Transantiago

Well, I didn't leave in Santiago when the Transantiago started, so I wasn't acquainted with the "old" system. I kind of went acknowledged with that when I started University, and by that time, some of my friends and classmates told me that the system had indeed improved, even though it still isn't very well...

My mother worked in Santiago before Transantiago's plan was implemented, and she prefered that system, because she worked here until about two months after Transantiago was implemented, so she was able to compare.

By the way, based on my mother's experience, and the user's opinion, the old system was better, since the buses did their routes and they could stop whenever the passenger wanted.

The bad thing with the old system was, basically the payment way and the bad attitudes of some drivers. First of all, when people didn't had coins to pay the ticket (as we say in Chile "sencillo"), usually the driver didn't let you take his bus, because he neither had enough money to give change ("vuelto") nor he wanted to make such a delayable transaction.

Point for Transantiago for Bip's card set up.

It allows you to charge it with any amount of money that you want (up to $800 in BIP, and up to $300 in TNE), and because of this, you don't have to worry for the payment!

Second, people says that now, the students and elders are less discriminated. I can't say yes or no, because I don't have friends in school in Santiago who have tested both systems, and neither do I have my grandparents in there.

What do I have to criticize, it's the people's attitude when they run out of money in their BIP's. This is most frequently in our University's area, i think. People usually don't even show their cards! They just pass under the metallic bars, and even take a seat! I get very upset when this happens, but I have to bite my tongue if I want to have a safe and "nice" trip to home.

I don't know if the government could hire some inspectors, in order to stop this practices, but I also think that, that would be even more risky, because maybe some people wouldn't accept it, and it could end in some kind of fight or nasty argument.

What I know for sure is that, Transantiago could've been a very clever plan, but they hurried up it too much, and Santiago wasn't ready to resist it.

A country I'd like to visit...

Here it is!! The beautiful Australia!!!

I've been interested in this country since I read a book (a novel, ok a romantic one, go on, laugh on me), and it was setted on Australia, mainly Adelaide.

How could I resist the beauty of their prairies? I think it's a very interesting country and usually, people (like me, for example) doesn't know very much about it. I know it is placed in Oceania, and it's capital it's Canberra. Besides, I think it's a very varied country, because it has attractions for many kinds of people. For instance, if I like music, or if I'm interested on architectural designs, I should be going to Sydney's Opera House, which it's a beautiful place (even though I've seen it only in photographs). If you like swimming or diving, you can go to Adelaide, and enjoy the dolphin’s company! You can even ride camels and check out dinosaur prints on western Australia (Broome)! I'd like to travel there in an exchanging program and have a degree there. But meanwhile I hope I'll be enjoying myself in one beautiful beach, and learning many things about too many interesting cultures, like Anangus, or knowing the oldest rainforest in the world: the Daintree Rainforest.

So I hope I'm going to this wonderful country sooner or later.

Regards.

A.