Vagabonding

After Punta Arenas, I took a relatively short 4-hour bus ride to Puerto Natales, the gateway to Torres del Paine.  As we were traveling, the flat plains the characterized Punta Arenas gave way to mountainous regions as we approached Puerto Natales--the gateway to Torres Del Paine. As usual, I dragged my giant duffle bag from the bus station, checked into my hostel, and explored the town.  I came across a boat yard . . . Although there was a sign outside of the boatyard prohibiting unauthorized entry, I entered anyway.  I walked as far as I could, and tried to walk past the guardhouse as if I belonged, but as I was walking by, the guard yelled "hey amigo."  I was caught.  He said something in Spanish, and I assumed he was asking me if I had a boat.  I just said "no."  He yelled back something that I could only surmise as saying that I cannot enter then.  I just made a sad face, put my head down, turned around, and did an ahh shuc...

So, even after all of the failures that I have experienced with Uber, I scheduled an Uber to take me from my hostel to the airport in the morning.  Why?  I do not know.  I guess I refused to believe that Uber was that inept in Chile.  When I scheduled, the Uber driver was one minute away, and he actually pulled up in 30 seconds.  I was elated.  But while I started to get into his car, he proceeded to tell me that he could not take me to the airport, because Uber drivers are banned from the airport.  I asked him in Spanglish if he could drop me off in the parking lot near the airport (like a previous Uber driver had done), and he said no way.  I asked him why he accepted my Uber request, knowing that he couldn't take me to the airport.  No answer.  Uber in Chile remains a complete mystery to me.   So again, I ended up taking a yellow cab to the airport for a few more bucks.  I flew from Santiago to Punta Ar...

Geographically, Chile is the Victoria's Secret model of countries, and having started with the top half, I was now going to finish with the bottom half, but before doing so, I had to stop at the navel for a bit.  Translation: La Serena was my last stop in Northern Chile, and my sights were now on Southern Chile (and specifically, the Lake District and Patagonia), with a quick 2-day stop in Santiago to take a breather.  I took a relatively quick 5 hour bus ride from La Serena to Santiago, and attempted to Uber over to my hostel 5 miles away.  But, Uber cannot deliver in Chile.  I have never had a good experience here with Uber.  Like always, I check my Uber application to see where the driver is in relation to me.  And without fail, I see the driver doing circles around me.  3 minutes away, then 6 minutes away, then 4 minutes away, then 8 minutes away . . . I end up talking to my phone, "where are you going your f-----in id...