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Tuesday, 02.04.2002: Salto del Laja - Santiago
We had breakfast at 7am and watched the sunrise over the waterfall. Famoo stole our penguin from the cab so Prue dashed over and started driving the truck towards the waterfall until they gave us back the penguin!
We had a great lunch stop at the Hacienda del Linguas - a famous vineyard. While the cooks prepared the food, some of us watched a gaucho practising with a beautiful horse. Afterwards we took a final group photo.
Lunch at the famous Hacienda del Linguas vineyard
In Santiago we lose 13 people from the truck and gain 9 new ones. So we actually have 4 free spaces on the truck for 2 weeks, up to La Paz in Bolivia where we pick up 3 more.
We got to the Hotel España at 5pm after a last truck dance and one more "It´s a beautiful day!". We had a last official group meal at the Chocolate por Agra restaurant. Prue did a little speech about everyone on the trip.
Prue's speech about everyone on the trip
Wednesday, 03.04.2002: Santiago
We all - including the Famoo group - went on a city tour this morning. We had a really nice guide and went passed various old buildings. We stopped at the English racetrack and had a closer look at the beautiful horses doing their morning exercises. Afterwards we had another stop at the President Palace, went up to the Bella vista viewpoint and bought some earrings, rings etc. at a Lapizlazuli place.
Santiago city tour
Needed the free afternoon for washing our clothes and internet and met up with the others for the pre-departure meeting at 7pm. All the ones leaving in Santiago joined the meeting too and together with the new ones we all went to a Chinese restaurant for a nice dinner.
Thursday, 04.04.2002: Santiago
A free day for everyone. We did another little sightseeing tour around Santiago - not our favourite city, not very clean, crowded streets, a funny system of shops - one pedestrian area devoted to shoe shops! and no real cafes to sit down in.
We took the cable car up the city hill with the big statue of Maria and had a great view onto the city.
We sorted all our stuff out later in the afternoon and joined a few others for dinner at a great Indian restaurant.
Friday, 05.04.2002: Santiago - La Serena
There was a tearful goodbye as we drove off from Santiago heading north and it got cold very quickly as we got out of the city on the Panamerican highway.
Saying goodbye
We were trying to get Tim and Andy to use the microphone at the front. Andy actually sang "You are my sunshine" to the cab! Then it started raining!
We stopped at a beach resort campsite at the beautiful resort towns of La Serena for our first night. Kirsten, Helen and Richard (just got engaged to Vicky before their trip and haven't told anyone yet!) were on cooking. We managed to impress with a coq au vin, mashed potato - which we hadn't had for weeks, and apple, raisin and cinnamon pancakes with whipped cream and maple syrup!!! Beat that!
At 1-30am we got woken up by the Famoo truck, which had just arrived and were setting up their tents right next to ours. They had left Santiago half a day later then us because they had to wait for the truck to get out of the garage.
