Making Friends & Meeting up On the Road

Sending Danny and Mary off at night as they head back to Santiago from their Valparaiso day trip I was a bit sad knowing I would be alone again and company in a country where I was a dumb mute was hard to come by. Going back to the hostel it was an early night and the first rest since nearly 2 weeks. Morning breakfast and I bump into the two friendly German Couple from Santiago walking tour. PeeWee and Bro. From across the living room while checking in they yelled HEY …. And I just had the dumbest Grin on my face.

I thought that the Santiago Walking Tour people was haunting me …..

Still I left them after breakfast since they went for the Valparaiso walking tour that I had already done. The little Lithuanian girl which was below my bunk was laughing her ass off seeing me wake up in the morning. I did not wake up till 1130 am and still was moody as well. It was my first good rest in weeks anyway and everyone was already out of the dorm.

What are you doing today?

Now if you have been a traveller long enough, this question shall not be asked simply especially to someone that genuinely look like he had no plans. This is because the question is also a kind of invitation to join in another’s persons plan. I had no plans and that’s what I told her … first try to wake up then breakfast then …. Sniff the wind

Well I am planning to …… bla bla bla

If the first question and answer may get one away from an uninvited invitation the second phrase I see it as open invitation. I jumped at it of course and thus made a new friend with a little Lithuanian girl name Vio.

That Monday was a holiday so although we walked to many places everything was close. The view point at #Funicular Accessor Palanco was amazing. Tucked at the far left corner high up in Valparaiso it gave the best view we ever saw from anywhere. Nothing much there other than the view and loads and loads of graffiti in every nook and corner. I bought the cheapest lunch I had in Chile for 600 peso a huge hotdog stuffed with things I do not dwell on. Best part to the view was there was a bench so we sat there had lunch a couple smokes and started heading back walking slowly through the non-touristy neighbourhood of Valparaiso.

View from Acessor Palanco

Violet was a craving seafood so we hunted for a seafood restaurant near the port. Things really close early in Chile but we saw a huge fish sign and a pirate hanging outside one shop. Going in I think we got cursed but we had no idea. Apparently the shop was close and we just walked in while the owners and friends was having a drinking session. They offered so many things for us to try while we were having dinner I was wondering if we should join their drinking session. 2 shots of Pisco sour, a shot of minty alcohol and another that I think tasted like plum whisky. The seafood was a bit pricy but fantastic.

Getting back to the hostel walking into the dorm a girl jumped Vio grabbed her and asked :

Do you remember me?

Girls with their squeals jumping and laughing and screaming. That’s when I met Dio.

Dio and Viol travelled together or at lease party together somewhere in South America but never manage to exchange contact so the chance coincidence of meeting someone you had fun with before by pure chance in the same hostel and the same dorm in fact was amazing as if the stars aligned themselves.

BBQ that night and it was like a nice cocktail party with churasso which is tiny hot dogs. Vino was poured freely with the hostel staff keeping tabs. We drank and smoke mingling with everyone in the hostel and talk of all the useless stuff everyone had experience before such as …

“I bought a AK-47 in Lithuania” – Dio

“I got to know my wife, fucked her, had a baby, got married and now I am saving up for a ring – in that order” - Santiago

“Anything can happen in South America” – Wink

Next day Dio left for the walking tour in the morning without Vio. Never make plans and arrangement when you are drinking …. Someone will probably get a wrong message or forgotten about it and that was what exactly happen. I was the grumpy boy again in the morning trying my best to wake up.

Checked out and now what …. I had a whole day in Valparaiso before the bus leave at 1130pm

Vio had some plans to visit some museum or something and I was dragged into it eventually since I manage to woken up. Halfway walking there I decided to detour and bring Violet to the slide I first saw on the first day. Along the way we saw a group which was the walking tour. Pausing I saw Dio and waved ….. and between me and Vio stole her away from the walking tour.

You falling asleep yet ??(From the walking tour)?? Just ditch and come with us …. We are going to a slide ….

Slide ???

Yea it was an awesome slide and we were kids again for a moment.

The Slide