Soy muy inferma
Feeling pretty sorry for myself at the moment, I´m as sick as a dog, and let me tell you there is a dog every ten paces around this continent(read: I am REALLY sick). Hot and cold sweats, aching joints with enough flem, snot and dribble to drown the one said dog.
My last day in El Calafate, Argentina, I started getting a ticklish throat, and then it just snow balled, the fog of cigarette smoke you exist in only exacerbates the situation.
I think I caught the flu from one of the people in the dorm I was sharing. That was an experience in itself. I was sharing with a pig of a man, who would bless his room mates when they opened the door with his fat arse in a pair of silky boxer shorts. I thought he did not understand english or my limited spanish when I initially tried to communicate with him, but it turns out he was a resident from turds-ville. When we finally did get a sentence from the ignoramus, my Sth African roomie nearly melted from embarrassment, he was an ex-pats of his!
With my flu, I carry my freakin´ heavy backpack to the bus terminal at 7:30am. I boarded the 4 hour bus ride to Peurto Natales, Chile (this does not including boarder checks). Once I arrived I set off to look for a bus that will take me further south, down to Punta Arenas. This town has the airport that will take me to Santiago, Chile. Luckily I find a bus that will leave in 1 hour, so I look for an ATM, stock up on jelly (comfort food) and wait patiently. The money/peso siutation is vastly different between Argentina and Chile. From $10´s to $1000´s. I feel like I am literally spending millions, lost in the conversion.
Once I board the bus I sleep for the duration. I truely must be a sight. I can´t breath through my nose, so I wake immersed in a big pool of dribble. Loco gringa!
Arriving in Punta Arenas I am accosted by touts trying to get suckers into their hostel. And in this case I was totally beguiled. All I was after was someone to take me to the hostel of choice and give me free internet. The things you want in moments of desperation.
This hostel is a hovel. Kids and animals everywhere, paper thin walls, dorms and bathrooms designed and stuck together as an afterthought. After the initial shock, I resign myself to the reality. I´m too sick to go looking for anything else, plus I will just be sleeping off this flu.
For days now I have been trying to facilitate the flight from Punta Arenas to Santiago, hence the reason for the trek down here. Some words of advice - never gripe about the service you get in Australia. Sth America are still in the Industrial ages.
A little over 12 hours from boarding my plane and I still have nothing confirmed. Turns out the credit card details I supplied are not working, so they have requested that I scan and email to them, but this only comes to light when I follow them up for a status. Thank goodness for my trusty travel companion - babel fish translator!
So here I sit in the internet cafe singing out loud songs from anAmerican boy band that blar out of the speakers. Its a nice change from my twisted flu induced dreams, but I´m not sure what the other patrons of the internet cafe think.
Perhaps you´ll hear from me in Santiago. Wish me luck on the first evening star!
My last day in El Calafate, Argentina, I started getting a ticklish throat, and then it just snow balled, the fog of cigarette smoke you exist in only exacerbates the situation.
I think I caught the flu from one of the people in the dorm I was sharing. That was an experience in itself. I was sharing with a pig of a man, who would bless his room mates when they opened the door with his fat arse in a pair of silky boxer shorts. I thought he did not understand english or my limited spanish when I initially tried to communicate with him, but it turns out he was a resident from turds-ville. When we finally did get a sentence from the ignoramus, my Sth African roomie nearly melted from embarrassment, he was an ex-pats of his!
With my flu, I carry my freakin´ heavy backpack to the bus terminal at 7:30am. I boarded the 4 hour bus ride to Peurto Natales, Chile (this does not including boarder checks). Once I arrived I set off to look for a bus that will take me further south, down to Punta Arenas. This town has the airport that will take me to Santiago, Chile. Luckily I find a bus that will leave in 1 hour, so I look for an ATM, stock up on jelly (comfort food) and wait patiently. The money/peso siutation is vastly different between Argentina and Chile. From $10´s to $1000´s. I feel like I am literally spending millions, lost in the conversion.
Once I board the bus I sleep for the duration. I truely must be a sight. I can´t breath through my nose, so I wake immersed in a big pool of dribble. Loco gringa!
Arriving in Punta Arenas I am accosted by touts trying to get suckers into their hostel. And in this case I was totally beguiled. All I was after was someone to take me to the hostel of choice and give me free internet. The things you want in moments of desperation.
This hostel is a hovel. Kids and animals everywhere, paper thin walls, dorms and bathrooms designed and stuck together as an afterthought. After the initial shock, I resign myself to the reality. I´m too sick to go looking for anything else, plus I will just be sleeping off this flu.
For days now I have been trying to facilitate the flight from Punta Arenas to Santiago, hence the reason for the trek down here. Some words of advice - never gripe about the service you get in Australia. Sth America are still in the Industrial ages.
A little over 12 hours from boarding my plane and I still have nothing confirmed. Turns out the credit card details I supplied are not working, so they have requested that I scan and email to them, but this only comes to light when I follow them up for a status. Thank goodness for my trusty travel companion - babel fish translator!
So here I sit in the internet cafe singing out loud songs from anAmerican boy band that blar out of the speakers. Its a nice change from my twisted flu induced dreams, but I´m not sure what the other patrons of the internet cafe think.
Perhaps you´ll hear from me in Santiago. Wish me luck on the first evening star!
posted by trudy.p at 10:18 am
3 Comments:
Trudy,
Love the blogs, especially about pig of a man room mate of yours.. must be a dreadful site. Hope your flu has gone away.
What made me really laugh though is the animals in the hotel. I dont know whats worse the pig of a man room mate of yours or a real pig squealing during the night? well hope u caught that flight to santiago.
Ciao
Michael Knight! ill be back on the trails soon! ill send ya pics of our old crew aye!
Oh Trudes you poor old chook!
Hope you are feeling better soon.
Lots' of hugs
Rachel
It's great keeping in touch with your adventures! You have a very natural writing style... as if you are right here recounting the stories.
Trading on,
Jeff
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