Sunday 26th of September, 2004
I'm not smuggling any fruit in the guitar
Up a lot later than yesterday, and a lot vaguer too. I write diary entries for the last three days, then shower and pack. Susi appears and begins to make breakfast, then Vinka arrives and we eat it.
General preparation until 15:00, when we leave to go to the bus station (sadly having to leave our sandwiches behind); then onto the bus. It sets off through the Chilean countryside, which I'm enthusiastically taking photos of, all the time acutely aware that if someone were as interested in snapping roadside trees in Oxfordshire, I'd think them slightly unbalanced at least.
There is a soundtrack of South American and 80s rock. Probably the last place I'd expect to hear Bon Jovi, though now I think about it, I have no justification for that prejudice.
The road leads up into the Andes, which are even pointier from below than from above. There's one famous road that winds up like a ribbon. Looking down, the view is especially impressive. On rocks along the road are written dates and names, presumably of people who miscalculated the hairpin bends. I realise that this bus journey is, statistically speaking, probably more dangerous than the Skyrider that I was too cowardly to ride on.
At the top we spend a long time (though not, apparantly as it can be) in customs. This is probably the most stringent customs I've ever been in, even tougher than Lubeck airport. Still, there's coffee and hot cheese rolls available. After the customs officers have identified that I'm not smuggling any fruit in the guitar we get back on the bus and are given very sweet coffee and a complimentary roll plus chocolate-biscuit-with-dulce-de-leche-in plus chocolate piece combo. The customer care on a bus across the Andes is, therefore, infinitely better than that of Ryanair. Just saying. Cheaper, too.
Leaving the customs shed, night has fallen, which makes the view less easy to gawp at. Instead we're given Spiderman II in Spanish (obviously). It never ceases to amaze me how unnecessary the dialogue in movies is.
At the other end we're collected by Andres and Mika and taken to the hotel and then we go to the Internet Cafe next door, which is where I am now. Again, (obviously).
Bed next, probably. Have to be ready by nine tomorrow.