Home » Chile » Valderi, Valdera...some people call it a higher plain

I could just about crack it for a few bars of “The Happy Wanderer” Is it just the lack of oxygen? I don’t think so, there must be something more….but everyone is so cheerful! Along the road the road workers grin and wave, a gaucho herding some horses along the river bank waves his hat, I almost expect him to pull out a colt 45 and fire a few shots into the air, backpackers waiting patiently by the road wave and smile, call out greetings, cyclists nod or wave, depending if they’re on the ascent or descent, at every stop along the way people wave and smile…it goes on and on…<br /><br />

Valderi, Valdera...some people call it a higher plain

Bill Shum
2006-03-24 21:16:36

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we are off.
The music is Pan Pipes droning away like the background music in some uber-cool day spa retreat. While we are there, why “day” spa, I’ve noticed a lot around at home, whats with it? Were they ever open at night?
Anyway, we are getting closer, looking back I can see we have gained some altitude, good!, every metre in bus is one less to climb. The volcan is dominating the scene!
Then to the park entrance and a 15min wait while the bus drivers talk to the guy at the gate, we could almost be back in Argentina! The endlessly looping pan-pipes now have an electronic snare drum ackompanianment, tak, tak, tak the top end of the scale that degenerates, with basso profundo to doof doof.

Next to me is a brazilian guy with bad nose problems, he’s shnorlegrgling constantly, I’m going crazy…

Then we are stumbling out of the buses in boots that already feel like blocks of concrete, follow vague directions to the base of the chairlift, an optional extra for $9 that I was certainly not going to pass up, just as some of the truly dedicated were heading off to walk it, outraged at the over-priced fare!..all depends on your point of view!

The walk to the chairlift was about a kilometre or 2, and uphill, I was breathing hard, starting to wonder if I was buggered on this bit how would I get to the top?….also wondering if I am the only one panting, there are all these really healthy looking types, (Norgay, the oxygen mask if you would!)….but then I noticed, except for a few of the truly dedicated, most were puffing and panting, stopping for breaks and generally collapsing by the wayside.

The chairlift has an uncomfortably uncanny resemblance to the one at Arthur’s Seat but luckily I’m the only person here who has been to Rosebud!!

This type of outfit could not operate anywhere in the west, or rather the lawyer dominated world of ...