Up: Lot's of people in the hostel=fun socializing and guiding.
Down: Grandma is in the hospital. Mom is delaying (possibly canceling) her visit.
Up: Giants are in the playoffs! And Rael is going to Atlanta to see them!
Down: Almost cried at the bus station today.
Up: Free kayaking and hot springs.
Down: Giants just lost.
Itinerary for Mom's potential visit is slightly different from previous post. But we are waiting on news from doctors before proceeding with the planning. In the meantime, there are some folks at Paradise. I took a group of 5 to Ojos del Caburgua yesterday (my 3rd time), after convincing all of them to climb the volcano and do the hot springs today. They included a British couple, a Dutch woman, an Irish woman, and a Dutch guy. A Brazilian couple was horse-back riding at the time. There were also 2 German girls that left yesterday. Originally, I was thinking of going with the Brazilians, but when I told the rest of the folks about the waterfalls I knew they wouldn't see the good side (3 waterfalls) without me to guide them across the river. And I'm hoping to do horses with Mom.
That's me up there in the corner!
Last night I set folks up with equipment, then set up as much of breakfast as I could so it would be easier to serve all 7 before they had to leave for the volcano at 7.
It was gorgeous out and I was up early, so I wanted to take advantage of one of my last days here. I found a nature reserve in my guidebook that I could take a public bus to. I was told that I had missed the 9:30 bus and to come back at 10:30, when I was told that there had been a 10:00 but there was no 10:30 and I should wait for the 11:00. At 10:45 I was told that there had been a 10:30 bus on the other side of the wall where I was waiting, and that there wasn't an 11:00 and I should wait for the 12:00. I was so frustrated I almost cried. I didn't want to wait longer because I was in a sour mood and I didn't want to start my 9km hike too late in the afternoon, so I returned to Paradise defeated. However, I wanted to salvage the day. I went to the beach to rent a kayak, but there was no one there so I went to Aguaventure (the agency I first climbed the volcano with). When I inquired, they said (in Spanish with a French accent, which is one of my new favorite things) "You work at Paradise, right? Then it is free, so you will know the activity." Love getting the hookup.
I wheeled the kayak down the few blocks to the lake and took of. I paddled for 3 hours, around the peninsula that Pucón is at the base of. The whole way, I had marvelous views of the mountains, the volcano, and the brilliant blue sky reflected in the water. I found myself thinking of crew techniques. Even though kayaking uses arms and rowing uses legs, the physics are basically the same. Clean catch, finish square before feathering, pry boat past oar instead of moving oar through water. I got quite wet, but it was sunny enough that the splashes felt nice. I wish that I had been kayaking more during my months here.
I returned to Paradise a bit before all of the volcano folks returned, served them their celebratory cervezas, and changed for the hot springs. For my 3rd time to Los Pozones, I was prepared with a bottle of chicha (a Chilean, half-fermented, 8% alcoholic grape drink). Wonderful. Gloria drove us in the hostel's van around sunset, and we settled in to watch the stars come out.
We had a really great group, and we all thoroughly enjoyed each other's company and conversation. They all like me and think I should be getting commission for what I do here. I explained that the arrangement right now benefits everyone involved (me, Gloria/Leo, guests who come), and that I feel lucky to be here even without getting paid. But it is nice to get some validation and appreciation for the services I provide.
A few folks are going to Huerquehue tomorrow (which I went to with Locky and snow-shoes), but I think I'm going to try again for the nature reserve that I haven't been to.
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