After shaking the dust of Puerto Natales from our heels - good place to stay for one night but not much more, as we learned the crazy and nasty side of our hostal owner - we flew to Puerto Montt, where we rented a great little Toyota Yaris , i.e. Echo, and headed for a farm hostal near Pucon, in the lake district, that a friend had recommended. After about a 4 hour drive, we arrived late to Kia Leufu, a farm turned hostal owned by a Mapuche Indian family. Fortunately, Phi, Kelly, and another student Corrie were there, and told us about the great stuff they offered. An included breakfast of homemade bread, jams, fruit, real coffee! A sweet american girl worked there and helped us set up all of our excursions. The first morning consisted of sleeping in! which we needed, then relaxing around the place, talking to other backpackers, and observing the farm life. HUGE cows, lots of sheep and poultry. The afternoon we went on a 4 hour horseback ride. Gorgeous horses, beautiful scenery. Didn't do much more than trot but it was nice to be back on a horse again!
That evening we squeezed in a thermal hot spring. As we were short on time, we went to one close to the farm, which was rather crowded, but we soaked out our soreness from the previous days and talked to some folks. We made it back in time for a magnificent and so cheap feast! Steak, I mean a huge cut of fresh steak, potato salad, beets, ceviche, bread, salad, and an apple postre for dessert. SO SO good. There were lots of interesting folks there, many americans, a couple brits, some germans. Good conversation. One older guy who works for a small county newspaper in Delaware and I had a good chat about our commonality in local papers!
The next day was our VOLCANO day! We packed up from the farm, and headed into Pucon, where we found our company with which we had been set up with via the hostel. We climbed Volcan Villarica, the same one we could see from Calafquen. It really was EXTREME. First an hour hike up the side of them mountain in volcanic gravel, then a 3-4 hour hike across and up ice fields in helmets, crampons (spikes clipped to the bottom of our boots), and ice axes. It really was intense, and not easy! Finally we got near the top and could take off the crampons, but now we were so close taht we were inhaling the sulfur. I know, not good, but it was not constant, and we held fleece over our nose and mouth to keep from breathing it. A few more steps, and we were at the top! And what did I see, but a huge ice sheet in there! Bearing some fierce winds, we creeped around the edge and . . . we saw it! Hot Lava! There was lots of dust, but we could see through to it splashing up, burping, erupting out of the ground! I can only best describe it, seriously, is it looked like a bright orange lava lamp, except much more agitated! The coolest was not over yet, as we slid down on our butts! Waterslide like luges had been carved out, and we slid down, using our ice picks to slow us. We slid for at least a km twice, then about half a km. Needless to say our rears were frozen, but it was really the coolest thing!
Dirty and dirty, we jumped in the car and headed for Puerto Varas, were we have been for the last 2 nights. Will fill in more in the a.m. This hostel has free internet, but you gotta share!
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