Saturday, October 29, 2011

Day 111 : Thermal Pools Adventure

Map of Thermal PoolsVisiting the thermal pools is a must do while in Pucon, especially when the weather is cold! 

There are 10 thermal centres in Pucon and many of the locals here have recommended that I visit Los Pozones.

Los Pozones is located 35km away from Pucon, with the option of getting there through tour agencies’ with a departure time of 8pm or on a shuttle service. 

Not keen with squeezing with the crowd at night and as I will also be leaving for Curanipe on a night bus today, I took the shuttle service from Pucon town to Los Pozones, which is a 1 hour bus ride away. 

The only problem with the shuttle was that the service was rather irregular.  I was lucky I managed to hitch hike back, which in itself was an amusing experience (see below for more details).

Los Pozones from aboveLos Pozones has 6 different hot pools ranging between 30 to 45 degrees celsius, all set in a natural outdoor setting located next to the running river. 

There weren’t too many people in the afternoon, and I stayed for about 2 hours, spending between 15 to 20 minutes at each pool.

By the time I came out from Los Pozones, I was feeling really nice and warm!  Ahh… Kimochi!

One of the 6 poolsOne of the 6 pools

Now, I had a problem getting back as the next bus was going to be about 1.5 hours later.  However, as I was walking up the path towards the exit of Los Pozones, a car drove passed and stopped beside me.  In the car were 4 guys, which I had seen from time to time while I was in the various pools.

The driver asked if I was heading to Pucon, and I said yes, and as he was heading in the same direction, he offered me a ride.  So I got into the back seat, squeezed between 2 big size guys.

While on the way back, we stopped to visit “Los Tres Saltas” (another waterfall!).  I would not have had the chance to visit it if I had taken the bus!

Los 3 SaltasEmmanuel (driver) & Jorge

The amusing part of the hitch hiking trip was the conversations that went on in the car, especially with one of the guys seated next to me (whom I later knew was called Jorge).  All this while everything was communicated in Spanish – I think my Spanish is getting much better too! Open-mouthed smile

The questions which Jorge asked were like where I was from, how long I was staying in Chile, whether I was single etc. 

One particular conversation thread stood out during the whole time I was in the car (translated below into English).  You will realise that I had to use very simple words in Spanish to get my meaning across!

Jorge : Join us for Asado tonight

Me : I am leaving for Curanipe tonight, so I can’t

Jorge : Leave tomorrow instead

Me : It’s not possible as I have already bought my ticket

Jorge : It’s possible, just change the ticket and have asado with us tonight.  Good?

Me : It’s good but not possible

Jorge : It’s Chile!  Anything is possible!

Me : No it’s not possible.  I have a friend waiting for me in Curanipe

Jorge : We are your friends too.  Tell your friend you meet him later, and change your ticket

Me : No, it’s not possible

Similar conversation exchanges to the above went on a few times throughout the trip back, while the other guys in the car was just having a good laugh at what was going on.

Even as they stopped me off at my place, Jorge was still persuading me to stay back.  He realised he couldn’t and asked for my phone number but told him I don’t have a number in Chile, and so he asked for my email address instead. 

So funny!

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