Iquique, Chile

So we are officially beach bums. Spent yesterday and today, laying restlessly on the sandy beaches in Iquique… soaking up the sun. Chile is so different than Peru. Chile is beautiful… so warm. It was probably 30 degrees today. Absolutely amazing. But Chile is lacking in culture. I feel like I could just as easily be in Miami or at a resort town in Mexico or something. It doesn´t have the magic of Peru. It doesn´t feel like we are in another world…. It certainly has it´s charm, but after a few days, I´m ready to move on. We will go out tonight… apparently the clubs here are pretty amazing. (Everyone, including Savannah, went out last night to one, but I drank too much Chilean wine and was overtired from the traveling adventures from the day earlier, so I passed out early and missed out on the fun. Tonight, I´m going to pace myself so I can check out these clubs everyone´s talking about.) We are going to stay Saturday night as well, and then take off on Sunday. Tomorrow is surf lessons! I´m excited for that. Should be an experience. Surfing in Chile… pretty sweet thing to be doing on January 24th I figure. Sweeter than what you are all doing, I´m sure. Haha! Ok, sorry.

We have been absolutely diligent in making our meals, which has been great for our bank accounts. We walked down to the grocery store the first day we got here and bought all our stuff. Eggs and avocado for breakfast, a nectarine or grapes for a snack, ham and cheese sandwiches for lunch, pasta and veggies for dinner. And then beer for dessert. Life is good. Savannah is actually an awesome cook! I´m the designated dishwasher, which is totally a good deal… the food is so worth it.

We have met some people here. Everyone here just wants to party. There are 2 American brothers, Tim and Josh. 2 Aussie guys… Will and Ed. And then a couple from Canada! They actually both live in Edmonton right now, but are originally from BC. Ritzy and Gabriella. And… Ritzy (Kyle is his real name) used to live in Peace River and we actually both know Wil Cloake, this guy from Peace River I used to know when I danced up there! SUCH A SMALL WORLD, honestly.

The hostel is really nice. It is less than a block from the playa (beach), serves beer for cheap, has tonnes of tables for sitting and eating at, tables outside which are sooo great for drinking beer and chatting into the night and a TV room. Weirdest thing… the showers here. So like a public bathroom, there are bathroom stalls, complete with toilet, toilet paper dispenser (yes, there is TP here!) and then… a shower head! Just in the freakin stall. So you go in there and shower, standing in front of the toilet. It´s super weird. The toilet gets all wet from the shower and stuff. Just odd stuff. But hey, it works and I guess it saves space!

What else is there to say about Chile… I guess not much. Like I said, it just feels like we are at a resort town… which definitely has it´s charm, but not necessarily the most adventurous South American city I could imagine. Peru has stolen my heart thus far. We´ll see what Argentina has to offer. Will check in soon! Love to everyone back home.

P.S. My freckles are definitely starting to pop out!! Eeeeeee!!!! I intend to be more tanned than everyone when I get home!