Rocco

Any advice on Chile??? I leave the day after tomorrow (11/29) for a 14 night stay, going to Vina Del Mar, Santiago, Atacama Desert and Patagonia. I will see all extremes of Chile from the most arid desert in the world in Atacama to the glaciers and icebergs in Patagonia. Trip is pretty equally divided between Vina Del Mar/Santiago(5 Nights --running Vina Del Mar Marathon on 12/01), Atacama Desert (4 Nights) and Patagonia (Torres Del Paine and Punta Arenas) 5 Nights.<BR>Should see weather between the mid-30's farenheit in Patagonia for lows to the high 80's in the Atacama desert during the day.<BR>Looking forward to some incredible photographs to add to the ones I took in South Africa and Zimbabwe earlier this year.<BR>Anybody been there and have any advice (other than &quot;go to the other board&quot;, where I have been plenty over the last two months in putting this trip together)??? Fortunately my wife is fluent in Spanish and I can speak a little bit so that is not a concern. <BR>I believe Chile is about the safest country to visit in South America so that isn't a concern. Just looking for any last second advice by anyone that may have been there in the last couple years. Thanks.

Liz Frazier

Rocco-<BR>Have a nice trip, but I hope people do not take advantage of posting about other countries on this board. We have so few places to get Africa news and advice. We didn't care for South America. We'll miss your sage advice about Africa while you are gone. Liz

Rocco

Thanks Liz. Just throwing it out there in case anybody knew anything and partially because, in the back of my mind, I cannot help but second guess my decision, knowing that I could have returned to South Africa for about the same price.<BR>If my finances recover in time for a year that included South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mexico and Chile, then I would like nothing more than to return to South Africa in April. If I am so blessed, then I plan on a ten night stay in South Africa, with one night in Joburg, four nights at either Inyati, Vuyatela, Savanna or some other upscale but reasonable game reserve, five nights in Cape Town and a four night stopover in Amsterdam to lessen the arduous return flights to Los Angeles.<BR>But...for now, in my quest to visit all seven continents, I will try my best to put Africa far back in my mind and enjoy Chile. While I am sure it will be a beautiful country, it will be very hard to measure up to South Africa.

liz

I was in Chile in June this year and wished I had had more time there......loved it. When you get there you will wonder why you thought there would be anything other than a fantastic holiday destination.. Santiago with those high Andes just behind is a sight to behold and further south the country is even more beautiful. <BR>Everything about Chile was lovely, the food, the people and the wine. Enjoy!

Rocco

Thank you Liz. There are few places that REALLY interest me other than South Africa anymore but Chile was one of them.<BR>Besides Chile and Southern Africa, the only places that I plan on visiting anytime soon are New Zealand, Australia (mostly because it will be one of two missing continents after this trip), Tasmania, Antarctica (spectacular landscapes and the final continent) and a return trip to China, mostly for shopping.<BR>Unfortunately, with the current political happenings in the Middle East, although I haven't been there (other than Morocco and the European side of Turkey), I have little desire to go there even though my in-laws were born in Iran and would make excellent hosts (Christians from Iran). Too bad because I have read that Iran is actually a beautiful country.<BR>Other than my marathon, which will be VERY DIFFICULT (but I have told too many people and there is no backing out now), I am expecting a wonderful trip to Chile. I cannot believe that in Atacama at the Tatio Geysers that I will be at over 13,000' elevation and that there will STILL be mountains towering over me! I doubt my legs will recover in time from the marathon, but I would like nothing more than to do a little hiking that would take me above 15,000' sea level. For the very sake of my legs, I saved Patagonia for last, and I will not be in Patagonia until eight days after the marathon and should be fully recovered by then, knock on wood. Thanks for the affirmation on Chile!

Liz Frazier

Rocco-<BR>I worried all night that you might take my message wrong. Thank you for seeing it as I intended. Our dislike of South America was the realization (once we got there), was that for the same amount of money we could have been in Africa. Once we started thinking like that the whole trip was a waste. The country couldn't have pleased us as we found out that our hearts belonged to Africa. See how I turn every conversation to Africa? haha. Be safe. Liz