I had it all figured out: I’d walk to the closest metro station from our wonderful free camping spot in Santiago, ride the line to the bus station, take a two-hour bus trip west to Valparaiso, explore the town during the day, and return home the same way.
Then, our friends Abigail, Richie, and Zoe from Meat Around The World were interested in joining me. Great! Last minute, we realized that if we rented a car for the day, Mark and Maya would be able to come as well, plus this would give everyone more freedom and comfort than a return journey by public transportation.
Part of our group in Valparaiso
(Photo courtesy of Richie Gubler)
The reason we didn’t want to take our own campers was the bad reputation Valparaiso has regarding petty crime, car beak-ins, and tire slashings of foreign-plated vehicles. All of us had just installed new tires in Santiago, so now was definitely not a good time to take extra risks. There certainly is a grimy side to this port city.
Screenshot of Valparaiso in iOverlander – all the red and white warning signs mark robberies, break-ins, or tire slashings!
After a late start, a two-hour drive on fantastic toll roads, and finding a safe and covered parking spot for the rental car, the six of us set off on foot to discover the colors, murals, and old ascensores (elevators) of Valparaiso during the afternoon. Here is a photo gallery of our day as full-blown tourists.
(As always, hover over or click on photos in galleries to read their captions.)
