive at the front of the protest and are now spearheading the march (Emiliano was about to do an interview for local news media). Once we arrived at the barricade set up by local police (carabineros), the protest organisers had set up a stage there and a folkloric group was to start playing. We enjoyed the band for a bit, saw no masked anti-government villains, and headed off back in the direction we had come. It was good to be there in solidarity with the Chilean students and it had a rather relaxed feel. It was more a celebration of awareness. Later on in a restaurant we saw the masked protesters on TV clashing with police behind the stage we had been at.

"Road tripping with my two favourite allies"

On our way to Valparaiso with Emiliano and Nat (a.k.a Boo Boo). The whole way we had hippy boy pumping horrible rap through dodgy speakers. Still made for good entertainment on the way.

Paseo de Ahumada

Palacio de La Moneda

Today is my second day in Chile and I prepare my mate to head out into the busy streets. For a long time I had heard of this place that had fallen at the hands of a military junta backed by the U.S. As I walk down the street Moneda the busy Monday morning business world flies past me and I can't help but think of those images of tanks and soldiers invading the square.
As I reach the plaza, the buildings which engulfed me disappear and I am greeted by a huge and almost empty space. I look up and see an empty sky and I imagine those planes which bombed the palace. I look to my right and there he was, Salvador Allende, looking over the plaza. I am immediately overwhelmed and I take a seat. As I sit there and think back to that 11th of September in 1973 and all its subsequent repercussions I notice the irony of Allende's statue being placed directly in front of the building for the Ministry of Justice. I take my time and I circle the plaza completely. What I felt was intense and hard to relay through this medium. Almost 40 years ago democracy was raped right there in that square and today finally the people are retaliating worldwide and rejecting the mock democracies of the world. I thanked Salvador and I walked back into the busy streets of Santiago.

Testigos de Jehova en la Plaza de Armas: Santiago, Chile

Homeless people all over the plaza but the preaching went on. Perhaps a good meal would of been better.

Tasman Sea: In Flight

So finally the time has come and the trip has begun. A weird mix of emotions have been present leading up to today and have especially dominated me this last week. From euphoria and huge excitement to anxiousness and indifference. All I truly know is that I have embarked on my greatest adventure yet, the next month is completely unknown to me and anything can happen. I am completely open, and an enlightenment accompanies me as my sole travel companion. Sure there will be human companions along the way, but from here on forward till I reach Uruguay it is just myself. As the greatest traveler I ever met once told me...”the universe always finds a way”.

I'm currently in Auckland awaiting to board the flight again. I had salt and pepper squid and a beer while listening to Martin Buscaglia (have been since Sydney). Unfortunately though, there is no free Internet in Auckland Transit Terminal so I am just enjoying this beer and looking for a power point. Once I board I will enjoy some in-flight entertainment and try and sleep as much as possible before arriving in Santiago.