Gulliver’s disinfected boots

A very long day… I got up on Tuesday morning, went out to Valparaiso on the Chilean coast and looked out across the pacific towards NZ. When I got back to Santiago, just had time to pack and have a beer with the expats before getting in a taxi to the airport.

It’s now 0600 on Thursday morning and I’m on the same day. Grabbed a few hours of sleep on the LAN  flight (decent food, good service, nice seat, nice neighbour… shame about the film selection. Hellboy 2 the stand out, del Toro is outstanding, can’t wait for his Hobbit) and now am standing at the Samsung shop’s online terminal watching israelis opposite me do web searches for hotels to stay in Auckland. Boots may have lava damage, but are now v clean after BioSecurity clean-up.

I have the luck of staying with the lovely Kate Marshall today/tonight and then rendezvousing with the equally lovely Adrian Law tomorrow (better golf, worse legs) … it’s so nice to have such welcoming friends.

Immediate observation on the Auckland Airport inhabitants: I have switched from a Mayan land of miniature, round faced people, to a Polynesian land of supersized roundfaced people.  One flight has turned the gulliver experience on its head.

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Luxury in a spare room

I write from a journalist’s desk in a swish (am now using that word all the time… it is Dad’s fault) part of Santiago, Chile.

At 5.45 this morning, I awoke Gideon and he showed me to the spare room / office. did i need anything? just a shower and the web. says it all, doesn’t it. Gideon has heroically allowed me to stay for a few days after a good word from the wonderful Ms Ford.

Christmas feels odd. Am missing pre-christmas drinks and huddling in a pub away from the rain. But I’m sure I will get enough of that in February.

My last few days were spent in the spectacular surroundings of Lake Atitlan. Pictures shortly.

I did not get my chakkras read – but I did very much join the metaphysical community which lives in San Marcos, across the lake from party town San Pedro. Suffice it to say that I have crystals in my pocket; did a whole 2 hours of yoga (tough); spent time chanting in a temazcal sauna with two americans (“it’s like going back to the womb, man”) and a belgian; and had discussion over breakfast of whether Mercury / Odin was indeed the wisest of the gods.

Of course, this international community of mediums, musicians and the odd mad man still have the web, mobiles and pirate dvds. so all is not lost.

Suspect Santiago will be a bit different.