My World With Dance: Volcanoes, Lakes, and Waterfalls in Chile

The unofficial name of the Lake District was given to this region because of course there are tons of lakes. Yes, the lakes were nice but what made this the place really memorable for me was the many volcanoes, hot springs and waterfalls! I know I haven't seen all of Chile but I have a feeling this might be the highlight of the entire country for me!

With my funds running much lower than my desires I needed a knew plan. Half my small daily budget was spent on hostels so I decided to ditch the cost of accommodations and trade in my dorm room bed for a couch. The generosity of the Chilean people blew me away and as I found myself in private well equipped rooms and later an entire cabana all to myself! How you might ask? Well, it was the magical couchsurfing website where strangers meet and offer each other a place to crash. Yes it does take major trust on both parties but considering I've already given up my entire normal life to go travel I thought it would be a good idea to really take the opportunity to get to know the locals and ditch my hostel English for some well needed Spanish time.

My first host contacted me after seeing my public request on the website. Leo picked me up at the casino, which of course was a very appropriate meeting spot for my first South American couch surfing experience. I must have drawn pocket aces because he showed me to my private room in his comfortable house and volunteered to drive me around showing me all the amazing attractions around the great city of Puerto Varas. On top of that he won my stomach over when he cooked a killer beef steak on his BBQ coupled perfectly with a few bottles of red Chilean wine. We shared many laughs, interesting conversations, and great memories during our short 2 day stay together. My favourite moment was the scenic picnic we enjoyed surrounded by majestic waterfalls and a spectacular view of the volcano.

Luck struck out again when I showed up at the Pucon bus station to meet Edwin who also asked to host me after reading my public message on the couch surfing website. My writing must be amazing because this time I had a private double decker cabana that he built with his own 2 hands equipped with a kitchen, dining area, living room, ensuite and, my favourite, a killer queen sized bed! To sweeten the deal I even got to play with his 6 kittens and 2 dogs.

Edwin was a graceful host who took me on an extreme bike ride and introduced me to all the great local delicacies. In his company I tasted choco (baked grounded corn with meat), mote (a cool peach drink with oatmeal bits) and vino con melon which is white wine served in a melon with sugar and ice. His specialty though was a delicate slow cooked cordero (lamb) over a fire perched up on a massive blade. It was so good I needed 3 meals with it in different variations to feel satisfied.

My mornings started with a wake up call from the lovely rooster Edwin keeps in his yard. At least I had fresh eggs for breakfast from his 2 lady friends that served as my key ingredients for my delicious omelettes. There was so much to explore around Pucon I was thankful for the early starts. Edwin introduced me to Stacey, who became my BFF for the 4 days we had together. This stunning woman was built for adventure and participated in 8 ironman races and gave me a real challenge in keeping pace with her physically. She was great company for exploring the countless waterfalls and lakes in the area and it was a nice bonus that she had a car. Our mischievous duo tackled hours of hikes, runs and swims in the stunning area of Pucon. She took me to my new favourite man made place called Geometricas, a stunning collection of hot springs in a valley filled with greenery and cold waterfalls. As I melted into the hot baths I was overwhelmed with joy and gratitude. I reflected on all the amazing experiences I've had so far on this trip and I haven't even reached the half way point. I just love being high on life!

Geometricas Hot Springs, Pucon