Pucon!

We arrived in Pucon early in the morning, tired and perhaps a little
cranky after a long bus ride.. but tensions were immediately eased
when we arrived at the second of our two favourite hostels of SA so
far(the other being that from which we had came, La Casa Roja in
Santiago!)although entirely different to its predecesor.

Staying in Hostel Wohlenberg struck me immediately as comparable to
staying with my great aunt Mary in Tipperary (she is, perhaps, among
the most hospitable of my relations) In a similar way to her, Eric and
Ellie (the owners of Hostel Wohlenberg who ,themselves, share the
living space of the guests) could not do enough for us during our
stay, in making us feel welcome, or in making us feel a part of their
family. We stayed in what was effectively a two bedroom apartment,
next door to Eric, Ellie and some other guests living area. We had our
own kitchen/tv room..complete with sweets left on the kitchen table
and embroidered toilet seat covers in the bathroom!! We shared with a
couple from Sydney (one originally from Germany the other originally
British) who were soon our very close friends. Similar to our Mendoza
Christmas experience, New Years in Pucon was a time spent with people
who became friends we are sure we will see again.

We spent our first day with the usual 'upon arrival
planning'/atm-ing/bus bookiing..which is the less enjoyable bit of
backpacking! However, with the chores done we were left looking
forward to a volcano trip the next day and with ingredients to COOK
dinner for the next two nights, something I was VERY excited about..
eating wholesomely and healthily out is sometimes difficult on a
budget, but very achievable when you buy in..so, ironically, sometimes
cooking is the luxury for the backpacker!

New Years eve was undoubtedly one of the best, and most definitely the
singley most fun day we have had since we started travelling! During
the day we hiked the Pucon Volcano and SLEDGED down it, an experience
so fun Im sure it will remain unmatched for a long time. We arrived at
the volcano early morning and skipped the first hour of the walk(the
following 4 hour hike was enough for us) by getting a chairlift..my
first, so an experience in itself! The following four hours we trekked
through snow far deeper than we have ever experienced in Ireland (I
was greatful for Cassies footsteps ahead of mine which I religiously
followed.. making ones own way in fresh snow is much more difficult!!)
assisted only by our ice picks it was a difficult but rewarding and
unique experience.. we were so focused on the task at hand we were
almost surprised to see the steam billowing from the top of the
volcano when we reached the summit, and seeing the volcano crater was
almost a bonus to what had felt like a mountain trek. We drank some
champagne provided by our guides(everyone was aparantely early in the
party mood!!) took some photos, and, lying on the snow, did some
sunbathing!! Then the most brilliant part of the day began.. the
descent! Sitting only in our raingear, sometimes using a small plastic
sledge for smaller descents we sat on the snow slides carved out by
those who had descended before us, and sped down a few hundred metres
at a time, in an experience comparable to, but far exceeding, our
first time on waterslides as children. Everyone had reverted back to a
childlike state..even the french couple in their 60s beside us,
shouting and screaming with excitement as we twisted and turned down
the snow rapids with only our ice pick as a break..

As if this experience wasnt amazing enough, New Years Eve was only
beginning when we returned to the hostel where Eric and Ellie had
organised a barbeque for the guests and their extended family(just
like christmas we were happy to celebrate with backpackers and
Chileans alike). The food was, as usual, amazing as was the birthday
cake Ellie produced for me amid choruses of 'Happy Birthday' in 4
languages! (We began the celebrations at 9pm since, Irish time, my
birthday had begun!) The night then gained a further air of
celebration when Cass got an email saying her brother Brian was
engaged!! I couldnt help being really excited about the news, as
anything that renders Cassie a hysterical bawling screaming whirlwind
of happiness(her reaction to the email really was one I dont think I
have ever seen from her before, and that is saying something!) can
only be good..and we spent the rest of the night toasting 'mi
hermano'! We left Eric and Ellies with two of their Chilean friends(a
mother and daughter of 60 and 16, the former of whom was somewhat
crazier than the latter!) and spent the night dancing in the plaza to
a trabolgan-esque band and watching amazing fireworks, of disneyland
preportions, on te beach! A truely epic start to the New Year..

The next day was a relaxing mix of sleep, food and Skype, but not
without an air of celebration as Cass had the birthday cake and
spanish card at the ready, along with a beautiful bracelet and Tom and
Steph had bought more champagne to celebrate the occasion! Happy
Birthday came loud and clear over skype from the Mc Mackin household
aswell as a ,scanned in, handmade card from Ailbh! It was an amazing
birthday only made better by an amazing with Ciaran, during which he
cyber-gave me my climbing gear birthday presents, only promising more
adventure!! We decided to spend one more day in Pucon, and as my
birthday drew to a close I couldnt have been happier!!

Our last day in Pucon Cass and I walked to see the beach in daylight
and did the obligatory market wander after which we changed some euro
and splashed out on a birthday celebration mean with Steph and Tom. We
went to an amazing italien, where the food was better than any we had
eaten for a long time,(although the local chipper had, earlier that
day, provided food that really rocked our world!) But the italien had
really outstanding meals we could never make ourselves and so we ended
our trip, satisfied with food, wine, company and memories of one of
the best New Years we will ever experience..