When we got to Los Vilos it was very overcast and looked quite crap, it was afternoon now and there didn't seem to be anybody about, it was a Sunday and schools were due to go back the next day but still, it wasn't what I was expecting at all, I was really quite disappointed. We walked up and down the beach to find a suitable spot to camp, we found an area behind some dunes and set up camp, we hadn't even notice but by the time we had pitched our tents the sun had come out and was shining beautifully in the clear blue sky. We didn't have that much trouble pitching our tents in the sand as it was soft and all we had to do was press down really hard until the peg was anchored in the harder sand below. It was a really long beach with golden sand, was empty but looked quite nice, I won't say anything else because one side had an oil/gas pumping station and the other had a fishing pier and dock for all of the fishing boats. It was definitely not the most picturesque beaches but would do for a nights sleep, all of our romantic (in the classical sense) fishing ideas were blown away because there was not really anywhere suitable for us to do so without leaving out tents and walking the whole beach. The town was okay, quite small and similar to Villarrica but a little smaller and not as beautiful, the same old shops, supermarkets and so on not particularly interesting. On the plus side sleeping on the sand to me was very comfortable, it was like sleeping on a giant firm bean bag, I slept for nearly twelve hours, as we didn't have beer and had no wood to start a fire we called it a night very early soon after the sunset. We woke up early, Dries went to check up with the hostel if they had received his card yet, he called from the nearest petrol station, the answer was no, in a way we were both expecting this. I had to take a walk into town to buy some food, see if I can get my clothes washed in a lavandaria, none of which were open so I was lumbered carrying my bag of dirty washing and shopping around whilst I tried to find my way back to the spot where we were camped on the beach. I got lost, had no sun cream, and ended up painfully burning my neck for the third time, will I ever learn?
Made it back and it was ridiculously windy by now, the beach was like a huge sandstorm and just behind the dunes where we camped was a joke, the wind had blown the sand into our tents and dugs holes along the sides and behind them. I suppose it could have been dealt with but at the time, my being burnt and Dries being pissed off that he still had no card and had no idea where it was, we decided to cut our losses, pack up and head back to Santiago, it seemed the most reasonable option for both of us. This meant Dries was always around to finally receive his card whenever it would come and I could maybe meet up with Sam again like we had initially planned. It was only maybe 11.00 by now and we had been in Los Vilos for less than 24 hours a little over 12 hours in fact, not too good but it wasn't like we imagined, me at least as I was the one who had read about it and seen all the pictures, last time I ever go somewhere purely based on what it sounds and looks like, I need more definite proof of its worth.