If the word “adventure” could appear as a place in this big ol’ world, it would appear as Pucón, Chile.
As soon as I arrived in Pucón last Friday morning, after a long night aboard a double-decker bus, adventure rushed to greet me.
Kayaks waited patiently along the blue lake’s edge. The volcano Villarrica’s snow-capped peak rose majestically in the distance, and signs inviting tourists to try a number of different outdoor activities such as hiking, beckoned from wood lodges.
Our first adventure consisted of an easy-going kayak trip on Villarrica Lake, whose vast blue waters I couldn’t resist after looking for a time from our hostel’s front window.
An unusually sunny day in Pucón, I was able to see the volcano quite clearly and, though the air was crisp and chilly, I stretched out on top of a small cliff soaking in the sun’s rays.
My friend and I ventured a bit further on the edge of the lake to a large group of rocks, which we quickly abandoned as birds guarding their nests dove at us, squawking and coming way too close for comfort.
Later that day, we were driven deep into Mapuche territory, where we were taken on a two-hour horseback ride through rivers, along another lake and through winding trails.
Mapuche are the largest indigenous group in Chile, and our Mapuche guide explained to us that, though they live in Chile, they consider themselves different from Chileans.
They have their own culture, their own beliefs and their own language.
Mapuche means “people of the Earth” in ?Mapudungun, a language isolate spoken by Mapuche in south and central Chile, as well as some areas in Argentina.
When we reached the lakeshore, our guide told us they considered the volcano to be a house of spirits, and it is highly respected by everyone in the area.
As he knelt on the shore, carefully sifting the black sand through his fingers, I couldn’t help but feel somewhat ashamed.
He and his people lived so simply, needing so little and, when we later sat down and ate with his family, they seemed so happy.
And I, who has so much, cannot fathom the simple happiness he and his family expressed among each other and their relationship with the earth.
When we finally said our goodbyes, I couldn’t help but look back and try to hold tight in my memory the happiness my guide and his home exuded.
By the time we returned to our hostel, we were more than exhausted. As we had a new adventure awaiting us the next day, we hit the sack early.
Saturday was a day of relaxation and awe as we made our way to the Geométricas hot springs nestled in the Villarrica National Park.
I didn’t know what to expect heading there, but I was taken aback by the hot springs’ sheer beauty when I arrived.
A long, red walkway lured visitors into the steamy mist created by ?20 pools in the area. Each pool had a different temperature. Some were hotter. Some were cooler. Some were too hot to even ?step in.
I must say, it was the perfect thing to do following our horseback ride, as my friend and I were both feeling aches and pains due to our constant trotting, cantering and river fording the day before.
As evening descended, we made our way to a small café situated at the front of the hot springs, where we enjoyed hot bread and a warm bowl of soup before heading back to the hostel.
Our final day in Pucón was spent hiking and exploring the Tres Lagos trail in Huerquehue National Park.
Though the views of the mountains rising above the crystal clear lakes and the thunderous waterfalls were breathtaking, it was a rather grueling trail, as mud and snow made the ascent quite a challenge.
By the end of the day, mud-soaked and exhausted, my friend and I happily went right to sleep in the bus back to town.
Three days is truly not enough time to spend in a place like Pucón.
There was still so much I wanted to do and so much I wanted to see.
Regretfully, life cannot always be about having fun and adventures.
So on the 12-hour trip back to Santiago, I relived my adventures again in my mind and knew that one day I would go back.
I don’t know when, but there’s no telling what sort of shenanigans Pucón will get me into next time.
makholla@indiana.edu
