Cordoba, Thursday

1429 Woke up about 930 but drifted off again and finally got up 1300ish. Total waste of the morning. In fourth restaurant of the day finally getting some lunch. Totally pessimistic about the paragliding, I can't see a hope in hell of getting a slot on a Saturday in peak season. No e-mail from expedia about the hotel either. May force myself to call someone (if anyone is) mentioned in guidebook this afternoon but really don't want to do it, I just can't imagine them being any help even assuming the language barriers can be overcome.

1532 Not bad. Loitered for a second diet coke. Probably not going to phone. Had enough. Will check I can find the minibus terminal anyway.

1612 Fuck knows. At unpreposessing minibus terminal. Just paid ARS35 for a ticket on the 1115 to La Cumbre tomorrow. Too early really but figure I need to allow time to hunt desperately around on arrival. I suspect I just threw my money away to be honest. The buses are fucking tiny, the platforms are unlabelled and the queues to board are fucking huge. So I probably won't even be able to get on the fucking bus in the first place. They even have a sign in the ticket office window saying 'Viernes y sabados no se hacen reservas sin exception' which I think says 'Fridays and Saturdays no reservations made, no exceptions'. So presumably the ticket I bought in no way constitutes a promise for them to do anything. Makes perfect sense I guess; on the busiest days, why would anyone want to make a reservation?

Also occurs to me I won't know if I can do the paragliding until Trailfinders shut for the weekend, so unless they tell me my existing premium covers me (why would they when they can screw me for an extra premium?) I am going to end up paying another fifteen quid even though I may not get to do it. Should have called them this morning but couldn't fucking face it, and unless they tell me I don't have to pay another premium it doesn't help. I suppose I could at least check the opening hours for making the payment. Gonna have to call tomorrow morning before I leave hostel now; great planning Steve. Because it's not as if I absolutely won't want to get up and deal with ALL THIS FUCKING SHIT tomorrow anyway.

I've really just about had it. I'm sick to fucking death of all this crap.

No idea what I am going to do now. Not in the fucking mood to do anything to be honest.

1649 Out of desperation looked in guidebook and there is supposed to be a guided tour of the Capilla Domestica at 5pm. I am stood outside the open door now loitering on the offchance. No signs here even hint at the existence of tours. Not that I really give two shits, I'm just going through the obligatory tourist motions here.

Time for a resolution on fucking La Cumbre/Paragliding. I will call Trailfinders tomorrow morning. I will get up early enough to do that and make an attempt to catch the minibus at 1115. I will do this even if the reservation at the overpriced hotel falls down. However, that is it. If I am not allowed on the minibus and the hotel has fallen through, I'm fucking off somewhere else. If I get there and I can't get a booking for paragliding, fuck it. I am sick to the back teeth of all this crap and if my exertions so far aren't enough then it can all go to hell. The fucking business has largely ruined yesterday and today and is going to ruin tomorrow, I feel like shit and I'm damn close to giving up.

1701 A couple just turned up, wandered round the vestibule (which is all that's open) and left.

1708 Well that was a bit odd. Some bloke turned up and asked me if they were open. He went a knocked on the door to the 'secreteria' and they let us in. No tour as such but I stood there and had a look at the place, it was moderately impressive and felt a bit 'secret'. Bloke told me some things which I half understood, but nice of him to give me the linguistic benefit of the doubt. He asked where I was from and I told him, he was from BA. Didn't take any photos, didn't feel sure it would be OK. They didn't ask for any money.

Feel a bit calmer somehow - maybe it was the spiritual atmosphere ;-) - but I am going to wander over to the cathedral on the offchance it's open, and then after I am going to have a beer. Shall pack as best as I can then go out about 9ish to Chopp Cordoba.

2127 At CC. Did go into Cathedral, nice ceiling. Didn't take any interior photos. Have packed. Expedia have confirmed the hotel in La Cumbre. River still fast flowing but if memory serves it is a lot lower than last time. Memory may not serve.