south america

There’s no emu’s in Pichilemu

January 28th, 2011 | Posted in Blog, News, Travel, Travel Stories | 6 Comments
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Pichil-emu get it!?!? ha!

It is May 20th 2010 and Jess and I have just taken a 3 hour ride aboard an old bus from Santiago through the Chilean countryside to the fishing village of Pichilemu….

There is something unsettling about the very earth you stand upon shaking! A sort of uneasy fear knowing there’s little you can do other than stand in awe of the great force of nature. The first few times we felt the tremors I convinced Jess someone was just doing some earth moving with a dump truck, I was 50% right.

Pichilemu after the quakes:
Pichilemu after the Earthquakes

Yup the Concepcion, 50km south, earthquakes still cause small daily tremors in Pichilemu. The people are busy rebuilding homes and places destroyed by the second 7.2 earthquake or the tsunami that followed. Even with all the destruction, Pichilemu is an amazingly special place. It has an aura of relaxation, a place where time doesn’t matter unless it’s breakfast time, time to go surfing, time for bed, time for a beer etc etc.
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Mendo-zzzzzzzzz-a

October 20th, 2010 | Posted in Blog, News, Travel, Travel Stories | 3 Comments
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So this blog isn’t up to date…we do apologise but we’ve been busy travelling ten’s of thousands of kilometres. We should be able to update it more often now however. Excited, i am!

It’s May 22nd 2010, Autumn in the southern hemisphere and a spectacular one at that. We have just left the coast of Chile and are heading across the mighty Andes mountain range once more to the wine capital of Argentina Mendoza.

Unfortunately with us, are hundreds upon hundreds of buses coming both ways to and from Chile and Argentina. When travelling,  you easily lose track of public holidays especially Chilean and Argentinian public holidays. Both Chile and Argentina share a public holiday, we believe it to be their national day and  (like Australia Day without Yothu Yindi and John Farnham). Making it a long 4 day party. It seems, to us that everyone in Chile goes to Argentina and everyone in Argentina heads to Chile.

We departed at 6pm scheduled to cross the border into Argentina and arrive by about midnight. At midnight we are stuck in a large queue of buses, not the first and it wont be the last, waiting to cross the border high in the Andes. I’m further stuck in a small semi-cama seat (a seat reclines as much as a K.D Lang did – don’t get it? well you know who the Beatles are? Ah just Google it.), Jess is asleep and god thank the creators of the Playstation and Fifa 2010 because at least i had entertainment. We eventually get out of the bus with the 40 other chickens, dogs, babies and occasionally a toothless adult and line up in a queue for immigration and customs. I must tell you, the Argentinians and Chileans are extremely efficient, there is one bloke for Chile who stamps you to leave and right next to him is the Argentinian authority who lets you in. The whole process takes under a minute, except the queue which takes a couple of hours and several group bribes (throwing coins into a cup to get to the front of the line quicker).

Finally we get through and roll into Mendoza in the early dark hours of the morning. Arriving at our hostel, which is incredibly expensive at least $50 a night each for a private room due to the holiday. The place is old, dusty but it will do. I’m knackered and the PlayStation died a long while ago, i need sleep.

Please click the following link to read more:

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Pucon ya face!

September 1st, 2010 | Posted in Blog, News, Travel, Travel Stories | 2 Comments
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*Warning this post contains lots of images*

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:

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Beautiful:

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

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Coloniaoscopy

May 21st, 2010 | Posted in Blog, News, Travel, Travel Stories | 2 Comments
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After BA Tigre and Iguazu  we were feeling a little tired and wondered what would be the best way to spend Bickies (Ben and Vicky’s) last three days of Vacation before they headed back to the states. After some deliberation we decided to go to the UNESCO World Heritage town of Colonia Uruguay. It is a town where the Portuguese used to smuggle goods over to BA when the areas were still disputed between the colonial powers of Spain and Portugal.

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We took the ferry from BA and checked into our lovely B&B/hostel with a balcony and a view to the sea. Unfortunately Bickie didn’t have such luck getting a room where the windows shook violently every time someone turned on hot water (which was frequently). Needless to say they moved to another B&B the next day.

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Accommodation Top Eleven – Review

May 6th, 2010 | Posted in Blog, News, Travel, Travel Stories, Travel Tips | 4 Comments
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G’day Guys and Gals

We’re doing some reminicing of our trip so far and came up with a list of our top eleven accommodation’s we have stayed at as of the 5th May 2010:

1. Las Dunas – El Calafate Argentina – Good food, good views, room with wifi, good rooms, good bath, good service, cable tv, bad pillows, more expensive and no liquardo’s! (4.5/5)
2. Las Lucarnas – San Martin De Los Andes Argentina – Quaint, cosy, great rooms, great beds, good location, bath, wifi in room, fantastic service, good breakfast, great value and cable tv. (4/5)
3. Viajero Bed and Breakfast – Colonia Uruguay – Great rooms with balcony and view, wifi in room, cable tv, ok service, ok food, good value and good location. (3.5/5)
4. Hostel Patagonia – El Chalten Argentina – Great new cosy rooms, fantastic service, cosy common areas, no breakfast, no in room wifi and good value. (4/5)
5.  Buenos Aires Apartment – Buenos Aires Argentina – Self contained, balcony, convenient, good location, wifi and mobile phone, bit small and smelt awful. (3.5/5)
6. HI Downtown San Francisco – San Francisco USA – Good room, great location, wifi in room, street noise, ok service and bad breakfast. (3/5)
7. La Balconada – La Paloma Uruguay – Fantastic staff/owners, personal touch, tiny rooms, expensive, no wifi and shared bath. (3/5)
8. Marcopolo Iguazu – Iguazu Argentina – Hotel-like, ok service, ok rooms, ok food, wifi in rooms, great bar, pool and ok location. (2.5/5)
9. Hostel-Inn Bariloche – Bariloche Argentina – Great common areas, great view, ok service, good cars, smelt like gas, shared bathroom and dinner and breakfast included. (2.5/5)
10. Hostel Ritz – Buenos Aires Argentina – Great liquardo de banana, room service, good location, ok rooms, hotel-like, smelt like mould and ok service. (2.5/5)
11. Viajero Downtown Montevideo – Montevideo Uruguay – Tiny rooms, overwhelming smell of bleach, stuffy, ok food, good service, pretty building, good location and good common areas. (2/5)

We have also found that the Lonley Planet is seriously seriously out of date though if you do find the hostel/hotel is still in business it usually is very good. Hostelworld.com reviews are way way off the mark and as useful as drinking salt water in a drought. HiHostels.com is average, booking has to be done at least 2 days in advance and the reviews are semi-accurate. Tripadvisor seems to be the most accurate but rarely has hostels.

Most of the places we have stayed in cost around US$40-50 per night for a double room with private bathroom and includes a free breakfast.

Any questions, ask away below.
Cheers
Jess and Hutch

just back from a hike up to La…

April 27th, 2010 | Posted in Blog, News, Travel, Travel Stories | 1 Comment
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just back from a hike up to Lake Capri. Not too hard unless your in gale force winds and rain. Drenched but what a stunning beautiful walk!

When horse shit is flying down…

April 27th, 2010 | Posted in Blog, News, Travel, Travel Stories | No Comments
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When horse shit is flying down the road faster than you can walk…you know its windy.

In El Chalten, home of the Fit…

April 26th, 2010 | Posted in Blog, News, Travel, Travel Stories | No Comments
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In El Chalten, home of the Fitz Roy mountain and Cerro Torres. Staying in a small town in the middle of the national park. Hiking tomorrow.

Hiking an argentinian glacier,…

April 24th, 2010 | Posted in Blog, News, Travel, Travel Stories | 1 Comment
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Hiking an argentinian glacier, Pommy bloke is chatting up a seppo chick “i saw pyramids in your eyes when i saw you this morning” ahahahaha

Just arrived in El Calafate, t…

April 22nd, 2010 | Posted in Blog, News, Travel, Travel Stories | No Comments
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Just arrived in El Calafate, the home of the Perito Moreno Glacier and gateway to Torres Del Paine. 5 hour glacier ice trek in next few days

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