The search for snow (from Santiago to Chillan, Pucon, Bariloche, San Martin, Portillo and back!)

Hola!
It´s been awhile since I´ve posted. I´ve officially been in South America for just about 3 weeks but I have already seen A LOT of places- it definitely helped having our own mode of transportation (our trusted van, Jimi Jim).
This is only part 1 of a very long trip for me and it was an amazing start!

How would I describe van life with 3 boys for 2 weeks? hmmmm... fun, exhausting, smelly, loud, cozy, adventurous, freeing, simple, messy, organized (in our own way)... we`ll just say we are lucky we all got along so well because it´s a small space and we were in the van either driving or sleeping for I´m guessing probably 70% of the trip. By the end of the two weeks, I think we were all ready for a normal bed and no driving or riding in a car for a few days.


So a quick overview of the trip in bullet form:

• Started and ended in Santiago 9/5 to 9/21
• 9/6 Drove to Chillan (6 hrs)
• 9/7 Nevados de Chillan (ski resort) raining, most of the mountain closed, went to hot springs and ate empanadas instead of skiing. 
• 9/8 Drove to Concepcion and then north to Tome and Dichato, hung out on the beach, ate empanadas.
• 9/9 market in Chillan, drove to Pucon (6 hrs)
• 9/10 Pucon ski resort closed due to weather, hot springs (Thermas los Pozones) and empanadas instead (do you see a theme??)
• 9/11 Crossed into Argentina to check out Volcano Lanin, drove back to Pucon, Sam and I hiked to waterfall 
• 9/12 Summited and SKI (finally!) on Volcan Villarrica in Pucon, drove towards Bariloche
• 9/13 Bariloche for the day, fun in town, Jimi Jim broken into :(
• 9/14 Dealing with police, empanadas in Angostura, landed late night in San Martin at Chapelco (SNOWING HARD) 
• 9/15 POWDER DAY at Chapelco, skied hard, snowed all day!
• 9/16 POWDER DAY (round 2) bluebird! Drove through the night North in Argentina 
• 9/17 Driving!
• 9/18 CHILE'S INDEPENDENCE DAY! crossed the border back into Chile and bluebird day at Portillo! Celebrate with Pisco and wine and hot tubs!
• 9/19 Portillo, day 2! Drove to Mendoza 
• 9/20 Back in Santiago, say goodbye to Sam and Anson
• 9/21 fly out! 

Rough outline of our trip! South through Chile and back north through Argentina

I will have to upload photos in a separate post because it is not working in the hostel I am in right now in Colombia! bummer! 

Chao!