Quick note on clothes taken on trip

Might waffle about packing generally later, but before I lose track of
what I had with me, I believe clothes were (including those worn at any
time):
- 5 sets underwear (Rohan quick-dry as far as possible, socks a
silk/polyester blend I bought back in October to avoid possible problems
with cotton in humid climates; dunno if that was necessary or
sufficient, but they were fine anyway)
- "not really but sort of waterproof" jacket (Primark, £15, vaguely
Harrington-ish if I remember name of style correctly)
- 4 short-sleeved T-shirts (these worn the bulk of the time), *none of
them white* (experience pre-Xmas shows white T-shirts go mankily
coloured too easily when not machine washed regularly)
- Rohan short-sleeved shirt
- Rohan long-sleeved shirt (neither of these two worn very much, but
worth having, long-sleeved for flexibility when cold and the
short-sleeved one dried pretty quickly which was handy, and occasionally
I liked the fact it had a front pocket unlike the T-shirts)
- pair of combats (worn 95% of the time)
- pair of "smart" Rohan trousers (hardly worn, mainly due to lack of
pockets when I wasn't also wearing a jacket due to temperature, but
definitely worth having two pairs of trousers for when other one is
being washed/drying)

I think this worked out pretty well.

Buenos Aires-London (part 3)

0553 Had the peanuts (80g of sugary coated peanuts, packet says Quito, Ecuador). Feel bit tired, with luck I can sleep on this flight as there's no free meal service and it's now getting on for 2am body clock time. Flight is at gate B29 not B28, not a big deal.

News is on TV here, something about a tsunami in northern Chile was mentioned.

Boarding is shown at 0716 (ie 0616 UK) which seems oddly precise but still. (Especially when the departure time is 0755.)

It's not that long a flight - something like 2h 40 IIRC and I suspect the actual flying time is less. But even an hour or two's sleep would probably make all the difference to not crashing before say 11pm tonight.

Some people (staff) on Segways. One woman came past at a ferocious pace a few minutes ago.

0636 On plane (737-800, fact fans).

Not absolutely knackered but moderately hopeful of getting some sleep in. If not not the end of the world.

0914 At platform at Gatwick, just managed to navigate ticket machine queue and the confusing mishmash of prices, I paid 10 exactly for an FCC only ticket to Ldn Br and one is due at 0917.

Did sleep a bit on flight, felt bit ropy of waking up and throat v dry but, you know, Security and I can always pay through the nose for a bottle of water at an airport shop.

0919 On train. For the first time since January I have mobile data! Amazing what modern technology can do, and mobile network operators can price out of convenience.

0923 For some reason I've got a mangled version of Billy Bragg's "Like Soldiers Do" running through my head; I think it came on on the flight after I woke up.

0932 The ticket machines at Gatwick would be less confusing if all the single ticket options were on the same page. Instead they are mingled in with useful 77 quid options (probably some kind of weekly season ticket or something, I obviously didn't pay much attention) which mean you have to page back and forth to see all the singles. The UI also has some feature which (twice) resulted in me pressing iirc "OK" as in "OK, dismiss this pop up" which it treated as "OK, I'd like to buy this ticket" - I think this was after pressing the "i" button to check the ticket conditions.

0937 Barring some accident I haven't yet noticed, I don't believe I paid a penny in roaming charges to EE over the entire trip. Swivel on it.

Oh, and no trouble at all from teeth (kind of obvious, I guess I'd have yammered on about them if they had played up) once I left BA more or less. Probably just one of those transient things.

1000 On DLR train, just leaving Bank now.

Buenos Aires-London (part 2)

1126 On plane.

1215 Was feeling sleep during takeoff. Not so much now. Guy in front of me has reclined his seat so I pretty much have to recline mine, even though I'd rather not.

1219 The guy sat behind me got asked to show his boarding pass before we took off. He just got asked for his passport. WTF? Does he look stereotypically dodgy or something?

1429 Food surprisingly edible, chicken and rice. Had non-diet coke to further rack up the calories. Watched "We're The Millers", better than I expected if a bit tedious right at end. There are only about 8 films available, it's not as good as BA but I guess it is cheaper. Touch wood not had any significant problems with tooth or teeth or whatever so far. 9h 9m flying time left.

This is an A330-200. Flight in from Bogota was on an A340, I am not sure I've been on one of them before, though perhaps I was more struck by a certain old-fashioned quality (CRT TV on electronic retractable mount) of that particular one rather than anything else distinctive. (It had some flat panels as well, no seat back screens but a lot of cheaper shortish flights don't anyway.)

1643 Just watched "Captain Phillips", which was surprisingly powerful. We are 7h 10m 6148km from Madrid, map suggests we are a fair distance off the Brazilian coast east of Recife.

I'm going to switch to Madrid time I think.

2048 No I'm not, I can't be sure what Madrid time is and it will be confusing all round if I guess. I've switched to London time (with a view to it maybe helping me try to adopt a London-based sleep schedule, though in reality who knows how well I'll sleep).

2221 Just watched "Gravity". I must be going nuts cos I found myself flinching at all the near misses when she was trying to grab on to stuff. It was OK overall, though from the description on the in-flight entertainment I expected it to consistent entirely of a conversation between two people doomed to spend what they had left of their lives drifting helplessly in space, not an action film at all.

We just got given a cheese mini baguette, astoundingly with no mayonnaise, and a drink; I had an orange juice.

We are due to land at about 4am London time so if I am going to sleep I should probably do it now. On the other hand I don't exactly feel tired and I can't sleep on demand.

0019 Just watched "The Counselor". Bit overly stylish but meh, OK.

0257 Sufficiently desperate to watch "Baggage Claim.". Tolerable, if not something I would ever watch if I wasn't on a plane or a date. Not exactly tired - I guess it's only 11pm body clock time, though was bit short on sleep last night - it's OK. Not exactly looking forward to (I strongly suspect) another security scan in Madrid and waiting around for the London flight and then the flight and then getting into London from Gatwick but it's OK.

If I'm lucky I might be 'settled' in London by say 11am so that's only 8 hours to go. Obviously not intending to do any job search shit today (or tomorrow, when I'm off up to Skegness in the afternoon). That starts Friday. (Fortunately JR helped tart my CV up when I was halfheartedly looking back in June-ish so it just needs a minor change to mention this bout of travel and it's ready to go; the horrific task of updating it in any significant way doesn't need to be done.)

We got a quite nice hot ham and cheese roll and a sort of bun for breakfast, and I had an orange juice. Not hungry and it will be OK but it annoys me I won't be able to get any affordable food (and I'd rather not withdraw euros in Madrid if I can help it) for eight hours but I just remembered I have those peanuts in my bag, which is a bonus, also extra strong mints, plus I intend to have lunch almost as soon as I'm settled in London. 11am is at least vaguely appropriate for that.

Yawning, no point sleeping now.

Oddly the inflight entertainment menu specifies the following languages available for films: Fra Ita Spa Eng Rus Por Deu. How does that work? If it's using English names for the languages, why do we have Deu (for Deutsch/Deutscheland, I assume)? If it's using each language's own name, why do we have Spa (Spain/Spanish)? It doesn't *matter* but it seems odd when you have leisure to contemplate such minutiae.

0440 At gate in Madrid airport. Some observations:

- someone started applause after we landed, just as I was recalling that happening when Bogota-BA flight landed and thinking it didn't happen in Europe. I didn't join in. :-)

- we taxied for *ages* after landing (at 15-20 mph according to screens, ie not that slowly). Barajas must be fucking enormous.

- thanks to code share flights showing on multiple lines, one for each code - one flight to Paris occupies *nine* lines - the double monitor showing flights and gates doesn't show my flight. They announced the gate on the plane and they checked my boarding pass at the security checkpoint so pretty sure am in right place but still.

- security was courteous but a hassle. I got pulled up for having a bottle of water, which I was allowed to drink after going to the 'insecure' side of the scanner and metal detector to drink, leaving my bag etc on the secure side. I wasn't allowed to stand there and chug it (it took me about five seconds) where I was. Prior to that I didn't help matters by forgetting to take my belt off, so I got patted down and the belt put through the scanner. It was OK and as I say courteous and at least I wasn't in a rush but FFS. I JUST FLEW IN, WHY DO I HAVE TO BE RESCREENED?

Will send this on free 15 mins airport wifi.

Buenos Aires-London (part 1)

0737 At Terminal Madero (for Manuel Tienda León), have ticket for bus at 8. Walked over from hotel, no problem, passed 'my' building :-). Woke up on alarm at 0645 and was up by 0650/55. Left hotel a bit after 7. Throat feels a bit dry after last night but generally not too bad. Had v quick attempt to check in online this morning but it just 'ignores' me clicking on the button to confirm. It's OK, I am pretty sure my seats are allocated anyway and as per yesterday I need to go queue up at the check in desk regardless.

I'm going to travel about 7000 miles. Amazing eh?

0855 At airport. The check in desks shown on monitor form my flight are not open yet.

D'oh, looking at another Madrid flight later, display is sorted alphabetically not by time so two are adjacent.

0912 OK, fair old queue but checked in. No one weighed my bag. Incidentally, was no immigration or customs form to fill in when I arrived in Argentina.

There's a McDonald's, let's go see if I can afford to eat before I pass security.

0916 Well this is shit. They don't seem to do a 'breakfast'; it's all bagels, toasted sandwiches and hotcakes. I can't trust them not to put mayonnaise in the two former, which make the bulk of the menu, and I don't really fancy paying ARS31 for 454kcal of hotcakes and a coffee. I think I can do better than this; FFS, I'd probably be as well buying a packet of crisps. I think I'm going to leave this and have a wander landside and go airside if I can't find anything, I think I can afford to give this a miss.

"Invisible touch" playing...

0921 Fuck me. Just went to illegno (??? ilegible more like) opposite. They can't be arsed to print prices but I asked, a shitty little calzone and/or a shitty little ham & cheese baguette each weigh in at ARS60-something, maybe even 70. You are having a fucking giraffe.

1006 Airside. Security v swift, no fuss.

I went to McDonald's in the end; I asked about mayonnaise on the bagel (cheese, lomito, egg) and it didn't have any. I got one then when that was OK (if bit heavy on cheese) queued up again and got a second. 2xARS19 not great but better than that other place. Might see if can buy bottle of water airside but not obvious if I can.

Getting odd twinge from a front lower tooth. Not idea why, I have no had anything up to now. I am in quite a worried state of mind anyway and obviously this is now making me fear it's going to become seriously painful during the flight. Nothing I can do about it, it probably won't, I do have OTC painkillers in my bag and if it does flare up in many ways this is no worse/better than it doing so at say 6pm on a Saturday, when I'd have to wait over 36h before there was a chance of seeing a dentist. (Of course, I least I could suffer in comfort instead of being on a flight in that case.) If I wasn't worried about it getting worse the twinges themselves are not particularly bad. I wouldn't be surprised if I was grinding my teeth last night while sleeping and maybe that has caused things to shift about slightly. I don't think this twinge is completely unprecedented even in this location, though this particular location is definitely not one I've had a twinge recently. Feeling/imagining something in my upper front teeth now, so clearly my mind is running away with this...

1030 Yay. The only place I can find selling water is another "illegible" shop/"restaurant". ARS23 for a 500ml bottle. FFS. They didn't even mention a liquid restriction at security, so I could probably have brought some with me. I bought it anyway, slightly chilled and didn't seem to hurt teeth despite deliberately ensuring they were exposed, maybe a good sign, dunno. There is an "Open 25 hours" (name is in English, I was wrong saying "Abierto 25 horas" other day) but they have no drinks of any description. I love airports and I just adore wanky security restrictions.

The gate (10) has no seats tho there are some other side of some plexiglass and for some reason people are queuing at the gate already. This is an 1155 flight.

I could go sit down but I won't, I will be doing enough sitting on the plane.

Bottle is paper-thin plastic and has no structural strength, I shoved it half full into my bag for later, fingers crossed it doesn't leak (all over my netbook).

Oh, I took (a single) ibuprofen maybe half an hour ago. Not sure if that was wise and I should have maybe "saved the potential pain reduction" for later (I have plenty of tablets) but I figured it might help and probably wouldn't hurt. Had minor twinge minute or two after drinking the water but I am currently feeling pain elsewhere in jaw. I am suspecting this is a manifestation of my wisdom teeth 'shifting' slightly and applying pressure and/or having clenched jaw a bit due to stress overnight/this morning.

1103 There seems to be free wifi here, have managed to send and receive some emails. Bit pointless but I will send this now.

Buenos Aires, Monday

1458 At Clasico Cafe Bar in Bolivar. While had no real plans beyond walking round a bit, been wandering getting slightly desperate for lunch and rejecting everywhere. Food not too pricey here (getting bife de chorizo and chips)p, also getting litre bottle of Quilmes at 38. Feeling a bit tight as want to avoid withdrawing more cash but I think in reality the hotel will change USD for me at half-decent rate of USD1 to ARS9.5 (not sure street guys will do an amount like USD10 or 20) and so a) I'm fine b) I'm not spending an inordinate amount. If push really comes to shove I can withdraw some more cash.

Walked nearly an hour before finding net cafe despite guide book saying there's one every couple of blocks. They only had IE and also I had to get them to stop their porn blocker blocking Air Europa's website (!?). Either because of something shity about the filtering or IE or because Air Europa's site sucks I wasn't able to check in online, website gave usual super unhelpful errors. However, the checkin process starts by saying you have to go to checkin desk for 'security' reasons (iirc) even if you check in online, so I've printed the expedia confirmation and in reality I am not worse off for not having checked in since I would have to go to desk anyway.

Woke up 10-11ish feeling OKish if bit sort of pleasantly tired, think left hotel about 12. Not great on last day but as I say I don't really have plans, will probably just wander down to that park in San Telmo after.

Beer is welcome, it's pleasantly warm not boiling but been walking round more or less continuously since 12 so refreshment good.

1526 Cure "Yesterday I felt so old..." playing v quietly. Heard "Si No Te Hubieras Ido" playing from shop as looking for net cafe earlier, raised a smile.

1528 Phil Collins, "You got a piece of me" (that song about televangelists) playing. Not heard this in years. Oh, and Alan Parsons Project "Eye In The Sky" played in the (bit shit, v busy, poor service) net cafe.

(It's radio, not CD, DJ just said song was "Jesus He Knows Me".)

1551 That was pretty good. Finishing beer up then go. Will go round Parque Lezama, maybe have beer nearby then go back to hotel. Perhaps depending on finances and stomach pop out for food later but not going out tonight; it's Monday and I need to be up about 7am to get to Terminal Madero for 8 (it's not far but not sure about getting taxi; I may walk it in daylight actually). Not *too* bad an early start but given I don't expect to find any life (I always struggle anyway in BA, sooner or later will crack it) on a Monday night and given this is *the* flight I really really don't want to miss definitely not chancing anything.

1607 Cool. Bill 105, made it 115 with tip, I asked and they take dollars at ARS10, so I paid USD10 and ARS15, using up a few coins too. This is better than hotel rate of 9.5 and leaves me my ARS100 note (plus I think about 80ish in misc notes) for bus. Not to say I won't need to change something else and I now have nothing smaller than a USD20 so need to be careful but still.

Just counted up and I think I have ARS205 including my 100 note left. Bus to airport is probably 100 but if I don't walk I need a cheapish (it's maybe a kilometre) taxi there. I really don't want to have to change a USD20 if I can help it whatever the rate, as I will get more more cash than I need for the time left and I don't want to be sitting on a lot of ARS when it might be two or three years at least before I come back to Argentina (I hope to be back in Latin America within three, but I imagine northern South America, Central America and Mexico - though Chile always tempting - would be most likely destinations, so unless flight prices encourage a stopover in BA it could really be five years plus before I return to Argentina - but life is strange and who knows what will happen?) and inflation is bad enough even now that people want USD. It's OK. I could *maybe* ask the hotel to change USD20 for USD10+some ARS, I dunno. Let's not get too hung up on this. Worst case we're looking at burning USD20 which is not a fortune (and though it has long term value, in the short term it's a kind of sunk cost since I already withdrew it and will just sit on it back home instead of converting it back to GBP.)

1617 Finished beer, let's go.

(Incidentally, to put the exchange rates into perspective, unless I got confused the official rate is ARS8 to the pound; I think that is therefore what I'd get withdrawing from a UK account at a cash machine ignoring the punitive fees. A pound is about USD1.6. Yet the hotel is offering ARS9.5 to the dollar, that restaurant 10 and in larger-but-still-modest quantities I think - based on some website - the street money changers are maybe offering 11ish.)

1726 Walked round Parque Lezama, then wandered hoping to find beer in late-afternoon sun, but the square just north wanted like 59 for a litre and some shitty little bar on a street which happened to be on the right corner to have sun outside wanted 40 for an artesanal half litre. Needed piss and sun going so at some bar with a Mafalda model sat on bench outside (I remember seeing this in Jan, but didn't drink here) corner Chile and Defensa getting a litre for 40, I hope. No sun - wrong corner and too low now really for sun even on 'right' corner - but weather still pleasant (not wearing jacket today, just T shirt) though slight breeze is just a smidge cooler than I could wish.

This is opposite El Gol de San Telmo and the adjacent places, all of which seem shut (no huge loss really).

1748 Were some (old) men playing chess in Parque Lezama. That and the sun and doubtless also my mental state brought "McArthur Park" into my head (yes, yes, that's checkers). I also have Sydney Meat's (sp) "We're not bothered, we're down the pub" in my head now for some reason. :-)

1826 I had two people ask me for directions today. Helps [just taken photo of people with Mafalda] my delusion I don't look too much like a tourist.

Saying to myself a) modulo job shit be good to be back home where I have friends and family b) if I can get even a half decent contract I need to regard that as part of my lifestyle where I take time out to travel every couple of years, not as a horrific phase c) I now kind of have a plan for my future (life permitting, all sorts of good or bad things could happen of course) and I will be working with a goal in mind.

Just about finished this beer, will pay up then back to hotel. Feeling fairly good, especially considering this is end of trip. Not been a bad day, the last day in Bogota was cool what with the street music, and being back home won't be bad either.

1859 Back at hotel. Incidentally when was in Parque Lezama did remember being bit nervous when there in Jan, today both because been there before and because I feel BA is generally much safer than places been recently wasn't worried at all.

Only a very slight voice at back of mind suggests leaving here before tomorrow morning. Frankly it's been a fairly good day, local currency finances are tight and I don't want to loosen them, I have lots I can occupy myself with in hotel room and why ruin everything with a shitty beer locally even if I knew somewhere nice local to go, which I don't?

2122 At Breoghan's (sp, prob right, where I came in Jan). Didn't have fucking clue when engaged barman in conversation re happy hour. Paid 30 for a pint of Golden Ale, happy hour is 2 for 60 I think, not a clue. (Pricey compared to earlier but feh, it is OK.) He stared heavily at the 100 I paid with, holding it up to light several times. Was nervous as got it from a money changer on Florida about half hour ago. Hotel couldn't change just 10 of my USD20 as had no change. He suggested I try a money changer. I dithered but did as reluctant to spend any of my ARS160 approx on beer etc when not sure about exact cost tomorrow for bus to airport. Went on Florida, where most of them are. The guy wasn't ultra keen at first but pretty promptly (a few seconds later, as I was saying 'OK, thanks' (in Spanish)) said he'd do it for ARS10 to USD1 (implying as I thought street rate for more is higher) and since that's better than hotel would have done anyway I agreed. (I have no objection to getting worse rate for small deal, that's business, still worth doing.) He took me to some nearby newspaper kiosk in street where chap showed me into back (just narrow bit, there was street on both sides) and did the exchange, ie gave me ARS100 and USD10 back. I looked at the bills and both they looked OK AFAICT so was bit taken aback when barman really scrutinised that 100; I made sure paid with that not the one I already had as didn't want to risk a fake causing me problems tomorrow when no time to rectify by going to cash machine.

Wish I could have understood what barman said as I quizzed him re happy hour, beyond fact it stops at 10 am stumpted. Maybe I will get secnd beer for 30 but no idea. I understood maybe 50% but that wasn't enough.

Not great here but I was walking down this way and came across it and it seemed fitting. Was vaguely heading for places went this afternoon; toyed with those bars on Reconquista but as per earlier have no great memories of them at best of times.

Why am I out when said not? In part perhaps cos am a bit weak, in part cos Skyped parents and I've had a letter from HMRC re my 2011-12 tax return. Nothing ultra serious but fortunately I was able to get the relevant documents off my online backup (which is pretty cool/handy, I guess, kudos to CrashPlan) and it appears my accountants have fucked up, though who knows how it will turn out. (This way I don't have it hanging over me to deal with back in UK, or at least I will be dealing with my accountants response and it will be further along.) Anyway, I emailed them and we'll see what they say, but the fact that my last night of the holiday would have been 'oh yes, I remember, I had to look into that HMRC letter' made me think fuck it I would come out. Two pints won't be a killer, only sixish in total today and most importantly been a few hours since last drink. Don't think total weekly consumption too bad and in any case would be stupid to suddenly get hung up on that tonight of all nights.

I washed a single shirt and set of underwear before coming out and left laptop on bed uploading photos (tho probably die after a few due to network glitch, postr not ultra reliable in face of even slightly dodgy networks).

Pretty dead here but it's OK, not seeking chat tonight and it's kind of fitting as it was like this when I was here in Jan, probably was midweek then too (it's in blog of course).

Could regard this as waste but not really, if it is 60 for two tonight that gives me 200ish total and probably have 70-90 left to buy some food at airport with if I want.

I am sat at the exact same table I was at in Jan, BTW.

Will say now that - tho I think I already said was same hotel as in Jan - I am at Hotel O'Rei here.

Well behind with my tripadvisor reviews - not obliged of course but I like to do it - need to do Lima hotel and all since, tho have draft reviews on netbook of the two Ecuador hotels. It's OK, I will do them this weekend. Had intended to bash a couple out tonight but since I decided to come out instead not happened. Not a big deal.

Beer is expensive compared to litre of Quilmes at 38 but it is sort of UK bitter-ish (not that I couldn't hold out another two days...) and feh, worth it really for the sense of symmetry and fitness of things and bowing to serendipity.

Obviously the USD10 note I got from money changer('s mate) might be dodgy but probably not. Also fuck it, it's like six or seven quid, which is (obviously) what tonight's extravagance (plus maybe some food at airport) has cost. As a one off cost, chicken feed. As a habit maybe not but feh, it's not as if it's particularly extravagant.

2200 Got second pint before 10 anyway, dunno if it mattered but still. Golden Ale 5.5% first pint, San Telmo Fire IPA (pronounced eepa by barman) 6.6% this. Oh, I think Lavalle is pronounced by locals in Spanish way but with Argentinian ll=sh pronunciation. Still looks French to me but anyway, that's what I heard when getting bus+taxi to hotel other night.

Seeing the Spanish-English exchange poster outside I am reminded I should consider seeking something like that out in London. Pretty sure made this observation in Jan but it had slipped my mind. Would be good for my Spanish and also a social thing.

2206 Fire IPA is OK but does taste a bit 'strong'.

I went to the bar both times but there is a waitress here, she is serving another table now.

2209 Fighting slight tendency to neck "my last beer" and go home so waffle as things occur. Have sometimes felt as if I should write about some minor little thing on blog, and have always had to remind myself a) that just isn't practical b) it's not a case of "blog entry or it didn't happen". This blog is a memory jogger for Future Steve (I don't think even my friends are reading it, that's cool and perhaps even good), it's not that if I have random memories of the trip in the future they are "disproven" or "invalid" if they're not on the blog.

"Jeremy Spoke"

Why do it as a blog if no one is reading it? My friends *might* check in occasionally. I keep anything super personal to other channels but I quite like the idea of drivelling this out to the world at large. Maybe some random bod will stumble on an entry via Google and read more. I hope it's occasionally entertaining. I know I've sometimes found random shit on the web and deeply enjoyed it, in a small way this is my potential return. Ultimately given I am careful to keep anything deeply personal off here (while doubtless revealing some moderately personal stuff) it does no harm to be sending this to a blog instead of say a private "email to myself" folder.

Stones, "Under My Thumb". All music so far been English language.

2222 Queen, "Under Pressure". Saw ad for Guns 'n' Roses South American tour on way over here, incidentally. Also earlier for some symphonic Queen tribute thing.

Not packed yet but a) for all I sometimes regard it as a chore, since I am travelling light even a fairly anal pack takes maybe ten minutes b) even easier tonight as I don't need to bundle wrap any clean clothes, since this is last night before home.

Not exactly looking forward to flight home but in a way it will be super cool to sit on that flight home (well, to Madrid) and just relax and listen to music or whatever. I won't say every single possible wish for the trip happened, but looking back it's been a pretty good time. Just not working alone is super cool. Maybe on flight will bash out a list of the highlights, will resist temptation to do so now. And it will [ooh, Blur, "she needs a little... we all say we want to be alone" ah "End Of The Century"] be nice to be back home with friends and family. I really do have a lot of friends (esp compared with say 10 years ago) and while I'm pretty happy with the social aspect of the trip it does make me appreciate the ease of going for a drink with a friend. (I still haven't cracked "hostel socialisation" but frankly I didn't really try, and also frankly I'd rather meet locals and I have, also was cool to meet Tony, Kirsty (localish) and Colin and that was through bus/bar not hostels.)

David Bowie, "Heroes" (I think: "we can meet them forever and ever" yes, it is "Heroes")

Did wonder about safety of walk home but I think BA is pretty safe and unless the universe feels it needs to load up my semi-irony quota I am not too worried about walk home.

It would obviously bite to miss the flight tomorrow but a) it wouldn't be the end of the world b) no reason to expect it, I am not remotely drunk due to spaced out drinking today. Not like Buenos Aires in 2012 when I came close. :-) And then it was more pressing as I had to be back at work. Now it would suck but it would "just" be seven or eight hundred quid's worth of suckiness. Freedom baby. :-)

Hope London's not too cold but think will be sweet, I missed the winter, BST kicked in yesterday, perfect.

It seems trite to say it but my life is actually pretty good. I wish I was more confident about getting a new contract but especially since I don't absolutely need to earn an amazing rate I am reasonably confident I can get something which will a) pay the bills b) allow me to save a bit of money to replace what I've spent on trip. There are no certainties in life (triteness meter redlining here) but I have a reasonable safety net and no point worrying about what I can't control, and since doing that exercise in Quito I must admit I haven't been too worried. Thoughts have crossed my mind but not in too disturbingly intense a way.

Slightly tempted to get a third pint but I won't. Definitely not worth it. Anyway, I view it as saving alcohol allowance for beers with friends in next couple of weeks. :-)

2310 How cool was that? My walk back took my across the plaza in front of Casa Colorada (as it did back in Jan). I either didn't notice on way out or, more likely, took a slightly different route. A few people on street, not many (except nearer hotel where bit busier) and it felt very much like walking through the City (of London) at 2am. V safe, v cool. A decent end to the trip, despite HMRC's best efforts. :-)

2313 Or do I mean Casa Rosada? No matter, the experience is the thing, the words are something for the guide book.

2316 Bit silly but I'm lying on the bed here in my slightly tatty hotel room and I remind myself how well I'm doing. In large part *because* I'm in this slightly tatty (but perfectly acceptable) hotel room instead of spunking hard-earned cash on some luxury suite. Nothing wrong with a bit of luxury occasionally but if I was perpetually addicted to it this trip would have been unaffordable.

2320 Yay, the GPS tracking app silently died 45 or so mins ago. Not a huge deal, I didn't have my camera with me, but still, bit sucky as I like the track to follow me everywhere.

2321 Lemons->lemonade. As I stepped to the edge of the room to get a GPS fix I realised the room has a balcony. Street view tastic.

2340 Re earlier point, I don't claim to be an ascetic. But on that spectrum I'm towards the left, and thank fuck my tastes for luxury are so easily satisfied. To my left is someone kipping in a dormitory every night, but off in the distance to the right is someone in a luxury suite. Low standards for, in every sense, the win.

0020 Balconying it up with some music, but while I remember: the secret to drying washed clothes, *especially* underwear, is to wring it out in a towel without too much other stuff. And back to our balcony party, though need to go to bed about 1ish.

0104 Bed.

Bogota-Buenos Aires

0757 In hotel reception. Woke up about 5am, irrationally bit panicked, only had bit of water so decided to put a water purifying tablet in bottle of water in case wanted a big drink later when no time. Bottle wouldn't fit in sink so had to fill from shower.

Did get back to sleep despite distubing (because they had a "WTF?" quality) noises from (I infer) adjacent room's bathroom. Woke on alarm 0740 but stupidly deliberately stayed in bed til next and final alarm 0745. Hasty dressing and teeth cleaning and checking round later am down here in reception I believe with everything. Not feeling 100% but I never do in morning and can hopefully rest on flight.

0800 Receptionist just give me bit of paper with number plate and 'clave' (read about this in guide book, tho this is 3 digits not 2) for taxi. Said I can wait here in reception and it will be here in about 5 minutes. I do wonder if she only just called to book it when I got down here, maybe not - don't recall hearing her call but then I was bashing out the above and not paying attention.

Said it would be 20kish or tiny bit more. We'll see I guess. It will be on meter.

0822 At airport. Driver didn't ask for clave and the (non-currency-denominated) meter seemed suspiciously large (300 odd) by midway and was worried was going to get stiffed or end up in a row but he said 23k so no problem. I didn't tip, haven't generally here.

0836 McDonalds, land side. Flight is about 20 mins late. Eating land side as I had water in my bag which would be a Security Threat (TM) (R) airside and so this opened up possibility of saving price of a drink with food. As it happens come to McDonald's and a (not overly filling but still OK) breakfast with orange juice only 12.5k. I do wish they did the regular menu instead of/as well as a breakfast one, but kudos to them for providing tolerably priced food at airports.

0922 At gate. Security OK though they asked me to open the bag of chap in front of me (I didn't, of course, we both explained), then they passed my bag through scanner a second time and I wasn't absolutely sure I was allowed to take it. I guess it's natural to fear a process as arbitrary and potentially freedom-threatening as airport security even when you aren't a terrorist or drug smuggler.

Not sure I have seen anywhere to eat airside but I am not really hungry, there will probably be some food on plane and don't see any point throwing money away on more food now so not questing for a restaurant. I have an 'emergency' packet of peanuts if I get desperate.

1047 Just got called up to counter via PA with a few other people. They just seemed to want to do some stuff with my passport including swiping the magnetic strip; I suspect this is because I checked in online, though even so it's a bit unusual. Still, no harm done. Departure time still showing 1140 as it has since got to airport.

Oh, I was at Hotel San Sebastian here in Bogota (room 501, trivia fans!).

1134 On flight. Woman assigned seat next to me appears to require five minutes discussion with her friends to confirm it is her seat. Still, she's not fat and I have my aisle seat so who cares?

1204 Yay, we have to return to the gate for an additional check.

Before this I was thinking I should have checked prices for eg Bogota-London. Probably not cheaper given sunk cost of London-BA return (which I could only have avoided with much more rigid planning, since insurance shit prohibited leaving UK without a flight home booked) but by the time you factor in a not-very-valuable-as-holiday two nights accommodation in BA and two extra city centre-airport journeys in BA it just might have worked out cheaper. Meh. Too late now of course. Delay obviously super welcome, since this way there's a good chance I won't get to the hotel til 11pmish and that means, it being Sunday, I won't be tempted to indulge in the vice of eating dinner as everywhere will definitely be shut, instead of just probably.

1235 I think we are now at the gate for this check. FFS.

1240 Yay, there's some minor fault which has to be fixed.

1411 We might be taking off shortly. Fantastic!

1540 We weren't. We are in the air now and have been a while. I think we're going to land 3-4h late. This is a real fucker as it may rule out taking the minibus to that terminal round the back of Retiro (can't remember name) and a taxi from there. If so I could end up paying something like 40-50 fucking dollars for a taxi. I now wish I'd paid the 29 dollar pickup fee the hotel was offering, but of course I couldn't know we were going to be massively delayed and 29 is insane too. The fucking hotel room costs 25 dollars a night, less than a fucking taxi, possibly half as much! Fucking taxis, fucking airports built a billion miles out of town with no fucking decent public transport.

(Since I pretty much have to get a taxi to airport to fly home - time too tight to risk the public bus - and (although it's not particularly dangerous in BA) I never like to get a cab off the street to go long distance I will have to ask the hotel for a cab to airport and that pretty much puts me in the position of them sticking me for USD29. I was 'expecting' this outbound but inbound I expected to be able to trade time and convenience for money, but thanks to this delayed flight I'm probably fucked. Bunch of cunts. They should fucking be obligated to compensate me; we're not looking at a 15 minute delays here.)

It is fractionally tempting to camp out at the airport and get the first public bus into town, but the risk of then oversleeping tomorrow night is too high, even were it not otherwise an unpleasant prospect.

1552 My (outdated) guide book suggests the minibus runs up to midnight. Just have to wait and see I guess. They said lunch would be served once we reached cruising altitude but no sign of it yet. I expect it to be inedible just because I'm keener than usual - if not desperate, breakfast was 725kcal (it happened to be printed on the display board), I probably have 500-1000kcal of peanuts and a packet of extra strong mints so I'm not going to starve, and as I recall there are lots of 24h shops near hotel so may be able to get some crisps or something on arrival at hotel - but you never know and at least a drink would be nice.

1649 Food actually OK. Not enormous quantity of course but OK.

1920 Finally finished Atlas Shrugged, which I have been reading on and off possibly since I started this holiday back in October. I can't help but feel it's about twice as long as it ought to be.

2312 (Argentina) Yay. I'm at the Manuel Tienda Leon stand out where the bus arrives (couldn't fucking understand instructions after buying ticket inside terminal and like a fuckwit I just said OK and walked off through the one-way door, but someone pointed me over here without even asking exactly what I was lucking for. Next bus is midnight. Thanks once again, Aerolineas Argentinas, for that three hour delay. They go half hourly earlier I believe. Still, it "only" cost ARS110 vs ARS380 I was quoted for a remise direct to hotel, so as long as I can get a taxi I should save money. I put "only" in quotes because at the official exchange rate that's still nearly fourteen quid. For a bus. Fucking hell, it doesn't cost that much to get a fucking train from Gatwick (IIRC) or the tube from Heathrow. Still, I'm going to be getting to the hotel about 1am if I'm lucky, more like 1:30am if I had to make a bet on it. I hope they haven't decided to give my room away or anything, I understand a booking isn't generally considered binding in the hotel trade. If I want to go out for a bottle of water or some food - and frankly I might not, I can purify some tap water and maybe skip cleaning my teeth rather than wait the hour (or is it 30 mins?) it takes to purify. On the other hand, my body clock is two hours earlier than local time and I'm a night person, so if I don't get to bed til 2am local time that's only midnight body clock. I am feeling a bit tired though. We'll see I guess. I might be fighting to find a taxi at 2am for all I know.

Guy at booth here told me very explicitly 'here at midnight, or 10-15 mins before'. Cos I guess I might decide to pop back into terminal for a quick meal or something. As if, when I can enjoy standing around aimlessly? At least the weather is OK; they said 15C as we came in to land and with jacket on it feels very pleasant.

2324 Trying to look on the bright side - and while decidedly not chuffed I'm not at the "swearing out loud in English" point - I had ARS300 left from January and I have to assume it will turn into bum fodder by the next time I'm here given the state of the Argentinian economy. I still need to "live" for the next day and a bit but the hotel is going to be paid in USD and the taxi to the airport might be so in some very narrow sense this is "free" (or rather, allows me to claw back some of my excessive withdrawal back in January - not that I can blame myself, what with insane per-withdrawal fees - iirc four quid a pop, I am sure I bitched about it on blog at time tho - in this broken economy it wasn't easy to be too precise, it never is - anyway, perhaps I should say the marginal cost of this bus/taxi is close to zero instead). I also have sufficient USD that if necessary - and they'll deal with the tiny amounts, which is less clear - I can go to a street money changer for the unofficial rate instead of having to withdraw any cash. This is not an accident, I was v careful to ensure adequate USD supplies when I left Ecuador.

2335 The ticket does actually say 'Lavalle y Maipu' which is where I told the chap my hotel was; guide book does say bus will drop you at some central hotels, so I just possibly - not to get my hopes up - might actually get dropped right there.

2347 On bus.

2349 We're off.

2351 Asked ticket checking chap if could get down at corner Lavalle (no idea if that's a Spanishy ll or not) and Maipu and he said yes. So fingers crossed.

2354 We've stopped somewhere on the airport complex. Isn't this exciting? Best blog evar.

(I deliberately have my bag with me instead of in the boot to faciliate getting off.)

2355 "Englishman in New York" playing very softly on crackly radio.

0013 "Got a feeling I could be someone... remember when you're driving in your car"

0038 At Terminal Madero. I asked, this is 'Lavalle y Maipu'. So why the fuck do they

0044 OK, it looks like the ticket includes (?) an onward connection in a shared cab. Milling around terminal on sheep grounds has revealed this. I might get a cab over here and bus out to airport on Monday morning. Guide book undersold the service if is included connection.

0112 Yes, so bus+cab not too bad value. Checked in. VAT of 21% on top - I just *luuurve* the way booking.com doesn't include this in the headline price and then sometimes you do get charged it and sometimes you don't - so USD62 for two nights but still could be worse, can't remember if charged VAT last time. In room 2, different from last time but OK. Went out for food. 24h restaurant opposite but rather pricey (if understandable). 'Abierto 25 horas' on corner but drunk fuckwit occupying the tiny pigeonhole through the grille with his two slimy sauce-covered hot dogs and not moving away after being served but instead chatting with guy on duty so fucked off to opposite corner. Another A25H there with lights on and guy inside but no hole in grille. WTF? Fortunately had spoted an open shop with no grille (not a chain) when had to walk a block after dropped off by taxi as road closed (not their fault) so went there. ARS44 or £5.50 for bottle of water, largish packet of biscuits and tiny packet of ham flavour crackers but a) this is in part the shitty official exchange rate b) it is 1am so I expect to pay a premium c) I paid less than expected to get here d) will probably go back to airport Tue via cab+MTL bus from terminal Madero so saving there e) therefore not that pissed off and it is also way cheaper than eating at that 24h restaurant f) but a bit pricey all the same g) I should eat - not that hungry but decided best get something - and clean my teeth and go to fucking bed and stop writing this. ;-) Will send now.

Bogota, Saturday

1433 On Cerro de Monserrate, waiting for cable car down. I came up on the funicular (as it was due to stop at 2-3pm so I figured better get that up, as I wanted to use both). Views pretty cool though lot of haze.

Woke up 10-1030ish actually feeling OK but rather weakly stayed in bed til about 1130 despite being desperate for a piss. Left hotel about 12 and there were quite a few people about and actually at the lower terminal a huge contingent of soldiers. Didn't really think about doing the walk up the hill; would be sort of cool but guidebook implies it's more a morning thing for safety and is also a bit vague as to if it's reopened and I didn't check on web etc. Besides I did want to try the funicular and cable car. Maybe next time I will walk up. (Didn't seek out the path, dunno if would have been hard to find.)

Had a small empanada

1506 Fucking hell. Internet cafe shut. Asked if another one nearby, guy said something surly and incomprehensible with a negative quality.

1508 It's OK, in another one across street. If it ever lets me start using it.

1559 Well that was pretty cool. Went looking for restaurant, found one but thirsty so went round block to find a shop where could buy cold diet coke. Found one and a bunch of guys were playing jazz/samba (? - they did "oye como va" (sp) at one point) in the middle of the road. Stayed to watch, now in restaurant "Los Autenticos Del Pacifico" for paella and a colombiana ligera. Waitress just asked me something incomprehensible about 'san chichita' (already forgotten) so I said yes when she repeated it a second time.

Had an empanada (tiny) and a rather pricey 4k grilled-corn-on-cob up on Monserrate (been spelling that wrong I think) and a quick apple in room before left. Will probably go for walk (may see if music still/back on, they were taking a break or maybe stopping when I left) and then lard out on a pizza before night in.

Been given a bowl of soup, this is an included extra, I just asked. Prob what the incomprehensible q was about.

1611 Some sort of seafoody soup, quite a few bones so not gone down to bottom but OK if not exactly a delight.

Incidentally yday morning went and asked for my passport so I could take the credit card out on false pretext I needed it; I wanted reassurance they hadn't lost it. I need to collect passport this evening but should be OK. I asked at same time about taxi and they said they could organise it (one comment on web said they wouldn't) and it would be about 20k and 20-30 mins. Flight is 1125 so allowing 3h at airport I probably want a cab at 8am, which is a bit sucky but could be worse.

I hope I am going to get paella and haven't got confused. It occurs to me I haven't seen any prices but probably OK and if it's 25-30k then not the end of world.

1626 Bill been put on table, 30500. FFS. Still, paella is pretty good. Am a bit annoyed with myself though.

1645 Can't quite finish it, am absolutely stuffed. Some of the seafood a bit rubbery but OK. Paranoia says not smart to eat seafood day before long flight but probably no more risky than anything else.

Don't really feel that was worth the money but not the end of world, not insanely expensive.

1812 At reception, collecting passport and arranging taxi for 8am. Street musicians were there, watched them til 6 when they stopped, probably for the day, but in any case was a handy opportunity to break off to come back to hotel.

2055 Oh, FWIW been quite sunny and hot today, whereas up til now been OK (iirc better than Quito) but a bit overcast and pleasant but not overly warm.

0111 Bed. Bit weak but not really tired and it's not like I've been drinking. Some noise from street but no worse than flat in Elephant & Castle, in fact not as bad. Dunno if was like this last night but didn't know cos was out myself. Didn't go out for pizza, as was stuffed after paella and also I had quite a bit of fruit in hotel fridge to get through. Am sure not perfect but overindulgence in fruit today will offset tomorrow when probably won't eat any.

Bogota, Friday night

2145 In 360. REM's "Losing My Religion" playing, the video has Spanish subtitles...

2156 Toto, "Africa". Daniel is on tonight, spoken a bit but he is working - he apologised for not being here, said he had sent me msg on facebook, told him I had been late anyway and no worries. Sitting at bar, feel a bit awkward but think beer is kicking in.. ;-)

V busy, no free tables.

2231 Los Prisioneros, "We Are Sudamerican Rockers". Not a song I yet know well but the English lyrics are obviously a giveway.

2315 Is someone setting up for live music? Someone fiddling on stage. Barman just brought his sax out and stashed it behind bar. Could be. Current inclination is to stay out as late as seems advisable and do my best to be up at 10. Montserrat station is about 1.5km from hotel so walkable and am trusting it to be safe on a Saturday morning.

0009 Live music indeed. (Different) acoustic guitarist and box percussion player on stage, electric bass player stood off to one side. Stopped, probably on a break (tho didn't catch what they said) given sax not come out yet. ;-) Not bad tho not raving, but live music always welcome.

0011 "Rape Me" on during absence. I only know the Richard Cheese version. Or am I

0020 ..confused Depeche Mode, "Enjoy the silence".

0259 Well that was cool. Daniel (who had been working heavily til about midnight so not much chance to talk) introduced me to a friend (Yamian if his email address is to be believed) and we were talking (live music came back on for a bit). Bar shut at 3 otherwise could have imagined it going on longer. Need to try to be up by 10ish but meh, if I do fuck up - tho need to be firm with myself - worth it.

Bogota, Friday

1247 Woo. Got up about 1130. Need to Skype parents and want to be at some tower block for viewing 6pm ish so don't want to be Skyping then. And we've got a power cut; netbook works while battery lasts but of course the wifi is out. FFS.

1345 In some small place for arepa with ham and cheese. Wifi/power didn't come back so came out on epic quest to locate shop bought postcards in other day as it had a postbox and not seen one elsewhere. Finally located it by retracing steps must have taken on way up there from Plaza Chorro Quewhatsit. They have diet soft drinks of local variety here, having 'Colombiana ligera' which is slightly weird (it's a dark orange) and hard to describe but OK.

Think place is 'Arepas Rellenas Donde Fercho'. Arepa nice if not immensely substantial but for about 4k with the drink can't complain.

1433 Back at hotel via supermarket for fruit/veg/water and to break a 50k. Still no power and they seemed to be fiddling with a petrol generator just outside front entrance. Yay. The one day I'm under orders to Skype *and* had plans for 6pmish.

Will do some laundry then go out for a proper meal (once arepa had a bit of time to digest) if power remains off.

1523 Wandered, bit of struggle to find decent restaurant, went in one ok-but-cheap looking place but most dishes 20-25k, so left after saw menu. In this other place getting churrasco; no diet soft drinks so having a guava (I think) juice (with no sugar; dunno if that's normal or cos I asked about sugar-free drinks).

1558 Place Molina-Sazon. Not amzing - steak rather gristly - but OK. Didn't seem to get charged for the juice, bill 13k. Not worrying about that, maybe it's included.

1806 At Mirador Torre Colpatria, in queue to get in. Not ideal but meh. Went to net cafe after eating, online checkin gave reassuring message about 'your flight details have changed, please call us' but since it implied you can't check in more than 36h in advance not too worried yet. Shit timing that tomorrow is the only 'safe' day to go up Montserrate and the day I need to check in for flight and deal with any fallout if there is a problem, esp as Montserrate has to be earlyish. (Stuck between two couples in queue. The one in front is OK but I keep getting kissing noises from the one behind.)

Skyped parents v briefly from net cafe w zero privacy but power back on when got to hotel so called again, surfed til came out to walk over here.

In hindsight might have been better to have less time in BA at start of trip and more now, since as-is tonight is really (and even then tomorrow morning squashes it a bit) the last fully open night of the holiday. After tomorrow it's really just a slow, drawn out return to the UK. OK I might visit one museum and have a coffee or something in BA on Monday but it's hardly going to be fun. But then again I had perfectly good reasons for not absolutely dashing out of BA at start of holiday. I think it doesn't help that while I will doubtless want to return BA, I do like it and I would like to have a fun night out there, still haven't cracked that, it isn't that novel to me any more so I didn't want to invest say four days at start *and* four days at end out of my limited time. (If I had 'unlimited' time then that would have been the easy solution of course, though in reality even were I comfortably-well-off-but-not-insanely-rich [FFS, couple in front starting to get kittenish] retiree with no time constraints, travel insurance considerations might have mandated booking a return flight before leaving home and then I'd still be torn between getting as much time in as possible in new places vs not having a somewhat shitty brief stopover in BA with attendant airport hassles, just as I am now.)

Might have been better to do asymmetrical flights but when I booked my plans were fuzzy and financially it might have made sense to have flown via BA both ways. But from a pure convenience point of view would doubtless be better if I were returning to UK direct from Bogotá (put the accent on for once to show I know it's there).

Queue is shuffling forward but could be a while before I get in. Tis OK, I don't have any plans for tonight beyond "because it's the last night" trip to 360 between say 9 and 12 - have to be up early of course, unless I say fuck it to Montserrate on this trip - will highly likely be revisiting Colombia and thus almost inevitably Bogota, barring major life changes, and I don't think missing it would be a deathbed regret, and the walk back is sufficiently short and busy that I don't have major security concerns. Not to say I *am* going to say fuck it to Montserrate tomorrow but you never know. Assuming I get up here tonight I will have had a good view over the city.

I still need to finish writing up yday but tis OK.

OTOH I have to do something to take my mind off the queue. Let's write a bit more. I got to the entrance and since I was willing to have it in Spanish got taken in on a solo guided tour almost immediately. Would have preferred a bigger group so didn't feel compelled to 'play social games' with the guide - I'd rather walk round and listen and observe - but still. Then left to own devices tho not clear exactly how free I was to wander anywhere. Loads of souvenir stalls and concessions and shit down there, tho not v busy.

It is pretty impressive and quite cool if not OMFG WOW! Bit eerie when you get on your own down there. 3D film about the site a bit naff but OK - and 3D is still a bit of a novelty to me - and sound & light show on ceiling of big cavern OK if not amazing. Oddly single coolest thing I nearly missed as not on guided tour and tucked behind a concession - a huge rectangular pool of water billed as a water mirror. It was so still it was very reflective and with the unusual surroundings and lighting etc it took me a while to convince myself it wasn't just a pit/hole in ceiling of lower floor with no water in (since ceiling was rock and hence could equally pass as floor of a pit).

I already said I walked back through town and v nice and wished I'd had more time there and I opened yday on bus and if I didn't say yday it took ages again on TransMilenio back then it did (but I got a seat, when a Jnn finally turned up after loads of D10s which went from same part on platform at Portal Norte) and I think that's about it.

1843 Still queuing the middle of this U-rated orgy (OK, it's not that bad). I hate queueing. However, I have nothing else pressing to do and doing this may free me up from doing Montserrate this time round if I want. Incidentally, it is only open 6-9pm Fri and something similar Sat/Sun, so I couldn't have come here 'off-peak'.

Need to be careful not to talk myself out of doing Montserrate for nothing. I am not sure I want any socialising at 360; however if I do socialise I might risk staying out late even if it jeopardises the trip to M. If it's just a quiet solo beer then I need to avoid staying up all night for no really good reason.

2013 Back at hotel. That was pretty cool, though the bars a bit obtrusive; even with face right up to them they're too narrowly spaced to become invisible.

Walk back quite good too, v busy, nice urban sort of vibe. Heard Shakira "Whatever, Wherever" or whatever it's called (in Spanish) and "Eye Of The Tiger" at couple of points on walk back.

2052 OK, heading out so will send this now.

Bogota, Thursday

1730 Score. Just walked back through centre of Zapaquira to Avenida 15 and got bus to Portal Norte immediately. Need to write up today of course but probably hold off for now.

OK, let's start anyway. Woke up 10-11ish not feeling that bad but didn't want to get up. Did a bit of web research re this trip when got up 1130ish and actually left hotel just before 1.

Managed to find Las Aguas TransMilenio stn and after some weird problems with my newly issue smart card got through barriers. Enormous wait for B74 to Portal Norte and rammed when on it (very glad I didn't bring my daypack) but survived the hour approx trip to PN.

1748 As had read but also was quite obvious because I was lucky enough to have a bus to Zipaquira waiting when I got to PN it ws just other side of ticket barriers. Bus was full so I ended up sitting on a big weird cushion up by the driver; later a woman sat in a microscopic seat next to this big weird cushion got off and after managing to let her off I took that seat. Ultra narrow but a different form of (only) mild discomfort so worth the change.

1950 At Ricasole for pizza, not been back to hotel yet. Too late to Skype parents. Probably be late at 360 but meh, bit dubious about going but should be ok. Some stuff about did I want the pizza half and half. I think I squashed that but fk knows. Had ice cream sandwich on walk to Catedral de Sal and 2 pears this morning but otherwise not eaten all day.

2140 Just arrived at 360, few people sat at bar, otherwise empty and no one I recognise. I am admittedly 1h10 late, I have a good reason but still, couldn't blame Daniel if he's fucked off. Bit unsure if I want to meet people but meh, couple of beers and can always go home. Trying to work on basis of question "what if this was a good way for things to happen?".

May write up more of earlier, not sure. Forgot to send the little I had before coming out so no point splitting into day and night entries.

I've been given a glass without asking; think is barmaid from last night but she wasn't very chatty with me last night so not pushing it. It's a pint glass tonight! Not sat at bar as the guys sat there kind of render it awkward so have a table.

Let's continue today's story, better than nothing. I got off in Zapaquira, had been following on GPS and I asked as got off too. No signs and the otherwise super detailed instructions I had read on web were vague, but fortunately I had marked it on OSM this morning and short of a surplus of dogs in the streets (perhaps the city effect but since and including Guayaquil dogs been fairly scarce) causing a detour I found it OK. Was about 315 or 330 by this time. Place shuts at 530 iirc but more importantly wanted to be on bus home before dark, I had kind of accepted the walk from Museo de Oro stn to hotel in early evening darkness without worrying about it too much (it's not far and v busy).

Bit of trouble finding ticket office but some woman ran through all the different ticket options then I waited a few mins for someone to turn up at ticket window. I went for the basic 23k package. Could have paid 3k extra for brine museum and 3k extra for a tourist train (fake road vehicle train; I'd seen it in town on my walk over) and had I been there earlier I might have, but she said 1.5h for basic stuff and I didn't want to push it. Not going to regret the absence of train or brine museum on my deathbed and just possibly I will go back in the future. There was also scope for a walk round the grounds or something and (to anticipate) the town centre when I passed through it on way home (I was down side streets on way there) was very pleasant with lots of cafes etc round plaza independencia and it would be nice (would have been nice) to spend time there. You could also pay extra to do some 'be a miner for 40 minutes' thing but had read it was super cheesy on web so although I didn't have the time I don't remotely regret not doing that.

OK, typing on phone - nails a smidge long doesn't help - winding me up so take a break.

2219 Power cut. Not clear if just this bar or adjacent. It isn't pitch black out but it could be from car lights.

2233 Power restored a few mins ago, tho still seems v dark, maybe lights weren't on before, can't remember.

2256 Looks like someone is setting up for live music. I have a vague idea that was mentioned last night actually.

Yep, two guys squashed onto a tiny stage in corner of what is a small place. One with acoustic guitar, presumably other is going to sing.

2337 Stopped. Oasis "Sing me something new" come on. Quite good really, bloke without the guitar did percussion on a wooden box, the barman joined them on saxophone. Not 100% in mood but good to get some proper small bar live music in before trip ends. It's been relatively thin on the ground. Think this song is "Stand by me".

2349 Los Prisioneros, "Porque no se van?" :-)

2353 Pink Floyd, "Money"

0023 "Love me two times and walk away"

0044 Stones, "Paint it black". Having fifth beer and then might go back to hotel. Will probably come in here tomorrow night and don't want to go nuts tonight. Probably wouldn't have come out had it not been for the arrangement to meet here thought it might have been a good thing anyway under circumstances.

Oh, when I paid for pizza earlier they got my order mixed up and gave me way too much change. Being a basically decent person with no grudge against them I went back and sorted it out. They might have shortchanged me by 500 in the process but I'm not totally clear and wasn't going to argue over about 15p.

0053 "Breaking The Law"

0101 Yeah, let's go.

Bogota, Wednesday night

2045 OK, I'm in small and slightly intimidating bar poss called 360 next to Bogota Beer Company. Stones' "Satisfaction" playing. Drinking Poker at IIRC 2300 a bottle. Sat at bar, feeling v conspicuous but f it. Lot of people on street btw. Pub under hotel was open earlier but is shut now, wtf? V dark in here and lots of people (though not heaving) lounging about on cushions behind me. I don't think it's dangerous but you never know, my paranoia has been stirred up. Feh. I have never been attacked etc in a bar, and I'm about twenty seconds walk from hotel. There are no certainties but I don't think the risk is worth worrying about. FFS, even given a 100% safe taxi I'd spend more time in the street getting in and out than I expect to on walk home.

2101 "Hit the road Jack". Always reminds me of C4 "Remote Control". Feeling smidge less awkward. Frankly the whole business about drugged beer etc almost makes me *nervous* that someone might speak to me.

2104 Second beer. Fuck knows how much it cost. Handed 3k in notes over. She didn't like that. Offered 4k even though I knew that was too much, that was waved back. Said something about coins so I proferred a handful and she took some. Probably had no change but my Spanish skills are evidently as a low ebb, waning with the outgoing of the holiday.

Apropos of nothing, Wikitravel says tap water is potable (tho can be chlorine-tasting) here. Quite possibly but not risking it. Touch wood I have avoided any serious episodes of diarrhea (good job as I can't spell it) with my 'bottled or purified water at all times, even for cleaning teeth' rule and I'm not changing now.

2127 Have had look at guide book on phone re getting to Zipaquia (sp). Apart from being possibly over 3h each way doesn't sound too bad. Will see what Wikitravel and maybe web in general say. Guide book says you can do it and Laguna de Guatita in a cab for 180kish but how the fuck do you arrange that? Call a cab firm and ask? Sounds more of a personal negotiation thing. But you're not supposed to take a taxi in the street. As always the guide book frankly sucks but it's better than nothing. I have some idea from this morning wikitravel mentions a 20 min walk or taxi ride in Zipaquira to get to the salt cathedral, if so the guide book says nothing about that. Maybe I misremembered. We'll see back at hotel. Inclining not to do that city tour if it has to be tomorrow, rather get Zipaquira attempted while I have a spare day in hand. Also be good practice with the TransMilenio which may be important to visit the hill safely.

2133 Some people have left and now I look round no one is on the beanbags behind me. Is at least one couple here beside me and it's sufficiently early I am not too worried. Don't want to be out mega late anyway.

Oh, place is '360(degree symbol) cafe bar'.

2143 Judas Priest, "Breaking the law". A song I first learned from Dick 'n Dom...

2155 Beer 4. "Riders on the storm". Made a point of breaking a 20k (but gave the odd 300 exactly in change) since if I am chancing that epic journey tomorrow I don't want to be short of small bills for the four buses (two each way).

0304 Well that paid off in spades. I just spent the night talking with two bar staff and a friend of theirs, and I guess the fact they were bar staff not random people adds confidence. I still hope to be up early, I don't feel drunk despite one of them (not bar staff) sharing aguadiente freely. Meeting them tomorrow 830. Do want to try and be up for Zwhatsit tomorrow, got some advice but basically think is safe and incidentally told that in Colombia it's totally OK to ask owner of random business (probably one you are a customer of) to call you a cab. While would feel wussy to not do the Zwhatsit trip frankly that kind of socialising with locals and Spanish practice is worth missing it for.

Maybe I'm drunk but frankly tonight alone justifies coming to Colombia. That sort of shit is a big reason I travel, and travel to countries where I can more-or-less speak the language.

Anyway, wrt tomorrow morning - not that I feel that drunk - I need to take a lesson from Colin in Bariloche, who got up at 6am to go biking the night after we stayed up til gone 3, and then met me the following night.

(PS Bars shut by law at 3am here, apparently.)

Bogota, Wednesday

1325 At Parilla y Tizon, Carrera 9. Getting carne con arepa and possibly a lemonade.

Didn't get up til 12 as was snoozing 'pleasantly' from 11. Meh, sort of an improvement.

Didn't leave hotel til nearly 1 as looking about tours etc. Basically no. Guide book lists one agency fucking miles away and says most tours are min 2 or 4 people, not going there on offchance. Another is half-listed right by hotel but can't find it.

I asked at reception. I am sure they advertise a tour desk. The response was 'well... it's complicated... you could look on the internet'. FFS.

I am taking it easy today, probably go to Museo Botero after this (in same complex went to first day but didn't make it there). Tomorrow probably have to risk the public transport approach to Zapaquira and probably have to forget about Laguna de Guatita.

Oh, guide book says you shouldn't walk around alone after dark in La Candelaria. Yay, perfect for the solo traveller. I will probably continue to risk the three or four immediately adjacent bars.

Half wonder if I should have booked in at a hostel for 2-3 nights even if it meant a dormitory in order to take advantage of their probably better tour offers. Might - though prob wouldn't - also offer socialising options. Not really in mood at end of trip TBH. Maybe something to bear in mind in future. Suppose I could maybe drop into hostel nearby hotel and ask about tour on offchance.

1506 At Cafe Para Dos not far from - but not in, disappointed at lack of cafes, mind you it is titchy  - Plazoleta de Chorro de Quevedo. Getting an americano (COP2k), slightly tempted by Irish coffee at 8k but no. PdCdQ quite nice in a somewhat run down way.

Went to Museo Botero. Something oddly cheering about his work (chubby just-about-anythings, men, women, buildings, animals, fruit, etc), he also seems to have been amazingly prolific and done most of it in his 60s. I had a strange but pleasant surprise on walking into a roomful of his sculptures to be confronted with a familiar looking chubby cat (the sculpture is called Gato or El Gato). I am 95% sure it, or something remarkably similar, is used in an amateur video accompanying the Youtube version of El Cantor Del Fonseca I normally look at (in lieu of buying a copy of the song).

Then went to PdCdQ and here. Oh, before getting to PdCdQ I stumbled on a tour agency. They don't have any groups going to Zwhatsit in next three days but I left my email address - which hasn't ever worked before but what the hell... They do a 3h city tour at 10am, it is not every day but they have one tomorrow. Bit torn, might do it - I think I can turn up at the office before 10 to buy ticket - as on one hand was hoping to try Zwhatsit via public transport tomorrow and leaving that til Fri is pushing it esp when I hope to go up the hill on Sat when it's safer. On the other hand it would be a way to see more of city. Would be finished by 1 so in a way it would be 'free' wrt time since would force me to get up, but OTOH if I am going to Zwhatsit I would need to force myself to get up, I think 1 would be too late.

Oh, I did step just inside Templo de la Candelaria after leaving the museum.

1639 At Que Como... nr hotel, lard on. Bought some postcards and stamps nr Museo de Oro  (will write tonight and hope I can find place again in next day or two to use postbox), went to cathedral on Plaza de Bolivar (what I have been calling main plaza), also nearby Templo de San Francisco (no photos allowed in latter). Getting carne a la parilla (comes with arepa and chips, I believe) and a diet coke. Dithering but will probably go to a bar nr hotel tonight for quiet drink. Not being too excessive and it is coming to end of holiday. Will go back to hotel after this.

1714 Back at hotel. Food pretty good. 12900 plus slightly stingy (tho not usually tipping at all what with the 'go to till to pay' system in use here, so...) 500 tip.

Good (if long; I've chopped it short as is) quote from Following The Equator:

I find that, as a rule, when a thing is a wonder to us it is not because of what we see in it, but because of what others have seen in it. We get almost all our wonders at second hand. We are eager to see any celebrated thing—and we never fail of our reward; just the deep privilege of gazing upon an object which has stirred the enthusiasm or evoked the reverence or affection or admiration of multitudes of our race is a thing which we value; we are profoundly glad that we have seen it, we are permanently enriched from having seen it, we would not part with the memory of that experience for a great price.

2038 OK, I'm not entirely sure why but going to pop out for a couple of beers.

Bogota, Tuesday night

2041 "And I don't want the world to see me cos I don't think they'd understand" playing. In bar just round corner from hotel. Not very nice really. Only tiny bottles of beer at COP3,500 - though to be fair that is a bit over a quid and hence a bit over two quid for more than a pint, not that I can see the exact volume on bottle. Meh. Might try next door - though as a basement bar not sure how brave I am feeling - after this. Quite a few people in here, no idea if they are tourists or what.

Out of the incomprehensible list of beers reeled off by slightly sullen barmaid (no big bottles or draught, I asked) I picked Club Colombia. She asked if I wanted Dorada or Roja, I said Roja. It's OK.

2052 Europe, "The Final Countdown"

2102 I think this place is Apóstol, but could be wrong. It's not so bad but I think I might chance my arm next door. (The bar right under hotel not open.)

2108 No, it's called Papyros, looked over door as came out. Now in Lymbo Rock Bar almost next door. Not v busy but a bit bigger and not scary. Beer (small bottles again; didn't bother asking for anything else) only 2600 here.

Sat at table as bar occupied by couple of friends of barmaid. Not a problem. Quite a few people on streets, if I can keep things moderate tonight I might go out again tomorrow night and perhaps venture a touch further afield.

"Don't want to touch you but you're under my skin... you're poison" (Alice Cooper???? Looks like him on the video playing on big projection screen.)

Drinking "Poker" beer. It's OK. Club Colombia Roja was probably a bit better though.

2213 Re-reading Mark Twain's Following The Equator on phone. Him talking about Indian and trains brings back memories, which I guess is one reason I travel, for the memories. Got third beer in here, might have one or two more as only smal and hotel round corner, tis OK, not going to go nuts.

Am feeling a touch more relaxed here now. Not particularly concerned on street during day today, correctly or otherwise.

2229 Midnight Oil, "Beds Are Burning". Makes me smile somehow, probably because it reminds me of that night in Quito.

2235 "Devil Went Down To Georgia". Notable as never seen the music video to this.

2238 I'm now last person in here. Might see if can go elsewhere, perhaps back to Papyros. Not saying I have to leave here but it's Tuesday and don't like being only one in. Maybe nowhere else, bit of shame if so but c'est la vie.

2243 Back at hotel. Was tempted to ask at bar if they were shutting but didn't. Walked slightly further up street but beggary weirdo gave a few coins to earlier was in middle of it and think he recognised me so turned back. Whatsit Beer Pub mentioned yday on other side of road looked shut and Papyros was very much shut so I'm strongly inferring nearly everywhere round here would be. Slight shame but no real problem, at least I have checked out a couple of places and can try somewhere else tomorrow.

0104 OK, bed. I am going to set an alarm for 11am and otherwise try last night's plan. I am sure despite my relatively easy life right now all that snoozing-disturbed-sleep has taken its toll and I am not going to expect to 'recover' from it in one night.

Bogota, Tuesday

1745 At some place near hotel round corner from Museo de Oro getting half chicken, chips and arepa. Difficulties re whether I wanted food or toilet and which floor and still a bit confused but meh. Feet killing me for some reason.

Woke up but didn't get up or dare look at clock. Eventually got up about midday and left hotel 1ish which was bit sucky but probably still more relaxing and no later than continual snoozing, so may try again tomorrow.

Went to Museo de Policia which was quite interesting, just me on tour at first then joined by a woman who might have been Dutch or Irish. The tour was nominally in English but when solo I told guy I spoke some Spanish after he said he had only been learning English two months. He spoke English to me but when the woman joined us - she said she spoke some Spanish - he switched exclusively to Spanish, he asked me to help translate but I didn't want to patronise her and she said she understood him so fortunately I didn't need to. Not sure if she was Dutch or Irish as she said it in Spanish and I thought she said Irish but the tour guide thought she said Dutch. He was probably right, she didn't immediately strike me as Irish when I heard her speak English. Bit intimidated going up to museum as it looks like a police station with guards and all staff are police but I asked and it's been exclusively a museum since 1986.

After went to Museo de Oro. They announced tours in Spanish and English; was going to do the English one but on a whim joined Spanish group. Not complete tour, we spent over an hour just on a few exhibits on the symbolism floor but was interesting and pleased to understand about 90%. Buzzed round rest of 2nd and 3rd floors after, by no means seen everything but they were not far off closing and my feet were hurting as not eaten all day except an apple and a pear this morning before leaving hotel.

1808 Food OK if not amazing. 9500 for the food and 1800 for a smallish bottle of coke zero. Place is Suiza, Av Jimenez 4-98.

2025 Will go out for beer soon. Stupidly nervous. Notice bar next to hotel was open when came back so hopefully not like last night.

Bogota, Monday night

2112 What a crock of shit. I went out. Some fucking dog barking its head off as got into street. Pub under hotel not open. Walked round corner, a few people about but pretty dead. No bars in that vicinity open, not even (it was blacked out with bloke standing in doorway, I didn't actually *ask*) the Bogota Beer Company on the corner which (unlike most of the nearby bars) was open when I walked past about 5pm. WTF? It's open at 5pm but shut at 9pm? It looked crap anyway, it was full of a very SYT crowd, but still, I am surprised.

I am not saying I might not have found something had I walked further but definitely not chancing that. I have to assume that Monday is just an ultra-dead night. Meh. I will try again tomorrow. Fortunately I wasn't gagging for a beer or the chance of a conversation, I just feel it's good to go out every few nights. Meh. Dunno what bloke on reception who had to let me in about three minutes after I left thought. :-)

To be scrupulously honest one 'shop' was open and lit and had three blokes smoking outside and though I didn't feel up to stopping for a good look in it might have been a narrow bar full of people. On the other hand a sign on the wall did say 'we sell ice' so maybe not. Certainly not a blatantly signed bar and definitely didn't feel up to investigating it further. I suspect it is relatively safe on the streets round here at night but who knows for sure, and I need to gradually build my confidence up in any new-and-potentially-dangerous place (not sure if that is rational or not).

0142 Feh, been surfing. Feels like I've read some useful stuff but may be deluding myself. Done a few calculations too, so not been pure idleness. Need to get to bed soon. Going to take a chance and just set an alarm for midday. I am hoping that if I can avoid the whole 'completely broken snooze-button for hours' sleep I will actually wake up, maybe go back to sleep again but then wake up ready to get up earlier than I would with all the snoozing. The midday alarm is just a kind of backstop to prevent me waking up at 3pm feeling like I've lost the entire day. But I still have five full days here so I can just about afford that, though I'd rather not - I'm very lazy but I like to get at least half a day of activities in if possible.

0155 OK, bed.

Bogota, Monday

1154 Just got up. Been snoozing on alarms since about 9, seriously. I can't help thinking snoozing is a terrible habit, would be better to just go back to sleep. Maybe I should just set an alarm for say 1pm and let myself wake up naturally. Mind you, doesn't help the room is just slightly on the cold side and that never helps getting out of bed. Probably take ages to go out as need to consult guide book and worry about safety. Sod it, do what I can I guess.

1329 Come out. Lots of museums shut today, not fucking around with tour arranging (prob impossible anyway) or the risky business of that hill. Got lost on way out, I could swear I went the direction indicated by phone compass on OSM but then it turned out that was exactly opposite. Didn't notice immediately as trying to minimise having phone out on street so couldn't watch the current location dot run off in wrong direction as I moved. Fuck knows. Maybe doesn't help that hotel is on a weird corner not shown on map precisely so hard to get my bearings outside hotel. Also it's all very well having this grid calle/carrera scheme but right here the street layout is nothing like a grid and there are a/b/c calles shoved in and fuck knows.

In some small pizzeria which is bit intimidating but fuck it. Managed to order a pizza after much dickering trying to find out how big a medium is. On my way to Casa de Moneda which sounds OK but going partly cos it is open Mon. F&CO website says a British tourist was robbed at gunpoint in this area. But I suppose it was one of thousands etc and guide book etc makes it out to be OK. Getting increasingly rammed and I have a table and wondering if going to end up sharing or if I should preemptively move to counter.

Finished paying hotel when came out. They haven't charged me the 16% VAT which is a bonus. Counted up my USD and should have ample even for two USD30 taxis plus hotel in BA, not that I intend to spend that much.

Mega warm in here, am sat near semi-open kitchen, but it's OK, quite nice in a cool-ish way out so will cool off after eating. Does mean loads of people milling around on my left.

No diet coke, they offered me natural lemonade and it really is lemony and unsweet. I like lemons but an unusual taste. Need to conserve it as not v big and having a medium pizza.

Place is Ricasole Pizzeria on Carrera 4.

Oh, the pizza sizes are named exlusively in English but everything else on the menu is in Spanish only. WTF? Maybe this is just one of those weird things, like coffee sizes in some places in UK using Italian names even though English has its own perfectly good words for the same things.

1819 Back at hotel. Went round CdM and some of the confusing back passages which unite it with an adjacent art museum. All free. Got told off for trying to take a picture of some big lump of gold, as always can't see why prohibited but when it's free bit less annoying. Walked up towards Museo de Oro station as had seen shop there other day where hoped to get diet coke and fruit but most shops shut at 1710. Walked round a bit and ended up in major plaza, where I bought a grilled corn on the cob and after eating that went into nearby supermarket and bought soft drinks and water and fruit/veg - room has a fridge so might as well take advantage.

May see if any of adjacent bars open/decent later but not til 8 or 9 and won't be a late one.

2041 Will prob go out in 20 mins or so. Oddly jittery given there is a pub right under the hotel if open and failing that several just round corner. Anyway, will send this now...

Bogota, Sunday

1533 Been out for cash, either phone GSM is subtly off or the OSM maps for here are bullshit. Eventually found cash machine, got some fruit in weird little shop on way back, forgot to take receipt for hotel out and since room on 5th floor didn't pay rest yet. May pop out see what the nearby bars like later if not too tired and will pay on my way out. Left ARS200 in plastic bag with passport and credit card, hope doesn't go walkabout.

V steep hill with chuch and top and funicular or something like that nearby. Will look into that kind of thing and its safety tonight/tomorrow. Area slightly run down in places but not too bad.

1737 Not going out tonight unless I have a major change of heart. Bit tired, it's Sunday so probably a bit dead (places might even be shut for all I know), no point burning through my alcohol allowance. Surfing, seems bit of waste of time but OTOH nice to enjoy the relative luxury and with luck will be up earlyish tomorrow.

2335 Been surfing, bit tired, should prob have gone to bed. Anyway, shower then maybe move in that direction. Looking out of window street seems v quiet and not much street noise, despite some claims of it being disturbing on web reviews. So I am going to infer Sunday night is fairly dead and I did the 'right thing' not going out. Arguably I could have used my time better tonight but tonight when I am tired it is probably more defensible than ever. Feeling a smidge down but will put it down primarily to tiredness.

2343 OK, there was at best tepid water in shower and it's cool enough in room I'm not going to freeze my arse off for no reason. Bed.

Quito-Bogota

0602 Dragged myself out of bed about 0548, think woke on 0540 alarm. Inevitably I didn't get to sleep til about 0300 or maybe later, probably nerves re oversleeping or just general perversity of life. In room topping up phone - I didn't dare not sleep with it - before head down to reception. Fingers crossed but I guess having got up probably means the major risk of missing the flight is out of the way.

Naturally the T-shirt I left unpacked is still damp, as were the others and the underwear I packed last night. Well, they'd only been hung on travel clothesline in bathroom for about 48 hours, in Quito's deliciously cool climate that evidently isn't anything like enough time.

0617 In back of taxi about to leave, oldish bloke came down, maybe bell doesn't ring down in hall cos didn't heard anything, he let me out and driver was waiting outside, handed key over. Checked destination and price with driver, so that's all good. Don't think want to deliberately go to sleep now but if I do probably OK.

0709 At airport. Woohoo, a nice quick journey! Only four hours to wait. But even in hindsight what else could I do?

0718 Getting expensive half fries half onion rings for USD5 at Johnny Rocket's. May see if can get 'proper' food airside but the restaurants landside are pricey or not doing food of any kind this early or both (went downstairs, saw the ones there). This will be something if nothing airside.

Not an original observation even for me but air travel is insanely expensive by the time you factor in the taxis (I often cheap out on arrival but for departure not so much as it's more time critical) and the need to eat overpriced food at the airport. I could have brought some snacks with me - I do have a few peanuts - but still, that's not ideal either.

The (presumably) mock 50s USA vibe is decidedly cheesy but meh.

0737 Credit where it's due, the portion was less stingy than I expected and was quite good. Anyway, might as well make my way airside.

0756 Airside. Relatively painless and no queueing but they put my bag back through the scanner a second time, between security and immigration some kind of cop asked to see my passport and asked why I was in Ecuador and which cities I had visited and what my job was and my final destination and then an immigration I was asked why I was going to Bogota and it all just made me a smidge jumpy. Aaaaanyway.

Not starving but will have look round restaurants and if I can get something for USD10-15 I may eat in 30-60 mins. Counted up last night to ensure I have enough USD left for Buenos Aires (hotel will be a rip off if don't pay in USD and ideally will have enough to pay for two taxi from/to airport though hope it won't come to that at least on arrival) but I think I can afford that much.

0805 I see there is a flight to Ezeiza - I assume that means BA Ezeiza not some city of same name. So perhaps I didn't need to go on to Bogota to get a direct flight to BA. Meh, no real harm done.

One place here sells pizza *by the slice* at USD7.99. FFS. There is a place which does chicken nuggety things at USD8.51 ish. I have about 2.70 in change so if I get some of those it will 'only' cos me USD5 as change is virtually dead money otherwise, I am unlikely to ever carry it back out once I get it home. I am wondering if I should 'save' a representative selection of coins but I don't collect coins so bit of a silly thought really.

1030 Went for "chicken pop" and managed to use up nearly all shrapnel while only burning through USD5 of notes, though the woman on the till nearly shortchanged me by USD2.

The thing I was about to write yday afternoon when food arrived was that on leaving lower end of TeleferiQo (as it is spelled; I thought it was a typo in the guide book before yday) where taxi had dropped me I milled around wondering how to get away. One taxi turned up but an old couple took it. A chap with a can of beer turned up and told me the bus stop was 100m down the hill; he was right but I refused to follow him out of paranoia at first and only when he returned in a car to pick some people up and told me again did I go down. The entrance to nearby funfair (Volcan???) was there and I nearly got a minibus for USD1 to Foch in Mariscal - but the two guys in there with me decided to get a cab, so I was sat there on my own then a cab with the 'secure' sticker on the windscreen came past so I jumped out and got that. He only quoted USD4 back to Plaza Grande but I made it 4.50. (It was USD6 up to TeleferiQo.)

1424 At hotel in Bogota. (Was at Hostal San Blas in Quito.) Room v large, a suite really, but slightly shabby. Quite good though. Guide book full of shit as usual, there is no booth outside the baggage area where you get a voucher giving an exact fixed price for your taxi. However I asked a cop and it's safe to take a taxi from the rank and although the driver mysteriously turned the meter off 700m from the hotel he charged me COP24,000 which I think is probably OK, guide book IIRC suggests about COP21k but v unclear. Have left passport and credit card at desk, I hope they are not going to leave them under the counter where they put them just now. Need to go out and withdraw some more cash in a minute. Area looks a smidge run down but is apparently safe. Was feeling really tired in taxi. Anyway, will send this now.

Quito, Saturday

1113 Didn't want to get up but managed to drag myself up about 1030. Everything seems such a fucking effort; it's the fact that simply getting a taxi to Teleferiqo is fraught with danger. Also knowledge of delightfully early start tomorrow not encouraging me to leap out of bed today.

Am in some 'just starting to open' restaurant hoping to get chicken and chips. It's already overcast if it wasn't all morning so no massive rush. I will go do online checkin and print after this - if I am worried about getting back in time to print it will ruin the afternoon, and with the super early start tomorrow I could be shafted if I don't get it printed today - then probably get a taxi from Plaza Grande where I can hopefully eyeball a parked taxi for authenticity rather than flagging down a moving one which I can't study first.

Really starting to worry about getting another contract or what will happen if it's front office. Rationally I need to say fuck it. I can't do anything about it now - not til I get back to UK - so silly to spoil rest of holiday. I can probably get *something* to stop eroding my savings even if it's shit money. If I get a front office job and can't stick it then I'm no worse off quitting than if I didn't get it in the first place and depending how long it takes I might get six months worth of money by way of a consolation prize. I also have some minor plans which I could perhaps push forwards a bit further if push came to shove. Also while I'd rather not erode them I do have some savings so I don't have to go into a fucking panic.

They haven't asked me *how much* chicken I want yet. I dunno if they are just assuming or they are still firing up ovens or whatever.

1124 Woo, been served, looks like 1/8 chicken. Lard out baby! Oh well. It will help cancel out some of the snacking I've been doing at night. I haven't had a really decently large cooked meal in ages. Closest is the trout at EPDLT but even then I don't feel all that full.

1255 What a crock of shit. It's 8.50 for foreigners vs 4.50ish for locals. I had to queue 20+ mins to buy my ticket. It says 'express' on it but the express line isn't open so I have to queue in the regular line (I tried and some woman waved me round to back of regular line). At least in India you get preferential treatment in return for paying extra. Obviously I shouldn't have come on a Saturday. Writing this in queue to board. Printed boarding pass OK and after lurking a bit got taxi in Plaza Grande, cost USD6 but didn't tip, was a fair old drive so prob reasonable. Dunno if services offering hike to peak will be offered at top (guide book vague) but definitely not chancing it solo and it's perhaps a bit late in the day even to do it with a group. Sun comes out occasionally through gap in clouds but dunno what view will be like.

Double checking guide book it says it's 3h hike to top (and 'some scrambling required'), so I'd guess *at least* 4h up and down, probably more like 5h. Given I'm not even at the front of the queue to board yet and it gets dark 6ish I think that's definitely not happening. Another thing for next time. Though next time I hope to arrive and depart by bus because using the airport is fucking expensive and inconvenient with the 2h USD26 taxi each way.

1410 At top. In cafe having overpriced empanada, cloud came down for a bit and eliminated the view, seems to have lifted somewhat though cloud level is still low. View is pretty cool but a) struggling to fight off the waves of uncertainty which are pounding me at the moment b) it would be much much better if it were clear weather. Saw sign to path to higher summit, it says 5h so yay for my estimation and definitely not doing it; I also haven't checked on robbery risk on that path (guide book mentions it) even were there no time issues. Did go a little up it for slightly higher views and also wandered slightly around and went to some little church perched on the hillside.

1638 At Caravana for half chicken and chips. Bite me. Was going to go to El Palacio de La(s) Trucha(s) but they had stools on tables, not sure if were shutting or opening. Went to Iglesia de la Compañia de Jesus which was quite impressive - did like the fake spiral staircase painted on wall, though not as realistic as I might have hoped - but the miserable gits don't let you take photos. They charge double for foreigners too. Old bloke coming in next to me was asked where he was from and (I rather admire this) wanted to know why they wanted to know. Everyone thought he didn't understand the question instead of wanting to know why. He then asked why he had to pay to get in as it was a church, which made me wonder if he's just a bit of a curmudgeon instead of principled.

Didn't realise I had to... food here.

1733 Back at hotel. Spoke to reception (in Spanish) and woman called taxi firm, they think 2h to be on safe side to airport so I have a taxi booked for 615, will be USD30 - only 4 more than when I came out, it is kind of early morning/Sunday and hardly in a position to argue. In reality I think arriving at airport 3h early is a bit ridiculous but it gives me a safety margin. Doubtless traffic will be light and I'll get there 4h early but that's life^Wair travel.

0058 Bed. Bit late but I probably wouldn't have got to sleep much earlier anyway. Been surfing, packed of course, uploaded some photos, wifi worked on netbook tonight. Oh, did a bit of 'mental exercise' while up at top of Teleferico and managed to dispel a fair amount of the uncertainty worry. So that's good. Still not in full on 'woo, I'm on holiday' mode but it's an improvement.