SpaceJam and California Raisins

Day 45 – 15 Apr, 2015

I will admit I was mildly amused when I was woken up last night at 3am to clothes and shoes being thrown at me and an offering of an almost empty vodka bottle placed by my bed. Not because I particularly enjoy items being thrown at me, but because it’s only a minor nuisance of sharing a room in a hostel with a bunch of 20-somethings and if I’m being honest, it has been fun.

I met Ryan and Chris in Bariloche a couple weeks ago when I overtook them biking the Circuito Chico near Llao Llao Park. I didn’t know at the time, but they were staying at my hostel and they arrived back about an hour after I did, equally as put off by the biking as I was. We swapped stories and shared wine and next thing I know, we are friends and following the same itinerary over the next few cities. Our accounts may differ, but truth be told, they are following me.

Ryan is from South London and studied economics at University. He’s also a Reverend and sold exotic fruit to help fund his South American travels. Just try to name an exotic fruit he’s never heard of….!! Chris is from Wales, a former carpenter, and is a talented musician. He has that uncanny skill to play music by ear, yet his favorite is when you ask him to play Wonderwall by Oasis. *wink*

After leaving Bariloche, we ended up in the same room in San Martin where we polished off a bottle of wine and I introduced them to the riveting American drama, Vanderpump Rules. Two days later, we are in adjacent rooms in Pucon and I invited myself to join them climbing Volcan Quetrupillan. (More on this in a later post)

Three days after we left Pucon, here we are again in the same room in Santiago. Coincidence? I hardly think so! Unfortunately for me, I’m within tossing distance. So when these two come in, appropriately overserved, shine a light in my face, throw their clothes at me, and sing themselves to sleep, I can’t help but laugh. It seems I have been unofficially initiated back into my 20s and it suits me well. I have 15 years on them, yet an unlikely trio we are, roaming the streets of Santiago. If I meet more people like Ryan and Chris on my journey around the world, I’ll consider the hostel experiment a success.