All Nighter

I sat down at the communal table in the pizza joint, happily eating my greenga pizza of spinach and garlic, sipping my one glass of wine, when two spainards started chatting with me in spanish, while pouring their bottle of wine into my glass. After struggling to make conversation with them for a few minutes, some french-turned chilean ski resort owners started pouring THEIR wine into my glass, asking what I was doing here in Franspanglish.

After a bottle of wine it was midnight. I was full and tired. I hurried over to the hostal. Upon entering I ran into Paula - an italian here for some trekking. Paula and I had hit it off earlier, having the same sense of humor. She grabbed my arm and said ¨Let´s go to the reggae show.¨

And so at midnight we arrived at the Blue Bar, at 1 the band played, at 4 we finished dancing, at 5 we went to another bar, at 530 I was doing pullups in bar number 2, and by 6 I was asleep, alarm set for 645.

Paul, one of the erratic rock owners came out with us. We were fearful he would miss his breakfast-making duties the next morning but he reassured us he hasn´t missed one in two years.

At 7 am, Paula and I sat at the kitchen table, still drunk and salivating over thoughts of hot coffee. The folks with 630 reservations for breakfast still hadn´t eat. Paul over slept.

At 720, 10 minutes before boarding the bus to Torres Del Paine, Paul ran into the hostal screaming what time is it, what times is it!?

He missed breakfast for the first time in two years.

And I hopped on the bus to the park with an empty stomach and 45 minutes of sleep.