Just got back from a long weekend in Pucon, a touristy spot about 10 hours south of Santiago. It was the first of two trips hosted by my exchange program. Twenty four of us went, including Patricio, the program director.
We got rained on most of the weekend, with only a few minutes of scattered sunshine. We couldn't climb the volcano--the most popular activity--but we had a great time nonetheless. We went rafting, as you see here in the picture. That was definitely the coolest thing. I had never been before, but now I could do it every day for the rest of my life. The picture above is one of many taken by a professional photographer throughout the day. We were separated into three groups, each one accompanied by a professional guide. We hit some huge rapids. One was so big we had to get out of the raft and let it float empty while we walked down to calmer waters.
Pucon is stuffed with volcanoes, most of them active but few of them about to blow. We couldn't climb any with the rough weather, but we did spend a few hours in hot springs. I don't really understand hot springs, but they're natural hot tubs at the base of a volcano which, I think, are heated by lava and magma flowing underground. Very relaxing...and very hot!
The other cool new thing I did was ziplining. We drove to a nearby forest to this sort of ziplining park. Once strapped in, we did about 12 different zips, from all different lengths and heights, ending back where we started. I zipped over rivers and rocks from over a hundred feet up--scary stuff, and not for those who don't like heights.
At night it poured. We had wild parties both Friday and Saturday night (we invited our ziplining tour guides to party with us on Saturday night and they ended up joining). We slept in these beautiful cabins with full kitchens, master baths and big beds--a luxury stay.
From what I've heard, the South is the loveliest part of Chile. You get the best weather in the summer, but it's also packed with tourists, and there aren't many places to stay. In the winter it just rains. If you manage to get a couple nice days, though, they say the landscape is even prettier, as everything is green and lush. I hope to explore the south more if I get some time. Pucon, ten hours to the south, is just the beginning. You could ride a bus for another 24 hours and still not even make it to Punto Arenas, which is the last hospitable region of Chile before all turns to ice.
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