Terremoto- The Day of the Quake

To anyone who may still be looking at mine and Ellas blogs, though they havent been updated since christmas. We are all fine. We were affected by the earthquake but all are safe. And are in no comparison to what is being shown on the news at the epicentre, we are a safe 200km or so away from conception.

Heres what happened in our neck of the woods:

NOTE: Ella may THINK she is superhuman and may THINK she saved my life. But had i not had saved hers first by getting her up from her bed where she continued lay even though bits of ceiling paint were falling on her face she could not have saved mine by moving me in my confused panic moment at the bottom of the stairs. Therefore she can now stop forcing me to make her pancakes whenever she wants them. That is all - you may read on...

We we're all due to be getting up at 4am to be ready to go on a weekend trip to some beaches near Coquimbo. Jaime was going to be driving a microbus (which we were very excited about) loaded up with the family for two days of beach fun and camping!! At 2am we finally went to bed to catch some sleep be fore four, Ella threw a strop about how Lia had wee'ed on her bedding that day and vowed not to speak to her for the next few days and stomped her way into a diffferent bedroom for the night. We we're then awoken at 3.30am by what we thought was a tremour. After a few seconds we realised it was far more rigorous and the house was really shaking. I called over to kerrianne and as we got up Maria ran in the room shouting "get up and run"

Shit.

We ran down the corridor to get Ella, who was sat on her bed with bits of paint from the ceiling falling on her. "downstairs now" shouts maria so off we go, passing Cynthia in the hallway desperately trying to get her jeans on. We then take on the funhouse stairs. These have since stuck in my mind. Swaying around and creaking all over the place.

Kerrianne runs to the front door and frantically trys to open it even though it is locked. (looking back now this was quite amusing and she cant remember doing it.) I stand at the bottom of the stairs flapping around not entirely sure where we are meant to be running too. Outside!! Oh right ok. We run to the back door where Ella freezes by the kitchen (since then has told us she froze as she thought the walls were falling down. They werent. but various objects were smashing everywhere. (kind of like when the titanic sinks in the film and all the plates and things fall off the wall) We then get outside and huddle round in the middle of the garden until the shaking stops.

We then look around and notice everyone is either dressed or in pyjamas apart from ella.. suprise suprise who is in her pants and a t-shirt. (last night we noticed she put pyjama bottoms on before she went to bed. She's learnt her lesson.) Maria ventures back in search of Lia, turns out shes fast asleep in her bed. Silly dog, shes meant to warn us of these things. Jaime appeared at the gate, doing his duties checking on all his family. He then asked who was going to be the quickest, Ella steps up "go get shoes and clothes but be quick ANOTHER ONE IS COMING"

Maria then spends the next few hours freaking us out jumping up every time the floor shakes. We set up camp downstairs with various family that have gathered. Gustavo tells us whats likely to happen, but again our spanglish gets us again "all I got from that is its either going to get better or a lot worse."

It got better. We all napped in the lounge. Before lunchtime we took a trip to town to see any damage:


Then spent the afternoon hearing the news from england on the phone. Late afternoon we got electricity back and this morning have a little water. But not enough for showers etc, much to ellas delight - she doesnt have to wash.