And so it was that my final couple of weeks on this grand trip through South America were spent exploring central Chile. Chile is a relatively small country by area, but its absurd shape necessitates some big distances between sights. This meant an opportunity for one final roadtrip, this time with an emphasis on relaxation after the strenuous activities of Patagonia and to ensure we arrived home well rested.
We drank wine in the Colchagua Valley, walked along endless stretches of beaches from Valparaiso to Coquimbo, went stargazing in the desert valley of Elqui, and explored the bustling boroughs of Santiago. There was plenty of time devoted to chilling out by swimming pools, eating excellent food (especially the famed seafood), and reliving highlights from earlier parts of the adventure.
This was not an area with famous or unmissable sights (and after the Antarctic and Patagonia it would have been difficult to wow me anyway!), but it had its charms and an overall sense of comfort and ease that afforded the perfect way to wind down. Chile, as arguably the most stable, safe and progressive country on the continent (along with Uruguay), was the perfect place for this, and a direct flight home from Santiago underscored an incredibly well designed itinerary...if I do say so myself!
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