We stepped out into a world with a lot more cars. Modern cars at that, on big roads. This was odd. Also, all the cars stopped for us, all the time, even when attempting to cross the mammoth roads at random points.
It was around midday, we were in Arica, Chile's northernmost town and land border to Peru. We were also not at outrageous altitude, in fact we were on the coast at no altitude at all. Everything was, to us at least, very new. And very odd.
Carrying our own little worlds on our backs, as usual, we staggered, in stifling heat, halfway across the town to our hostel.
Upon arrival we (ok, Bex) began in Spanish with our standard opening gambit: "Hello! We have a reservation. Booking.com. The name is Stuart".
The hostel owners response came back in a whole new language. Or it certainly seemed that way.
Back in Peru other travellers had constantly told us two things about Chile. Firstly, they speak a slightly different form or Spanish "quicker, miss bits off of words occasionally". No big deal we thought. Until now.
We hadn't got a word of it. We ended up being led to our room and left, sitting therein, feeling a bit confused.
This was very odd.
After another complete failure to communicate we left our things in our unlocked room (there was a conversation about the key; all smiles, no comprehension) and went of to find an ATM, some lunch and to generally nose around town.
The first thing we found was Basildon high street.
Well, you certainly could have mistaken it for that, or almost any British town, albeit on the hottest day of the English summer. There were leagues of phones shops, clothes shops, department stores and chain fast food outlets. The only one of these you'd really come across in Peru were the mobile phone shops.
And then there were the people.
Back in Peru, men always wore long trousers, most of the time jumpers and jackets (even in substantial heat). Hats are worn all seasons whereas sunglasses, we'd now just realised, hadn't existed. Women much the same, skirts below the knees, practical, all simple.
Here in Arica the western world has arrived, full force. But worse.
You know those fancy dress parties which were the rage a few years ago, where you'd go dressed as chavs? It was something like that. A parody of western fashion but no one was getting the joke. It was really odd.
We sat down outside a Weatherspoons (or so it certainly seemed) to eat, grab a beer and attempt to take stock of our new world.
Second thing we were told to prepare for; Chile was going to be a lot more expensive. We drank our beers reeeaaaalllly slowly before heading off in search of much cheaper food elsewhere.
This was going to take some getting used to.
Apt?
...Ditto
Attempt at a beach
Failed attempt at a mall (epic Casio action though!)
