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Day61-R&R in Puerto Arenas, Sat, Feb 26, 2011

It’s cheaper to spend another night in Punta Arenas then a weekend in Puerto Natales!

Start & Stop:  Puerto Arenas, Chile

Mileage:  0 miles

Hotel: Hostal Terrasur, O’Higgins 723, Punta Arenas

Fuel: $697 Chilean Peso /l liter ($1.46 USD/1 liter) or $5.51 USD per gal!

Currency Exchange: $1 USD = $476.51 Chilean Peso

Weather:  Overcast, cloudy, light showers!

Dean: In Lisa’s on-line attempts to research a hotel in Puerto Natales, she finds it very expensive over the weekend.  So we decided to spend another night (Saturday) at the Hostal Terrasur, Punta Arenas and ride Sunday to Puerto Natales.  She finds and reserves on-line a hostel near the ferry station.

Lisa: I’ve been running with only half of one mirror since Bolivia a nd since I am running sweep for Dean, it’s been challenging.  Well, the manager of our little hotel was quite distressed by my broken mirrors and nothing would do except that I take them off and bring them to a glass shop he recommended.  Francisco was insistent so off we went with the mirror housings 5 blocks to Solovidrio.  Interesting shop, it appears there isn’t anything they can’t do with glass.

The clerk told me to return at 12:30 and then changed it to 1pm and Dean and I left to walk around town. We stopped at the grocery store to pick up a few things and then back to the hostel to drop them off.  I then left for the glass shop at about 1:30.  As I rounded the corner, my heart sank as the building was completely locked up, security gates rolled down and sealed.  All I could think was that this was Saturday afternoon, they would be closed Sunday and now I don’t have even my little half mirror.  Nope, I have zero mirrors.  This is so not good.

I went into the pizza place next door to ask and they said the store would reopen later in the afternoon.  Whew, great news.  So over the next 3 hours, I went back there no less than 4 times.  Nothin’ doin’.  I asked Francisco if he knew anything about the store because this was no bueno.  Well, don’t ya know, Francisco kicked it into high gear.  Here is a guy who knows how to get things done.  After about an hour on the phone, he located the owner of the shop who would meet us there Sunday morning. Hallelujah!

Dean: The last couple weeks our route has taken us through the following sequence — Boliva, Chile, Argentina, Chile, Argentina, Chile.  I have not been good at exchanging moola at the borders.  The rates are poor and you have to double check everything the money changers do.  So I keep wads of moola in baggies, pockets, and tankbags.  So I go to my baggie of Chilean moola and stuff my wallet.  Tonight we went out to dinner at another restaurant that Francisco recommended.  His first was golden!  This was a good second.  Lisa had hake fish and I had a rare steak.  It was my turn to pay.  The total was $19,000 Chilean peso ($39.86 USD) so I whipped out my wallet and pulled out a $20,000.  Lisa added $2,000 for a tip.  We got up and left.  Halfway down the block, our waiter comes running after us.  It seems I gave him a $20,000 Colombian peso bill ($10.53 USD).  I wanted to crawl down a hole!  And all I had in my wallet was one $1000 Chilean peso and more Colombian moola.  Rats!  Lisa had to pay with her credit card.  (You guys should try this.  It works every time!)

I must look pretty ratty. Teenage girls want to take their photos with me.

After 2 months on the road, time for a cleanup. This unisex hair cutter wasn't quite sure what to do with me.

I got a buzz cut and most of my beard & mustache cleaned up. I look civilized again! Hopefully I wont scare little girls anymore.

During one of our walks to see if the glass store was open, we walked over to the town plaza.  I must be looking pretty ratty because every group of teenage girls would laugh and giggle and point at me.  One group of three even asked to have their photo taken with me.

Maybe it time to clean up!!  In our walks around Punta Arenas, we pass a hair cutting place.  OK lets do it.

2 comments to Day61-R&R in Puerto Arenas, Sat, Feb 26, 2011

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