On The Road Again: Party in Portillo

So after an insane amount of flying through the clouds i hit south american soil, a very brief stop over at Sao Paulo, then onto Buenos Aires for the exchange to Santiago. Breath taking views flying over the andes to a smooth landing in this countrys capital.

Lets get this travelling game started!!!

So an awsome little spoonful of luxory at the Hotel Atton, where jet lag is kicking in but easily defused with the discovery of Kunstmann - a dark ale type beverage, a couple of those puppies and off to bed ready to be picked up in the morning by portillo transport.

102 miles from santiago and around about 2 and a half hours driving through flat cactus ridden shrubland then onto intimidating gorges and valleys up and up and up on snake like road to an altitude of 2880m to a resort nestled in the longest mountain range in the southern hemisphere....... You got it Portillo!!!

What a place to start any trip, after checking in i make my way to my home for the next 2 weeks, the cosy (ish) Inca lodge, which of course is the cheapest option and full of like minded people who just wanna cruise on thoses beautiful slopes surrounding us.

And so, a typical day in Portillo would be drag yourself out of bed, usually with a killer hangover and grab some breakfast.Meet friends, decide what slopes to ride, gear up, get ya board and get your arse on one of those chair lifts! Some of thoses chair lifts are so scary one time i thought i was clear at the top and the next thing i know im on the ground with a killer head ache as the chair had swung round and taken me out, thoses things take no prisoners!!! Also there are these unique lifts called puma lifts(or somethinglike that) which are basically a row of 5 t bars which you put in between your legs and catterpult you to the top of some of the more intense slopes, these slingshot lifts are the scariest things i have ever experienced, it satred ok then got faster and faster then once at the top a huge sigh of releif and lots of laughter from fellow newbies whos balls had also shrunk!!

At around 5 oclock the lifts will close and its time for some afternoon tea (and a biscuit) swiftly followed by a hot tub session and then maybe a sauna or a movie-whatever takes ya fancy. After a good evening meal its time to get ready for a serious evening of abusing the liver. In the hotel it tended to be mega expensive so just across the road there laid a pub which had beers at around 60p each- this was taken full advantage of, and also delving into the local drink of pisco sour- a potent brandy type liquer which is best mixed with sprite. Many a night will end at the disco for bizarre dance moves and eventually getting back to the Inca for about 4-5am.

Throughout Portillo I have met some truly amazing people of which will never be forgotten, there friendships and genorosity have left me humbled and honoured to meet such fine folks much love and peace to you all.

Hope this little entry is enjoyed by you folks back home, its hard to put those 2 weeks in to words other than AWSOME!!!