Wednesday, February 6 – transit from Puerto Varas to Santiago

I flew today from Puerto Montt to Santiago. Puerto Montt is about a 20 minute drive from Puerto Varas. To get to the airport I ended up booking a ride through my B&B. That was probably a mistake. The cost was $30! I should have done more research on something like a shared minibus service. Likely would have been half the price. The cheap me is mad at the lazy me!

Although it was only a 90 minute flight, I went again with the upgrade to an exit row seat with early boarding. The price went up this time though to $10! And it turned out that the flight was only about 3/4 full, so I could have gone without the upgrade. Another wasted expenditure!! This day is not going well!

Flying into Santiago it seemed pretty hazy. I was wondering if it was smog, or maybe some dust in the air? Sadly, it turns out it’s the former. I did a little research and discovered that the air quality in Santiago is the third worst of major cities in the Americas. Lima, Peru is the worst, followed by La Paz, Bolivia (my next stop, great!). Cudos though to the baggage handlers at Santiago airport. My bag was waiting for me by the time I exited the plane, made a bathroom break and reached baggage claim. Nice! (Good luck with that happening in Houston!)

I haven’t talked about safety in a while mainly because it hasn’t been an issue. Since Buenos Aires, I’ve solely been visiting small tourist towns where crime hasn’t been a concern. Well, that changes with Santiago. I noticed signs in the baggage claim area warning travelers to book their airport transport using the the vendors within the baggage claim area, and to not use taxis waiting outside the arrivals area. I read about this problem as well. It involves a scam of overinflating fares to the city (even when meters are used). So, following that advice, I was able to book a shared minibus transport to my hotel for $11 (as opposed to $30 for a taxi). My cheap self is starting to cheer up a little!

Upon arrival at the hotel, I was pleasantly surprised. A nice place, including a good size room with a little kitchenette, a small indoor pool, and fast internet. All for only $59/night, including breakfast! The cheap me is ecstatic!

I spent the rest of the day going for a swim, working on my journal, and watching a movie.

Sidenote 1: All of the places I’ve stayed so far have been 100% smoke-free accommodations, which is both surprising and awesome!

Sidenote 2: I’ve watched a little TV on the trip. Mainly the NFL playoffs and some stuff online, when the internet speed permits (which isn’t very often). I discovered though that I still have online access to HBO and Showtime, even though I cancelled my cable when I left Madison on January 9th. So, with the excellent internet service at this hotel, I took advantage and streamed a movie offered on Showtime, Den of Thieves. Wasn’t too bad.

Sidenote 3: It was 4 weeks ago today that I departed Madison. It’s been a busy month, but I still have 7 weeks to go! I have gotten a little homesick though, so thanks again to everyone for their comments. It’s nice to hear from you!

Tomorrow my exploration of Santiago begins!