Back North to San Antonio – 4/24/2013
Apr 26th, 2013 by rallyadmin
We awoke to a drab and dreary overcast morning. Back in the car and head south to Puerto Montt. We had hoped to drive around the area but when we get to Puerto Montt the weather is even worse. The sky is seriously overcast, none of those teasing bright spots that hint at later clearing. There’s a mist in the air and the wind is cold and damp.
We drive around for a bit but then decide to start back towards San Antonio. The ship was to berth last night and start unloading today. We don’t know when our car will be available but it’ll be in the next few days.
We drive back to Puerto Varas and take the route that goes around the lake and touches the flanks of the Orsono Volcano. The overcast is low so we don’t get to see it. Luckily, last nigh the clouds we’re still high enough so we got to see it on the horizon. But there’s no pictures today.
The ride around the lake is a nice change from the Autopista. It’s a two lane road through the lake area that is probably packed in the summer. But now in the late fall with winter coming, there’s no one here. We drive through the ranches, resorts, campgrounds and occasional parcelas se vente (lots for sale) and eventually connect back with Ruta 5, the autopista.
Because of the excursion to Puerto Montt and the detour around the lake, we’re running late. We’re hoping to make a cutoff from Ruta 5 to San Antonio and then look for a hotel. But the light is fading fast and we stop in San Fernando 20 or so km short of the cutoff.
We can’t find a decent hotel in San Fernando and, even if we did, there probably wouldn’t be any room. There’s a major funeral being mounted for what appears to be a high mucky-muck in the local fire department. It must be someone who matters. Everyone is dressed if their best uniforms and there are engines and firemen from the surrounding towns.
Plan B if to head for Santa Cruz, our original destination when we first headed south. Unfortunately it’s a little over 40 kms down a narrow 2 lane road, there’s plenty of very slow traffic and it’s very dark. Whatever. I drive slowly and we get to Santa Cruz in maybe forty minutes.
John had been here some years ago and he heads straight for the hotel on the square. I drop him off and orbit the town square while he checks on a room. It looks fine from the outside and a peek into the dining room looks great. John comes out and gets back in the car and says, “$390 a night for the room.” Pass.
There are a lot of b&b’s in town so we drive around looking for one and, as usual, get lost. We’re just about to give up, when we spot one on the main road out of the town. We stop. John runs in. Comes back out. A room with internet and breakfast, $70. Sold. Hostal Cochagua – try it if you’re in the neighborhood.
Back into the main square to the restaurant in the $390 hotel. The restaurant is, contrary to the hotel rooms, quite reasonable. A very tasty rosemary chicken and a good bottle of cabernet, finished off with an espresso. It’s short walk back to the b&b.
Tomorrow we are supposed to get the car. While we were driving up Ruta 5, John called the customs broker. Yes, the car will be ready tomorrow. Be at their office in San Antonio at noon and we can go get it.
Yahoo! We’ll sleep better tonight.
Obi-wan
