Wandering Chilludo: Valpo

After a quick, 3 day stop in the sleepy Puerto Montt(which included a day trip to see Penguins in Chiloe), we headed to Valparaiso to meet Jess' Aunt and cousin who live in Texas. I'll confess that I didn't really put much research into this part of our trip because Patagonia was the main focus of my trip.

From our hostel bedroom.

What was intended to be a 4 night stay in Valparaiso at Luna Sonrisa Hostel, turned into a relaxing 10 nights We immediately fell in the love with the vibe/art/food/culture that reminded me a lot of San Francisco. Turns out they have been connected in history since the Americas began exporting. Before the Panama Canal, Valparaiso was a stopping Port before wrapping around the tip of South America. They also experienced devastating earthquakes in 1906 and again in the 80s, like San Francisco. With impressive wine country to the South in Casablanca and beaches that resemble Southern Cal in Vina Del Mar, this city has it all.

Some Valpo street art.

Jess' family kept us busy the first four days, which lead us to stay another week so we could explore with Billy, who arrived on the 6th. The long stay was much needed because all the hostel hopping we did in Patagonia definitely paid a toll on our bodies and it was nice to stay in one place. Another benefit of staying at the hostel was the staff, which is made up of Americans. One who is friends with Jess' cousin. Originally from Massachusetts, she fell in love with the city when studying abroad several years back. Having someone to show you around is clearly the best way to explore a new city and Julia was excited to show us everything the area had to offer.

Now that we're a month into our journey, we're a bit more comfortable on the road and getting around. That being said, there's still a little anxiety when you get on a bus/plane/taxi, having no idea about where you're headed. Once you get to your destination, that all fades and you start to conquer another unknown. While climbing on rocks at the beach I kept thinking of Yvon Chouinard and how he says, "Conquerors of the Useless". It's not to take away from what we're accomplishing here, but it's a reminder that it's all been done before. As humans we're prone to Fear of the Unknown, but there's no greater feeling or high than conquering that fear.