Second attempt at picking up my newly repaired MacBook Pro (yes, the saga continues) but the Mac Online store over in Viña del Mar is closed due to the ‘Day of the Glories of the Army’ – it’s now been largely closed since last Friday due to the Fiestas Patrias. Hoping tomorrow, Thursday, isn’t yet another holiday (‘The Day of the Glories of the Navy’, ‘Of the Parking Rangers’, ‘Of the Dog Catchers’ anyone?) and I can finally be reunited with said Mac, though now that I have my old (and expensively imported) MacBook Air with me I’m at a loss to know which one to use and which one to stuff in my suitcase – again, first world problems.

We’re managing to work most mornings – I’m continuing to do new business development for the Brand Agency I’m working with, newly re-branded Believe You Me – www.believeyoume.com– developing leads in Australia but also throughout SE Asia and the Middle East where much of our work is currently coming from. It’s slightly odd pretending to be in Australia when of course I’m on the other side of the Pacific and the time difference of -13 hours does make chats kinda tricky, but I’m getting on with it. Ants is being super productive – not just writing the occasional Neighbours script but also developing a number of super interesting (Paul’s word not mine – Ant) drama ideas for TV, Film and even a short story with a ghostly theme set in Valparaíso.

As you would have seen from my pics, this place has its spooky nooks and crannies, not least with the many derelict gothic wooden mansions, complete with widows-walks, copper-clad spires, cracked and smashed windows and partially demolished walls – they’re particularly haunting on a moonlit night.