TransAndes day 0 - Panguipulli

We finally had all of our luggage arrive, other than a bag Ger forgot in customs. Steve almost didn't get his bike - the airport said they didn't have it - but the friendly counter staff got tired of lugging bikes out and just told me to come back and get mine (it travelled naked with the wheel bungeed to the side until Santiago where they made me to that plastic wrapping tape they sell). When I was behind the counter I found Steve's bike. Double bonus.

Drive out of Temuco was nice. Pretty warm in Panguipulli. Worrying when some white guy says he just spent 2m in Mexico, then got burnt on his first ride here earlier this week. It's nice they give big hats. Food everywhere is natural and excellent, every time I come to this continent its a reminder that our foods taste so much more processed.

Bikes went together easy, did a little half hour spin, then settled in for people watching before dinner. Lots of muffin tops on the local chicas, I think the pastries everywhere on offer and the lack of sports catch up.

Dinner was good. They give you mess kits to keep the whole week, and wine at dinner.

After dinner the perro's were out everywhere for scaps. Pretty friendly. Then they had traditional Chilean music and dancing. It was actually really nice. First was cowboy-ish type, then it just got more sensual. Mapuche indian dancing that was pretty much a war and princess story with a very worthy looking princess. Then they went to Arapa nui dances from easter island with sort of like Hawaiian grass skirt and coconut styles but instead both tops and bottoms were bird feathers. That got a little saucier too. Finally it was floral print barely there stuff with the dudes in loin cloths. Too bad Ger and Steve drank beer instead of taking in the show.