Quito, Monday

1626 Wifi doesn't work on my phone in the 'wifi zone' on the landing outside my room or down in reception. I asked the receptionist and she says it's working. I've rebooted my phone. Fuck knows. At least unlike my confusion in Tacna I am virtually certain this isn't wrong password. I asked the receptionist for it again for the third (ground floor) network.

Oh, and my Peruvian Claro SIM never gives me anything but 'emergency calls only' since I've been in Ecuador, so I can't use the otherwise useless credit on that to eke a text out to parents. Fucking shitty hotel wifi. Fucking rip off mobile companies ane their fucking global roaming scam.

1751 Been out for food and brief walk. Didn't go v far as bit edgy and it's not that far off dark and it's cold - I knew it was up in Andes so coolish and think guidebook even has a chart showing daily temp range 10-20C all year round but didn't expect it to be this cold (I exaggerate a little; it does seem cold even with jacket on but it's not freezing). It's also thoroughly overcast which adds to the cold feeling. Wifi still not working on phone anywhere, may lug laptop out to public area in a bit. At least tonight I can sketch out a rough itinerary, as is a lot to see both in and around Quito.

Found a Movistar shop and super helpful chap activated my SIM in another phone. I have received an activation SMS but attempt to SMS parents failed. Not fiddled too heavily, may do that tonight, I think bloke today said the SIM would come with credit but not sure, may look on web how to check balance.

Went for really quite pricey at USD8.25 'parrilla individual' at a fast-food style outlook Menestras del Negro in mini food court next to a KFC. Not bad though. Got to try what I think are menestras, fortunately served (unusually) in a bowl, they are a bit like spicy frijoles served in ultra-watery liquid. They are quite nice but they should be drained IMO, the liquid ruins the convenience and given they were in a bowl and I had no spoon I am not sure how you're supposed to consume the liquid.

Quito seems v attractive in parts esp with the multi-level construction (saw quite a bit from taxi) but right now it seems cold and a bit scary with the personal safety concerns.

1755 Fuck, forgot to buy any water. Do have maybe 300ml which I smuggled with me from Guayaquil and prob be enough but let's go out and see if there's a shop handy, I think there is.

1803 Yes, prob several options but there was a small bakery round the corner which had water. Was tempted to buy a croissant or bun or something but I'm not really hungry and I've been gorging a little bit the last few days anyway so didn't. Wasn't an enormous temptation. (Not to sound too self-denying virtuous, reluctantly or otherwise. If I'd really wanted one I think I would have. I mean, I've hardly been drinking anything and generally been fairly good with fruit and veg and (it does count for something) I am on holiday.)

1816 Guidebook says typically sunny in morning and rainy in afternoon here. March is also second wettest month. I maybe need to try to get up earlier then.

1833 Incidentally I am aware it's St Patrick's Day but not in the least interested in trying to go out on that account. Quite apart from the logistical difficulties, it's not as if I tend to go out for it in London. Not really in the mood to desperately try to scrape aquaintance with fellow travellers even if this is an excuse for a party. Not *seen* anything about it, BTW, but it's on my phone calendar and I just scrolled past an Irish bar in guide book which prompted me to make this observation.

1852 Sat down in reception with laptop, wifi doesn't work here either. It must be both of my pieces of equipment which are faulty.

ISTR (when I had Desire Z) having this at one place in Thailand - people were sat using it in the cafe and I couldn't - but it either worked intermittently or some hack made it work on the phone. I can't remember, not sure it would help anyway. Here I haven't seen anyone else obviously using the wifi.

There is one shared PC on the landing outside my room but it's always in use, not that it's a good solution anyway. What a fucking crock of shit.

1903 Given up. Just maybe it will work later or the internet PC will be free. I can't believe both of my pieces of equipment are incapable of connecting when I sit right in the common areas. Maybe they are. But I don't think I've ever had permanent connection failure like that; in my room, yes, in public areas, no. I am not entirely convinced the router isn't hosed; OTOH the fact there are three networks and none work suggests otherwise. OT3H, I have not observed such use of a shared network PC for a while, which carries some slight suggestion of wifi fuckery to me, but then OT4H surely in that case receptionist would know. Fuck a doodle do.

1937 Mirabile dictu, both my phone and laptop just connected within thirty seconds of each other sat in my room. First thought was of course to shepherd out the emails from my outbox, then I am no longer desperate to use the internet PC (a faff requiring use of a printed backup GMail code or putting my UK SIM back in to receive the security code). So perhaps there was a glitch and it's now resolved. Still, make the most of it while I can.