Oaxaca City, Sunday

18:50. Battery died on phone while at that cafe around 8am so couldn't write anything. Currently at some cafe/bar in the Zocalo.

Just before I finally came out, I noticed three (count 'em) spiders round the ceiling edges in the six-bed dorm I have to myself tonight. Fortunately all are spindly enough that measuring in at maybe 1.5 inch diameter I can afford to ignore them. I hope this is just bad luck/poor cleaning of the dorm rather than a Oaxaca thing... I just may try my feeble insect spray on the buggers later but probably not, especially if they haven't moved.

19:50. I need to recount the happenings of the day but too lazy right now. I cannot believe the sheer number of street vendors and beggars here.

20:15. OK, let me cast my mind back.

While wandering at about 8 or 9am after having checked in but not having a room available, I went for a wander. I saw a Spanish language school and suddenly thought "I wish I had maybe one something like that". As I had breakfast, I thought "well, why don't I? I could stay here two weeks and still have a bit of time left. I am a bit sick of this continual hopping around every few days." Oaxaca City also reminds me a little of Guanjuato where I first came here to study.

I popped into the school afterwards, but the street door was only open for some adjacent businesses. Not too surprising really.

I have been musing on and off about this all day. The more I thought the more uncertain I got. But I am kind of thinking now that I might do it. Well, turn up at a couple of schools at say 8am tomorrow (it being a Monday, which is fortunate) and see if I can enroll on the spot. If I can't then well no harm done.

I wonder a bit if I will get bored if I am stuck here for two weeks. But I didn't get that bored stuck in places for 3-5 weeks before. I think I will sign up for a week and see how that goes. If I suddenly decide I hate it, worst case is I've wasted about GBP150 which isn't the end of the world.

Not that I am basing the decision to try for the schools on this, but it just occurred to me this evening that although my flight back is for 23rd June, there is nothing to stop me extending for a week or two, assuming the ticket allows that. I don't have to be back in the UK until Andy's wedding on 10th July and financially an extra week or two would make no real difference. At the same time, it also provides a convenient hard limit which avoids me worrying that extending the trip will lead to the slippery slope of extending over and over again.

I am slightly, not quite homesick, but a touch weary, even if I am generally having a good time. But maybe a week or two settled in one place would alleviate that and I am not so desperate to get back that a week or two would be a killer. Two weeks would be pushing it slightly in terms of the wedding, but a week or even a week and a half (it's only because I sketched my itinerary out in whole weeks that I booked all my main flights for Wednesdays) would not really be a struggle in those terms. It may piss some recruitment agents off but they're bound to be pissed off anyway one way or another.

This feels a bit decadent assuming I am allowed (by the ticket) to do it, and that I actually decide to do it. But an extra two weeks tops is negligible in terms of money or getting a new contract ASAP so I can do something like this again in 18-24 months. Besides, at least I am stealing from the future to have two weeks abroad now, not to have two weeks sitting around at home.

Two different if slightly related issues here of course. But I think I will try to get into a school tomorrow morning for a week regardless and take it from there.

While wandering after breakfast and a couple of post-prandial teas I stumbled across Museo de los Pintores Oaxqueños so I went in there, after some confusion on the door. Not bad if not totally gripping and one or two quite cool paintings, some of which I photographed (feeling guilty, but there was no 'no photography' sign).

I then had lunch and a couple of beers in the Zocalo and felt a bit run down before getting back to the hostel. I was there charging my phone and surfing and briefly checking out a couple of local Spanish schools on the web til I came out tonight.

I seem to have a sort of plan now anyway, even if I am still slightly dubious about it. I think I have to go with my initial "it would be cool to do that, oh, and I can" thoughts re the Spanish school, and ignore any of the doubts I seem to have fabricated later about it maybe being a waste of time or doing it because I feel I "ought" to, which certainly wasn't the case when the idea occurred to me.

Was musing vaguely despondently about the costs (direct and indirect) of the trip on the bus this morning (of course, never the most optimism inducing time or place to speculate), but if I'm already fucked (no property, no pension, age nearly 34) another week or two won't make it significantly worse.

Oh, had a quick look at the F&CO web site for Mexico today. Oaxaca state has a warning about some human rights convoy being attacked about 50 miles west of here (the distance is from a hasty look on Google Maps, not the F&CO web site) back in April and saying to use caution when visiting the area, but I am going to assume (probably correctly) that means 'the area round the town where it happened'.

Oh, in terms of the school using up time I could have used to do other things (assuming I don't extend the trip), while I was heading for Guanajuato and it would be cool to revisit and maybe some of the places en route would be cool too, there was nothing in the 'must see/do' category on my vague itinerary. Besides, although it seems a little 'inelegant', I could maybe fly out somewhere after my time here, or even just put in some heavy days on the bus, and still make it over there. I will still have 11 days before I fly back after two weeks studying here, if I leave on the Saturday.

Two weeks studying would mean I will be here studying on my birthday a week tomorrow but really no big deal. I didn't have any special plans to visit anywhere on my birthday or anything.

Of course, all this assumes I can get into a school tomorrow. But if I can't, I can't, it was a last minute idea and so if it's not possible it's not the end of the world. It has already been semi-beneficial just as an idea since it's made me at least consider the possibility of extending the trip, which hadn't even crossed my mind before. (And I suppose if I really wanted to study and can extend, I could extend then book up for a school elsewhere a week or two in advance.)

Just have to see what happens tomorrow morning and take it from there I think.

20:42. I am going to count the beggars and hawkers for a bit. This will either demonstrate the problem or put a stop to it. :-)

Hawkers: 2
Beggars: 1

21:15. I close my count. I may have exaggerated to myself earlier, but not as much as the above might apply. I either got lucky, doing the count put them off or time changing made a difference. I half suspect they are repeating and I'd already fobbed most off.

All this non-story material in Les Miserables reminds me of Moby Dick. The convent/religion stuff is at least fairly interesting (if a little facile to my mind in its outright dismissal of atheism), unlike the Waterloo stuff. The probably factual accounts of covent life tally with and remind me of things I saw and was told while visiting various convents on the trip.

At the same time, at the risk of revealing myself as a philistine, I want to know what happens in the story and at least on this first read through I am therefore irritated by this superficially extraneous material.

I must say that while the idea of extending the trip by a week or a bit more is probably getting the upper hand, and I may do it even if it means discarding my return flight and buying a new ticket (though that would be a bit more of a push somehow), at the same time the idea has a certain disappointing quality, postponing something I am sort of looking forward to (being 'at home) and also a bit like postponing all the crap I have to go through (finding a new flat and a new job) which in some sense I just want to get out of the way. But as I say, overall it appeals, a week or so's delay is nothing and if anything may just enhance my appreciation of the slightly dismal prospect of returning to the UK and a 'normal' life.

21:55. Surprisingly busy in the Zocalo (should I capitalise that? It looks wrong). This bar/cafe has never been that busy but the one on the corner was and is rammed and there are loads of people sitting around in the square. I am tempted to describe it as 'vibrant'.

22:55. Bit shit. Just got the bill. Guy said 8 beers in a hesitant way, I said thought it was 7. I paid for 8 which was exactly 200 and left no tip (I have no change at all). Not out of pique. He may be right. Feel a bit bad but I guess it's done. I will have to return and tip next time. This isn't like that damn bar in Mexico City. For my own memory, this is the bar second from the corner nearest the street leading to my hostel.

Wouldn't be leaving now but I guess I didn't sleep much on the bus and it is almost stupidly important to me to be up in time to try the schools tomorrow. My gut feeling says of course they will let me in. But of course I have to be there in plenty of time anyway.

23:20. To bed and whatever happens tomorrow I hope I at least get up early enough...

Bus Palenque-Oaxaca City

19:30. Villahermosa. They are at least making announcements. My feet hurt, I don't know what it is about bus seats that this happens. Driver just said we have ten minutes if we want to get off. I won't. I am not that hungry and I'm broke in the practical sense I have about 6 pesos in change and 200 peso notes, which I suspect are not acceptable at any bus terminal shop.

I am wondering if I should get off and try to buy food. But I am not really hungry. No, I'm not going. Maybe the next time we stop. I can always get breakfast in Oaxaca City as I don't have any obvious places to hare off to when I drop my bags off at the hostel, unlike Palenque.

Oaxaca City appears to be referred to as Oaxaca de Juarez or just Oaxaca. At least I hope those are all the same place.

20:05. Man, the Waterloo bit of Les Miserables is tedious. Mind you, it's hard to concentrate anyway which listening to:
- the compulsory film soundtrack
- the bus radio
- a fuckwit noisily sucking at a lollipop opposite
- at least two women gabbling loudly on their mobile phones
all at the same time.

There is no fucking excuse for having the bus radio on at the same time as the film soundtrack, and lollipop boy should just be taken out and shot.

I don't fucking believe it. Lollipop boy just shifted to the rightmost seat in his double so he is now sucking practically in my fucking ear.

(He's not a boy, to be overly precise. Middle-aged-ish chap I think. Certainly an adult. And equally certainly a cunt.)

It's not going to help me concentrate on the book but I can't fucking take any more. I am going to have to put my headphones in and crank some music up painfully loud.

22:10. Coatzalcoatlos (sp?). Skimming the Waterloo section as fast as I can but even so it's trying my patience.

Driver has got off for a fag but didn't say how long we have. There is a small kiosk (non self service) just in front of the bus but I am still not really hungry, I don't want crisps or biscuits and I don't see any sandwiches or have any confidence the attendant would be willing to locate something without mayonnaise anyway. Even assuming they would break a 200.

08:34. At some cafe having breakfast. Bus got in about 7:45. Taxi to hostel no big deal tho they moved last September (as I found out later) and so I had to show the taxi driver the correct address. Hostel or hostelworld has screwed up and shifted my booking one day later (I logged onto Google Mail to show the confirmation saying I had booked starting today). They are giving me a dorm to myself tonight and then I will get the room I booked tomorrow, so no problem. Left bags with them til I can check in.

(I might have stayed in a regular shared dorm had they asked, but I would have wanted money back.)

Quite cool to be walking the streets in the morning when it's quietish. I do like mornings, I just don't like waking up to them. :-) Didn't sleep well on the bus but better than usual.

Getting a bit of a Count of Monte Cristo vibe from Les Miserables. I doubt it will stretch to graphic revenge but I live in hope. :-)

Palenque, Saturday

14:45. Having several half decent cups of tea (the milk is not frothy!) at some small cafe near what I take to be the main plaza. Got up just in time to check out at 12, left the suitcases at the hotel. Dined as planned yesterday, which was good but spoiled slightly by worries about lack of cash, my card having been turned down with the usual vague message by one set of machines. Got some out of another after eating though.

Reading Les Miserables. It's odd that while the guy was undoubtedly a bastard, I don't have any strong dislike for Fantine's ex-lover, whereas I would derive great satisfaction from someone wreaking vengeance on the Thenardiers. I suspect it won't happen though.

Oh, and the tooth drawing business was oddly repugnant.

16:00. Suddenly hacked off. Ordered a fourth tea maybe 10-15 mins ago and they never brought. Ordered again maybe 5 mins. Woman just came out and burbled at me about something happening in 15 mins, the gist being 'fuck off'. I could have drunk the tea if you just brought it when I asked for it. So now I will have to go somewhere else to loiter. I guess I will have a beer or two near the hotel, at least that will reduce uncertainty.

16:20. Come to Saraguato's for a quick beer. Torn between getting to bus terminal in plenty of time vs hanging around annoyingly. Bus is at 5:30 not 5 by the way.

16:50. At bus terminal. As I had already seen, it's tiny. No free seats, in part due to selfish git puting bags on seats. But it's cramped enough I would probably not sit next to anyone anyway. No departure board. An announcement is happening now but it's largely incomprehensible.

Bought a bottle of water even though I have a big half-full one in my bag. Don't have room for both so this is going to be a nuisance on the bus I am sure. (I could pour the new one into the old, but it's slightly cool and I don't want to 'waste' that.) I wish I had picked seat 3 but remembering last time and getting shunted across to seat 1 by that woman with the baby, I picked 7. Stupid. Not a massive deal but I suspect I will feel cramped up with all my junk. Oh well.

Sign on the wall says it is forbidden to travel with fruit, vegetables or milk derivatives. Presumably more of those agricultural restrictions. Not that it affects me but it always seems odd.

Sweaty as hell. Just want to get on the damn bus.

17:30. On the damn bus. :-) Slightly more leg room than I expected. Not super plush though.

While waiting for them to open the luggage compartment, a mini queue formed. The halfwitted woman in front of me missed it actually being opened and consequently a load of pushy fuckers just surged past me.

Oh, and I think the damn thing terminates in Puebla, though it is far from clear, certainly not Oaxaca. That's always a nice bit of extra uncertainty.

The announcements were incomprehensible. I don't think it's just the language. The PA seemed to sort of 'fatten' the sound out making it very hard to even distinguish individual words.

Anyway, will send this now.

Palenque, Friday

05:55. Waiting to be picked up for the tour. Must dig out the actual names of the places at some point and write them down.

Didn't want to get up of course, was awake anyway due to alarms at 5:15-ish, knock on the door at 5:30, stupidly pushed it til 5:40 then finally got up. Not feeling great but not totally knackered either. I vaguely hope we will get a better bus today.

Didn't go to bed super early but I think I was in bed by about 11. I faffed around a bit letting the mobile charge and setting the laptop up to upload some more photos to Skegness overnight.

The tour description says to bring indentification and the other company's English version says passport. I have the passport in my hidden belt (as nearly always - though I left it at the hotel yesterday in case it got nicked while I was swimming, not that that would have been an issue of course as it turned out) but I do wonder why it's necessary. Some two day tours go to Flores in Guatemala but the one day versions don't. I can only assume there may be checkpoints.

(I did consider a two day tour for maybe 30 seconds, but while I could have stayed yet another day, it didn't really appeal. I have no idea what the overnight accommodation would be like and while for all I know Flores is really cool, it has a slight 'ticking off another country' feeling which is probably in my head but still.)

Sky is only just beginning to get light. Seemed a bit odd, intimidating even, to open the hotel room door and find it dark outside.

06:10. Just picked up. Driver asked if I was '109' (my room number). I am not a number etc..

Minibus lookd superficially the same as yesterday's. My heart genuinely sank a bit. But it's not, the seats lack the little quirks that so harmed the comfort yesterday. For a start there are seatbelts which ignoring any safety benefits may aid comfort if the roads are twisty. The seat also reaches all the way to the wall and has no stupid lumps.

19:10. Down at bar was at yesterday (Saraguato's). Just got back. Going to have one or two then pop back to my hotel and book accommodation in Oaxaca City for Sunday night onwards.

Will waffle about today later. Not a bad day but I am slightly knackered.

19:40. Radio is on here. Some Spanish language song is on but the music is decidedly reminiscent of "Whiter Shade of Pale", although it's clearly not a cover.

21:15. OK. Been back to the hotel, booked a hostel for Sun-Tue nights and left a few more photos uploading.

Bit hacked off as the camera apparently doesn't remember it has taken more than 10000 photos. Filenames include 4 digits and it indicates past that using different directories. With switching cards it seems to have got confused and rolled back the count. So my photos now no longer have unique filenames. This is no massive deal, even if it's annoying, but I need to be very careful about deleting things now.

Anyway, the trip. Sat next to a youngish Japanese woman on the bus out who was getting a transfer to Flores, Guatemala. The itinerary on the leaflet from the tour agency was bollocks but we did at least get everything in.

We stopped off for a half-decent buffet breakfast on the way. After we dropped that woman off at the border post, we (a largish group, although only two had travelled down with me - two women from Mexico City) got some boat down the Usmacinta river (which forms the border between Mexico and Guatemala at that point) for about half an hour to Yaxchilan. That was quite cool, though the boat seemed both rather fast and rather unstable and I didn't get a life jacket. But hell, there would be worse ways to go.

We then had a guided tour of Yaxchilan (MXN50 extra), which was fairly interesting, I got the gist of most of it though some of the details and a lot of the dates passed me by. What wasn't so cool was that we entered the site via some labyrinth about which the guide said (in Spanish, of course) "don't touch the walls as there are bats and spiders". Fan-fucking-tastic. Dark as hell in there, my phone providing no illumination. I was the last in the group. Of course everyone else was doddering along and the guide was talking and I'm stood there in the dark visualising a tarantula on the wall a few inches from my head. I didn't flip out but I came closer than I would like. I did see a few bats but fortunately no spiders. I mentioned how happy I was about this to one of those women from DF later on and she said there were some. But apparently they had small bodies and long legs making them maybe 3 inches in diameter. Which is frankly big enough, but not as bad as I had imagined. And I di
dn't see any, so they didn't exist. :-)

Rather hot and sweaty climbing up the pyramids etc but fairly cool.

There were loads of butterflies around, especially near the landing point. Big clumps of the things on the ground, almost like flies on a chunk of rotting meet. Also got to see some small pineapple bushes. I already knew they grew on bushes, but it was cool to see it with my own eyes.

We then got the boat back (a bit longer, as it was against the current, though I don't know how much longer). I got a lifejacket that time, which was enormously uncomfortable.

We seemed to pick up a few other people in our bus after lunch, when we went to Bonampak. An hour's guided tour there (another MXN50), which was also quite cool if not amazing. (Apparently back in the day you had to fly to visit it - they showed us the grass landing strip. I am not sure it would have been worth it, but it would have been much cooler).

We stopped off at the breakfast place for half an hour on the way back. Despite having had some chat with the two women from DF earlier I was surlily half-awake at this point (having drowsed fitfully on the bus as I was feeling knackered) and l loitered outside reading about Oaxaca in my guide book.

Those two women gave me a few tips, I may go to Montealban (sp) for a day trip from Oaxaca City, though it is not too clear there are decent tours. You can apparently walk it in an hour and a half so I may cab it out and walk back with GPS assistance. We will see

The bar I am at now has chairs that are so heavy they are practically immovable.

Vague plan for tomorrow is to leave everything at the hotel all day. I may go over to the ruins and buy a bottle of water etc there, but I am also keen not to get all sweaty when I have a 15h bus trip etc. So if I check out at 12 and have to get the bus at 5, I may just dine sumptuously and loiter around drinking coffee. Guess it depends how I feel tomorrow.

I don't know if the boat from Frontera Corozal to Yaxchilan was necessary or purely a little bit of extra entertainment.

Everywhere immediately visible round here looks pretty dead (I am near the hotel). I know it's a bit hotel-y but still, it's Friday night! Waiter just asked if I wanted anything else, I hope this is just over-solicitousness not 'drink up, you've been geeking out too long instead of swigging, and we're shutting'.

While at Yaxchilan, before we got to the labyrinth, someone pointed out what I thought she called an 'arañita'. I had to look. It was actually a very small frog (rana, I looked it up just after), so I guess she said 'ranita'.

(Earlier on we saw an incredibly squashed large-ish frog on some path. At first I thought 'that's a squashed frog', then I thought it was a dirty small plastic bag which looked a bit like a frog, then we established it was a squashed frog after all. I was amazed how well the shape had been retained. It was sufficiently old and/or squashed that it lacked the gory impact it might otherwise have had.)

22:30. Left there, they were dead and I knew from asking if I could get the second beer they shut at 11. Down at El Huachinango Feliz (I infer a huachinango is a fish of some kind from the logo) next door now. Far from lively but there are a couple of tables occupied so it seems a better bet. I am not out for a session but given I am probably not aiming to check out before 12 I wouldn't mind a few relaxed ones. I suspect I may struggle and/or have to hop around the bars near the hotel but we shall see.

My electronic dictionary says it is a Mexican word for 'red snapper'. Quite impressed it knew.

The guide at Yaxchilan said we should ask if we had any questions and that maybe his Spanish wasn't great as he only used it for work, as he spoke some local language the rest of the time. He seemed pretty damn fluent all the same. He was chatting away with the two women from DF on the boat back. (I couldn't keep up and unless re-invited back into the conversation contented myself with staring around.)

I think I was the only native English speaker on the tour, though there were two or three French women (judging partly from overhearing but mostly from catching a glimpse of their guide book). It's odd, I have heard quite a few Americans at one or two of the bars near the hotel. Maybe they just aren't doing these tours.

It appears that in this part of Mexico 'michelada' means what I originally thought it did, i.e. a michelada cubana.

Those women earlier sort of implied they expected me to be flying to Oaxaca City. I suspect I could have, and maybe it would have been a smarter use of time, but somehow it seems oddly more appealing to take buses when I can.

Oh, I half got the impression they had hired a car to go somewhere tomorrow and invited me to join them. Putting aside any worries about having to be back in time to pick my bags up and get the bus at 5, I might have accepted, but I simply wasn't that clear they were offering and felt it would be awkward to accept (or to decline overly explicitly, so I hope I didn't seem rude by not saying the equivalent of 'thanks a lot, but no') in case I had the wrong end of the stick.

For the record, especially as I haven't said anything bad about it yet, I am staying at Hotel Chablis. Oh, no response - not even a token fobbing off - from hostelworld about the rip off at Chichen Itza yet. If I don't at least get fobbed off in the next few days I may resubmit my whinge. It was a real fucker. In the meantime I shall delude myself they are talking to the hotel to get their version of the facts prior to reimbursing me. :-)

23:00. They seem to be showing a Hellboy film on the screens in the bar. I have never seen any of them but I recognise the main character from tube ads. Just got another beer here.

Just popped in for a slash. Both urinals have a 'soap on a wire' dangling in mid-air over the bowl. I find that rather odd, what on earth is the point?

Was a small (two inch) lizard on the wall under a lamp. I thought it might be plastic until it moved. They're cool though. I gather they eat spiders. :-)

A couple just turned up and seem to have ordered food. So I might hope I won't be turfed out too soon. I do find it hard to believe these places get enough custom to remain open at this time of year though, given how quiet everywhere seems.

Am strongly inclining towards just pottering around the town tomorrow. I may see if the guide book can offer me a museum or similar, but in any case I'm realistically looking at killing four hours tops (check out at midday, back at the hotel 4ish to go to the bus terminal for the bus at 5), I haven't yet actually stepped into the main square (I never got closer than the side nearest my hotel, for whatever reason) or taken any photos of the town and I did already do the ruins pretty thoroughly. They would be worth seeing again but probably not worth the hassle and sweat of seeing them on a day when I have no hotel to return to afterwards.

As we were approaching the ruins at Bonampak a small grasshopper jumped up onto my hand. I may not be the tallest guy in the world but I thought that was pretty impressive. I mean, I was moving at the time. It remained there passively while I fumbled for the camera with my other hand to take a picture, then spontaneously jumped off shortly afterwards. I swear I could almost feel the impulse as it jumped off.

Apparently you can buy grasshoppers (chapulines if memory serves) as snack food in Oaxaca. I may see if I can give that a try. What I always struggle to overcome with these kind of things is not so much fear of the food as some stupid idea the vendor will set me down as a stupid adventure-seeking tourist. Well, I am, so sod it. Though to be fair I also don't like to eat at street stalls generally not because of fears of poor hygiene but because they seem so much more linguistically intimidating that restaurants. The purchase is more compressed and I am scared because the vendor presumably doesn't want to be wasting time with a linguistically challenged tourist when he has other people to serve.

The apparently dining couple have disappeared. Oh well.

23:30. Waiter just said they are closing. Sigh. Asked for the bill. This feels UKish. Priceyish bar across street I went to the other night looks populated so will go there I think.

Pricey bar/restaurant across road is practically heaving. Charge 'em high and stack 'em deep.

Having had breakfast and lunch I haven't dined tonight. I think I may call in at Cafe de Yara (v near main square) tomorrow for bistec a la mexicana without tomatoes (but with chili). Having had bistec a la mexicana at the falls the other day, I suspect that's what they left out as a result of the sauce confusion. It was certainly edible with the tomatoes but they did to my mind rather overpower things. I don't dislike tomatoes, but they're better in moderation.

Maybe as it's busier they do have their own background music tonight (this is the place I commented on the music from other places). Very low key. The place seems just a touch too genteel somehow. But it's a beer and what can you do?

A shame I will totally miss the weekend in Oaxaca City but with the 15h bus trip I would only have got Saturday night in even had I not stayed here an extra day. My hostel has totally mixed reviews but I gather it may be a little social, I shall hope I can meet people there and that my loathing of smug young things either doesn't come to the fore or can be suppressed. :-)

Oddly enough (to me), judging both from appearances and the conversational buzz, the clientele here are predominantly Mexican, and certainly not American. I suppose Mexicans are just as liable to choose expensive busy places over cheap empty places as anyone else. (I am continually reminded on the trip of the truism that 'no one wants to eat in an empty restaurant'. In my case it's perhaps a bit unusual in that I fear they are not open or that if they are the staff will resent my presence when they could otherwise shut, but still. This is mainly a lunchtime or early evening observation on my part, nothing to do with late drinking.)

I have seen more people with hand-held fans the last few days than I would ever have expected to do outside a Jane Austen appreciation society convention. I suspect they are practical - I know fanning myself with my baseball cap does no good - but it is a little odd.

Yeah, I could probably eat now but I am not that hungry. That meal tomorrow really appeals. Especially if the frijoles negros are warm. Which may just have been luck. I got some with my lunch today but they were cold so I had a couple of forkfuls and left them. I suspect Mexicans don't care or even prefer them cold, given my experience of frijoles, but I'll take them warm or leave them. And if they could manage a bit of bread with pico de gallo beforehand, that would be splendid. Something to aspire to when I drag myself out of bed at 11.

00:15. Emptied enormously. Me and one other group here.

Just asked if I could get another and got an incomprehensible answer which I infer to mean no. I will sit here a couple of minutes and see if a beer or the bill turns up but I expect the former won't and I will have to ask for the latter. Pretty shit. Just got the bill without asking actually. I wasn't going to push it but this bites so much I may have a brief wander.

00:25. One fairly wanky if busy bar in the area open. Having a Corona and feeling pretty crap. Oh well.

Oddly, videos playing are "Don't you want me baby" and "A little respect" (Erasure), tho they have a DJ with a laptop playing tolerable but rhythm heavy stuff. Why do that? Still, it's not as if we don't do it in the UK too. Makes no sense there either.

Probably the cheapest beer I've had here. MXN15 for a Corona, though due to feeling lost as fuck I told the guy to keep the change from a 20.

Video for 'Blue Monday' now. I can accept what the DJ is playing but I'd rather have the soundtrack to the video.

00:50. Just asked if I can get a michelada here. Waiter asked half litre or litre. Turns out is 50 for a litre so ordered that. I hope I don't regret it. But I think reception is 24h, I am not that drunk and I don't need to be up before 11 even if I pack tomorrow morning. Will pay 60 with tip, it's still reasonable. Even if my behaviour isn't.

Just got it in one massive plastic glass. I half expected a litre bottle and a small glass. Oh well. Will pop for a piss and hope it's still here on my return.

It was. The beer mat (!) here advertises 'Modelo Chope'. I wonder if 'chope' is like 'chopp'.

This oversized michelada has a sort of purple (insofar as I can judge colours in this light) slime round the rim instead of salt. But it tastes OK so who cares? Odd all the same.

02:55. Waffle to come but am writing this outside hotel struggling to get in. Thank fk am not off my face tho am clearly drunk. Some radio noise in the distance suddenly implies human activity. Yet no obvious letting me in activity. There is always the bankers solution yet I don't want to be forced to it and don't feel I should need it.

For fuck's sake. A few more minutes and I will throw dignity to the wind and start rattling the gate and screaming my head off. If they have a curfew they should damn well advertise it.

To think I left "Stairway to Heaven" playing

Fuck. Some security guard finally turned up. I got my keys then fell down the fucking steps on the way to the room about half a second before they turned the light on. I may be a little pissed but I am nowhere that pissed. I am sure they think otherwise. Fucking hell. My right arm (having fallen on it) hurts like a bastard. I am not sober but I am writing this without continual deletions. What a load of shit.

Anyway, to be brief, shortly after last entry some guy chatted to me and invited me to join his group. Ended up most speaking to one guy next to me. I was enormously taken advantage of, although at least I was fully aware of it. Huge numbers of fags scrounged and I bought a cylinder of beer for MXN200 and a beer on top of that for the guy who was talking to me most. No signs of any reciprocity. Still, as I say, I was aware of it and I did sort of get to mingle with mostly locals and it cost me maybe 30 quid tops, probably less. I could have walked away but I didn't feel that inclined. Lots of Pink Floyd later on, just as I left I was crooning to "Wish you were here" then feeling I'd had enough I left as "Stairway" came on.

That was at least consensual. Not happy about taking so long to get into the hotel nor falling down that step. If I was blind drunk it would be fair play but as it was the fuckers are at fault. No doubt they will reminisce about the drunk gringo for a while but as far as I am concerned the fault there is entirely theirs.

Probably shouldn't have stayed out but it was cool to be (very) loosely part of a group and with a bit of the Floyd I couldn't resist. As I say I was well aware I was being exploited but I contained it to an acceptable amount. Hell, it's cheaper than some of my sponging friends in London. (They know who they are. Cunts.) Very hacked off about falling down that step at the hotel though.

Anyway. Life continually surprises us. Of all the ends to tonight I envisaged I didn't see that one coming.

Palenque, Thursday

10:40. Got up OK if a bit reluctantly. The alarm call was indeed a knock on the door.

Nearly broke. I have two 500 notes and about 80 pesos in smaller coins and notes. Fuck. I may well not be able to pass the 500s at the small shops we will visit today. Not to mention the fact that entrance fees are clearly not included and I had to pay 20 to get in here.

I should have used a 500 last night to buy the last lot of drinks but I didn't have one in my wallet so I just used the last two 100 notes.

About six of us on the tour I think. No, seven including me.

We are at Misol-ha now, I am (was) waiting for the others to get back to the bus.

Huge shortage of photo space , I am having to restrain myself (and will no doubt end up having overdone it). May go on an uploading binge tonight now I can leave the laptop on in my room overnight with a wi-fi connection.

12:30. At Agua Azul. Hot. Sweaty. Having lunch in one of the several thousand near deserted restaurants by the path.

Misol-ha was pretty cool. This less so, though it does have some appeal. The water clearly descends a long way, judging from the effort and time to walk up to what I take is the top (the restaurants, food and souvenir stalls peter out), but it seems to do it via a series of smallish falls. Some are moderately impressive but (especially towards the top) it almost felt like it wasn't worth the effort of ascending. The more impressive bits are lower down, and while not bad, they aren't stunning.

There's a sort of lookout near the top and don't get me wrong, the view is not bad, but you don't really seem to get a sense of the scale of the series of falls from there either.

The water is not blue either. It's a very muddy brown. Half memories of my guide book suggest this may be due to the season.

There is a sign saying you should only swim in the area near the car park. There seem to be about five kids in there. I haven't seen anyone else in the water, though I did see tourists on the path in towels higher up implying they had an illicit (and probably stupid) swim somewhere up there. I'm not going in. Hot springs yes, some interesting pool at the base of a waterfall yes (not done this, but if I'd known I could have at Iguazu Falls), some frankly boring river by the car park where there just happen to be some moderately impressive waterfalls nearby? No thanks. It's not like I can actually swim anyway. (I could use the verb 'bathe' which would probably be more accurate, but it has a horribly Victorian quality.)

I hope I'm not in a bad mood. I wasn't too chuffed when we turned up because it seemed a bit undirected and 'where do I go?' but I don't think I'm being overly unfair in my descriptions.

We got here about 11:45 and are leaving at 2:15. God knows why quite so much time - I can only assume it's to allow for us to buy lunch or to go swimming. But unless I am totally missing something, it's not just me who seems disinclined to bother with the latter. (The place as a whole is not heaving with tourists but is far from deserted, so I might have expected to see more of them in the water.)

Oh, I asked if they could change my 500 and they said they could. So even if the food sucks at least I will get some more easily spendable cash.

13:45. Having a bit of a wander (though not up to the top), now that I'm not rushing to make sure I don't miss anything and not so worried about food, I may have been a bit harsh earlier. Two or three of the lower falls are fairly impressive.

14:50. We stopped at side of road apparently to let one woman off to get a bus to San Cristobal. We seem to have been sat her 10-15 mins now. I keep microsleeping.

Hm, a bus just turned up. Maybe she was waiting for it with our driver. (It on other side of bus to me, so I couldn't see her stood there, I am inferring.)

16:30. Back at Cafe de Yara. I happen to observe from the bilingual menu 'aguacate' is avocado. That could have caught me out another time. I thought 'palta' was avocado.

Got dropped off in the middle of town 'somewhere'. Stumbled across another tour operator whose blurb about the trip I want to do was suspiciously similar to that of the guys I bought the tour from today. I suspect they are all just reselling. I booked via the new guys, incidentally saving myself MXN50 (550 vs 600).

We just didn't go to one of the waterfalls advertised. Digging the leaflet out, Agua Clara. We left Agua Azul at 2:15 and got back here about 4.

Journey back shit. Roads are twisty as hell, which I noticed on the way out, but I had changed seat (for the better I thought) when that woman got out. No. Tho I suspect old seat was no better. No horizontal support so continually bracing myself against floor or leaning on my arm against the wall (not an option in my old seat). Seat had clearly intentional 'lumps' in the cushion to divide it into three (four?) parts. Three or four six year olds maybe. We weren't cramped, but the damn lump forced me to sit right at one end. The seat didn't quite reach the wall so I felt I was sitting half off the thing.

So tho I doubt it makes a difference due to my reseller hypothesis, that (especially simply missing out one of the three) is why I wasn't overly desperate to go back to the guys who sold me today's tour.

Ended up going completely the wrong way after buying the ticket, vague plan was to go back to hotel maybe via bus station to buy a tkt for day after tomorrow. Since I came the wrong way it was convenient to stop in here for a beer or two. I just may eat here but probably not, simply as I ate relatively recently.

20:25. Down restaurant near hotel. Left some more photos uploading to my PC at home, had to hang around a bit while first lot finished. (I could be lots cleverer, but my current "I trust it to work without much risk of losing stuff" method means I need enough space on the laptop for each batch I transfer, so I couldn't simply kick an enormous transfer off earlier.)

Spoke to reception, apart from them thinking my reservation was with expedia (apparently that's the same as hotels.com - not that I care, I went with them as wego made them out cheapest for this place), that's fine, I can keep my room.

I noted a little printed ad at reception for tours. For the one I did today for MXN120 (theirs is directly comparable as it doesn't even offer the waterfall we missed out), they want MXN290. And for the one I am doing tomorrow for 550 they want 895. They also advertise 'min X persons required' (presumably for the smallish hotel as a whole, rather than you needing a group that big to book). Maybe their tours are a bit nicer, but I suspect they're just reselling the same ones at an even bigger profit than everyone else.

20:45. Just eaten. Steak and chips. Would have been excellent (even the vegetables were good, and they gave me bread and pico de gallo) except the steak was incredibly tough. Oh well. Cheapish all the same.

Just ordered a beer. Need to be careful with the 6am start but it's not that late yet.

Pretty comfortable out tonight, though a nearby fan may be helping matters.

Music here is fairly pleasant in a way I shouldn't admit to liking. Sort of vaguely 70s classic mellow pop/rock (not exclusively, there was a female - Whitney Houston?? - cover version of 'Without You'.). Two youngish women here earlier and one had to tell the other the song playing was "Hotel California" by The Eagles. Young people today, eh? :-)

Am here on my own at present. If I can get another I will - I mean, it's not late in absolute terms - then maybe make a move.

21:45. Just got the bill. Seems a bit early but I am kind of pushing it as it is.

Palenque, Wednesday

16:00. Fuck it's hot here. After my much needed shower and change I had a bit of a think and popped out to book up for a tour of three nearby-ish waterfalls tomorrow. I may do a tour to some slightly remote Mayan ruins the day after, but that will mean extending my stay by a night and I want to think it over a bit first. Looks like it's 15h to Oaxaca City and the only (?) bus leaves at 5:30pm. Too early to do it after the tours (even if I had done them the other way round).

Wandered round a bit to see the place and maybe find a hairdresser and was getting so hot I couldn't resist stopping off for a beer. I need to be up earlyish (9am pickup at the hotle) and I didn't get much sleep last night on the bus so I guess I have kind of rotated my day round a little.

I do need to try to upload some more photos to the web and to my PC at home to free up space on camera memory cards tonight.

I am going to have a quietish drink and read "Round the world in 80 days" and then I will blabber about the ruins and so forth.

17:00. I will waffle generally and probably come on to the ruins. Hell, let me just waffle.

I am feeling oddly guilty, even though I behaved with an almost unprecedented if slightly bungling efficiency about seeing the ruins this morning. I mean, I was there at 9am, albeit in a foul temper, normally I wouldn't even be conscious then. I think the bus (just the lack of sleep and so forth) didn't help.

I have this lingering and totally unjustified feeling I am resented here. I think it's some mixed up ideas in my head from the guide book about Zapatistas and some vague notions that indeed things probably did suck down in this part of Mexico after independence more than elsewhere (qv my comments on the murals the other day). Everyone has been perfectly pleasant, though probably due to being rather off-balance all morning I have had enormous difficulties with understanding what people have said to me. (I half wonder if this is the distinct local accent Zheyla warned me about, though it probably isn't,) I have a feeling I was unintentionally brusque when collecting my bag and checking into the hotel properly at 1:50ish, when in reality I was just knackered and hot and sweaty and off-balance.

I have some vague idea there is a small group at least of people down here who don't really like the idea of being part of Mexico. Not that it's relevant, after all I'd still be a foreign tourist whatever. In some way any possible "we don't want to be Mexicans" attitude here is a non-issue for me, it would maybe be worse if I was Mexican. Just part of all these half-baked ideas and guide book fragments running through my head.

I also had, in that 'half awake and feeling shit' phase on the bus, some vague memories of reading warnings about Chiapas on the F&CO web site. (And yes, I know that's the state, but hell, I am in that state.) Also some idea, possibly not from there, about Zapatistas kidnapping ecotourists. Not that I am an ecotourist, but would they know? I then found myself muzzily debating the ethics of ecotourism in my head with a hypothetical kidnapper. (I mean, stereotypically I have this unfair idea they're a big smugly tree-hugging. But even were that true, how are they worse than regular tourists?) Man, I sometimes wish I was one of those people who just snaps fully awake.

I kept telling myself it's not like I came here against active advice. The two waiters in Merida didn't suck their teeth when I said I was going to Palenque, and the Belgian guy said he had lived in Chiapas for two years and had no problems. Anecdotal sure, but still.

The problem with the ruins, apart from being fresh off the bus, or rather decidedly un-fresh off the bus, was that since I had no chance to repack to just take a bottle of water and the guide book in my back pack (not having a room to dump stuff in, and even had I wanted to do it in reception, it would have been a struggle to put all the unwanted items in the bulging suitcase), I had a choice between putting it in storage at the hotel and lugging my fleece (round my waist), bulky guide book and bottle of water around separately, or taking it as it was. I chose the latter. So I found myself trekking round the site with such essential items as a kilo of Panamanian coffee, folders containing various travel documents, my mobile phone charger, a small novel and three or four back numbers of the Economist, on top of the expected stuff. Consequently the backpack both weighed a ton and was stuffed to bursting point, both of which made wearing it uncomfortable as hell and not to put too fine
a point on it you could have wrung sweat out of the back of my shirt. (It was probably stuffed similarly, if not quite as bulkily, on the Isla del Sol walk, but at least then I knew I was lugging the stuff round for a reason.)

And of course, while in general it's a pleasant change from Chichen Itza, you are allowed to climb up the majority of the temples and such like at the Palenque ruins, adding to the inconvenience of the bulk and weight.

(It was at least moderately cool due to being there relatively early in the day, though still warm.)

I started off in a foul temper but just about got a grip on myself, aided by the fact that the ruins are very cool and I think frankly a lot more impressive from a completely tourist point of view than Chichen Itza, for all that the latter is more famous.

I think I saw everything pretty well, but I can't deny there was a continual undercurrent of "hmm, is it late enough to get into my hotel room yet?" and "well this is cool but I am sick of lugging this back pack around and still have to get all the way back into town and then to the hotel and then collect my suitcase and I'm a bit hungry too". I really don't think I skimped and I think I did see all I could, but maybe that in part makes me feel guilty just in case I didn't, or if I could have appreciated it a bit more in better circumstances.

I got a cab over there from the hotel (MXN70) and got a collectivo back (MXN10) to the bus terminal, where I had that just passable fried chicken and chips and then got a cab (MXN20) back to the hotel.

Then although there was no way I could have done anything else this afternoon, it is irrationally annoying that I may want to stay here an extra night to give myself time to do both the waterfalls and the other not-so-close ruins (the latter being a 6am-7pm tour). It's not something I could work round, but the fact that the Oaxaca bus goes at 5:30pm means I am likely to 'waste' most of a fourth day here, as I can't see much to do on that fourth day. Even the waterfall tour finishes at 4pm, which would be pushing it even if I hadn't ruled out doing that on Friday instead of Thursday. I will need to take the backpack with me and will be arriving back with wet towels and stuff and that isn't compatible with being able to just pick up my suitcase at 4pm and jump on the bus for 15h.

I booked the waterfall tour tomorrow as if I can't or decide not to extend my stay here by an extra night, I would much rather see those than the other Inca ruins. Don't get me wrong, Chichen Itza and the Palenque ruins are both cool, but another day (and a long one at that) haring around after ruins might tip me over the edge without something different in between.

Really I should relax. It's not as though I have a tight schedule or anything - of course I don't have all the time in the world, but I also have no fixed plans to squeeze in.

It would be nice if I could go somewhere at say 10am on the day I leave (be that Friday or Saturday), but except for possibly San Cristobal I am not sure there's anywhere in vaguely the right direction of major interest. And while San Cristobal might be cool, I am not that keen to use up one or two more days/nights so close to here. (As I have said before, conceptually it's good to save some stuff for a subsequent trip, and I do vaguely want to move on to a slightly different region.)

It of course occurs to me that if I am stuck here for most of Saturday (or Friday, if I don't stay and do the other ruins tour) I could go back to the Palenque ruins for lack of anything better to do. But I both feel it's a bit unnecessary and although I could repack slightly, the fact I'd be doing it after checking out of the hotel while leaving my suitcase in storage until I get the bus would effectively make the encumbrance situation nearly as bad as today.

I just need to relax and remember this is supposed to be fun. I think the largely wasted day pre-bus is the big annoyance. But I guess it can't be helped, unless I decide to put in at least one night in San Cristobal.

The only SC bus I know of leaves at 7am, though I suspect there are others (it's only a few hours away if memory serves). I suppose in principle I could get that on the 'wasted' morning, leave my bags in left luggage somewhere and then get a Oaxaca-bound bus that night. But that seems sucky from a personal comfort level, and if I am going to visit San Cristobal I should probably give it more than just a few (well, maybe 10, I don't know) uncomfortable and rushed hours between buses. Better not to go (and sort of 'spoil' it as a potential visit on a subsequent trip) than to do that I think.

I guess I need to see if I can extend my stay here by a night anyway. That seems fairly reasonable whatever if I suppress my irrational urge to clock up miles. I kind of need to be at the same hotel to avoid enormous inconvenience, but I will see if I can make a separate on-line booking for the extra night (Friday, if I am not getting confused) tonight. I'd rather not ask at reception if I can help it as I suspect they'll charge me the rack rate.

It is at least nice to have shedloads of tour companies offering these excursions. It's kind of cool to do thse things under your own steam, but at the same time the stress is greater (e.g., on both counts, Los Pozos de Caldera).

17:55. Just seen a crudely emblazoned 'driving school' VW Beetle go past. I must have seen learner drivers elsewhere on the trip but right now that feels like a first.

18:00. Just ordered food here. I didn't eat too heartily earlier and although I am feeling more chilled (no doubt the four beers have helped), it would be nice to get the J K Jerome effect to kick in fully. :-)

Slightly weird conversation with the waitress as I try to convey I don't want any sauce with my steak but onions and tomatos are fine as long as they are not the constituents of some sauce. Fingers crossed. (And hey, check my bad Spanish out! I'm not one of your Mexican oppressors! :-) I hope that joke isn't in poor taste, I mean it only in the light of my half-baked doubts earlier.)

It's not unbearably hot here under cover but it is warm. What actually bugs me most is the way my hands get all sweaty and sticky. It sucks elsewhere on my body, but there's something about sweaty hands that grates particularly.

Waitress just asked if I wanted it 'con o sin chile'. I said con, assuming this means fried or grilled green chilis. I didn't try to clarify that, I think we've both had enough. :-) I will take my chances.

I suspect it isn't that much hotter or more humid here than it was in Merida, though maybe it is. I guess it will be interesting to see what it's like at night.

18:30. Well apart from the fact the waitress took my not-quite-finished beer away, the bistec a la mexicana was excellent and the portion just left me pleasantly stuffed. Small chunks of steak (probably) fried with onions and peppers. Even a big dollop of some thick brown stuff on the side of the plate was nice, I wonder what it was. I might suspect frijoles, but they are normally lighter, runnier and (the big appetite killer for me) stone cold. I suspect the latter may not be officially how they are supposed to be served, though it may be, but in practice it seems to be the case.

I just asked the waiter who cleared away. He said they were 'beans' (in English) but I pursued the matter and I gather they were 'frijoles negros'. Useful to know, that. I suspect not being served stone cold is still dependent on the restaurant... (I have also, ever since a memorable meal one Xmas with the Barcap PB team, been unable to totally forget someone's description of the lighter-coloured runnier frijoles as 'like cat sick'. Not a big deal but it never makes them seem any more appetising.)

18:45. Just ordered another beer. Will probably go after this, I need to see if I can extract the wi-fi password from reception, see about booking that extra night and then try to shunt a few photos back to my PC in Skegness to free up some space for photos tomorrow. I may be weak and pop back out to a bar nearer the hotel later (especially if I can leave the laptop uploading stuff) but for now probably best not to be out too much longer.

21:00. Just come back out to Restaurante Maya Cañada practically next to my hotel. Instrumental recorded pseudo-jazz doing that "perhaps, perhaps, perhaps" song. Still, it's a beer and it's convenient and though MXN45 for a michelada isn't cheap, it's no worse than that expensiveish bar in Merida.

Uploaded some more photos to flickr, left some others going and also left an upload going to my PC back in Skegness so I can hopefully free up some camera card space.

Booked OK for the same hotel for Friday night. I will talk to reception tomorrow to confirm I can keep the same room. (Bit of a bugger if I can't, but I can't see why it should be a problem. It's a bog standard room AFAICT and it saves them an 'intensive' between-guests clean.) I need to book up for the Friday 6am tour tomorrow sometime but I suspect all the tours are the same, so there's no reason not to use the same company I am doing the waterfalls with, and that they will make it easy for me to book. Failing that we are due back at 4:30ish so I should have time to pop in somewhere and book, I doubt these tourism businesses all shut dead on 5 anyway, and there are loads of them. (I went with the one I did mainly because they are next to the bus terminal, flyered me and then they are at least shown on the map in my guide book, which I take as at least a slight nod of approval.)

It is a bit cooler but still a little clammy. I may be deluding myself but I think - possibly just luck rather than innate climate - the nights in Merida were pleasanter.

Slightly concerned my wafflings above may be offensive, but I am inclined to say sod it. Firstly, no one who is likely to be offended will ever read this, most likely. Secondly, I haven't been deliberately offensive to anyone and I don't see why I shouldn't scribble down my random thoughts without self-censoring. It's not like I'm claiming to speak from any detailed informed position. Most of it is about my barely awake meanderings.

Did feel just slightly self-consciously drunk as I walked back earlier. A bit odd coming on like that.

I feel a certain ill-defined dissatisfaction, even though I seem to have got a few things sorted out. Ah well.

21:35. This michelada isn't hitting the spot. Maybe it's me or maybe it's the drink. Might as well switch to a simple and cheaper bottle for the next one.

It occurs to me that maybe I am feeling oddly dissatisfied just because I'm a bit tired. I am not obviously tired but now I think about it I can sort of feel I am.

22:05. Will have one more at least.

It occurs to me that my muddled impressions earlier may in some part indicate (not to be too wanky) a certain powerful impression from those murals the other day. Though I think without the accompanying text they would have made a far less significant impression.

Fair amount of mingled if quietish musical noise from nearby bars/hotels. There are quite a number of them round here.

23:05. Smooth jazz saxophone versions of "My Way" and "Two for Tea" emerging from the distance. I think that captures the slightly naff elegance the area is giving off. Not that it's unpleasant by any means, but just for atmosphere. (This bar seems to lack music of its own. Probably for the best as it would just clash irritatingly.)

A little stupidly I may have one more then go. I have a few preparations to make for tomorrow but I'm sure it's all good.

23:30. Just asked for the bill. Feel a little drunk but not much, more bloated than anything. Will ask for an alarm call at 8:30 just in case I am inclined to oversleep after last night but I think it will be OK. I will probably drowse on the bus whether I want to or not...

00:50. Ended up having a minor surf. Must force myself to bed. Asked for an alarm call but there is no phone. The guy seemed to agree slightly oddly so I suspect my request will be translated into a knock at the door.

Bus Merida-Palenque

Tue 23:55. Left ankle itching like a bastard all of a sudden. I have so many red lumps round there I can't believe they are all bites. Oh well.

01:00. No obligatory film but they are playing music. FFS. It's a night bus. The seat headrest also seems perfectly designed to be giving me literal pains in the neck.

I mean, it's OK I suppose but it all just seems shitter than it should be.

02:15. Driver just made some incomprehensible announcement over speakers. I gather we are at some terminal. Not Palenque I guess. Still, kudos for actually having announcements.

Feel a bit sleepy but my neck hurts and I can't quite drift off. Am reading too. No big deal.

02:30. Joy. Still here. Some guy just got on and sat next to me. Not his fault of course but still annoying.

06:50. Slept a bit. Feel shit. Don't want to arrive. We just stopped at Zapata (?). Guy next to me got off. Daylight and has been since I woke and tried to pretend to myself I hadn't. Fairly stunningly greenish view pulling into the terminal here.

Dashboard clearly lies about temps, didn't change all night.

We stopped somewhere maybe 4am but as it's boring and I was trying to go to sleep I didn't make a note.

13:10. Done the ruins. Room not ready for another 20 mins. Getting something to eat at small awkward restaurant which lists 'half chicken & chips' on the menu then won't let you order it (probably it's take-away only). I ordered fried chicken & chips. I am not being picky right now.

I wonder if they are two distinct restaurants which merely confusingly run into one another. Sod it. I don't care. I'm hungry and then I want to go and have a damn shower. Thanks not not being able to 'unpack', I had to choose between leaving my

13:50. Food arrived. Just got into my room. Shower now, waffle later...

Merida, Tuesday

00:45. There is a moderate sized ant crawling round the room. I thought it was a smallish (small enough for me to not just kill it on sight) spider at first, but closer examination revealed the truth. No big deal but hell, by the standards of this blog it's an exciting event. Really to bed anyway. I have left the door open with just the mosquito screen door shut with the fan sucking air from there blowing towards the window. The second guy I saw this morning recommended it and who am I to argue. Not that it was too hot last night but still. If anyone is sufficiently lacking excitement in their life to want to peer at my drowsing form underneath the sheets through the door tomorrow morning they can fill their boots. I guess there will be a dodgy few seconds when I first get up and am on view in all my natural glory, or lack thereof, but that's a risk they will have to take. :-)

12:05. Checked out on time, was awake from 10ish and was in bed relatively awake. I almost didn't rush as I won't be sleeping in a bed again til tomorrow night. :-)

They have charged me MXN30 for a locker to leave the suitcase in, the backpack didn't fit in as well but they offered to keep that behind the reception desk. This locker charge seems a little cheeky but it can be just about justified in a low budget place. The guy did say (if I understood correctly) I could use the hostel facilities today, not that I particularly expect to, but it may be nice to check my e-mail when I go pick the cases up.

Having lunch now and then will probably see if I can see those murals in the government building.

I need to read the guide book a bit on the bus tonight so I have at least a vague idea what I am going to do tomorrow once I drop the bags off at the hotel.

12:40. Steak not brilliant but OK. First time in ages I have been given pico de gallo with the bread, I think, which was nice.

17:30. Back at the bar I was at last night on the plaza grande. Owner (?) oddly beckoned me over to the table he is sitting at and we have just had a bit of a chat (in English). I had a vague suspicion he was trying to sell me souvenirs but I think not.

Went to see the murals at the government building on plaza grande. Quite cool although - maybe it was more the accompanying text than the murals themselves - they seem rather bitter. Maybe things sucked more in Yucatan than elsewhere. But still.

One was supposed to depict English pirates attacking the area, but it was extremely washed out and hard to make out.

I took photos of all the exterior ones out of a silly sense of completeness, but not the ones in the 'gallery'. Maybe I just have simple tastes but my favourite was definitely the eagle & serpent one.

After that I wandered round and found myself passing Museo Pinacoteca Juan Gamboa Guzmán so I figured I'd go in. It was essentially paintings and sculptures, moderately interesting but not amazing.

I then walked a long and hot 12 blocks west to Parque Centenario. I have to say it was just a little bit tatty and what with the slightly feeble children's rides and so forth it had just a touch of Skegness seafront on a bad day about it. But I suppose there was a certain delapidated appeal to it. And a less misanthropic person might find it more cheerful at say a weekend when it's probably heaving with families. (There were a moderate number of people there today, though it was by no means heaving.) There is a free (!) zoo in there which I went round. That was childishly enjoyable (watching the monkeys, marvelling at the sheer size of the giraffe, etc - I can't remember the last time I went to a zoo, I may actually have been a child (albeit probably a rather serious one, perhaps more serious than I am now) the last time, though I can't quite believe it was that long ago) although some of the enclosures seemed a bit basic. (The giraffe, for instance, seemed to be in a dirt-floored pe
n, admittedly a relatively large pen, which it shared with a couple of ostriches. Absolutely no vegetation or anything else, as far as I could tell. And there was a jaguar - I think - which I watched walk round in circles in the corner of its cage for at least 30 seconds continuously (I was filming it, so I know how long it was). Maybe that's normal behaviour for jaguars for all I know. All a bit guilt-inducing.)

The guy I took to be the owner isn't but is clearly some 'senior waiter'. He's local (as in, from Merida, not just Mexican). The more junior waiter chap is actually Belgian but is married to a Mexican. Both speak pretty good English.

They tell me there is a Pakistani-American computer programmer staying at the same hostel I was at who did what I did (quit his job to take some time off travelling).

Oh, while telling me all the 'local' handicrafts on sale in the street and the nearby market (I haven't been there) are made by Chinese not Maya (this seems vaguely racist, I think he means local Chinese not that the goods are imported from some factory in China, though I suppose it's fair in a way if you go for all this 'local Maya trace their ancestry back' stuff and local cultural pride relating to that which seems very much in vogue here, I really don't care that much and frankly don't want to get involved even in my own mind in a debate on the political correctness of it all, I will just say there seems a certain inherent contradiction in the whole business) I asked him about the cigar sellers. He says they are Mexican-made (in Vera Cruz, apparently) but stamped 'made in Cuba'. I didn't ask him if Mexican tobacco isn't supposed to be as good as Cuban. :-)

(It's not related except that it triggered my memory, but if I didn't mention it at the time, if memory serves the guy on the plantation tour in David told me Mexico is one of the largest coffee producers in the world. I didn't know that.)

Oh, I saw two cheapish hairdressers/barbers today but couldn't avail myself of them. I am much better than I used to be, but the worry that I'd end up with irritating cut hairs inside my clothing and be unable to take a shower or change until tomorrow evening seemed a bad risk.

Oh, they are putting salt on the rim tonight. Must just have been a quirk last night.

20:15. Wasn't that hungry but felt I should eat something and it also reduces the risk of being drunk by the time I come to get the bus, so I just had 'sopa de lima' here. Not bad. The hostel is a five minute walk up the road and they should be able to call me a cab to the terminal.

I have to be there by 23:30 tho the bus doesn't go til 23:55. I told the hostel I would pick my bags up about 10, that may be a bit early but it's a rough goal to aim for. I can stay here another hour and a half without much risk of getting drunk (there is a toilet on the bus anyway, I asked) and even if I end up hanging around at the terminal for an hour and a half (probably more like an hour) it's not the end of the world, it's better than flight pre-waiting and I can have a flick through the guide book re Paleqnue rather than doing it on the bus.

Feeling a bit jittery, I guess it's just the usual pre-travel stuff. It will at least be good to cover a moderately serious distance after my relatively slow progress from Cancun, even if speed of travel isn't really supposed to be a goal. As it is I missed potentially cool stuff anyway (Tulum, Uxmal) but you can't see everything and I guess it's good to have some stuff to come back for.

Had a quick look at my e-mails on my phone, pleasantly surprised to hear from Rus despite me having neglected our correspondence in a way that the word 'shameful' doesn't begin to describe.

21:50. Going to have one more before I go. There is plenty of time, I hope I don't regret it but while I don't want to rush I also don't want to be at the terminal too early if I can help it.

22:45. At bus terminal. No major hitches although the hostel phone was out of order (!) so I had to get a taxi in the street. But I got one immediately and it was only MXN20.

Went to luggage check-in counter at terminal and eventually a guy turned up. Turns out my bus is coming from Cancun (I already know this) and therefore I just take my luggage to the bus (which is not unexpected in general, but why some buses let you hand in your luggage airport style and others don't escapes me).

Looking on the bright side, this avoids the at least theoretical possibility of them weighing my suitcase (there is a scale forming part of the counter at the luggage check in desk), finding it's over 25kg and charging me (admittedly only MXN3/kg) for excess weight.

Bought a bottle of water, asked the guy if he had any sandwiches without mayonnaise. (I'm not that hungry, but you know.) His answer was incomprehensible but I inferred it to mean 'no'. I supect he simply couldn't be arsed to check. (Shades of HMHB's "24h Garage People".) But they are out of reach behind the counter so I couldn't look myself.

Was vaguely tempted to go to the bog. But no. It's a pay toilet (which I half expected) with a fucking metre high barred turnstile. Because surely NO ONE is going to be at a BUS TERMINAL with BULKY LUGGAGE, are they? Twats.

Terminal is small but pretty clean and modern. Hacked off about the toilets. I don't really need to go but man that's annoying.

There is some sign pointing out onto the platforms about 'toilete only for payed tickets' (sic) which half implies you may be able to go out of the boarding gate and get a freebie and presumably without turnstiles. I don't think I really want to go any more. Odd. I don't want to take a shit anyway so I can always go on the bus. Too much detail? :-)

There is a sign saying there is free wi-fi. But of course I have stashed my laptop in my suitcase on vague concerns about my hand-luggage being robbed overnight (from the guide book). I could dredge it out but it doesn't seem worth it.

23:20. No departure or arrivals board. There are announcements, in Spanish and English, about buses to certain destinations. Of course the usual 'does my bus terminate in Palenque?' style question arises. I guess I will go and loiter and/or ask the guy at the boarding gate nearer the time. I also assume there will not be many buses timed for 23:50 so that may give me a clue.

23:35. On the bus. The guy at the boarding gate called it out. I think I may have missed an announcement, there seemed to be some idea they were waiting for me and one other guy. He had a list of names so I guess they might have called me by name.

I nipped to the bog (indeed, free from the platform) on seeing some guy nip off the bus to do so. There does appear to be one at the back though.

My seat is occupied by a woman with a baby. I have sat across the aisle. I get no leg room now, which is a bit shit, but it's sheer luck I chose the 'decent' seat she has nicked so I guess I can't complain too much.

I asked and the bus does terminate in Palenque (and it says Palenque on the front) so that's one thing.

It's not as nice as I'd expected to be honest. It's OK but not like the overnight buses I took in Chile or Bolivia or probably other places. Bit crap for the money really. I do at least have a double seat to myself but it's not cama, I am not even sure it counts as semi-cama though the seat doubtless reclines. (To be scrupulously fair, no one said anything about the style of seating. As I seemed to have no choice of company I didn't ask.) Oh well, I am on it and that's the main thing.

I am sat right behind the driver. I picked the front row by the aisle when I chose my seat as it seemed a bit more secluded and based on the double-deckers I had used before it seemed likely to have more leg room and avoid the annoyance of people reclining their seat in front of me. This is just a single decker (I could have guessed that from the seat plan in hindsight.). As I say, not very impressed really. Except for the toilet it's pretty much the same as the day buses (which I think were second class, and I think this is first class, though maybe not) I took from Cancun to CI and CI to here.

From the fact the luggage guy asked me where I was going I infer we will stop somewhere else during the night. I fear somewhat for my hand luggage. I would wear the fleece but the air con is not particularly cool and it would be uncomfortable.

I might as well say this is an ADO service. I had somehow got an idea their service was nice, not that I had any options as far as I could tell. (An ad in the terminal implies they have at-seat electric sockets and stuff like that. Obviously not on this route.)

I have spread myself out over the double seat. My back pack is in the overhead rack but I have the fleece, my water bottle and a small bag with my travel guide and MP3 player in. I could stuff them under my seat but I am oddly under the impression everyone on the bus is untrustworthy and I fear the guy behind might nick them if I do that.

23:50. We are off anyway. I can see on the dashboard it is 28C in here and 40C outside. (I find the latter slightly implausible given how pleasant it was outside at night the last two nights but there you go.) So yes, thank god for air con, but you could crank it down a notch in here.

Ah, some sort of air flow seem to have started up, so we may get cool enough for me to wear the fleece. That would reduce my worries about someone nicking it or rifling the pockets without disturbing me. We haven't actually left yet, though I thought we were going to move.

23:55. OK, looks like we are really off. I will send this so I don't lose it when the phone is stolen and start another entry for any further tedious en-route observations.

Merida, Monday

02:05. Just made the bed. I don't resent having to do it, but I had assumed given it looked so neat it was already done and the white stuff the guy who showed me to my room was holding was towels. No, I am thrown on my own towels resources and they were sheets. It's cool, but I do find it misleading the way a sort of blanket made the bed look all ready for use. To be honest I could have slept on it as it was, it's only a sense of decency made me put the sheets and pillowcases on. No big deal, but still.

The non-ceiling fan has had the control knob ripped off. I found it and realised it was set on the lowest setting. I think that's fine, but no need to impose, chaps.

The wifi network is visible at low strength in my room but refuses to connect. It keeps asking for the password, even though my laptop already knows it, and even given the password it doesn't work. I find this odd - surely if I can see the network I should be able to connect - but hardly unprecedented and at least they never claimed wifi would work in the rooms. Besides, it gives me an excuse to semi-mingle with the smug young things tomorrow night. :-)

21:10. On the terrace at some bar/restaurant on (I think) Plaza Grande. Some noisy street music (may be mariachi, certainly could be) is taking place and a big crowd are watching.

I am not that enamoured of the place but I didn't want to return to my haunts of last night. I may move on after a beer or two.

Got up about 1pm, terrible. Went for a walk up Paseo de Montejo (quite elegant on the whole), then called in at YAMAC (if memory serves), the modern art museum near the cathedral. Quite cool in parts though I was feeling a bit knackered. At one point I was in a room with loads of classic reproductions and a group of rather young schoolkids (I might guess 6-8ish) came in with their teacher. There was a reproduction of (if memory and my Spanish serve) "The birth of Venus" and I distinctly caught several of the kids saying "naked" which was oddly amusing.

After the went over to the bus terminal, have bought a ticket for the 23:50 bus tomorrow getting to Palenque around 7-8am. I think there is a bus terminal there and it should be daylight by then. The ticket was MXN340ish which is nearly as much as two nights at my current hostel, but I guess it's going to cost about that anyway and this way I save time and the cost of one night's hotel. I have booked a hotel in Palenque for Wed and Thu nights. (Hotel, not a hostel. Hostelworld.com had only three place in Palenque and only two with availability, one of which was the hotel I booked (via another site in the end, saving USD2 and - more importantly - avoiding any risk of my 10% deposit being ignored) and the other which may have been a 'proper' hostel - if I even want that - but despite being 500m from the bus terminal seemed to overplay its 'jungle' credentials in a way which I found arachnophobically disturbing. wego.com showed me 8 hotels of which the cheapest was the one also on hoste
lworld.com, and which is the one I booked (via hotels.com, if memory serves).

Wasn't that interesting?

Surfed and started to upload the first batch of Chichen Itza photos (more to come later) when I got back to the hostel. Felt a bit of a lemon but oddly less so than last night, despite quite a lot of SYT sitting around chatting.

Oh, I went to a restaurant opposite the bus terminal to eat before going back to the hostel (I had had a sandwich earlier and two bottles of soft drink). I couldn't hold myself back on my bottle of orange juice and ended up getting two, but I think I'd drunk too much (non-alcoholic) stuff today and especially with having chugged the juice down I had to leave quite a lot of the food. I guess the heat was just getting to me and I wanted liquids.

The restaurant had this odd slightly animal/farmyard-y smell. I don't think it was dirty but it was a bit disconcerting.

The chairs here are horrible iron ones and the tables are slightly too high as well. Not very comfortable.

Oh, this bar is La Vía Olimpo.

Oh, I bought some insect repelling aerosol earlier. The conversation was weird, I didn't understand most of it and in some completely unintentionally perverse way kept taking everything the guy said as general. So if he mentioned one was natural, I asked if they were all natural. I didn't do it deliberately. It was just odd and I can't quite describe it. He hadn't heard of DEET either. But I got one with a pleasingly chemically sounding active ingredient and I am using it.

It seems a bit silly somehow to use it but there you go. I have to regard it as insurance against future itchy bites even if it feels unnecessary. (Maybe I should look into the malaria risk, but maybe I'm better not knowing given I have no tablets.)

Switched to michelada. I note that at this bar they don't salt the rim of the glass. I am not too enamoured of the salty rim (fnarr fnarr) so I don't mind, but I thought that was de rigeur.

Apropos of nothing, I was sort of reviewing the trip and I remember confirming what I was told on the Panama Canal transit, that you cannot really travel overlond from Panama into Columbia. It's the notorious Darien Gap, my Central America guide book has a brief entry for the town at the south end of the highway and basically spends about ten paragraphs describing exactly why it is such a bad idea to go further. The impression conveyed is that you might have a fifty-fifty chance of making it through alive, though I made those odds up, I doubt you can meaningfully calculate the true odds but it's clearly not a smart thing to do. I wonder what those guys who cycle from one end of America to the other do. Probably stretch a point and take a boat from Columbia to Panama. (I wonder if you could cycle round the deck on the boat to sort of maintain the concept of cycling all the way. :-) )

I am not desperately in need of it, but it would be good to get my hair cut. I haven't been actively on the lookout but I haven't noticed any hairdressers or barbers of any description here.

22:00, Music just finished, FWIW. The live music in the street.

Reading H G Wells "The New Macchiavelli". Oddly absorbing.

Over the last few weeks have put in a number of (mostly amazon.co.uk) orders for books and DVDs, mostly books. I figure they will provide something to lool forward to on my return, plus even though I kind of intend to bite the bullet and get back to work ASAP (as already observed, the sooner I do, the sooner my next stretch will be over), I will doubtless have a reasonable amount of time on my hands and it would be good to have stuff to do.

I need to brush up on my C++ etc prior to interviews but that shouldn't take too long. It would be good to try to pick up a bit of Java with a hope of maybing wangling some part-time commercial experience in, but realistically that ain't happening in the time I have available, so it will have to be a spare time project once I've got a contract, and if the opportunity turns up during that contract to gain commercial experience so be it, otherwise it will have to wait for a future occasion. I think the C++ train has not quite run into the buffers yet.

Oh, my late getting out of bed was not really down to a hangover. I did sort of wake earlier but just couldn't force myself up. The day didn't seem too stressful (though there was the lingering uncertainty over onward buses) but I was just somehow very comfortable in bed. For some reason one of the staff came and opened my door about 1pm and that finally prompted me to get up. Some other staff guy came round a bit later and asked if I was OK. This was sort of cool but a bit odd. They clearly didn't want to clean as there is a sign on the wall saying that they won't do that unless you ask. (I also wonder how they knew I wasn't up, given I am keeping the room key at all times, as they practically suggested.)

22:20. Lost opportunity. A guy just offered me a box of cigars. I said no. He said they were cohibas. I really really wish I had asked if they were siglo 6 now...

Much table clearage here. I will go back to the bar I was at to start with yesterday, unless something else intervenes.

22:30. That bar had no tables in street (maybe they stop the traffic on Sundays, now I come to look at it the actual pavement is way too narrow for tables) and the bar I finished at last night wasn't open. Some come back to Cafe Peon Contreras nearby where I came on first arriving. MXN38 for a beer and fucking 50 for a michelada. (The last place charged 28 for a Sol or 30 for the pricier beers and an extra 6 for a michelada.) I will switch off the micheladas for a bit I think. Oh well, seems the best bet all round.

Rough call is 50/50 tourists/locals.

Two guys with guitars playing and singing. Which I guess is moderately cool and not too intrusive.

I am moderately pleased with myself I recognise the waiter from yesterday afternoon, stupid as that may sound.

Ooh, another guy just offered me cohibas. Didn't do it. Do I have the balls? Probably not. What if he says yes? I don't want to buy them anyway.

The service isn't super fast here either. I wouldn't normally complain but at these prices...

Beer bottles here always show the capacity but it seems less obvious than in the UK. It's usually in fairly big print once you locate it, but I always seem to have to hunt for it first.

Just been to the bog. I note the sign saying not to put toilet paper in the toilet refers to 'el hinodoro', I am more used to seeing 'el inodoro'.

That will be a bit weird when I'm back in the UK. I have long since ceased to be bothered by not being able to flush the paper, but it will still be a change.

23:20. I think lately for whatever reason I've been making fewer conscious efforts to appreciate where I am and what I'm doing. While it doesn't exactly feel it sometimes, I suppose it is vaguely cool that I am sat here on the street at a bar in Merida, Mexico, listening to a couple of guys singing. I sometimes let the fact that what I'm doing is not particularly exotic by modern standards substitute for an appreciation of the fact that it is still pretty cool.

It occurs to me I should be in Oaxaca City on Saturday night, if not Friday (it depends whether I get an overnight bus from Palenque). That might be quite diverting.

00:00. Decided shuttery but there are maybe ten of us here. It was spitting very lightly earlier but nothing more. There is a moderate breeze now but it's very pleasant climatically. Much more so that during the day. I am nominally travelling alone but Betty is my frequent companion. Just got another beer, I suspect it will be the last and that's fine really.

00:05. Five mins ago found myself last here. Just got the bill, MXN218 and I have 200 in my wallet. Sigh. Had to dredge a 500 out of hidden belt. I need to be more pro-active (puke) about that, I was more careful until recently. One day I will find the hidden belt empty if I'm not careful. But I will probably never be that careless. And I do have a further reserve if push came to shove. I probably should make another biggish withdrawal tomorrow though.

00:40. Back at the hostel, have pretty much packed, sorted. Just have to get up in time for midday checkout tomorrow now. Have noted down a few other museums and already found out from the modern art museum (whose name I suspect I mangled earlier) there are some murals in the local government building which are probably my primary goal tomorrow. I assume - it would be unusual if they won't - they will hold onto my bags here tomorrow, if not I already asked when I bought the ticket and there are left luggage lockers at a terminal next door to the one my bus goes from. I hope that won't be necessary though. Anyway, to bed...

Bus to Merida and Sunday in Merida

Sun, 12:40. Just got on. Some guy where I was waiting sold me a ticket, have a double seat to myself. Sorted. Still hacked off and I am sure hostelworld.com will be as noncommital as even if I complain to them. If they don't already, they ought to at the very least make it clear what the official currency for the booking is to avoid any exchange rate complications when getting the bill.

14:10. Every now and then we go through a phase of intermittent long drawn out bleeps while a light at the front of the bus goes on. I have no idea why.

15:40. Checked in and left the hostel for food. My first impression of the hostel is not super favourable, the two guys behind reception seemed to be sniggering as I checked in and the place seems too full of smug young things loitering around (the fact it has a pool doesn't help). The place is a labyrinth, I had to ask someone how to get out (loads of thoroughly confusing signs saying "girls only" but no exit signs). I suspect I need food to improve my mood.

Down some OK if unexceptional cafe (Cafe Peon Contreras), have ordered a pizza.

Oh, they did charge me the correct amount when I checked in. Well, plus an MXN100 deposit for the keys, but I can accept that.

16:35. Feeling a little more together. The music here consists of rather plaintive ballads and while it is slightly gratifying to understand the words enough to be bothered by them, they are not quite what I need right now.

It is too hot. But it is vaguely neat to be sat here on the terrace. Merida seems pleasant on first impressions, though a touch grubby in the outer parts.

I am inclined to tarry at this cafe a while. Assuming I don't extend my stay, which is unlikely, I don't have that much time here (today, tomorrow and maybe Tuesday if it turns out to be practical and safe to get a night bus to Palenque) but I suspect any museum type places are shut by now (not that I have a map) and I can wander around a little when it gets cooler.

It's not cheap here, I saw on the menu when I got here it's MXN38 for a bottle of beer. That must be getting on for London pub prices (I am resisting the urge to do the exact calculation). But sod it.

17:30. I am being heavily showered by biological debris blowing off the trees overheard.

21:25. Phone battery was running low and it got cooler so I went for a bit of a wander round the nearby areas. Fairly nice, though hard to photograph a lot of the more elegant buildings as I found myself unable to get far enough away to fit them in without getting my view blocked.

Went back to the hostel to charge my phone and sat out on the terrace with the laptop while I waited. (I had some idea the wifi might not work in my room, and I figured why not?) It filled up over time and by the time I left I was sat there feeling a bit of a lemon surrounded by people chatting. But sod it.

Just left now and down some tolerable bar on a square. Not the really big one, Not sure what it's called. Bar is La Paranda, if I am reading the sign correctly from this very oblique angle.

Both my ankles keep itching, I think it must be mosquito bites but I don't know why those are more irritating than others.

Oh, I tried in two pharmacies to buy insect repellent while wandering (honestly, you never seem to be far from a pharmacy in Mexico) and while they both had stuff, it was all aqua citronella and stuff. Neither had anything DEET based. Surely it can't be banned here? I want something that works!

I will try again tomorrow and may be desperate enough to buy the non-DEET stuff by then. It's not like I'm ever aware of being bitten and most of the lumps on my arms etc don't really hurt, but some - the ankle ones right now - are starting to get to me.

I shall try to bear these little discomforts in mind ready for use once I'm back in the UK and life sucks in a more conventional fashion.

I didn't get round to uploading any photos earlier as all the memory cards (including the one in the camera) were in my room and I couldn't be bothered getting them. Given I was just surfing, why didn't it occur to me to look up the legal position on DEET and maybe some brand name DEET-containing products available in Mexico? Oh well.

21:35. Some git just did the 'dump a few nuts on the table' schtick. He had big bags of them on him and they aren't in a bowl so I assume this is not the occasionally-experienced free bar snack. Sigh. I ain't touching them, I ain't paying and if they blow off the table, TS mate.

(He has 'at least' given me about 20 nuts, unlike some of the more beggarly types in Rio whould be give your three or four salted peanuts.)

I can see them still sitting there when I leave this bar.

I wonder if sleeping with my socks on would reduce the risk of further bites on my ankles or if the increased sweating would just cause the existing bites to take longer to heal?

Oh, I submitted a polite 'can you help me fix this?' kind of support request to hostelworld.com about the hotel this morning. I doubt anything will come of it but at least I tried.

I was looking at a map of Mexico and I somehow can't believe how little distance I've covered from Cancun so far. Not that I really thought it was far, if I did think about it, only 6 hours by bus total and I am well aware the bus to Chichen Itza was a slow one.

Next stop is probably Palenque though I still have no idea exactly what the buses to there are like. Then Oaxaco City and probably Puebla. From there I am tempted to go to Guanajuato but I suspect it's too far and I will need to find somewhere else (and ideally not Mexico City) which can serve as an intermediate destination.

I hope there is no malaria risk here. I have no tablets. The guide book is not going out of its way to mention such risks but they may be tucked away in the regional introductions, rather than repeated needlessly over and over again.

I am concentrating too much on these bites. I have rubbed one on my left forearm into itching now. Sigh.

22:00. Oddly hacked off about the hostel. I wasn't feeling particularly lonely or keen to talk to anyone earlier, but seeing everyone else at it makes me feel I should be being more sociable and annoyed I don't know how to be (and/or just think it's too much effort to exert myself most of the time). How the other 90% lives eh...

The weather is fairly pleasant now. There's a moderate breeze on occasion but it's not cold. Even without the breeze it's warm but not too warm. The room has two fans but no aircon and I am sure that will be fine. (I used to have the ac on at the hotel at CI 'because I could' but I don't think I really needed it, and the temperature was probably set a bit low as I have recollections of drowsing fitfully and feeling cold in the mornings.)

Annoyingly the toilet/bathroom next to my room has a urinal only. The 'full featured' men's toilet is on the other side of the labyrinth. I just hope I don't feel a sudden urge in the night.

22:15. Oooh. I got two beer mats (one for the glass, one for the bottle) with my third beer. I wonder if this is a patronising "stupid tourist, can't handle the paper napkins like us locals" gesture. :-) But as the sort of chap who insists on asking for a fork in a Chinese restaurant, I'm happy. Well, happier. We should find joy in the small things of life, but it will take more than a couple of beermats to totally lift my mood. :-)

(As a random and directionless thought, I am reminded of Jon's recent facebook post which I just happened to see in which he said he simply arbitrarily refuses to read "Lord of the Rings". (He must have told me this before, but it had slipped my mind.) I wonder if my absolute refusal to learn to use chopsticks is the same kind of thing.)

22:55. I feel inclined to waffle more abstractly. Subject to the limitations of the phone keyboard. It's not bad but when I'm writing something on a full-sized keyboard I feel cramped only by my inherent limitations as a writer (in the non-pretentious sense, not "oh well, dahling, I /write/, you know" sense) whereas on this thing I feel my brain running ahead of my fingers. Anyway.

In between fuming at the flash-using fuckwits, I remember musing during the sound and light show at CI what the (ancient, yeah yeah, there are still Maya people around) Maya might think if they could see it. I sort of imagined a future version where a thousand years from now people are touring the ruins of (say) a decayed Manhattan. Would they be sort of slightly titillated and slightly disgusted at the idea of shops where you could buy the slaughtered remains of animals for food, much as we might feel about the human sacrifice stuff? "Just imagine their internal combustion vehicles thronging these streets" etc. Would they think 'well, it is kind of impressive in a way and man, it's so *old*'? I suspect the whole issue is rather meaningless but I never claimed it was a profound thought, it just interested me at the moment.

On a different topic, I find myself fighting a slight urge (probably due to the end of the trip looming in a month's time) to just make as much distance as I can. Almost as if getting to (say) Guanajuato with more time than I expected remaining would be a good thing in itself. I am fighting it as it seems somewhat futile, but it may in a toned down sense explain why I am only stopping here for two nights.

There are a surprising number of people flogging presentation boxes of cigars on the street here. And a guy offered me a sombrero an hour or so ago, which I think is a genuine first on the trip. (I mean, even putting questions of taste aside, how many tourists are going to buy and take home something that bulky? Presumably some at least buy the things. Personally I could only imagine a drunken stag party purchasing such things, but as so often my imagination is doubtless more confined than reality.)

I have been told by a friend the blog conveys the impression I am having a bad time. I don't know entirely what to make of that. But sod it (I wonder how many times I've written that today alone?), I am writing it mainly for myself anyway and I don't think I'm baring any hidden depths of my soul that aren't already well known to even my most casual acquaintance.

It is moderately busy here given it's a Sunday night. My very rough and probably debatably racist glance around suggests maybe a 70-30 local-tourist ratio.

22:50. Every time the music stops I look round and see how many people are still here and wondering if they're closing. This is a particularly long lull but still a lot of people. Some vague voice over the microphone half suggests - and the music playing now reinforces - the idea that they have a live band of some sort coming on. Hmm, no, it sounds a bit too 'smooth' to be live. No, I think it is. Anyway, it's music even if I am totally unable to make my mind up about its liveness. If it's live it's pretty professional sounding. Maybe it's a guy singing to a prerecorded soundtrack. Not that it matters, stop thinking about it!

Oh, the nut guy came back, I saw him talking to the guys at the next table. He didn't come to me, I assume because my nuts were and still are untouched on the table. So at least he's not too pushy.

22:55. A tiny bit of applause and a spoken response strongly implies the singer is live, though my gut feel (I can't see, being on the street, as is apparently everyone else) suggests he is singing to a pre-recorded backing track. It's just a bit too slick to be totally live. (It's not so much the quality of the musicians, as a certain well-balanced quality. I am not a geek of the right kind, but I will try to explain - as if anyone, even me, cares, but I have sort of got stuck in this mental rut - it by saying it's too well mixed to be done by a typical pub band type audio engineer. Actually, it's not even that amateur thing. Even big professional bands sound different on live recordings than studio recordings, of course, even though I assume they have top-notch audio engineers on the job. And the music here has that slick studio quality. I suppose you could say a karaoke quality if you wanted to be negative about it.)

23:10. Just noticed the bar has a trike and a bike fixed to the wall. Can't help smiling at the Phoenix Nights quality.

Just caught myself imagining a conversation with a letting agent about my employment and financial situations and thinking how I would say it in Spanish. I do remember saying 'gracias' to the immigration and customs people at Heathrow on returning from previous trips out of habit.

I might ask for a michelada cubana after this one. No doubt they will charge me the earth but (n+1th time!) sod it...

Just turned down a kid selling tat with an (I hope) properly pronounced 'no'. Feel a bit smug. :-) I just hope my Spanish teacher doesn't tell me I am talking stupidly when I get back to the UK. I am mentally attaching a 'h' to the end of the word (and I think it works generally for words ending in o in Spanish, my pronunciation of Guanajuato suffers the same defect according to both Zuhamy - back in London some time ago - and her sister the other day).

I do somehow feel sitting here on my own is more 'experiencing the country' than sitting at the hostel taking to people. But I suspect it's not really an either-or situation for the sociable crowd. Playing them as they lay, it's definitely more fun and more 'experience' drinking on my own here than sitting on my own and not even drinking at the hostel

23:20. Elvis cover in Spanish now. :-) Apart from my earlier deductions, the musical range is too wide for it to possibly be a live band.

Yeah, just ordered a michelada cubana. I clarified and it should be what I want but the guy seemed to want to just call it a 'michelada'. Maybe that's the custom here but I'm surprised in some way it's different terminology here so close to Cancun.

Ordered it with Sol, I somehow - probably irrationally - feel it's a waste of Bohemia in a michelada.

23:25. Some old woman just tried to sell me a rose. Surely as a sad loner I should be exempt from certain persecutions? :-) It was bad enough fending them off when I was out with Zheyla.

The singer is doing a Jive Bunny-esque medley of classic rock and roll songs in Spanish now. Oddly amusing yet annoying as despite half recognising the songs (I am sure one was Jailhouse Rock) I am unable to match the lyrics with the originals.

Oh, I have been promoted/demoted back to paper towels instead of proper beer mats with the michelada.

Crowd seems to be thinning a bit. I suspect we may be chucked out relatively soon. Maybe 10 people here. Perhaps for the best, but a shame. There just may be an option back down the road though. Anyway, live for the moment baby, I haven't been chucked out yet.

23:50. The waiter just asked if I wanted another, I did my best to check it was OK and he seemed cool so sod it (again!). Went to the bog and there are a few people inside, there might be 20 people here but I suspect less. Still, I asked, and if I end up being the last person here it would hardly be the first time.

Micheladas are wierd. The sauce(s) never seem to mix properly, yet the taste is always there even at the start and they never seem excessively strong when you finish one. Maybe the colour doesn't mix but the flavour does, unlikely as it seems. More likely I just don't pay enough attention.

Black and white still presumably from an old film of some old woman and a middle aged bloke doing tequila shots, or so I infer, the woman is licking salt off the back of her hand anyway. I always assumed that was a relatively modern marketing idea. I don't think I've ever actually done that 'classic' tequila shot. I've always just drunk the stuff.

The colour on this michelada has now mixed, although it is a bit less dense at the top. So that's one up for the 'lack of observation' theory.

01:10. The singer seems to be back on, which I find odd, maybe just because I have convinced myself they are closing.

I think this michelada is stronger at the end. Lack of observation theory triumphs with respect to my earlier comments.

Just ordered another michelada. Think the waiter was amused (in an inoffensive way) by my attempts to be sure it was OK.

Oh, if I didn't say earlier, when I checked in some guy showed me round the hostel labyrinth briefly (I was a bit stupefied somehow, I suspect it would have been the same had he been speaking English) but he told me I had three keys, one for the room, one for the locker in the room (which has a padlock and a sort of clasp thing so tight I can't open it even with the padlock removed) and one for the front door. I checked I was supposed to keep the keys with me all the time (I guess that fits with them charging me a relatively modest MXN100 deposit for the keys). So in theory at least I have no fears about getting in tonight.

Though my room is in some little area which requires walking past the damn pool (open 9am-10pm), but I assume they just "will kick up a fuss" if they find someone in the pool outside those hours (9am seems a bit of a late start to me, I am sure lots of healthy young things might want a pre-breakfast swim), rather than locking those areas off. I just hope I can find my way through the labyrinth to my room. It's not all indoors, it's sort of connecting open-air areas. I just hope it's not all pitch black when I have to navigate it. Especially as there is a swimming pool to negotiate. :-)

Waiter just asked if I wanted anything else as they are closing the bar. I have this one almost untouched and I think it will do, I asked for the bill. I just hope I don't feel the need to neck this one. The singer is still on, though that was equally true at the wrist-slittingly depressing bar in Mexico City. We shall see. If anything is blatantly open when I leave in maybe 20-30mins I might be tempted but otherwise I think it's been enough of a night.

00:30. Table clearage. Still a few people around but I find myself necking the beer. Ah well. Not sure if I will go elsewhere, I don't want another rushed beer, though another relaxed beer would be cool.

This michelada seems weaker towards the end. Life's rich tapestry. :-)

Singer now doing "Si no te hubieras ido". Nice finish. :-)

00:45. Down some hotel bar in the street just down the road. I asked the waiter and he was very clear I was OK to get a drink. Some woman is singing. There are only a few people here but sod it.

Waiter just asked if I wanted food. I don't and he was cool, but I can hardly believe it's an option given how deserted the place is.

Oh, I (think) I asked the waiter and he said 'michelada' here means 'michelada cubana'. Maybe it's just Mexico City where it doesn't. I always ordered a 'michelada cubana' in Cancun and I don't know just 'michelada' here.

Don't run away with the idea this is all total drunken stuff. Ignoring my consumption this afternoon, which may help make me an alcoholic but was probably metabolised before I came out tonight, this one is only my eighth bottle. I feel pretty sober and by the numbers I wouldn't expect to be too drunk.

Oh, this place is 'La Bella Epoca'. Right opposite some quite impressive church which I couldn't photograph earlier and from here is definitely too close.

I feel awkward. The other few people are dancing in the street and the liveish music is still on, but it feels wrong drinking when it's this quiet somehow. Sod it (again).

While it was cool, I am not sure it was the singer from earlier who did "Si no te hubieras ido". He seemed to rush some bits of the song and it was like a bad karaoke effort. Still cool anyway.

Some guy turned up five minutes ago and got a beer. The live music is still on. But they are clearing a few tables away. I guess that's only smart as whenever they shut it's unlikely there will be a huge rush in the next half hour or so. I do still feel a bit awkward. But I am far from the only one here so sod it yet again. If I can have one after this I will (I'm not getting up that early whatever, I know myself better than that by now) but man. I still feel oddly bad.

This michelada seems a bit weak, I must say.

I am stupidly thinking of a dialogue in Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon:

Ronald Reagan (as interviewer, pre-presidency - this is a fictional scene in WW2): Do you want another cigarette?
Bobby Shaftoe (a marine, wounded in hospital): Ask me a hard one, sir!
RR: I'm sorry?
BS: If you ask a Marine if he is ready or if he wants another cigarette, there is only one answer, sir!

Do I want another beer? Ask me a hard one!

Just got another. :-) (With the usual 'is it OK?' stuff. I probably look drunk rather than considerate. Sod it! ;-) )

Oh, I assume it's typical, but I note that micheladas come with ice in the glass. An added bonus in this climate. Not that it's too warm right now. Pleasant.

(I do remember helping G move one rather warm summer day. Possibly one of the hotter recent summers, though I may be wrong. Afterwards we went to some pub near her new place and they said the beer was a bit warm. So I asked them to put some ice in it. A bit of a rarity in the UK. But it was only Fosters, a bit of dilution couldn't hurt that, and I wanted a cold drink.)

01:25. Decidedly shutting but I just ordered another, which will definitely be the last. Still a few people here, including one guy (the one who turned up not long ago) eating.

Mind flitting back to the mines in Potosi. Odd how it wanders. But I must say I have not had a bad night all told, and my mental wanderings have been diverting.

I have this slightly nasty feeling about dubious onward trips and maybe having to visit the bus stations tomorrow. Plural, sadly, otherwise it would be easy if slightly inconvenient. (This is based on vague memories of the guide book. I have an idea there are multiple bus stations here.) I need to know if it will be overnight to book hostels accordingly. Maybe I will ask advice at reception tomorrow 'morning'. It can't hurt and may help.

01:35. Pseudo embarrassing. Had less cash in wallet than I thought. Had to dredge the wodge (and it is a wodge, due to fears of no cash machines in CI) out of my hidden belt and pay with a 500. 150ish for three beers wasn't cheap (but for late drinking acceptable), I gave 200 with the tip partly due to paying with a 500 and partly as I feel these guys deserve it. But it was annoying not to realise I didn't have cash in the wallet for the drinks, even if I was aware I had plenty of cash on me. Decided neckage now as they are really shutting up but it's cool. But the micheladas here are decidedly weak.

01:50. Just got back. No problem letting myself into the hostel and there was a guy on the desk anyway. Rather poorly lit on the way to my room but no problems. Anyway, to bed, I might aspire to be up by 10 on a nominal 8h sleep plan but I will count myself lucky if I manage midday...