02/10/2024 Rancagua

We all overslept the beginning of this day because the days are over, at least for us, when long nights and alcohol don't matter. Initially we tried to bring a little order into the chaos: separate waste, dispose of leftover drinks, fill the fridge with leftover food. Then everyone had to prepare hand luggage for two days because our trip to Rancagua was coming up. Franziska had booked a tour for us that would take us to one of the largest copper mines in the world. Or rather, to the past of this mine, to Sewell. She had done this tour directly from Santiago just two months earlier with a visitor from Germany, but it turned out to be very time-consuming and tiring. That's why we wanted to do it differently.

First we walked to the subway and took it to Santiago Central Station. There we bought three tickets for a regional train to Rancagua worth about €9.00! The platform was secured with a passage, but was already very full when we arrived 40 minutes before departure. Between all the waiting travelers, vendors offered their sweet snacks and chilled drinks. And the platform filled up. It was also the first time for Franziska that she wanted to travel on the Chilean railway ("efe", trenes de Cile). The trains that were standing on the tracks (head station) also made a very different impression on us. Some of them were very worn out with crumbling chassis and completely blind windows. Others appeared very modern and well-kept. But the trains were all electric and none of the carriages were full, as is often the case here. Our train went back and forth like a tram for the 1.5 hours between Santiago and Rancagua. Before the arrival of the Regio, we had a modern train, the passengers gathered near the edge of the platform and moved very close together. Everyone wanted to be the first when it started. But everyone had to wait beforehand because the train was very full and it took quite a long time until all the passengers got off. But then there was a bit of squeezing and pushing and with a lot of luck we got three seats next to each other. The arrangement of the train was that there were three seats on one side of the aisle and two seats on the other. Padded and quite comfortable! More and more people crowded into the carts and the salespeople initially managed to work their way through the aisles. Later they could only walk along the outside of the wagons and shout loudly to offer their goods. At some point the train started moving and displayed digital stations and times. I don't think anyone had to hold on, but people reached out to each other and helped each other in the tight spot. Every traveler had to have one hand free, because nothing works without a cell phone. So we were able to follow many more or less loud conversations, mostly through facial expressions! The further we got from Santiago, the fewer people got on and the conditions returned to normal. Oof! Once we got into a bigger traffic jam when we were leaving the platform in Rancagua! Here every passenger has to hold their ticket at a turnstile so that they can leave the platform.

After we had overcome this hurdle, Franziska tried to organize a Huber. But at the same time there was a man with a cardboard sign at the exit that also said Huber. So a private driver who looked for his guests like that. His price matched what was offered online and he took us to the hotel. The tour was scheduled to start the next morning around 9:30 a.m. so we had an overnight stay at the Terrado Hotel in town. During the conversation between Franziska and the driver, it emerged that he had to go to Santiago airport the next day in the evening because he was supposed to pick someone up there. We first noted this information because we couldn't yet fully estimate how the day would go for us. So a quick check-in at the hotel and then into the city with the next Huber. This system really simplifies moving around a place: you enter your location and the desired destination and then several offers in terms of price and time reach the customer. The customer then decides on an offer and a confirmation is received with the license plate number of the car and the name of the driver. Everything is billed via the customer’s account, which previously had to be stored in the app. Class!

Things weren't great in the center of Rancagua because the cathedral, one of the city's twelve attractions, was closed! While looking for a place to have dinner, which was recommended by the man behind the hotel reception, we walked past six other sights, but they didn't really impress us either. On the other hand, the local cuisine was much better, a fusion of Asian and Chilean cuisine. Very tasty and a lot! We were served very intensively because we were the only guests on this Saturday evening?! Back to the hotel with a Huber of course and after a nightcap on the house we fell into bed completely tired!

Unfortunately, my sleep ended in the middle of the night because a live band played on our side of the hotel so loudly that I could understand all the lyrics and sing along. It was a great mix of Pink Floyd, Direstraits, Eric Clapton, Ramones, etc., but way too loud for me. Surprisingly, Karin slept through the night; she probably still had a lot to catch up on from the night before and, as always, she had ear plugs in her ears. So I went to the reception in night clothes to complain. At first they acted very surprised and, after a phone call to a higher authority, offered me a room change. But I had to refuse because Karin was sleeping so deeply. When I asked, I was told that the music would probably last another two hours. Completely tired, I made my way back and listened to the music for a good three quarters of an hour. Then there was peace and it didn't start again! Excellent! Only the bass from a closed room could still be heard, but it no longer disturbed my sleep! Looking back, this was the third or fourth hotel where I had bad luck with music. Whether Cuba, Australia, Turkey, loud noises every time?!