Final Thoughts - Chile

I only spent 89 days in Chile on my second visit for this trip. I had a wonderful Christmas with Paul, Danni, Nati and Danni’s Dad. I also travelled to new parts of Chile and met the rest of Daniel’s family in Villa Alemana. I had some deep conversations with him and other members of his family, all of them at one time or another. I spent NYE in Vina del Mar and Valparaiso and saw a very different type of Chilean, than ones I had seen before. I really liked Vina, but had very little time for Valparaiso, as I thought it was run down and I felt people did not care about their surroundings. I guess that Vina is a little better as it is the more touristy section due to its beaches and number of restaurants and clubs. Travelling to visit friends in the south of Chile was good too. Spending time with Papi at the farm and then with Paul’s extended family in Lican Ray was great. Moving onto LA and spending time with Jess and her family again, gave me so many wonderful memories. My final week in Santiago was one of my toughest for my whole time in South America, trying to decide whether to leave Chile and South America in general or stay for a further 90 days. I am so torn about Chile. It is a place of contrasts, a place at times that I really love and at others a place I cannot understand. In some ways my decision to leave was made for me and one that I have not really regretted.