CHILI

SANTIAGO DE CHILI

On arrival at the airport in Santiago, we face our first language challenge. We do not have a pen to fill out the forms of customs. How do you say pen in Spanish? Not a clue! With a mix of Spanglish and sign language, we can dig in one. That's it, we are in Chile! 

We find a backpacker in Brasil, the student quarter of the city. It is brand new, very well decorated and the people who work there are very friendly. You feel immediately at home here. There is even a terrace with wicker chairs, perfect for small sample set and Chilean wines.

In the city as it feels good, despite the traffic and polution. Unlike Australia, here, people familiar with the concept of terrace. Our area is full of small bars and restaurants alone. The atmosphere is a bit like the south of Spain. We are definitely Latin, it feels much more at home here, even if I exceed everyone a head in the street and it's a little early BISARD. It is true that Chileans are not very big. 

We meet Nancy Roman, a Swiss-Colombian and French, with whom we spend a day ride around the city. We climb to the top of a hill on top of which is perched a giant statue of the Virgin Mary, some kind of Christ Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, but fewer still. The top one has a magnificent view of the city with the Andes in the background, but they are a bit confused by a thick cloud of yellowish polution. After three days, we decided to take the air in Valparaiso, near the coastal city of Santiago.

BOLIVIE

LAKE Titicaca, COPACABANA AND ISLA DEL SOL

We leave La Paz, Copacabana management. I know I'm going to disappoint some, but you will not see pictures Brazilian thong. This is the Copacabana in Bolivia on the shores of Lake Titicaca and 4000 meters above sea level, the string is not too fashionable. We pile into a minibus. It fails barely a quarter of an hour after the start, but eventually leave. I am obliged to keep the knees bent, which is quite painful after my recent fall in cycling.

After a few hours, we reach the lake which has a nice dark colored blue. We have to cross an arm of the lake to get us on the peninsula we find Copacabana. The bus deposited us on a barge and hand, no one told us anything. We wonder how to get our luggage which remains in the bus and end up discovering that we need to take a small boat a little further to cross.

We finally get a Capacabana, a quiet little town on the lake. We eat grilled trout in front of the water, a delight after two weeks of kitchen Bolivian rather basic. I find Charlie, the Argentine La Paz, to make his bike. I'm pretty bothers because it has suffered a little during my fall. In the evening, we walk into town to find a nice place or a drink. Suddenly, we hear the music that comes from a kind of big gymsnase on a place. We come to participate in the festival. But inside, everything is dark and men repeated without much conviction which gives the impression of being a rather murky military march of the USSR, like ambiance. We spend our way and find a small bar where everyone is sitting on the floor on cushions.

L'AUSTRALIE

THE BACKPACKERS IN PERTH 

Only 4 hours flight and we're in Perth, Australia. Change of temperature impressive, I put pants and a good jumper, and I still tremblotter.

First thing we need to find housing. No more small bungalows, henceforth we will be staying in the dorms for backpackers hotels (hostels). It is less comfortable it is on but it is that there are less expensive.
Backpackers (tourists has big bags) are really important here. Across the street signs that give discounts for backpackers, backpackers to jobs, aid to backpackers, backpackers accommodation specials, vans for backpackers ... This word is really omnipresent. There are even so many backpackers here all backpackers hostels are full.
You have to try a dozen before finding a place in the Billabong hotel. Here it is as I imagined better: a large common room full of young people, a large kitchen, large dormitories with bunk beds, a TV room with large comfortable sofas, a table-tennis, old games, video arcade, a small garden with a pool, garden tables and chairs. There is a very good atmosphere and it's easy to make friends. Especially the proportion of French is huge. It's easier when you're tired.

In the vicinity there are also beautiful beaches, good places for surfers, there also has beautiful parks. Finalament Perth is a very nice city. 

Backpacker with people, some evenings we go to discuss the Billabong around a brick Goon. The Goon is the bad Australian wine which contains egg and fish, disquieting! 

Sometimes we go out to the bars of the city. Perth at night becomes English, with its gangs poufs very short dresses, snugger and very high-heeled shoes. These girls have a very particular way of dancing that goes well with the outfit. It makes me laugh. At the end of the boxes there was tension and rather violent people, bourees girls scream like calves. The good side bars Perth is that it easily met nice people, the evenings often begins with a small group of very good live rock and the music is really whatever the style.

L'Argentine

              MENDOZA THE WINE ROAD BIKE 

Mendoza is the wine capital of Argentina at the foot of the Andes and the Chilean border. It is here Abebooks web find for the first time Argentina ... 

Mendoza in the foothills of the Andes 

To make us Mendoza, we cross the Andes The road is very curvy and along an old railway line. We spend several completely abandoned villages, remnants of the era or the railway line was still working. We pass the border in an ice shed several thousand meters altidude. The scenery is beautiful. Finally, it is Francois who told me, I slept the whole way. Proceed to the foot Aconcagua, the highest summit of America 6962 meters. 

After noon bus, we arrived in Mendoza. What marks us as arriving in Argentina, is that people do not look at all South American. We might as well be in Spain. And also, what there was as beautiful girls here!

                                                                                    

             

At the heart of the wine region 

The day after our arrival, we take the bus to visit the wine cellars. Indeed, the region of Mendoza is the first wine area of Argentina, deemed for its Malbecs. Once there, we rent bicycles to tour the wineries. Do not drink and drive! We only know by much wine, but we appreciate. You need a heat burst and after a few drinks, we feel overjoyed. The last winery that we visited is run by a French couple who are in love tombs of Mendoza and began producing wine without knowing anything about it, with the help of a French winemaker. 

The same evening, we take a night bus to Cordoba, or Francois will settle for a month to learn Spanish.