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It’s early May 2010 say around the 10th May 2010 actually. We’re in Pucon, Chile, which is 10 hours or so south of Santiago and pushed against the Andes.

We are arriving from a lovely little ski town San Martin De Los Andes by a 4 hour bus ride. Why do bus rides seem to have the same affect on time as doctors surgery’s etc. Anyway, Pucon is a lovely little town on a lake, which is great because it’s part of the lake district…be a bit rubbish if it wasnt, and nestled amongst the hills of the Andes. There’s heaps to do in Pucon, trekking, whitewater rafting, mountain biking, climbing the volcano, hot springs etc. Lots of tasty food and places to have a few quiet ales but your here for the great outdoors.

After arriving in Pucon we drop our bags off at the Hostel Edigio and grab something to eat. We are stoked, scrambled eggs!!

5 hours later.

I don’t feel so good. It’s 6:30pm and we’re trying on the equipment for our trip up the Volcano. The trip is all organised by Borris, the bullet dodger, as in Borris the sneaky f@#$ing Russian, who is the hostel concierge if you will. All set, packed, geared up and ready. Dinner time, we find out it is the owners birthday and her husband as packed on a massive BBQ for us. We sit and eat giant cuts of steak and drink a delightful merlot. During dinner, i start to feel worse…

Pucon Ya Face:

Beautiful:

The top tip of the tip top Volcano we want to climb:

Jesse trying on the soo sexy climbing gear

Up at 5:30am, nope we’re not going up no Volcano today. I’m far too sick and Jesse isnt feeling too good either.

3 days and 361 visits to the bathroom later…

I’m in the local hospital adding to my tour the worlds hospitals. My last, was the sweeping tour of London’s finest medical institutions(three of them and two ambulance rides) in 2005.  The entire family from the hostel was there to help me out, a translator, the mama and Borris’s the bullet dodger’s fiance. As far as hospital’s go it was ok not too run down. The doctor smelt fresh of ciggarettes and the ceiling had fresh blood on it but other than that it was pretty average.

It was very comforting having the help of the guys who own the hostel they went above and beyond to make me feel better. Constantly checking on us, making me jelly and tea. Especially Lydia or Mama Lydia as we got to know her, we are extremely greatful

Mama Lydia

It turned out the antibiotics given to us back in Perth arent the best for me and they were making things a lot worse. Not suprising, here is what wikipedia says:

Norfloxacin is a synthetic chemotherapeutic agent  occasionally used to treat common as well as complicated urinary tract infections.

Hmmm no not that one:

The licensed uses for norfloxacin are quite limited as norfloxacin is to be considered a drug of last resort when all other antibiotics have failed.

Side-effects include: liver failure, pancreatitis and occasionally random tendon snapping. Anyway with new antibiotics and a couple of days later im climbing a 2800m active volcano.

Huh!?

Ok well a couple of days and a soothing few hours in the hot springs and we’re both feeling capable of climbing a volcano. The volcano in question here is Villarrica which last errupted in 1971 killing two people in another town not Pucon. For those readers who are sharp you may be thinking i never asked a question. Your right, the question is Why and How are we going to climb 2000 odd metres over a glacier and up a volcano after not moving or eating for 5 days?

First off, we decided we were sick of hostels and to make ourselves feel better we checked into some fancy self-contained cottages just outside of the town centre called Cabanas Monte Verde. We also hired a beast of a car, something similar to a 1980′s civic or Puegeot .108, i say .108 because thats about all of me that could fit inside this thing. The important thing was, the cabins immediately made us feel more comfortable. Set on a hillside amongst green lawns and landscaped gardens overlooking the lake.

Our cabin:

Morning cloud rolling across the lake:

View from the top cabin:

Besides the volcano, Pucon is famous for hot springs. There are about 5 or so different hot springs within a few hours drive of Pucon. We went to 3 of them. Our favourite by a long shot was the hot springs at Geometrica Termas(GT) or Termas Geometrica whichever your preference is for order of saying things. The place is one hour drive from Pucon. Unfortunately, as for every adventure we go on, we get lost and spend 1 hour going to a “No Entrar” dirt road leading nowhere and then 2 hours getting back to find the right dirt road to go down.

Now you’re sure we’re going down the right road:

We stopped to ask for directions from the locals:

GT is an amazing place situated in a sharp small valley with a couple of “cold” waterfalls flowing into a stream and the hot springs adding to the mix. The place has no electricity so it’s all lit by candles and fires. In the main reception area we sit by a large fire and take in some home made chicken soup and apple crumble. Tasty! Then venture out into the fog to the baths.

Entrance to Termas Geometrica

Inside the reception area, outside temperature is below 10.

Change rooms on the right:

GT is made up of several ceramic tiled pools of different water temperatures from skin melting to 2nd degree burns

The first pool

The waterfall:

Walking up amongst the trees and ferns to another pool

Anyone for a shower

Relaxed. The next day we decide we should test our lack of fitness and go on one of the many walks in the national parks that surround the area.

From one of the lookouts

This photo is from about half way up, when we were told by the local fishermen that it was getting to late to make it all the way up:

The national parks in Chile are amazing, Australia could learn a lot. Firstly there are, what can be best described as, a heap of them and they all have fantastic services such as guides, well marked and constructed trails, no litter, places to stay overnight and camp and even pubs that take 2 hours to hike too.

Now, the reason most people come to Pucon, to climb Volcano Villarrica! After testing ourselves the day before on a small 2 hour hike to a pub we book our spot on a guided tour up the Volcano. This volcano is active, simply put the earth spits out hot smelly stuff at the top which is part of the attraction, not so attracting is the lack of safety features and we’re told you slip you die. Well! Up at 6am and by 7am we’re fitted out yet again with all the gear and are ready to roll. Only one problem, the Columbian guy on our tour(there’s three of us) isnt here. He rolls in 30mins late, i make jokes about how he had to powder his nose or just checking prices on kidnapbay.com for two Australians.

Our guide Al-someethingorather, we call him Big Al or Big Gay Al(he wasnt but south park quotes are funny) and the Columbian his name is Mario or Big M(like the chocmilk). M calls us team JJ and laughs, probably at the fact that blondes sell for more i dont know. Just kidding, M and BGA are great blokes well M is cracking jokes and speaking better english than our english speaking guide. It worries us “non-spanish speaking people” when they laugh and do pushing signals with their hands then point at the volcano…

Cold, late and budled into a minivan we rally drive our way up to the ski hill piercing the clouds to reveal a spectacular though windy day. We pull up at the bottom of the ski resort, during busier periods the ski lift takes visitors up the first section shortening it by an hour or so.

About 30mins from the base and the temperature is somewhere below f__king freezing

Towards the top of the ski run, burnt buildings destroyed in the the last erruption:

View from the above ruin out over Pucon, you can see the blanket of cloud we drove through:

We stop for breakfast then ascend another hour or so to the next point called Lunch

Lunch is on a spine that extends out from the glacier and yes my hair is awesome:

Big M, Jess and I, yes that’s an ipod i’m listening to. What song? Probably “falling down the mountain” by INXS. Please also note, the only person holding a pick axe is a Columbian!

After lunch it’s time to put on our crampons to ascend the glacier. The temperature somewhere near Absolutely F___king Freezing. We’re given instructions on how to walk with the crampons on and how to position our ice pick so as to stop us falling a few thousand feet if we trip over. This point on the trek is known as sh1tting yourself! The first part is up a 50-60 degree snow/ice incline. This takes 45mins to an hour. At the top, our guide tells us we’re one of the fastest groups he’s had. Probably because the Columbian is on crack cocaine and i’m now listening to some trance music.

The top of the 2nd 3rd, Jesse, Big M and Big Gay Al

The guide leaves his second backpack full of safety gear like ropes and extra crampons etc because it’s too heavy behind a rock.
A panorama from the 2/3 across Pucon:

Ok this photo shows the last 100-150 metres which takes an hour or so. This is steep the exact angle would be above 60 degrees towards “fall-n-death”. The general approach to stop you falling is to have your ice pick on the hill side of you at all times as you zig-zag up the volcano. If you fall you then dig your ice pick into the snow and hold on. Yeah right!

The last section of the climb is too steep, cold and windy to take pictures. The wind is blowing a gale, the temperature officially reaches frostbite, Jess is swearing at herself for even thinking of doing this and i’m sweating and getting rather annoyed because i’ve just been told i cant slide down the volcano because it’s too windy which is the only reason i climbed it in the first place. Yes, on a sunny non-windy slightly safer day you can slide down the top section on a mat! Awesome. We’ve just been told that we’re going to have to walk it!

We make it! The top of the volcano Villarrica. It is amazing! It is the highest peak that you can see. You feel like you’re on top of the world. You’re tired but elated and there’s also a bubbling lava spitting volcano in front of you.

The rim of the volcano, doesnt look safe basically your standing on solidfied molten lava some of which is hollow still emitting smoke. It is difficult to breathe, the sulphur stings your nostrels, throat and eyes. To get away from this we climb along the rim away from where the smoke is blowing.

Top of the world to ya:

Proof, i believe this is the spot where young skywalker fell:

The climb along the rim:

Panorama’s of the volcano:

The climb back down takes FOR E V E R! Slow inching our way back down the ice. By this time my gloves are wet from the snow meaning my hands are frozen and beginning to burn. Luckily our guide takes us down a faster route over some ski runs covered in pebble gravel.

We make it to the bottom utterly exhausted. It has been emotional! But hey i’ve climbed an active volcano have you!?

Hutch

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The Puerto Moreno Glacier, El Calafate, Argentina in April, 2010. In the foreground you can see the terminal moraines and beech forrest, in the mid-ground the mightily beautiful Puerto Moreno Glacier and the endless snow capped peaks in the background. If you look close enough in the foreground you can see the station where the climbers stop to put on their crampons, to the lower right a picnic table on the glacier and in the middle of the picture you can make out a group of climbers advancing their way up the icy jagged peaks.

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Inside the Santa Catalina Monestary, a rose extends in full bloom.

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That’s right we’ve been in Vancouver a whole 3 weeks now! Yes, the blog posts of the rest of Chile and Peru are still in writing i’m sure over the next few months we’ll get around to them.

What have we been doing? Exploring and of course, applying for jobs, jobs and more jobs. The job hunting is going ok, last week was particularly busy with interviews and phone interviews. I think in total we had about 8 between us and are now waiting to hear back or get an update. Keep your fingers crossed for us. If anyone has any contacts up here in Canada we’d greatly appreciate if you passed our details on, even if it was just to meet them and take them out for a beer or coffee.

Vancouver is a very beautiful city, the tall glass skyscrapers refelect the greens and blues of the forrests, mountains and water. We’ve been checking out the different areas such as coal harbour, yaletown, north vancouver, gastown etc. There always seems to be some festival or something on. For instance, we woke up one Saturday to music and drums getting louder and louder…turns out there was a Phillipeno parade meandering its way down our street.

To Jess’ great surprise and delight, we found out her favourite band Karnivool were going to be playing at The Venue in Vancouver for $15. Karnivool are a Perth band with a solid following down under but as we found out the rest of the world hasnt found out how great they are. Or they just agree with my summation being that they sound like a cat drowing amongst several garbage trucks. Fortunatley their live show was fantastic for Jesse and the Venue had a bar so i was happy. I even attempted to sing along which was easy when every word is a high pitched meow of varying lengths.

Street concert on the way to watch Karnivool

The Venue – Vancouver Downtown

Karnivool performing at The Venue

Karnivool lead singer Kenny

Kenny 2

Vancouver being quite hippy-ish should have good markets. It didnt let us down when we discovered the Granville Islands Markets. Think a bigger, cleaner more organised version of Freo markets right on the harbour.  Jess was more than stoked to potter around the markets. And once again for me Vancouver stepped it up, this time in the markets providing the Granville Island Brewery, a small version of little creatures which has some fine drops of beer.

Granville Markets Vancouver

Mmmm berriiess

Jesse @ Granville Island Brewery

Dooooowwwn heeaarrrrrted

Mmmmmm beeerrrrrr *drools*

Whilst we sipped our refreshing beverages, we noticed an older lady sitting by herself. Jess decided she needed a friend and went abducted her to join us. Jerry 80, heads down to the markets every week to grab her shopping and have a beer or a wine. She sat and talked, and talked and talked to us to the point where my attention turned to the wood on the table. Just kidding, Jerry was lovely and she appreciated us younger folk coming and talking to her. Bonus points i reckon.

It is summer time here, it gets to around 28 degrees which feels closer to 40 as the houses are built to keep you warm not cool. No fans or air-con here or anywhere except department stores and no seas breeze. Luckily, Vancouver is positioned a stones throw away from some fantastic national parks and mountains. One particularly warm Sunday we boarded the sea bus and ventured across to North Vancouver to the Lynn Valley.

View from the sea bus looking back at Vancouver skyline and cruise ships

Vancouver skyline

Seagull mascot, Jess was trrified

North Vancouver Quay markets

North Vancouver Quay markets

Business talk

The whole journey took us maybe 30-45mins before we were at the entrance to the Lynn Valley, home to the 30ft pool, a natural swimming hole and stream.

Lynn Valley Suspension Bridge – the suspense was intense!

Walking through the pine forrest

Lynn Park Canyon and up the river.

The 30 foot pool and yes the water did look like this. Speaking of the water, it was amazingly cold! Fresh from the mountain tops of imagine. Most people just stand knee deep to cool off then go find a rock to lie in the warm sun. Or downstream they sit in the rushing water half in half out.

People jumping in from different cliffs around the po0l

Knee bathing

Panaroma of the pool

The pool is fresh water so if you get thristy just take a drink. That is if there isnt a small child or dog peeing in it nearby.

This guy forgot his parachute

People even do it without legs

Panaroma taken down stream

Well thats about all the photos we have of our adventure’s around Vancouver. Hopefull this week brings us some exciting news like a job or lotto winnings.

We hope all is well with you wherever you are.
Cheers
Hutch

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Or as the Canadian’s like to say “Hey”! Crazy i know. Cultures, so different and tasty!
Anyhoo this is a take on our first week in Vancouver, Canada. It’s been a busy one! Exciting as well getting to know and look around a new city especially one so beautiful as Vancouver. Exploring a new city is like unwrapping presents every corner you turn or place you visit a new surprise awaits.

We arrived at 12am on Sunday morning and as some of you know the accommodation we booked didnt bother to answer his phone. Plus there was a big fireworks event on that night so all the hotels were fully booked. We finally found somewhere, a cheap motel just outside of the airport that checked us into a comfy enough bed for 7 hours. Previous to that our immigration process was smooth and easy. No hiccups, no real questions. Just Another Aussie – they call us JAFAS over here, you can choose what the “F” stands for – i say Firkingoodlooking!

Yours truly, Stanley Park.

The Belle:

Sunday, we awoke to a great breakfast of party mix, m & m’s and a twix. We sorted out our accommodation with Rami, he answered his phone finally and met us outside of the apartment in Yaletown. A lovely suburb smack back middle of Vancouver, aparently where the people who want to be seen go to be seen. So check Hello magazine for us! It’s right by the water and has the mountains as a backdrop with lovely tree lined streets, pubs and cafe’s.

Monday – Friday has been busy. with interviews for sales jobs and with recruiters. We are waiting to hear back from them.
Wednesday night we moved into another, cheaper apartment in Mount Pleasant. A bit further out of town and a fair walk to transport. The common areas are a bit dodgy and it constantly smells of indian/chinese takeaway plus sweat. However it is much bigger and very homely. The owners are off getting married and are hippies for sure, no tv, microwave or iron. I figured that those purple die dresses dont need ironing so no iron!

Vancouver itself is simply beautiful, at least in Summer. Warm near 30 degrees, plenty of parks, water on one side and snow capped mountains on the other. The people are lovely and friendly, we didnt have change for the bus so they gave us tickets for free. Got 20c for a bus mate! On Thursday we took a stroll around Stanley park, which is sort of Vancouver’s Kings Park. We’ve attached some photos.

Famous rose garden @ stanley park:

The Belle amongst the roses:

Vince & tree:

Rocky the racoon:

Sun leaves:

Beach:

Cottage Tea House

Up the garden path:

A popular beach:

This weekend should be fun and action packed as it’s a long weekend here. They’ve a day called BC day which coincides with the Gay Pride March ha! We’ll go and watch that on Sunday, no doubt there will be some other craziness happening around it. On Saturday there are fireworks over the harbour, they have been hosting the “festival of light” where several countries put on a firework display and it gets judged. Like masterchef but watchable! Saturday it is China’s turn, the inventors of fireworks so we expect a good showing. Whilst we’re there we will check out the area called Kitsalano to see what it like. Plus probably take our torches to shine over south perth, say Skyshow in a loud whisper thirty five times and play Phill Collins I can figure in the air tonight!

We hope all is well wherever this finds you?!

Happy Birthday to my Mum as well i wish we were with you to celebrate but we send our love.

Cheers
Hutch

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