Kathryn >> The morning was spent pondering Stockholm syndrome. Fortunately, being stuck in a city, we have Wifi so could google it, and discover that only 8% of those held captive experience it... so it's okay, my ever growing irritation with everything Chilean doesn't contradict any cool psychological phenomenon. The list of current irritants stands as such:
1. Individual's unreliability - particularly mechanics.
2. Lack of footpath etiquette: When walking along, people choose to walk 2 to 3 people abreast and make NO effort to enable anyone walking the other way to pass. For a while, I thought it might be an attitude to foreigners but further observations suggests that it is a consistent approach. Needless to say, someone has to give, or get hit by a car... and it isnt me anymore.
3. The toilet paper thing: apparently the sewerage system can't deal with toilet paper... so it is either: not provided (there is no bidet either) or you place it in the bin.... Now, in my fine opinion, someone should invent a toilet paper that is compatible with the sewerage system... but clearly that would require innovation and motivation which appears to be generally lacking.
4. Inefficient service which I think they mistake for good service. Ordering from one person, paying another, collecting from a third; all to buy something as small as a pencil. People chucking your supermarket purchases, including vegetables into a plastic bag for you; for which you then have to tip them. Explaining that you don't want a bag is hard , explaining you don't want 14 is near impossible.

Things that almost make Chile bareable:
1. Late check outs: 12pm in almost all places.

James >> Kathryn wrote the above before we went to check on the progress of the van. The mechanic had bad news. Overnight he said he had fixed the cam shaft, but now there is a problem with the compression causing failure of a seal that he can't obtain easily. He says he needs 6 more days.... but really he means next Friday.
So what to do? We had to leave Chile. We decided on Peru (because we were told the food is good). Given out obvious delays we thought Cusco (closes city to Machu Picchu) might be a good option because it's probably further north than we have time to drive. The closest airport with flights was Antofagasta. Flights and hotels were booked, the prospect of leaving Chile was good. Getting to Antofagasta meant a bus ride... a long bus ride...however first class ($5 more) made it bareable. We arrived in Antofagasta at around 1am, and saw no point hanging around so headed to the airport.