The Farm and the Hot Springs
Trip Start
Aug 31, 2005
1
25
60
Trip End
Feb 16, 2006
Near Pucon,
Chile
Thursday, November 24, 2005
When we arrived we got showed to our room and then went downstairs to sit in front of a roaring fire, yes you guessed it, it was raining outside! I then got offered a cup of tea which was lovely! We chatted for a bit with the other guest, a Swedish guy, then the three of us hopped onto a bus to the nearby town Pucon. After pottering round Pucon we headed back and spent the afternoon chilling in the hostel, chatting and reading (and moaning about the rain as all of the tours were cancelled). We then had a lovely home cooked 3 course meal (and shared some Chilean wine)and an English couple arrived, who were from Lymington.
Simona ventured upstairs (where it was very cold) and had a shower, I was about to go to have mine when she came down not looking happy as there was no hot water
01 The horses.
! So I didn't have a shower! The next day the rain stopped so me, Simona and the Swedish guy went for a horse ride, unfortunately where it had been raining so much most of the fields/ forest ways were flooded so we couldnīt really go very far. At one stage we got to a bit of water and my horse stopped for some reason and let the other horses go first, I didn`t know why. Then I did know why it was because he decided he did not want to get wet and the next thing I knew we were flying in the air as he jumped the water, I swore rather loudly but apparently it looked like a very majestic jump!
Later on we got to go and milk the cows, which was great fun!
Then for our splurge as our time in South America is coming to an end(a whole 40 pounds each!), we had booked ourselves into some hot springs half an hour away from the farm. We stayed in tipis and were the only guests. The surroundings were fabulous, the 4 hot springs and mud bath were basically in the middle of a forget with a gushing stream running through so you sat there surrounded by nature. The fact that it was so cold outside made it even better when you stepped in the hot water (although was not good when you got out again).
We decided as part of our splurge to get a Watsu massage, which is a kind of massage in the water but you also get pulled around and stretched etc. The experience was amazing, I have never felt so relaxed. Although very relaxing there were some slightly strange moments like when he put my leg around his neck and when he grabbed my belly fat (not that I have much of course) and pulled me up out of the water by it! It is a very intimate experience (and girls I would advise you to shave first!)
02 Me and my jumping horse.
.We stayed in the hot springs until about 11.30pm looking at the stars, surrounded bu candle light and then headed to bed in our tipi, we had 3 blankets and sleeping bag as it was very cold but staying in a tipi was very cool.
I have to say that it was a good thing that there was no guests as we were walking to the hot springs looking very sexy in a sarong, baggy t shirt and trainers, and returning in a towel and trainers, no soft white toweling robe for us like you see on T.V. And then I slept in thermals, PJs and had my thermals tucked into my socks!
The next day we headed to the mud bath, very strange to smear mud all over you! We then went to two hot springs and that was that.
All in all a very enjoyable night, recommended to everyone. Now this is what travelling should all be about!
