October 12, 2013

Lots to catch up on… Basically the last month in Chile has been incredible. Workaway continues to blow our minds in the opportunities it creates. Through Workaway we’ve been able to share our time between a Volcano property in the Vincente Perez Rosales National Park overlooking Lago Llanquihue and a farm property on Lago Rupanco. Both are mentioned in previous posts but for the sake of catching up we’ll mention them again.

Our time spent on the Volcano was spent working in the restaurant preparing meals and hot chocolate for tour groups and guests visiting the national park. Outside of our work in the restaurant we enjoyed the beautiful sunsets, snowscapes, some good volcano hiking, and warm fires.

Our work in Rupanco was a little more hands on. Still very much focused on the permaculture project, most of our days involved making flower and vegetable beds and planting seeds. As a complete gardening novice, I loved seeing how the garden transformed and seeing the seeds sprout and grow. Outside of our work in the fields, we honed our culinary skills with the classic Fanny Farmer Cookbook (random find at the lodge, but quite good and inclusive). Each of us taking turns in executing different culinary masterpieces including apple crumble, orange sticky muffins, oatmeal cookies, etc. After our long days in the field and kitchen, we would soak in the wood-fired hot tub under the beautiful southern skies. In the mornings, we would wake up to the sheep calling, enjoy some oats, coffee and reading, and do it all over again.

Some highlights of the last month include making fried chicken and biscuits for an Aussie, perfecting our farmers tans, and a memorable celebration of the Chilean Independence Day in the quaint town of Entre Lagos. Upon arrival to the bar, we were bestowed with several litros of free beer and a Chilean flag. The free beers kept flowing all afternoon and into the night. It’s amazing what being a gringo in Entre Lagos will do. After a glamorous night of free beer and endless dancing we slept in a park in the pouring raining the back of a truck we call Chancleta which translates roughly to “old shoe”. Strong finish.

For more pictures check out our photos page.