The rest of the weekend

We were exhausted after the trek up the volcano, but managed to fit plenty of other adventures in before we left Pucón. We visited the famous Ojos del Caburga, a series of beautiful waterfalls. It was raining that day and we were soaking wet, but it was well worth it. The only major downside was that we somehow ended up going with an annoying, bizarre Chilean guy who we´d met the night before and couldn´t lose the rest of the trip.

He followed us to the thermal hot springs that night. Turns out there´s not much to do in hot springs but sit around and chat. Therefore, it matters a lot who you´re hanging out with. Or, more aptly in this situation, who´s hanging out with you! But the water was so warm, the night so beautiful, and the whole situation so relaxing -- that even the creepy Chilean dude couldn´t ruin it.

But then he "casually" showed up at our hostel the next morning to "check it out" and then somehow ended up on our horseback riding tour later that day. What a coincidence -- ha. I was pretty much ready to kill him. He was such a braggart and know-it-all. He showed off on the horse to the nauseating praise of two gullible girls from England. After the tour, they got roped into showing him their hostel ... which I´m guessing he´s been shown before by other foreigners who couldn´t escape his gooey grasp.

Enough of that.

The views on our horseback riding trip were ... breathtaking. That part of the Chilean countryside ranks among the most beautiful places I´ve ever seen. It was like a dream. It´s fall in the southern hemisphere and so the leaves are changing colors. The air and water is so crisp and clean. Everything is ... pure. I love Chile. And galloping on my horse was so thrilling that I don´t care that I won´t be able to sit comfortably for days.