After six weeks in Argentina, we finally left. The only two other countries that we stayed in for six weeks or more were India and China; unfortunately we did not enjoy Argentina nearly as much. Argentine Patagonia did have some awesome highlights, but it is really touristy and extremely expensive. Our last night kind of summed up our recent experiences: an overpriced hotel, an unscrupulous shopkeeper who ripped us off on internet and a box of apple juice.

I cannot say that our introduction to Chile has been all that positive either. Joylani was caught, detained, and reported by Chilean customs for failing to declare the lentils and raisins in her backpack. I’m sure she’ll post a bit about her smuggling activities, but she did say the customs people were polite and kind (most importantly, they didn’t fine us). She also forgot her passport at the border after the whole ordeal. Then, last night, I got another insect bite on my eyelid while I was sleeping (yes, that’s right, my second one in three months) and like in Busan, my eye swelled shut. Joylani also stepped in some tar, which seems to permanently stuck to her shoe. But the kind woman who owns the hospedaje we’re staying at tried to clean her shoe, kept us up late talking, and had a great breakfast ready for us this morning. And our bus driver volunteered to pick up Joylani’s passport and deliver it back to us. People here in Chile Chico, the border town, seem to be a lot more friendly than their Argentine counterparts in Los Antiguos. They greet you in shops and say hello on the street, while a handshake is not uncommon either.

Besides the kind people, Chile Chico is a great place. It’s a very atypical border town, as it lacks the seedy moneychangers and bus touts. Perhaps, that is partly because it is a few kilometers away from the border. It is on the edge of the enormous and unbelievably blue Lago General Carrera. A long stony beach runs the length of town and supposedly there’s good salmon fishing. Snow-capped mountain ranges provide a nice backdrop to the lake and town too. We definitely like Chile Chico- let’s hope it indicative of Chile as a whole.