Little things I have learnt
Trip Start
Sep 19, 2005
1
20
35
Trip End
Mar 19, 2006
La Serena, Chile
Monday, November 21, 2005
Its 2 months now since I started my trip, and I can't believe its going so fast! So in honour of this momentous occasion, here are a few things I have learnt during the last 2 months.
1. I am still rubbish at packing, despite having to do it every day or two.
2. Its not unusual to hear 3 Phil Collins songs in a row on Argentinian radio
3. Having a mosquito bite on the ball of your foot seems to be the most annoying place possible!
4. You can never eat too much Argentinian steak. Also, its entirely possible to watch an entire TV programme on the price of meat. (Its not going down, apparently)
5. Red wine is exceedingly cheap here!
6. Bingo is an obsession - bus bingo, boat bingo, you name it, its here.
7. Argentine women seem to shun pushchairs and carry their babies around in their arms like trophies
8. Just when I think my Spanish is improving, I am completely stumped by some new accent. (eg, Villa Gessel is actually pronounced Beejja Hessl, which makes life difficult when you are asking for a bus ticket)
9. Panpipe versions of Beatles songs and Take That instrumentals are staples of shopping centres
10. Having your driver make a donation to the church before a journey or seeing old ladies crossing themselves when getting on the bus is not necessarily a bad thing - at least I am still in one piece!
11. Driving a car for the first time in 3 years, on the wrong side of the road, was actually not as scary as I first thought. Although its probably a good thing that there was hardly any traffic on Easter Island!
12. Having only 2 pairs of shoes to choose from is actually not that bad. Hot weather = sandals, cold weather = boots!
13. I never have my camera when I most want it - eg seeing a pickup truck laden with planks of wood speeding down a hill, with a huge German Shepherd "surfing" on the top of the planks of wood, wagging his tail!
14. I am really not cut out for horse riding
15. I snore a lot more than previously suspected - sorry dorm-mates!
Anyway, thatīs about it for now. I am leaving La Serena on a late bus tonight and heading 16 hours up the Panamericana to Calama. Its been really good here - been to see an observatory one evening and looked at distant galaxies and star clusters. Yesterday I went to an island just off the coast and saw loads of dolphins! Was very exciting and fun and naturally enough I am sunburnt again today!
Take care all
love Sarah x
