Day 1 - Life's Little Luxuries

[karohemd]

I have arrived safely and intact at the Sheraton in Santiago de Chile and so has my luggage!
It's been a hard time from Wednesday at 4:30am to now (17:50 Santiago time, so 20:50 UK time?) but I'm feeling not too horrible despite the uncomfy seats in the Lufthansa plane (note to self: don't ever fly LH again but I couldn't help it). After I got to the Hotel and checked into my room, I had a long shower (lovely powerful shower with a big head) and then just couldn't face going out on the city tour anymore. It's quite warm here (guide said 27) but thankfully not as hot as it should be around this time of year (30+), which was another reason why I didn' go. I'll go out and shop a bit for stuff like snacks and water for the journey tomorrow, might have dinner in town or just indulge myself and get room service.

Mentioning room service, I'm typing this on my laptop from my room. The connection costs extra but I don't care, I want to use it while I can and a fiver for 6 hours isn't that bad. This also means that before 11 tonight (my time) there will be a short photo preview on flickr (see links collection at the top of my LJ). It's an early start tomorrow (bus to airport leaves at 8 so I need to have packed and had breakfast before) so I'll turn in early and hopefully get some sleep (my room is facing a major ring road) but at least I can lie down unlike last night.

Things on the schedule tomorrow:
Flight to Punta Arenas
Visit a colony of Magellanic Penguins
Board the ship, check in and set sail or whatever it's called.

Now it's time to go outside for a bit and find out where breakfast is tomorrow morning (also need to set redundant alarm again). More later and I'll update vox then, too.

Comments

[sublevel3.livejournal.com]

Wow! There already? How does Chile seem to be now?

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

Flying over it, rather barren as you come in from the Andes (awesome formations, though) so completely unlike Brasil which looked rather green and lush from above.
Santiago is ... very South American, as you'd expect. Many of the stereotypes are true. I'm a bit deaf after walking along a rather busy street but the looks of many of the women make up for the pain. ;o)
The sight of a group of construction workers siesta-ing on the central reservation has to be the best thing ever. To bad I was on a bus and the photo came out a bit blurry but you get the idea.
I'd love to be able to spend a few days here and explore but that's the way this trip works...

Tomorrow I'll see the wild lands of the deep South with a trip through the Pampa towards a rocky bay which hosts a penguin colony. I'm not at all excited, no. ;o)