Santiago de Chile – Day 1: The Luxury of Loneliness
SANTIAGO DE CHILE
Day 1: The Luxury of Loneliness
April 10, 2023
You’d think I’d finally manage to get some shut-eye after five hours of sleep over three days – only my shuttle to the airport picked me up at the inhumane hour of 4AM. I’d rest when I’d die, right?
I had imagined the flight leading me to my last destination for this trip to be a sentimental one. And, in a way, it kinda was. I was nearly sobbing the second a guy and his screeching baby sat right next to me as I had started to doze off and get some much-needed rest. Turns out, the hassle at the airport trying to get my power-bank through security wasn’t enough of a martyrdom for one single day. Have I mentioned how much I hate flying?
But anyways, pretty soon, that too was in the past and after a few hours, I found myself in a new city – that of Santiago. Needless to say, sightseeing wasn’t the first thing on my mind when I first landed, given that I hadn’t slept in what felt like weeks.
A Very Vulnerable Hello
After months and months of staying in hostels, I made the respectable decision of booking myself a hotel room as a gift to myself before going back home. Best. Decision. Ever. I nearly cried the second I was shown to my room. My room.
It had been so, so long since I had my own room – since Honduras to be exact. Six months of shared dorms, shared bathrooms, no privacy, no silence, weird smells and weird roommates. To have my own room after so long felt almost unreal. While I had grown to enjoy hostel life – especially the cheap part – there’s nothing quite like having your own room where you can do whatever the hell you want.
In fact, the first thing I did as soon as I checked in was something I had grown all too used to before – I showered, put on my clothes, remembered I didn’t have to wear any, took them off, and threw myself on my very, very comfortable bed. I could’ve just passed out right there and then. Only I was way too hungry for that. I ordered a massive pizza, watched an episode of Modern Family and before I knew it, I was completely knocked out. I’d have plenty of time to go around the city so rest trumped sightseeing for the rest of the day. I swear, it was so good for the soul. So, so good!
Except for one part. When I heard a staff member calling me, I ran to the door expecting him to tell me to shut up and stop singing so loud. Instead, he just wanted to tell me my door was open. I was still very naked.