Our first taste of Chile was sour - psychotic hotel owners and no room at the inn

The Chilean side of the Altacama desert





This is Planet Earth


We finally reached San Pedro De Altacama in Chile. After clearing the most ridiculous customs system ever where Tim had his honey taken away from him and we had to put our shoes in wet soapy sponges. It's a completely open land boarder in the middle of the desert that you have to walk across. The only reason you know you have arrived is because there is a hut that you have to go into to get your bags checked, so how the hell they think they are going to stop insects and microbes getting in from Bolivia I'll never know. We finally arrived in the town and started looking for accommodation.

It’s a great looking place. All tiny little houses and bars covered in red dust and sand. Since we too were covered top to toe in a fine film of red we fitted in quite nicely. It’s quite quaint and touristy here, but it’s nice all the same. The prices are ridiculously expensive, especially coming straight from Bolivia. The cheapest room we found was 25,000 pesos - about 40 US dollars. We stayed there one night and decided to look for a cheaper place the next day.

As I packed, Tim went out to find somewhere. He was having real trouble. Everywhere was either full or too pricey. Eventually he took me to see a place just across the road where the man had agreed to give us a room for 15,000 and Maz a room for 7,000. Still way beyond our budget but better than $40 so we moved our stuff over and went for breakfast. When we got back we found a note from Maz saying that the room price was wrong. The man was now saying it was 25,000 pesos.

This was the kind of shit we expected - but never got - in Venezuela and Bolivia, not Chile. Tim was furious. He insisted that the guy had said 15,000. He'd been back three times before he'd accepted the room and he said he'd confirmed the price each time. When he questioned it the guy just blew up and started really shouting. Tim made matters worse by shouting back at him. I can't remember exactly what the man said but I definitely understood that he was swearing and saying that if we didn't like it we could leave. So I dragged Tim away and we packed our bags.

On the way out Tim started shouting at the man again calling him a dishonest fuck. The man started screaming at him and picked up a huge plank of wood and started to come forward. Tim went nuts. I have never seen him like that before. He started screaming 'come on then' like some drunken football thug. I was in the middle of them trying to drag Tim away. In the end I literally pushed him out of the door. We ran to the safety of the place where we had spent the night before.

It turns out the guy drinks and there have been lots of complaints about the way he treats travellers. The owner of the other hostel went back with Tim to fetch Maz's bags which had been left behind in the panic. By this time there was no room left where we were before so we had to find another place. The third in 24hrs.

Third time lucky - we found somewhere for 18,000 - still really over budget, but it was fine. If you ever travel South America it is likely you will do the Bolivian salt flats and be dropped off in San Pedro – it’s part of the Gringo Trail. Whatever you do, do NOT stay at Chez Raul’s. The guy is a complete nutter!