Well, we've been on the road for 100 days now and in that time we've learned and accomplished relatively little. However, our seemingly futile and still-aimless travels are not a complete loss. We seem to be slowly learning some bizarre dialects of Spanish and we hope to find some volunteer work shortly. So, after 100 days, lets take a quick tally.
Cities visited without potable water: Three
Backpacking water filter used: Twice in town. Five times hiking.
Argentina/Chile border crossings: 9
Empanadas eaten: Can you count the stars in the sky?
Nights in our tent: 21
Bouts of gastronomic hyper-motility: Three
Times hitch-hiked: 11
Women seen plucking their beard hairs in public: Two
But now things have changed. We're in Bolivia. The first-world lifestyles of Argentina and Chile have gone. Water is less potable. Empanadas are filled with nothing but chicken bones. Women have ceased to pluck their beards. Negative as these things seem, there has been a dramatic reduction in our daily sums, creating a huge positive trade-off. What was $80/day in Argentina is now $20/day (for two people, mind you). Our private double room in this brand new hostel in Tupiza, Boliva is $10/night. Empanadas were $1/piece in Argentina, here they are $0.15/piece.
Does this mean we will attempt a less rugged lifestyle? Oh heavens yes. Will our sense of adventure be weakened because of this? Ha! Just because it's a private room with hot showers, doesn't mean it wont give you a disease. But rest assured, we will still attempt to cut as many corners as possible. There will still be nights in the tent, however probably not the within-city-limits-stealth-camping nights. And surely we won't reach the desperation we did in Chile, when we considered doing the unthinkable but were reluctantly dissuaded by the Chilean Sanitary Authority...
I weigh 169lbs. I've rechecked my math. I've tried different scales in different pharmacies and they all seem to say 77kg. Even while my parents were here, and the wallets were wide open, and the daily two- or three-inch T-bones were consumed, the weight stayed the same. We'd try grilling the steaks ourselves ($10/kg) or try purchasing them from the cafes ($20/kg), and though bloody, juicy and far more flavorful than that ashy trash we have in The States, my weight remained unchanged.
So far as I can see, there are three possible explanations. One: I have a parasite, tapeworm, or some other wee-beastie that's sapping my goods. Two: Mate is such an extreme diuretic that my body is incapable of absorbing my goods. Three: My metabolism has been jumpstarted and... well... you're probably sick of hearing about "my goods". Whichever it is, I'm running lean and haven't felt so healthy in years.
At any rate, we've crossed the Chilean/Argentinian border for the 9th and final time. This time it was unique in that my parents were with us. It turns out they make great travel companions and have the same taking-it-easy approach as ourselves. No forced tours to mediocre sights.
We began in Santiago, Chile and lazed around some parks in the heat for a few days. We then went to coastal town of Valparaiso, Chile. We took in the bizzare and confusing town at the only pace possible when getting lost in a puzzle-like road plan. The fear of being crushed by tottering buildings kept our eyes upward, making navigation even more difficult. We then crossed the Andes to Mendoza, Argentina where we'd spend the next week. This is major wine country and I was a little concerned about how the local specialty would jive with my tee-totaling parents. However, after visiting some wineries my parents discovered that they can drink wine if it contains no added sulfites. No instant headaches. No hive-like symptoms at the mere smell of the stuff. They were actually drinking it and enjoying it. So - what the heck - we started to force-feed the once-vegetarians steak and chorizo, the result being bloated and dozy games of cribbage.
This morning my parents began their return home by taking the bus back to Santiago. Their bus left at 10:00 AM (CLST), their flight leaves at 11:50 PM (CLST) and they arrive in Portland at 9:00PM (PST). In real time, that's a 38 hour travel day. Well done Mom and Dad, well done.
We're now on a 15hr bus ride to Salta, Argentina. After a short stay we plan on heading into Bolivia and saying goodbye to Argentina. But that will come later. Right now it's goodbye, Chile. And goodbye, Mom and Dad.
When someone says, "Chile," what comes to mind? Beaches? Agriculture? Mining accidents? Chili?
Nobody ever seems to think cuisine. But it doesn't have to be that way. Read this and try making them at home. Feed these dishes to your small children. These local favorites are on almost every menu in the country and my goodness, they ought to be on every menu in the world. Even the specialty restaurants here have their own take on these Chilean staples.
There are two options for lunch. The churrasco (left) and the completo (right). The churrasco is a bun piled with avocado, tomato, mayonnaise, ham, and some sort of unbreaded and fried cow meat. And it's huge. The completo comes in a dozen or so varieties but always consists of bun, hot-dog of the cheapest kind, avocado, tomato, and mayonnaise. Notice how the wiener is completely concealed within the bun. This speaks directly to the conservative nature of the Chileans. None of that vulgar dangle here.
The chorillana is another favorite. As you can see, its a base of french fries topped with that same fried cow meat, chorizo, onions, and fried eggs. It's big enough for two incredibly hungry Americans, or one peckish Chilean. Chorillana also has a little cousin called pichanga, which consists of french fries, fried meat, cheese and pickled mixed vegetables.
Fish. Any species. They have em all. Fried or grilled, it's all fresh and delicious.
Seaweed. And not that thin stuff used in sushi. This is that rope-like seaweed that washes ashore in the Pacific Northwest. That stuff with the ball on one end we've jumped on and popped. Here, it's air dried, bundled and eaten like beef jerky. It removes your hunger.
Empanadas - the South American pastry cornerstone. Here they are savory, very large and usually filled with stewed beef, onions, hard-boiled egg, and an olive (with pit). One is a meal. There is rumored to be an empanada stand just outside of Santiago that boasts a 1kg specimen. Tara, my parents and I are planning on finding this place in a few days.
Every dinner must have beer. Forget the wine, that's for exporting to the gringos and Asians. Here they've got a healthy selection of cheap lagers, and a dozen or so artisanal brewers. Something for everyone.
Now you may wonder, "Gee, that food sounds unhealthy. In fact it sounds exclusively like bar food." Well, you would not be alone in saying that. Every night on the news there seems to be an exposé on obesity or the nation's incredible mayonnaise consumption (the average Chilean consumes 1.7kg a year.) But the way I see it, they've earned their quality of life. And besides, they live a "highly active lifestyle."
Well, we've been on the road for 100 days now and in that time we've learned and accomplished relatively little. However, our seemingly futile and still-aimless travels are not a complete loss. We seem to be slowly learning some bizarre dialects of Spanish and we hope to find some volunteer work shortly. So, after 100 days, lets take a quick tally.
