World Run II / Reports

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Goto: 2011-04-22 2011-04-24 Chile West

2011-04-23:

2
Distance today: 0.0 km (Accumulated: 24808.0 km)
Elapsed time: 00:00:00
Country: Chile West

[6.day in Santiago searching for and preparing a new supportcar after the old one broke down 250km N. of Santiago].

:-) Ready !

After some nearly tragic first days in Santiago batteling diseases, unluck, logistics gone wrong (corruption at Argentinian customs taking all new runningshoes, expedition equiptment & personal gifts shipped in from denmark) then our little team is finally ready:

A new car has been bourght, a 9y. old Peugeout van,
Official documents has been obtained,
Car insurence for Chile & Southamerica/International has been purchased,
Supplies has been compiled for the remote streatches ahead,
The new car has been equipped for longdistance,
Runningshoes to supplement the Ecco shoes back from Punta Arenas has been bourght;
The motivation is restored !

These things filled our days well but due to an impecable teamwork by Jamie and Alex, displaying the troublesolving skills of the english & american spirit, plus the Scandinavian stubboness (temper ? ;-) got it done. An outright strong effort by my two friends !

We are now ready to drive out to km-marker 252 on the Panamerican highway early tomorrow morning where I can continue the run at the point where I left when the old supportcar refused to go any longer; after making it across the 4000m. high Christo Redendor Pass - which by any measure was a great last performance by the maschine that had carried my food, water & supplies for the run almost 4000km through difficult terrain from Punta Arenas to the Pacific coast !

Ahead is the highway which goes all the way up along the continent, if things go well its my daily running-place untill December where I hope to reach the Northern tip of Columbia & thus the Northern point on the Southamerican continent; which then, if all the factors allow me, will mean completion of the run straight across the continent (on the longest way: South to North). From then its Cuba from East to West and finally the Northamerican continent is on the 'menu' - again if all the unknown factors of these expeditions will allow me !

But before all this its Chile at present.
A contry of 17mill citizens (whereof 5mill. lives in Santiago) and which spans nearly 6500km of Pacific Ocean coast. Known as the most politically stable of the Southamerican contries - in sharp contrast to its underground which ceartainly isnt stable & shakes from small earthquakes daily.. But also in most other factors of progress its at the front of its naighbours on this continent: the highest human development index according to the Un, the most advanced economy, the lowest corruption (something to learn for Argentina, which sits at the other end of several of these scales ;-) and one of the founding nations of the Un ! But, also with one of the highest inequity rates of this continent - visible here in Santiago where a travel across the city displays wealth on par' with the richest parts of europe and usa, yet also a scale of powerty in the suburbs of the city unfound in most of europe and N. America ! On the other hand it has an impressive public sector which from what I personally experiensed even outperforms the european bureaucracyes when it comes to efficiency and service; much to my surprise when coming from the publicsector-heavy Scandinavian contries :-)

The contry got its independence in 1818 after beeing under spanish rule like many other S. American contries in the 16,-18.century. Still, long before the spanish conquistadores' came it was home to the Inca in the North and the Mapuche people in the Mid.- & South regions of the contry.

- Within a few weeks of running I should enter into the traditional Inca territory which all the way through Peru, Equador and up to Columbia has archeological evidence along my route of this amazing ancient culture which disappeared suddenly. Perhaps it was the old Incas who required me to take a few days rest to begin to learn their history before entering into their areas ;-)

However it is, the updated timescedule for Chile is:

1/5 La Serena,
14/5 Copiapo,
25/5 Antofagasta,
4/6 Iquique,
15/6 Arica,

17/6 Border to Peru.

- IF this timeplan holds I hope to celebrate my 40year birthday by 2. of July at the Titicaca Lake in Peru (all are wellcome - but I know its a bit of a long travel !). Untill then I will have good time to think about wether I should still take my 5days rest at the lake as planned to philosophy' about this new age :-)