Couchsurfing in Puerto Varas

Julie and Javier, my couchsurfing host
And our Argentinian license car.

My friend Mouna has been couchsurfing in South America, with rave reviews.  My brother did it when he backpacked years ago.  I was a little intimidated, but thought I'd give it a try during my 36 hours in Puerto Varas because Mouna convinced me it was safe.  I had no idea what to do in this town and was really curious how the couchsurfing phenomenon worked.  Besides, I figured meeting a local would be good after spending almost 3 days in Pucon, the English speaking mecca of Chile.

I chose my host based on his reviews from previous couchsurfers, much like grownups choose restaurants on TripAdvisor.  The stay started off rough and ended very very well.  I am happy to say I will now recommend couchsurfing with the same vigor as my friend Mouna.



I arranged to meet my host, Jaime, at a coffee shop because my phone is still broken despite trying multiple repair stores in Pucon.  The cafe was close to the water, in the part of town that looked popular.  Downtown Puerto Varas had a festival atmosphere when I arrived, with tons of people strolling along the water, a row of food trucks selling gourmet food, and a tent with activities for the kids. It was packed.  After finally finding a [slightly illegal] place to park, I walked into the cafe and my two wine tasting German friends from the Mendoza Spanish school were sitting at a table right up front!  I couldn't believe it!

Simone, Gabbi and Julie reunited!

After getting over the shock of running into each other almost 1000 miles from where we last saw each other, Simone, Gabbi and I happily started catching up.  We make plans to reunite the next evening. They want a full report on the whole couchsurfing phenomenon.  Jaime joined us, and I started getting worried because and I did not understand most of what he was saying.  Simone and Gabbi's Spanish is better than mine, and I needed Simone to slip me translations along the way to follow the conversation at all.  This was going to be a long 36 hours in Puerto Varas!

Eventually, we part and Jaime leads me to his house just outside of Puerto Varas.  He has cleared everything in his small office to make room for my queen size air mattress and is energetically talking the whole time he is showing me the room.  This guy is really intense and I still understand almost nothing.  I am thinking it's going to be a really long 36 hours!

Then he takes me to dinner in Puerto Montt.  At first, he asks if I like sushi (yes!) but the restaurant closed 8 minutes before we arrived, so we walked about a block away to a "meat" place he said was good.  It ended up being the best steak I've had in South America yet.  When we met up with Simone and Gabbi the next night, he again recommended a restaurant that ended up being the best ceviche I've had in Chile.  It pays to know the locals :)

I'm feeling well fed but really tired by the end of dinner.  The last few days are catching up with me and speaking in a foreign language is exhausting.  I sense Jaime is slightly disappointed I am unable to carry much of a conversation in Spanish.  But, he is determined to show me his town, so there is an impromptu driving tour of Puerto Montt at midnight.  He shows me the main drag and a scenic overlook, but cuts the tour short when he sees that I literally cannot keep my eyes open.  I'm hanging on to the expectation that he will be at work tomorrow and I can sleep late.  When we get back to his house, I realize his questions about tea or coffee were not for breakfast.  Dear Lord, it's 1AM and he's asking which tea I want!  I beg off and gratefully shut the door.

The next morning, Jaime is up at 6AM.  (When does this guy sleep?)  I know this only because I hear him, assuming he is getting ready to go to work.   I fall back asleep until almost 9.  When I finally peak out of my room, he's sitting on the couch in a a pressed dress shirt and slacks, clearly busy at work.  Great  . . . he works from home.  He produces tea for me again, and I gratefully choose a caffeinated version.  Am I hungry?  No, not really, but he's already prepared a smoked salmon and cheese breakfast . . .. and he's waited for me to eat.  The salmon here in Chile is really really good.  How incredibly thoughtful.

Another stream of rapid-fire Spanish and I get the gist that he wants to take the afternoon off of work for a tour of the area.  He happily points out a few minutes later that his boss has responded and will let him go.  He's taking a day off of work for me??  But his tremendous generosity ends with the car . . . which makes me laugh.  Chileans are really funny about their cars.  He initially offers to drive but incredulously accepts my offer to drive since I will put all the miles on my rental car for free.  So begins our day-long tour around huge Lago Llanquihui.  There will be a volcano in the background of almost every picture.

Our time together in the car was better.  Either Jaime slowed way down for me, or my Spanish improved dramatically after a good nights sleep, or both.  We had several running jokes, including me falling asleep in  car the night before, the ever-present dogs running across the road, and the fact that we were an American and Chileno driving an Argentinian car.  Jaime seemed to get an huge amount of pleasure from that last one.  He also brought music, which always helps me connect with people because invariably half the songs are American and I have no shame singing along.

First stop is the waterfalls at Sector Saltos de Petrohue.  These impressive series of falls are that deep blue color that only come from snowmelt.  The water rushes through a series of tunnels and dropoffs for an impressive view from nearby balconies.

A volcano is always in the background
You can see a huge rock carried from
the volcano to this series of falls
behind me

A series of falls you can walk into

Next stop, the Green Lagoon, who's highlight is actually a great view of the lake next door.  Jaime is insisting on taking pictures for me at every stop.

Then further around the lake to the towering Volcano Orsorno.  Jaime has personal stories and photos of when this volcano erupted in 2011.  Instead of running from the eruption like most people I know, he drove towards it and took pictures!  When we drove to the base of the chair lift and had a coffee, evidence of the eruption was still all around.  The top of the Volcano Orsorno and Calbuco were hidden in the clouds all day, but it was still a great view.

The volcano was shrouded in clouds all day, but still pretty

Even with the clouds, the view from the volcano was gorgeous

Another tour around the lake to a nice viewpoint on the way to Frutillar.  This tiny, adorable town clearly dates back to German roots.  We passed through quickly, but I would love to spend more time here.

The running joke of the day was that were were pretending
to be Argentinian since my rental car plates were from there.
Apparently there is a mutual love-hate relationship between
these two countries.

Best floating playspace EVER in Frutillar

Frutillar: Cute little beachfront.  Very German roots.

Finally, we got back to Puerto Varas in time to meet up again with Simone and Gabbi for a really nice seafood dinner.  Chile does seafood so well!  I beam when Simone and Gabbi insist my Spanish is much better than it was when we were together in Mendoza.  (There's nowhere to go but up when you start from zero).  Maybe it's our Pisco Sours.  We all agree that our Spanish improves with alcohol and enjoy talking for hours until I insist on turning in at midnight.

I leave before 6AM the next morning, after only 5 hours sleep, so that I can return the rental car in time at Bariloche.  (The round-trip rental cut the cost in half than if I had left it in Chile.)  Jaime gives me [very good] advice on how to get to Bariloche and his hand-drawn instructions are the only reason I didn't get lost on the way there.  I owe him a huge thanks for going WAY out of his way to make sure I got the best of his town during my 36 hours stay.  He is intense, but has a huge heart.  I now consider him a friend, and if he ever flies through Texas on the way to that Puerto Rico vacation, he'll be a welcome guest in my home.  Way to go, couchsurfing, way to go.

The drive back to Bariloche in itself was breathtaking.  It was dark when I set out on the Chilean highway (the only one that's paved the whole way).  By the time I turned off the highway to head towards Argentina, the mist was rolling over the lush fields full of sheep and cows.   This region strongly resembled the German and French farmland I've seen many times.  No wonder the Germans settled here.

Eventually I drove the length of yet another lake surrounded by mountains.  Gradually, I started driving through mountains and even ran across a random waterfall viewpoint.  It was a great drive. I wish I had more time to hike the Chilean side of the Andes.

Gorgeous sunrise over Chilean pastures

Lake Puyahue

Another waterfall?

Views from the road in Puyahue National Park.
The funny looking mountain is actually the igneous stone chimney
left over from a volcano that has eroded away over the last ~1 million years

I make it back to Bariloche on time, and kill a couple of hours over a coffee with Paul, the Aussi from the Pucon volcano, before finally heading to the airport to fly to Buenos Aires.  It has been a very full week.


Final Stops: Buenos Aires and Mendoza (Part II)