The Route to Santiago

Having met a fantastic family from Queens also living a life abroad for a year, leaving Mendoza was a little sad. On our last night in Mendoza (and in Argentina as well) we celebrated meeting one another and spent the evening together having dinner and ice cream.

The alarm clock woke us early. We were out to almost midnight and had to get up at 6:30. Thank goodness we had packed up most of our things before we had left to go out. We called for a taxi and actually had it all put out front before he arrived.

Our bus traveled the same route the High Andes Tour had taken us - so we were able to gauge our progress by the monuments we'd seen before. I was anxious to see the ruins of an Incan house where the runners for the tribe slept or changed shifts to deliver messages. I was all excited because we were on the second floor of the bus and I was sure that this time I would be able to see it over the edge of the canyon walls. Unfortunately, the only photo I got was blurry (the bus was flying) and the ruin disappeared into the canyon before I could get a better shot. The ruin is the blackish object to the right of the small stream. Fortunately, we are headed back to Cusco - land of the Incas - and there were be ruins galore in my future.

Once we arrived at the border, we were uncertain of the protocol. We'd made border crossing to Uruguay on an overnight bus which involved us handing our passports to the bus attendant and sleeping until he returned them to us. This was much more hands on. The bus company had prepared us by handing us 6 different forms to fill out before we arrived. While filling out the forms on the bus, I had checked the box about the fact we were carrying honey and some souvenirs.

We were asked to disembark the bus. Noone mentioned we needed to bring all of our bags (we left our lunch and our traveling thermal case with food inside) on the bus. We waited in line to have our passports stamped. The first line was to get stamped out of Argentina, the second line was to get stamped into Chile. The border agents worked behind the glass sitting side-by-side.

Then we crossed the other building where they took our claim forms. The customs officer noted we had honey and we told him it was on the bus. In this room, they had removed all of the baggage from the bottom of the bus and put it through a xray machine. They waited until our entire bus full of people were all in this room to ask who the bags they pulled from the the xray machine belonged to and had them empty their bags onto a table. I am, at this point, a nervous wreck - did we forget to claim anything? I'm sick at my stomach and woozy from the altitude. I can't think straight.

While all this was going on, a second customs officer had Mike return to the bus to retreive the jar of honey we had. When Mike got to the bus, the first customs officer was there and there was some problem with Mike handing it to the first officer, the second officer had to verify that he had given the jar to the first. Next thing we know, they are bringing the bag down anyway to be put through the xray machine.

Surprisingly (or not, if you ask Mike) nothing happened. He gave up the honey - and we crossed into Chile. I blew out a big sigh of relief when we returned to the bus and drove away from the border.

The trip down the other side of the Andes was breathtaking. A small 2 lane road with switchbacks took us most of the way down. Steep hills and hairpin turns (17 of them) took us down to the rest of the windy roads passing ski resorts on the way to Santiago. I'll tease you with a pic, but it really was more spectacular than the photos can relay.


We arrived in Santiago at 4:00. The city is smaller and more managable than Buenos Aires and Meghan and I are so thrilled to be back in the land of lucious seafood. Our apartment here is brand new and on the 19th floor. I'm not sure anyone has ever used the kitchen (we'll be breaking it in for them) I'm looking forward to exploring the city for a few days after a shower and a good night's sleep.

Happy New Year!