A most unusual day...
Well after only a few hours sleep on a itchy, sandy, bed (it was a cheap hostel in the very colonial part of Santiago) we traversed the dark morning streets to the police station. I could hardly believe the conversation we had with the chief the night before.
The armour wearing, European descendent cop, told us without an argument, that he would assign 2 young cops to climb the volcano with us.
The cop-shop was on the main square and they had a cell full, of pot heads, awaiting their bribes I suppose.
Naturally I had some reservations about traveling with police. The Dutch mountain climber I was going with insisted. He read the consulate reports, and after all the bad reports of hikers on those volcanoes, (I admit I had heard a few myself) we thought it prudent to ask.
The police were there in the morning awaiting us, drove us in the comfy truck to the base on the far side, drove as far up the volcano as they could actually.
Good exercise, great views, no trouble. My legs were shaking on the way down. We peaked about 3500 meters, I dont know what "lake level" is at...
The only thing that I would have liked differently is having to listen to the constant, scatter-chatter of police radio squawk, got to be a bit much.
But... even cops get robbed up on those mountains.
While we climbed one of the nearby volcanoes was erupting in faraway popcorn coughs. We later saw the ash plume.
After our lovely hike up, descending the other side, riding the roof of a little logging truck, the police called in and had us picked up, with a ride back into town.
It will go down on the count of rides I have had in cop vehicles where I wasnt arrested, I think the tally is still far too unbalanced...
On my way to the boat launch, I bought a baby squirrel... yes, it was an impulse buy.
But the salesman really knew what he was doing.
Alas, the little bugger didnt last long, "Too cute for this world..." as some have said.
I always love the boat rides around the lake, but then when I got home (to the house sit) with our adventurous couch surfers http://WorldOnaBike.com , I chipped my tooth on some freaking rock left in the lentil soup!
Thats almost as bad as having the best sex in ones life, finishing with a champagne enema and then finding out it was "Babyduck"...
L
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