Re-read a few of the blog posts (the ones I had handy on my phone) last night while falling asleep and been doing the same just now. Already some of the stuff just a few weeks ago has receded into hazy memory. I'm glad I'm writing all this shit down, I enjoyed re-reading it even if the majority of it is doubtless tedious as hell to the casual reader, if any exist.
In principle I could be writing this blog deliberately restricting myself to relatively exciting events and with a view to making it interesting to someone else, but I'm too selfish and verbose to try.
Sun, 9pm. Still here. Just ordered a last beer (my fifth) as I need to be back at the hotel by 10. Should be cool. Will get a cab back though it rankles a bit as it's about 5-10 mins walk down the road, but it's raining, the road is AFAIK unlit and I am racing the clock. Sure it will still cost 1500 even though I'm half way there. The downside of not having meters (I do generally prefer places where you arrange a flat fare up front). Just heard "Nessun Dorma" from the TV in the bar (I am out on the terrace), which was slightly odd somehow.
Sun, 9:45pm. Just got back to the hotel. At about 9:30 I paid the bill and then asked them to call me a taxi. (I was vaguely tempted to stay out, but the closing of reception loomed and I also felt I should try to have a quiet-ish night.) The waitress said (I have to assume honestly, odd as it sounds, I think I'm a pretty good customer there for all the fact it's not very matey and nowhere else has declined to do this for me) they had no telephone. So I figured I'd have to walk it. Fortunately the rain is not too heavy.
The bar is on the corner. As I left and turned onto the street the hotel is on, three dogs (two large and one small) affiliated with the bar started barking their fucking heads off. For fuck's sake, I had been stroking two of the cunts at my table an hour or so earlier (and then hadn't seen them since). The little bastard (which I hadn't stroked, purely because it never came near me) even got out onto the street and was barking at me. Just what I fucking needed at the start of the walk home.
I knew exactly where I was going but I got my GPS out, partly for the comfort of knowing exactly how far I had to go and partly to avoid the risk (unlikely) of missing the hotel entrance. It was less than 800m. Fortunately there was quite a lot of traffic (i.e. headlights) and the road is not totally unlit, though I wouldn't fancy walking it at 3am. Also no further dogs encountered at all, not even as barking fuckers in gardens, after I left the bar. The airport was lit up and a plane was on the runway, I guess that makes sense as I arrived about this time and I had heard the thing land about 8:30/9pm. I thought I could pop onto the airport forecourt and get a cab, but as it was going OK and I resented paying CLP1500 for what is (by GPS) a 450m journey I reserved that as a fallback in case some canine fucker should impede my progress.
(So, yeah, when I arrived I paid 2000 when asked for 1500 to be driven 450m. FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY FUCKING METRES FOR NEARLY TWO QUID, even ignoring the fact I stupidly gave the guy an extra 500.)
I asked at reception if the internet was working, the woman said no, something I didn't understand the name of was broken. I noticed the rack rate tariff for a single room is USD125/night, so I doubt I'm paying USD140 as I said, but I also doubt I'm paying any less than USD125. Not cheap and you'd think they might put some effort in to get the whatever-it-is fixed ASAP. This is my fifth night, I think, and it hasn't worked since I arrived. I know we're on a fucking remote island but a) five fucking days! b) I am sure there is some shop selling whatevers on the island and c) at these prices, could it perhaps be possible to keep a spare? I keep seeing people sat outside presumably cheaper hostels on the main street (i.e. more central) with laptops presumably surfing away. Honestly, for me the primary amenity a hotel or hostel can provide after a bed is working wi-fi.
Anyway. I shall dither away another hour or two and try to get to bed earlyish so I have time to do that walk towards the volcano (and maybe get a bit of 'quality time' up by the crater rim on my own) tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment