I wake up to the bus host laying a cookie and Sprim (brand name of juice) on my lap. There is still a couple of hours left to go. Along the way, we seem to pass through numerous toll booths.

The landscape was originally flat when I first woke up; it is gradually becoming more undulating. There is no sign of mountains, but I did get a glimpse of the ocean which means we are close.

Puerto Montt is quite different from Santiago. The part we drove through looks a little run down. Instead of replacing a window, fix it by putting tape over the hole or around the crack. Whatever works to keep the building standing. There are flea markets and kiosks everywhere along the streets, which is similar to Santiago. Darren and I try to find a cute restaurant because we are STARVING! Well, we didn't have much luck. We walk into a .... restaurant??? and sit down. Everyone is looking at us. What is wrong? We put our packs down and a waiter comes and talks to us, yet we don't understand. Finally we get out of him that we need to go upstairs to eat, even though there looks to be food previously served downstairs. We go upstairs and the chairs are hung upside down on the tables. He asks if we are American. "No, Canadian." We try to see a menu, but he asks if we like fish. "Well, yes." We ask for water with no gas - 'agua sin gas' (because there are two types here: no carbonation or with carbonation). He says something, not sure what and leaves. He was gone for a very long time and we believe strongly that he had to go out and buy the "agua sin gas". The fish that we kind of ordered arrived shortly after. It was huge! And deep-fried! And delicious! It was completely unexpected. I heard the fish was go here, but now I believe it!

After breakfast/lunch/supper, we explored the town until we were able to check in to our bed and breakfast.

Casa Perla is our home for the next two days. This is a bed and breakfast that is up the hill to the left and to the next left and etc. The streets here are plentiful, narrow and seem slightly random. We find our yellow painted bed and breakfast built into the side of the hill which overlooks the ocean. We unload our stuff just in time to find ourselves falling asleep to enjoy a four hour siesta.

Ok, ok. Why are we so tired!? We drag ourselves out of bed to go see some local sites and get some food. We set out to find excursions and maps. We now notice that there are mountains in the backdrop (well volcanos!!), they were hidden earlier due to clouds. The other side of Puerto Montt is not so run down; in fact, it is quite modern. We read earlier that this town was the fastest growing town due to salmon fishing, but the growth has stopped substantially. I also read that the prices at local kiosks increase as the cruise ships dock.

We stop for a drink. I have my wine and Darren embraces a homemade beer. It is truly homemade with sediment settled at the bottom of the bottle. The waitress shows us that it is brewed northeast of Puerto Montt. It is actually tasty!

Darren and I decide that we will buy sleeping bags and a cooking set since we are only 40 km from a National Park. We might as well do some hiking!!! However, tomorrow we are going to play it on the down low and go to some hot springs.

With all of the running around, we forgot to eat supper! Bazar for me, I know! We get back to Casa Perla and have a shower with the world's smallest bath tub and shortest hot water cycle. Oh well, I hear some parts of South America don't have any hot water at all, might as well practice shorter showers now.