Santiago, where the sun does shine...

Well I´ll catch up on the Wellington travels, first.
Boy did we do some walking that first day in Wellington, across town to the cable car and up to the Botanic gardens. Did a mosey down the gardens till we hit beehive. Across to the harbour and then to Te Papa, wished I had the pedometre on, would have walked a million steps rather than the 10,000 as they recommend. Was a beautiful day and a grand day for a walk.

Caught up with the Kennedy´s at Nikki´s for dinner ´- yay.
Haven´t seen the kids for such a long time. Great night to catch up with Pinky, Michelle and Nikki too.
Ta muchly Nikki for the yummi Chicken curry and Michelle for delicious desert:)

Thursday, I caught up with Beck, Nigel and Tim the designer for lunch at Moonsoon. Now it seems all I have been doing here in New Zealand is being spoilt, eating fine food and drinking. Not going to fit into my travelling clothes the way I´m going!!!
It was great to catch up with the CWA peoples if only for an hour.

Jude picked Jase and I up to head up the valley a little way to Tawa for an overnight stay with her, Shane and the kids, big kids now - Beverly and Dylan. Had one of the best pizza´s in a while, hell´s one.

And then it was the longest day - 11 Feb - started in Wellington and finished later that day in Santiago. Flew from Wellington to Auckland in the morning, and was a little excited that we were in business class, but found that our 1e and 1f seats were just normal class - drat!!
In Auckland decided to change our seats from middle section to window and isle and found that we have got ourselves an extra leg room seats - no that was a great - no seats in front folding down either... yay!! still not a lot of sleep but enough not to be exhausted on arrival.

Santiago, still has the arrival drama´s too many taxi and porters to mob you as soon as you walk out the customs. Somehow we got taken over by an official airport porter, who took us away from the hubbub of the arrivals to the departures and got us a taxi there. Not sure if this was the done thing but it was done. Gave US$3 now not sure if that was enough either, but eh what can he do.

Got to Bellavista through heaps of new road works. City hasn´t change just progressed. Hostel Bellavista is fantastic, we have a double room - looking from our window is the venicular and zoo. Early this morning heard the lions roaring....

So far in Santiago we have spent time getting familiar with the surrounds and wandering the centre of town. Our spanish is appalling and I have no idea if we are going to improve or not!!

Today the 12 got up way too late, was still a bit jet-lagged and then headed over to the 10 x 10 blocks of markets. Yup 10 x 10 blocks, in fact was probably more and boy oh boy there was the people around too to keep them all going. from clothing to accessories, shoes, flower and onto the fruit and meat sections.

This evening going to try our luck at a resturant with no sign but you have to ring the bell to get in ... that´s what the book says and so we will give it a go!

And so, better get on the girls are really impatient now

I´ll be incontact again, Bolivia or Peru in a few days...
HUGx´s to all