Thursday 1 December 2011

Bus La Serena-Calama

Wed 2129. Starting a new entry to try to reduce the chances of the entry for today getting lost in some e-mail program glitch. Bus turned up 25 mins late. Not a major stress as I saw other buses arriving similarly late and I'm sure I could have got a bed somewhere tonight had push come to shove. Still, not ideal as there is no departures board here and I didn't hear any remotely relevant announcements so I kept wondering if I'd somehow missed it.

Anyway, score. Upper deck is a 2+1 layout and I'm sat on the single seat side. I didn't get offered a choice of seat, either because they don't or there were hardly any free, but this worked out well. Also, Calama is the final destination which has to be a good thing. We get breakfast and a snack according to the ticket. I bought a 1.5l bottle of diet coke at the terminal (CLP1,300) so I'm well set. Pocket bulging with change so have been making an effort to use it instead of notes.

Battery at 35% but not too worried. Do have a probably crappy £3 AA-powered charger with a couple of rechargeables in in my pocket. Doubt the batteries have much charge by now even if they're good but I might give that a go for the hell of it later. Going to put phone in airplane mode to save that little bit of extra power; even if a crisis occurs back in the UK I can't do anything until I get to Calama now anyway.

2212 Been given a snack box (and a blanket) containing an airline-sized packet of peanuts, a single sweet, a small plastic tub of fruit in (probably) juice and a cheese bap *with no mayonnaise*. Truly, this is a miracle. Oh, and a 250cl bottle of "Crush Orange". Eaten the bap and peanuts, will have the sweet and the drink and probably sleep on the fruit. I'm sure it's acceptable as food but I don't want a tub half full of fruit juice to contend with for the rest of the journey.

0819 We pulled into a terminal 5 mins ago and are parked up. I just asked and we are in Antofagasta. Nearly everyone has got off, possibly to stretch their legs or because they're not going as far. In either case, I'm staying put.

Fell asleep pretty early but woke at least twice with horribly dry mouth and a feeling that I was sort of wanted by the police. (It was that you-half-know-it-makes-no-sense-but-it-bothers-you-anyway sort of dream logic.) Mouth also dry as something very dry indeed both times. Once did open bottle of diet coke for a swig but it didn't help much.

Sort of woke up half properly 0745ish, though only now am I starting to feel in some semi-alert state.

Slept with ear plugs in, ears felt blocked even when took them out 5 mins ago and so I held my nose and blew. Horrible somewhat painful popping sounds occurred. Even now my ears have that unequalised pressure feeling. I don't know if this is something to do with my cold or because we've gained just enough altitude to change the pressure noticeably.

Had a small bag given to me while I was still three quarters asleep; turned out to contain a large oatmeal and apple cookie and a 'stick the straw through the silver foil'-type pack of peach nectar. Consumed them as we were coming up to the terminal and they may have helped get me to the semi-alert state I am currently in.

Battery at 28%.

0826 We are now pulling back up to the terminal proper, presumably for boarding/re-boarding.

1258 Got in about 1150. Been at the hotel dicking around for the last hour or so. May wash some clothes etc before I go out. Feels a bit of a waste of time but it's my first chance to really relax a bit for a few days so sod it. Wifi works here. Seems the e-mail program on my phone has been at least half lying to me about what it's sent and what it hasn't. Absolutely superb eh?

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