Emphasis on 'Loose'

Less than a two days after making my debut post to this blog 'The Loose Itinerary', things have changed rather dramatically. I decided that if I'm flying into Chile (and especially if I have to pay a $100 entry fee to get into the country), I might as well shop around and see what the country has to offer. Also, I really want to spend a weekend livin' it up at the ocean. I am still going to stay at the same hostel when I arrive in Chile. Additionally, I will capitalize on the very inexpensive and rather high quality (so I hear) bus system, but I will head West instead of East.

I discovered a site that I have instantly fallen in love with and it is one that any budget traveller should know about: CouchSurfing.org You have to pay a minimal fee of $25 via credit card so they can verify your identity. They also send a postcard with a password to your address to verify the location of your coach. After that, you are apart of a massive global network of people sharing their coaches, experiences, languages, and cultures for FREE (by this time, you've forgotten about the $25 verification fee). The website uses a friend/vouching network (similar to FaceBook) so you can read about peoples past experiences with any host. Its somewhat hard being new to the site because you (I) don't have any that have vouched for you (me) yet. However, I have had quite the amount of luck. A young man by the name of Sebastian Soto has agreed to take me into his home in beautiful and sunny Vina del Mar and show me around for the weekend following my arrival in Chile.

(Vina del Mar, Chile)

After a weekend of 'life on da beach', it's time to get dirty. I joined Chile WWOOF and my first farm is located in the city of Olmue. Olmue is conveniently located between Vina del Mar and Santiago. They farm cuke-asaurus, melomate, avocados, many others crops. See the farms website HERE and read their official WWOOF blurb below:

There are two farms, one with organic avocados in Olmué city, and another 1000 has. farm in Colliguay, it has a lot of herbs, organic land and many other crops, those ones were in extinction process. Lodging is at a hostel in Olmue city with many bedrooms and bathrooms, it has capacity foreight people. Usually all people eat lunch togheter, normal chilean meals with a lot of vegetables andchilean fruits are eaten. We are American citizens but the people who will receive wwoofers will be chilean people. We love Nature. On the farm there are many pets, there is also an animal protection center. We only want to receive wwoofers who wish to have a strong communion with other people; they have to love animals and be available to help whenever is necessary. Arriving to Olmué city is possible by taking a bus from Santiago (Estación Central Bus Station) or from Viña del Mar. We need you to stay one month at least.

After filling that farms month long requirement, from there (for now at least), the itinerary goes forward as planned: a weekend in Mendoza (either at a hostel or couch surfing) for La Fiesta Nacional de la Vendimia and then down to the farm in Tunuyan.