Hi Val here, well we have had a very busy day as we only have one full day in Santiago we thought we had better see as much as possible. We walked from our hotel into the centre which took about 45 minutes. We were accompanied by a black dog who stayed close by our sides stopped when we stopped sat down when we sat down etc. We eventually escaped from our new friend when we got into the centre, by this time it was starting to rain and it looked quite overcast. I was wearing a thin cotton blouse and stareted feeling quite chilly. Evidently this weather was totally unexpected and even took the locals by surprise. To cut a long story short, we looked around the cathedral which was quite light, bright and airy compared to many. We had a good tour of the Museum of Pre Columbian Art which was interesting. Then we visited the Mercado Central. We were accosted before we even got inside by people trying to guide us to their restaurants in the centre of the building. We weren´t particularly hungry at that point and didnt like being put under pressure. So we escaped and, after some deliberation, decided to find our way up to Las Condes where I had read there was an area called Pueblito de Los Dominicos where there were a collection of shops selling artisanea, locally produced crafts. We got a taxi there from the centre, by this time I really felt cold as there were intermittent showers. We asked if there was a restaurant there and one of the shop owners told us which he preferred. We had super empanadas ( Jim and Donna if you are reading this they reminded me of our visits to El Gaucho on Simon Bolivar....yummy) we also had salads and drinks it was reasonably priced and delicious. After we explored all the craft shops and would have bought loads if we could think how we might carry home bulky things like pottery, musical instruments and woolly jumpers! We managed to get a bus back and ended up not paying. We found a bus that came this way but when we got on it, the driver wanted to see our pass. We didnt have one so eventually he said sit down as if he was cheesed off to be dealing with more gringos who had no idea how to get about the city. We did as we were told and were dropped off near the hotel. We have just been for our free supper....very bizarre, first they asked what we wanted to drink, I said vino tinto, waiter said good choice then appeared with a bottle of white wine. We said nothing, then without a word they brought us 3 courses, never telling us before hand what we were getting or asking us did we want it. Being people who are easily pleased we accepted each course as it appeared and were just a little bemused wondering what was coming next. Anyway we were the only people in the restaurant so we think we were given the meal in the hope that others would see us and be tempted to cross the threshold. Tomorrow should be very different when we board the Amsterdam. We have booked a taxi to take us to the bus station tomorrow morning, from there it takes over an hour to get to Valparaiso. Just off now for a walk before bed, need to walk off the meat loaf we were given as our second course.

Hotel Providencia, Saturday 28 Feb: Bill. At 0620 this morning just as Val was getting some more water from the fridge a typed message slowly came under the door behind her. Somewhat spooked by this, we read that "your reservation includes a complimentary diner every night during your staying. Our chef has prepared a delicious menu, accompanied with the excellent service of our waiters." Needless to say, we were unaware of this "upgrading" as we were to get this "Junior Suite" innstead of a "Double". I´ll have to speak to the friendly receptionist whom the friends we´ve made here from Inverness were busy instructing - in their perfect Spanish - on the history of the composition of the Union Jack, when we arrived. We actually went out to eat last night - after another complimentary Pisco Sour and Escudo lager - and walked up to the Metropolitan Park ski-lift (teleferico) and back. After one aerial adventure coming over the Andes, Val wasn´t keen to try another in the fast fading light. We did as Duncan suggested again - and found a Peruvian restaurant nearby - Peru Mucho Gusto - and really enjoyed - for the first time in decades (since Mexico days) - a real ceviche - raw fish "cooked" in lime juice with chilli and corriander sauce accompanied by baked Yam and salad. Also discovered a rare and wonderful brew called Kunstmann from Valdevivia. We were too ambitious in asking for a main course too - after the ceviche. Val had a spendid concoction of prawns in a creamy pink seafood sauce and I went thoroughly native and had grilled "vacuna con platano" - I suppose we´d translate as "Bananallama"! It was all delightful and we recalled the mid-90´s when I first brought Duncan here on a one-way ticket. (More of that later!) Well - we were sorry to have so offended our resident chef here by not eating the delicious meal he would have prepared for us. We´ll give him a whirl tonight and save ourselves eating out expenses - once I make sure they havn´t confused our reservation with someone else´s!

Bill. A bit dismayed that our supposed direct flight from Barcelona to Santiago only went to Madrid where we had to change planes and didn´t have seats next to one another. However a kind lad swapped his aisle seat for my centre mid-row seat so we slept together - well tried to! Feel thoroughly refreshed now in this good hotel after a bath, sleep and meal. Duncan tells us that a pint of Escudo is a good drink here!

Santiago

Val 27.2.09

We are here!!!!! After travelling for the last 24 hours, 2 taxi rides and 3 flights we are at the Hotel Providencia, Santiago. We cant get into our room yet so are here in reception waiting patiently dying to have a shower and a siesta before we go out exploring.

Didnt get much sleep, was fabulous flying over the Andes, glad I was awake to see that. Hotel seems fine very inviting swimming pool will try out later.

Will write more later this keyboard has no visible letters so I am relying on memory, wish I could touch type!

Take care, V

Today's the day! Is packing the worst part of a holiday? In the post 911 era, it has become so! There's 16kg in one suitcase and 24kg in the other - we have to get under 22kg in both in order not to get fined! Don't forget to put all your toiletries in the hold baggage! Might as well not bother with a belt and wear slip-off shoes today. That alarm clock with the i-pod in the hand luggage is going to look suspicious!

Then there's leaving the house as if it's just been for a full valet service. The fridge is as clean as it was when new! Cleaner! - when we bought it, anti-bacterial surface cleaner wasn't even heard of! And the meals you have to eat to finish all the food that goig to go out-of-date before you get back! My last meal was salmon fishcake and beans and scrambled egg and lettuce and chorizo!

Thank goodness there's no snow and flights from Leeds-Bradford all seem to be running on time!

23 Feb - 3 days to go. Just discovered that we never received our electronic tickets from Iberia for the Barcelona to Santiago and Rio to Barcelona flights. And here's me thinking we only needed the reservation number to check in - just like Jet2, Ryanair etc. flights! I only noticed this because Val had insisted we photocopy just about everything and leave it for Abi - just in case they get stolen or something. Anyway - no problem - Iberia reckoned they'd emailed them on 7 Dec but sent them again. I wouldn't have fancied arriving at Iberia's check-in at Barcelona Airport (Prat de Llobregat) without them. Who'd have been the Prat then? Having had 3 years of getting nowhere with Spanish bureaucracy in the form of the Catastro (Spain's version of the Council Tax Dept - but actually the current earthly representation of Charles Dickens' satirical Circumlocution Office) I wouldn't have fancied our chances of getting any further South.

It has been 28 - 30°C for the past week in Santiago. Nice! We're booked in for 2 nights into the Providencia Hotel in the city before taking the bus down to where we join the MS Amsterdam at Valparaiso. As Val keeps pointing out, we then keep going South - into the glaciers and icebergs - for 2000 miles. I hope the weather at least remains as calm (no hints of roaring 40s, frantic 50s and screaming 60s) as when I last visited with Mike Akester, as we head down towards the Horn. I thought then - in the early-nineties - that of all the fishery-related places I'd visited and would have liked to go back to - with Val - Chile would be it. It was a December (equivalent to June here) when I visited Mike, Malena and Hazel's (Savka not born yet) then-home in Coyhaique. On my second night there, it snowed! - and we had to take a boat 2 hours down a river to Isla Leones and Puerto Raul Marin Balmaceda - where I was doing a fish quality workshop for the employees of the muscle processing factory there. I'd only brought Summer clothes and was so cold on the ferry, I had to don my Grimsby Town FC beanie and put the Captain's poor little Jack Russell (who was as cold as me) inside my anorak to keep us both warm.

I only saw the fjords, islands, glaciers and Paine Towers from the 'plane on the flight to Punta Arenas (to do another workshop this time with crab and whelk processors!) - but they're breathtaking! What they must be like close up! OooooH - don't get too excited. Remember we're English!

Sunday Feb.22nd

I don't want to bore everyone to death with this blog so please feel free to skip swathes of it as you please. Apart from anything else I want to keep a record for my own reference in the future. We have visited so many places and I have forgotten most of the place names, the people we have met and what we did. This time I want to remember it all. Ever since we lived in Mexico many years ago we have talked about exploring South America. I never considered a cruise, Bill decided upon this, to my surprise. No doubt this blog will be full of my banal observations. If ever you read anything vaguely intellectual re geography, history, science, the environment..... you can guarantee Bill will have done that bit. I'm not sure how easy or difficult it will be to access internet facilities but it is supposed to be possible on board ship. This might be the first and last entry! Who knows? Having not done this sort of thing before it could all very well go pear shaped.

Well here we are 4 days before we set off on our big holiday. On Thursday we fly to Barcelona and from there we get the connection to Santiago, Chile. The flight to Chile is 16 hours so I'm really not looking forward to that. Once we are there we have 2 nights in Santiago before boarding the ship in Valparaiso. We have booked a hotel in Santiago so let's hope it will be OK.

I have no idea what to pack. So far I have put in my case enough clothes for every conceivable occasion. The problem is I don't know how formal or informal people will be. I keep saying to Bill things like....you can't possibly take those shorts they are worn and stained etc etc. Then when I have either replaced them, washed them or stitched them he decides maybe he shouldn't take any shorts as he might get too sun burned as the ozone layer is thin around there! And so we go on.

Usually when we go to Vejer we can take any old stuff as it is all very laid back there and also we keep some clothes in the house; this is a very different kettle of fish. The other major factor is the climate, at some points we will be in warm places and in others it will be considerably cooler. What is a girl to do? Go for the layered look I suppose, I shall put my swim suit under my thermals, then add a T shirt, fleece and rain jacket, that should stand me in good stead for starters.

My main concern has always been sea sickness. People who have been on cruises in other places have nearly all said they were sea sick at some stage. My only memory of being really ill was crossing the Bay of Biscay some years ago and it was horrible. I was begging to be air lifted off at one point! I am armed with tablets, a wrist band and a bag full of crystallised ginger. My cousin told me green apples and dry crackers work a treat but I can't really pack those as well .

Better get back to the packing, still trying to work out how to use the camcorder I got for my birthday. Got to go to work tomorrow and Tuesday, Wednesday is going to be mega hectic with last minute arrangements. Hasta la vista, Val