Resi Stiegler

So if you dont know about me and my trips to Chile, Ill give you a short run down. I’ve only come to Chile twice (this trip is my third) but both times I have had either the misfortunes of going crazy, breaking my hand or getting the chilalean ( our word for the stomach virus that comes from bad drinking water). So of course Im totally freaking out about coming back down here and worried that something crazy might happen. luckily the team keeps switching places and I don’t have to go back to the ones that haunt me.

We are in Valle Navado which is part of the mountains that sky rocket out of Santiago. We sleep at about 10000 ft. and train at 13000. Just think about that for a moment…… how do you think we got up here, in a bus on a narrow road that winds for all of like 60 curvas as they like to call them. I got off of a flight that had been delayed from Atlanta, long travels, the whole time worrying about the grocery store that I had packed into one of my bags. Do I declare it, do I not declare it… what to do what to do. So I declared it and had a fight with a chilean man who didn’t speak english and I don’t speak a word of spanish trying to figure out what a “seed” actually is. Apparently a seed comes in all forms of dried fruits, nuts and berries. So there went half the bag I packed. ( I was kinda ok with it because I still snuck my 8 GF muffins in so I guess you win and loose some)

We then head up the mountain to the beautiful Valle Navado. I am excited about a new ski area, it has a view and its amazing, great sunsets due to Santiago’s growing pollution. Its truly unreal to drive along the river and you can barely see the river as it winds through mounds of trash. Its disgusting and sad to see. I always wonder what it was like back in the day when my father ran around these parts. Its always a strange place for me to come, because my father spent so much time down here, he was the ski school director for Portillo and my mother and him had good years here. My Uncle and cousins also love it so I am always trying my best to find the beauty and yes it is beautiful and I guess the bumps only make me stronger and it is a fascinating place.

We all chit chat the whole way up the road which gives me a sudden vomiting feeling and so I have to quarantine myself up front with the driver who grew up with a mother from Bavaria who moved here during the war. So close this country comes to me, I feel as though Im just starting to scratch at the surface here.

Valle Navado does do wonders to the eye and we have a room that overlooks the snow white Andes and down the valley. The food is amazing and I mean amazing, compared to the stuff I was puking up last time. So I am much happier. Im drifting off to sleep hydrating for a big day of free skiing tomorrow with the overwhelming sent of Lavender that I had spilled over my entire bag. But you know what Ill take stining eyes from Lavender, beats a lot of other things! Sweet Dreams!