Santiago was good. It was a nice place to rest up after my first long ride after my second bout of sciatica. It was also good for the bike as it got a good service and a new tyre. Like me, it also got to hang out with some other travellers and bikes on their way to Ushuaia. I had booked into Hostal Casa Matte for two nights and extended for another two. Another traveller recommended it to me. It’s in a nice leafy suburb with lovely old houses and close to town and everything else you need in a big city.

It was the first time I have really spent some time with other people doing similar trips. The property has a huge open, well equipped shed and shade area where you can work on your bike or just drink a beer and chat about bikes or gear or roads. There was another Aussie guy there and a couple of Canadians and Americans and an Irish guy and a Chilean rider. And a Swiss couple one night. They had dorm rooms for $25AUD or private rooms with a shared bathroom for $40AUD. I took the latter.

There was also a kitchen with lots of gear and so I cooked myself up some smashed avo and eggs on toast a couple of mornings and also had some vegemite on toast (which a mate gave me a few countries back). That was a treat. The supermarket prices are similar to Australia as are the things they sell. Fortunately beer is cheap?

My first priority was to find a physio. Google and I walked to a nearby physio that didn’t exist and then walked the two kilometres into the city centre where there were more options. Google was having a bad day. We couldn’t find the second place and so I rang him up and it seemed he did exist but around the corner on the 6^th floor. Office 630 on level 6. He said he could give me a massage at 4:00pm which was a couple of hours away and left me having to walk home and come back or hang around 3 hours. He also said $80AUD. Seemed a little high. I agreed but then decided that since I was there I should pop up and check the place out. I went up to talk to him but the room looked deserted. I text him back and said I was there but he said he was out running errands. I was beginning to get suspicious. I was also busting for a pee. I thought that a big building like this must have public toilets on each floor. So I went looking around and didn’t find one but I found a proper physio office with a sign and real people.

I first asked them If I could use their toilet and then asked about an appointment. As luck would have it, there was a young guy there that who was living on the Gold Coast last year learning English. He was visiting his uncle who owned the business. So I was able to tell him the story and he translated it to his uncle and next thing I know I’m on a bed getting treatment. He was great. Had all the gear. Before he started, I text the other guy and apologised and cancelled. Oh. And this guy was half the price. Only $40AUD for an hour. I felt so good afterwards. We chatted a bit more about my trip in Spanish and then it was a 2.5km walk home.

Next day was bike day and it turned out there was a good Honda shop only a ten minute walk away. I went there and booked the bike in for a service. It needed a few things replaced after 20,000kms. So, it got an oil change and new oil filter. A new air filter which was $80AUD, a new spark plug, and everything tightened and checked. It was also due to have the chain and sprockets replaced but they said they looked fine and should get another 10,000kms. This is what the general consensus was back at my accommodation as well. And they replaced a bolt that I lost in my front mudguard and had repaired with cable ties. I lost it on a rough road in Bolivia. It was the opposite side to the other one that I lost a few months earlier. Also in Bolivia.  The whole service was $300AUD which comprised of 2 hours labour at $40p/h and parts. And they also wash you bike for you. It was great.

Back at the house the talk had moved to tyres as most of us needed new ones. I only needed a new front one as I replaced the rear in Paraguay. I had the benefit of seeing everyone else’s tyres and the discussions about where they had gone and ended up choosing a cheaper Brazilian “Rinaldi” tyre for $100AUD. The bike was happy and ready for the next long ride down to Ushuaia. I was enjoying the company and the atmosphere, so I stayed the extra two days. I also booked in another physio appointment with my new mate.

Besides walking my general neighbourhood and in and out of town I also did some sightseeing. I always thought Santiago was on the coast but its quite a bit inland and up at about 600 metres. It has the Andes as a backdrop and some of the peaks are up to 6000 metres. It has a Mediterranean climate and 7 million people which makes it one of the largest cities in South America. It apparently has great public transportation, but I didn’t get to use it. They have some great parks, and I went to one called Cerro Santa Lucia which is a small hill right next to the CBD. The city is almost 500 years old and at some stage this hill was part of its defences. Great little spot to wander around. And its free!

I would have liked a couple more days to check out another hill park with a statue of Jesus and also have a spin on the Metro, but my sciatica issues have already put me a few weeks behind and despite this, out of nowhere I have decided I need to go to Mendoza in Argentina before I start heading south. And I’m never going to be any closer than where I am now. So pack all my gear, say my goodbyes. And off to bed for an early start in the morning for my trip east to the border.

KMS 20,400