La Cumbre-Salta

Saturday 2342 FFS. Been wearing contacts all day so I could wear my cheap sunglasses (bought in SPdA for the sandboarding) while paragliding. Too long when I'm not used to them but one day won't hurt, and I expected to be taking them out about midday. Was in the bath with my eyesight all weird reading DGGA. Suddenly noticed I couldn't see close up but could see well in the middle distance. WTF? Had my eye muscles unscientifically adapted or something? Finally realised I hadn't taken one of the lenses out despite thinking I had done...

Battery only up to 30%, sigh. Still, probably a good hour before I feel the need to go to bed.

0011 OK, found somewhere half-decent sounding in Salta which will do me a single room, shared bathroom for ARS90 a night. Have booked. Won't say where out of some possible paranoid security concern. Will say now it's too late to matter have been at Los Mimbres here in La Cumbre.

Really I'd probably be fractionally safer being explicit about my plans ahead of time; it's not like anyone is going to select a victim based on a random obscure blog, whereas if something *did* happen at least having it on here would make the last known place more obvious. But I shall go with the conventional wisdom as I remember it for now.

1040 Didn't want to get up but not too bad. Paid, now having coffee at Silverio. Just been to bank to get some cash.

Hotel owner bloke originally only wanted to charge me for one night not two; he thought it was one. They couldn't take credit cards, which I half expected, but due to not going back to hotel after paragliding yesterday I didn't have a suitable cash card on me to get cash yesterday.

I would have left my bag there this morning and come into town for cash in a pinch but as it happens I didn't need to, and I'm damn glad given the number of fucking dogs in people's gardens barking their heads off as I walked into town after paying.

Anyway, I offered to pay with travellers cheques - I bought some as emergency reserve for the 2010 trip - and they agreed, so I paid USD150 and ARS55 cash (they didn't have change for a 100 either, fortunately I did have a 50 on looking again). I must admit when I left I felt like I'd tricked them into accepting counterfeit notes or something; travellers cheques are so unfamiliar they don't feel like proper money to me. I half expected to be called back as I was leaving.

Glad I managed to get rid of some more of the TCs. I suppose they are sort of useful but sort of not. I suppose I could cash them in where I bought them but I never seem to think about it in London. I don't know how many I have left but having just USD50/100 worth might not be a bad idea in the long run. Though then again losing USD100 isn't the end of the world, if you've had all your other stuff nicked it pales into insignificance, so maybe you'd be as well with US notes. Dunno.

Feels a bit silly loitering round here but it's probably better than loitering in Cordoba and as I said yesterday would be good to have lunch here, if Mateos doesn't open super late because it's Sunday. Weather cool but pleasantly so when the wind doesn't blow (and it's not like last night). Very Sunday morning feeling with a few people sitting around having coffee and so on. Shame it's not slightly less windy.

Worst case is I can't get a bus to Cordoba, which is unlikely and I have a half-price room available here, or I can't get a bus to Salta, which is also unlikely and I am sure I can get a bed of some description in Cordoba if push comes to shove.

Oh, the hotel owner chap - who was very pleasant, if a bit slow - said he was an architect and liked this building in London - drawing as he said it a passable sketch of the Gherkin.

This was all done in Spansh. I have not been doing too well on the language so far, though it has been useful in situations like that. Someone asked me the time at the top of the hill with the statue on yesterday and I couldn't remember how to say 'half past two' and ended up just showing her my watch.

To use a Mark Twain-ish expression, it's like I haven't got my Spanish unlimbered properly. It's been rare for me to speak more than a sentence or two at a time and it doesn't seem enough for me to get back into the swing of it properly.

Slight concerned it being Sunday may mean the buses to Cordoba are awkward but I did wander round the terminal yesterday and the timetables suggested otherwise. I really can't see the buses being full either. I guess worst case is I end up waiting an hour or two.

While I remember, first day at Mateos they didn't ask how I wanted the steak. Second day they did and I asked (clumsily) how they'd done it the previous day, to which IIRC the waitress said 'a punto' (tho that is not in the free dictionary I am using on my phone). I might guess it means well done; steak was not at all bloody though not blackened either. I suspect this is heretical but sod it; it was good anyway. Normally I would have asked for medium but since I liked it the way it was cooked the first day seemed best to stick with that.

Fighting down urge to get moving ASAP in case I somehow regret the loss of time later (eg when I get to Cordoba at 6pm somehow and find I can't get on a bus to Salta as they're all full) but I shall resist; it's not going to be a problem and it's not the end of the world if there is a hitch.

1210 At Mateos, only person here (they are clearly just opening). Having the bife de chorizo again; feel a bit of a predictable fool, was tempted to have the parilla (they actually do it for one person here) but sod it, might as well have something I know I will enjoy and take advantage of the excellent meat here while I can - the sort of places I normally frequent have been acceptable but nothing outstanding.

1323 Into the lining! Just got to bus terminal, was bus there, bought ticket and leaving now. Quite empty at moment but suspect will fill up a bit en route.

OK, just e-mailed address on receipt for hostel in La Cumbre I paid the deposit for and it bounced. So tough, I did my best to keep them informed.

Battery at 61%; only managed to charge spare up to about 85 yesterday. Should be OKish but I shall have to try reading DGGA (despite it being a bit overdone lately) by way of conserving power.

1621 Just paid ARS377 for bus to Salta. Way more than guide book says (165 IIRC, albeit I am travelling cama but that shouldn't make that much difference) but I asked two companies and both about same. Bus goes at 7, would rather have gone with other company leaving 8-something but they couldn't do me an aisle seat in cama and given I've been feeling a bit jittery all of a sudden didn't want to go window or semi-cama aisle. Suddenly got worried about bowels when got on bus to Cordoba despite just having gone to bog and all fine. Feeling bit hot and sweaty here all of a sudden. Think I'm just getting worked up. I could be ill but it's not very likely.

1658 At Turizta cafe/bar opposite terminal after a lovely sweaty walk ten minutes up the road and back to see if I could find an open pharmacy to buy more loperamide - I couldn't (found two, both shut - I love Sundays). I took two on the minibus just in case once I became irrationally worried and only have four left, which is probably enough even if I need them, though not ideal, and I probably don't need them.

Not feeling too bad right now. FFS, this morning I was feeling pretty relaxed. Oh well. I guess today's concern essentially all derives from the case of Montezuma's revenge I suffered in BA; I just don't trust my body fully yet it seems, even though I probably should.

Money seems to be pouring away like water today. Withdrew 800 this morning and had about 100 on me before that, I have already spent about 500 with food and bus tickets. Does rankle that the guide book, which I bought under two weeks ago, seems so monstrously inaccurate on prices. Yes of course it's not going to be updated weekly but I might expect it to bear some resemblance to reality.

1815 Nearly finished this beer (just the one litre). Mind been a bit up and down but feeling relatively chilled again now, also a little sleepy actually.

Ticket has our arrival at 753 approx, so it's more like 13h, maybe this is a slow bus. Still, probably for the best as it means I am more likely to be able to get a coffee or something on arrival.

Feeling I should rush but have paid (19,  25 with tip) and just need to use bog and terminal is right opposite so no major problem.

1835 On lower concourse of terminal waiting for the bus. Used toilet (to do no more than have a slash) in bar. On walking over to the terminal suddenly started worrying about bowels. Fuck off, brain, this is clearly not a problem so give it up.

Should say the minibus arrived at a terminal I didn't recognise as either the main terminal or the rather grotty minibus terminal. Huge, spacious, under-signed and half empty. Turned out to be the evidently under-used new terminal 2 of the main bus terminal, linked by a short passageway to the old terminal where I first arrived in Cordoba and where I am now.

On reaching the T1 end of the passage much amusement was being generated by a dog walking up the down escalator,
as if on a treadmill. I assume it was a stray. It didn't appear too distressed and it was only just below the top, so I assume it could have easily outpaced the escalator had it wanted. The amusement was fairly good natured and I must admit I felt the same myself; as I say, it didn't seem too bothered, it looked a bit bored if anything.

1902 On bus. Slightly amusingly when it pulled up it was too close to the edge of the parking bay and the passenger compartment door wouldn't open. They had to back it out and pull in again. Bus a bit tatty in an ill-defined way but cama fairly spacious.

I did observe people tipping the luggage chap as they collected their bags. So maybe I slightly badmouthed the chappie on arrival here. On the other hand I did not notice other people tipping and I still think he was out of order asking for it even if they were. A few coins seems the done thing, I have an ARS2 note which I shall hand over with my ticket.

Chap just came to sweep the floor by my seat; I didn't understand and he explained in one word of English: "clean", adding "children!". Shame I didn't get this in Spanish but there you go. No one in seat to my left yet; it looked free when I booked so I picked this one of the two aisle seats free so I'd be in with a chance of a double. No major deal if not. Cama is sufficiently spacious a window seat would be OK, you could probably climb over the legs of a person next to you even if they were sleeping, but with my jitters earlier didn't like to risk it.

We are pulling out so I may have got the double, at least until some later stop. Final destination is Jujuy not Salta but have set an alarm on phone for 0730 and I think Jujuy is a couple of hours further on, so if I do end up sleeping past Salta it's not the end of the world. Right now can't see why I felt jittery earlier, guess it was as I said earlier, ultimately down to the BA troubles and stirred up again by the toilet-free minibus journey. (They're not minibuses like a school would have - or would have had in my day, I expect schools keep fleets of limousines these days - they are just smaller than regular coach-type buses, maybe 2/3 the length and single deck.)

Battery at 19% but with the spare, even at 85%, it's fine.

This text editor has the super-useful feature that shift-delete destroys the entire line with no undo. What great thinking. I am *always* wanting to destroy the entire line with no undo, and why would I ever accidentally press shift-delete? Genius.

0411 Woohoo. Woken twenty mins ago by conductor chap saying 'change bus' in English. Just got routed out onto another non-cama bus which is pulling out now. GPS and sign saw in terminal say this is (San Miguel de) Tucuman. Will I be getting a partial refund? Doubt it. Do at least have double to myself.

0740 Fuck me. Half asleep. Didn't catch announcement as a) dozing and b) had headphones in. GPS showed not in Salta tho near. Turns out we have to transition to another fucking bus, which I am sat on now. Fuck-a-doodle-do.

Would have missed it had not couple sat to my right asked me where we were and then kept asking around when I said I didn't know (I wasn't sure and wasn't going to take responsibility) only the the responses they got seemed to suggest this was Salta. I got off fairly sure it wasn't but it turns out I was right but irrelevantly so, when I spoke to staff outside the bus.

If GPS to be believed we are about 20 miles east of Salta and a couple of miles south of General Guemes. Worryingly few people changing bus but I saw the guy put my bag in the boot of this one and I still have my luggage ticket so sod it, as long as am with the bag it's fine.

Seat numbers different on this bus but sat downstairs in cama. This bus is branded by same company I booked with, unlike one I just got off, so I suspect they used some other company to fill in when the first bus (presumably, I never got a chance to ask) broke down but that other company's bus wasn't going to Salta.

0925 Sorted. Walked from bus terminal to hostel, checked in and they are looking after my bag til check in at 11. Wifi works.

Loads of people cleaning their teeth in the toilets at the bus terminal, which somehow seemed odd.

At Mistela cafe-bar round the corner, the woman at the hostel pointed me here. Getting coffee and a croissant. Bit hot but not too bad. Dengue fever posters here as in La Cumbre; insect repellent is in my bag so fingers crossed. I should probably start carrying it in my pocket.