Patagonian Chile hospitality and receiving mail in Chile

We stayed a whole week in Coyhaique and not because it's a fantastic place, although it's a perfectly nice place. 

Needing some parts for our cooking stove we requested them, in January, to be sent to the 'Lista de Correos' (Poste Restante) in Coyhaique. But when we arrived, they weren't there. So we spent 2 nights at the campground, 2 nights beside lake Elizalde and at the lake we received an invitation from locals to stay with them on their property out of town, so we had 2 nights there. 

Now, for those who don't know, 'Poste Restante' is a mail holding service, called Lista de Correos in this part of the world, that is operated worldwide by the postal service in countries worldwide. The length of time that they will hold your mail varies (from country to country), and some post offices charge the recipient a fee. The Chilean service holds mail for 1 month and I think the fee is about $3. What we didn't know is that mail from the USA (where ours is coming from) can take as long as 60 days to arrive! (Of course, it could get lucky too and not take long at all, and be thrown out if you arrive 60 days later to collect).

Our letter (it's just leather seals) didn't arrive, nor did we want to wait another month. But kindly our hosts have offered to keep an eye out for it and if it arrives we can go back (we are doing a circuit not so far away anyway). As it's only a couple of seals worth $1 each they are coming by regular post. 

So a big thank you from our Coyhaique locals! They were also wonderful hosts and we look forward to seeing them again.