1759 I'm going to Iquique. A slightly shit during the day journey leaving San Pedro 1300, change (same terminal) Calama (arr 1430, dep 1530), arrive Iqique 2120. CLP7k semi cama (would have been 12k cama) plus separate ticket in queue for now San Pedro-Calama.
Tried three companies to Salta. First did Wed, second was Geminis as per Rough Guide who do Tue but were full, Pullman Bus only do Wed. Who knows what would have happened had I not been fucked around so much today but I shall trust in fate etc.
1841 Bought ticket to Calama, about CLP2,800. Came back, had shower, booked for three nights as La Casona 1920 in Iquique. Had previously popped back to hostel between my two visits to Pullman Bus to check there were options in Iquique.
Found a load of sand in back pockets of my jeans this afternoon BTW.
Been oddly coy about hostel names, last two nights at Lascar Cabur in Las Parinas, tonight at Loma Sanchez in Caracoles.
Met Beeny Royston (the instructor who wasn't Jack Sparrow) outside sandboarding place much earlier today. DVD is free, but wasn't ready at the time. Popped back 4ish and some new guy (he said it was his first day) asked me to drop by about 8. Will see...
2045 Down at Chela Cabur. Waiter knew what I wanted without me asking. :-)
A litre now then go back to hostel (a minute away) to change top, put contacts in and mill around. Tour not til 2300 so not gonna be pissed. Two litres a day is not super restrained but hardly insane.
Did a bit of surfing, repacked a bit. Have figured out for whatever reason the GMail app on my phone uploads OK via roaming data. Will probably switch to that. Other lesson is that I would happily pay £10 to get back those lost blog entries, so when I have no wifi I should keep topping up and sending via roaming data on a daily basis to minimise scope for loss.
Hardly a super early start tomorrow but I perhaps ought to try and get up in time to eat before I get the bus at 1330, given (with nearly an hour in Calama) I don't get to Iquique until 2120 (or was it 40? Think it was 20.)
Oh, think this is the first bar on this holiday to give me bar snacks free. Just a bowl of peanuts but you know, 'owt's better than nowt.
Oh, tried to return that damn bottle and they were shut again. Left it in hostel now, just may see if they are open when I leave here.
Went to surfboarding place just before 8, still no DVDs so left e-mail address so they can e-mail it. Fingers crossed.
2203 Finishing up. Bit later than I planned but probably for the best. Should only take 5-10 mins to put shirt over T-shirt and shove contacts in. Not like I'm any more drunk for having taking this slowly.
Occurs to me have tipped a bit lavishly in this bar (500 on top of 2500 a bottle) but not gonna reduce the tip on this last beer. I am leaving cash on table as always, I assume it gets taken as a tip.
2226 Back at hostel ready. Inner door locked and my key didn't open up but a woman I take to be the owner opened it and said that would be open later, it was just locked while she had her laptop sat on the table. Already tried the key to the street door earlier and know that works.
Feeling slightly drunk and bit of a chore putting contacts in - my eyes sort of watered for five minutes - but it's cool. Have some water with me and I expect to feel totally sober in no time. If nothing else if it's as cold as I expect out there that's bound to have an effect. ;-)
Half wondering if I should go stand on corner where I was told to meet now but I'm not due there for 22 mins yet. May give it 5 mins here then go. Can always stand in street reading book on phone, I don't think that would be excessively risky.
2234 Gonna go. Seems a bit early but why take the risk?
0211 Just got back. Cool in a way but slightly underwhelmed. Accidentally let two dogs out when I came in street door. No one cautioned me about them and they wouldn't come to my feeble cries so WTF could I do. Need to precache Iquique map and if I turn wifi on K9Mail will lose this so gonna send it now, do that and get to bed. Full waffle on bus tomorrow.
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