Trujillo, Thursday

1015 Outside tour agency, which is shut. Fingers crossed. Slept fairly well, woke up by myself 0830ish but went back to sleep, didn't really want to get up 0920ish on alarms but did and could have been worse.

Bit hungry, had apple in hotel room. Warm verging on hot. I see from phone home screen it's 14C in London today cf 10C yday, all good. By time I get back weather should be fairly nice. I am feeling relatively positive about last night's "Ecuador and Colombia by air" plan (while anticipating the security screening hell of modern air travel).

1020 OK, some chap just spoke to me, he's going to come and collect me in 10-20 mins, I am sat inside office.

1332 Starving. In town for a free hour for lunch. Not writing now, waiting for food.

1333 It occurs to me that not for ages have I been fobbed off with a tiny 200ml bottle of drink with a meal. 500ml seems standard in Peru. Which is good.

1407 Place was Plaza Chicken Grill. Food not bad. Quarter chicken with chips and coke zero 17, made it 19.

2052 In some tiny bar round corner from hotel. I asked for cheapest beer, it's Trujillo at 5PEN (a bit over a quid) for 620ml bottle. Feels a bit intimidatingly local but meh. Not seen anywhere massively appealing in town and just fancy couple of beers.

So tour this morning was to Huanca something - I would have to check the photos - and this afternoon to (I think) two sites within the Chan Chan complex (where I had a bit of chat in Spanish with guide as we walked round, he asked a bit about London) then half hour at some beach where I wandered out onto the pier and watched some people learning to surf and people fishing with string wrapped round wooden paddles (they were selling these on the pier), one chap did catch a smallish (maybe six inches long at a guess) while I watched.

Chan Chan palace was quite heavily reconstructed, the guide tapped on one adobe-looking stone and it rang hollowly, I think he said it was acrylic plastered in adobe. The original stuff was quite weathered, but still cool. The site this morning was perhaps a bit more impressive, especially given it was apparently unrestored and some of the colour had survived on the older temples (every n years they build a new temple on top of the old one). Quite chuffed I managed to get 70-80% of content in Spanish and didn't regret going on non-bilingual tour.

Had look at flights back at hotel, I can do it and probably will but not booked yet. Just maybe tomorrow morning or tonight. Really can't see much downside. In reality I seem to like five days in cities and that's about what I'd have in each of the three (maybe less in Guayaquil if I struggle to get a bus and/or decide to wait a day for the probably safest Cruz del Sur bus to run). Flying is a nuisance but saves time and a lot of risk and stress especially given the time constraints. If I despise somewhere I am stuck there but unlikely to be that bad. Being in these cities still carries some risk but not so much I am likely to back out on safety grounds (and I hope/think will be OK re spiders) and the flight approach is safer than buses.

2136 Marco Antonio Solis on video jukebox. Don't know song but recognised him and maybe voice. Song is Donde Estara Mi Primavera.

2206 Massachusset (sp) by Bee Gees on...

2208 "Staying Alive", in English, but the scrolling caption calls it "Sobreviviendo" which seems an odd mix of languages - if you speak English why translate the name of the song *in English*, and if you don't do you really need it translating?

2213 Someone here is a Bee Gees fan. We've got Grease now. Are they Scottish or am I getting confused with Bay City Rollers? In any case I am fairly sure - tho not 100% sure - I'm the only tourist here and the Bee Gees fan is a local.

2216 Bee Gees Mr Jones. All accompanied by video of a live show. Possibly in Australia judging from what singer is saying pre this song...

2222 Probably in part 2 and a bit bottles of the sweet brown liquor but I'm feeling fairly bucked. Also the fact I haven't been beaten up yet helps. Triste Cancion playing (live version, 8 mins), I didn't recognise the name but I know the song. Not empty but enough people in this small place to have nice vibe. Barring accidents later glad I came. Doubt will speak to anyone and that's cool but I am starting to slightly desire company, not having had any bar social interaction since Cusco. Maybe in Mancora I can at least get some tourist chat going if I hang around in right places. Not desperate by any means, but no longer sated, so to speak. Peckish might be the mot juste, in this metaphor.

Group performing song - no idea if is theirs, prob is - is EL Tri Sinfonico.

2228 De Musica Ligera. Know this v well too tho didn't know name.

2232 Not 8 mins version earlier, think jukebox shows time & no songs left to play. Tempted to go put Paramar on. Meh, why not? Gonna get beaten up over one song?

0130 I met a drunkish security guard called miguel as put songs on. Trusting - and I have been vindicated - he was not a robber after a beer or two have come somewhere else with him.Frankly it's shit but life is where you find it and it's interesting. I understand about 30% of what he says. How far can you coast on charm? Pretty far.

0231 This is v weird. Not threatening but weird. Just met some other security chap in the disco. He might think I'm Spanish, I just don't know. Let's see what happens. Not sober but not pissed and not too worried about getting cab home and have no plans for tomorrow and in a way this shit is why I travel (in countries where I sort of speak the language)

0521 The bouncers have tried to throw me out discretely at least twice. I can't put it down to my drunk 'mate' (who I left to the lions when he was strong armed out)

0724 FFS Not that pissed but had to make my excuses and leave, guy insisted on putting me in a cab.

0732 Dismissed taxi early, driver a bit smug. In some restaurant near hotel getting I hope pollo broaster. Am drunk but generally it's OK, had a good night after drunk chap thrown out but all the same am hungry and wish I could have gone somewhere more definite pre sleep. This will doubtless fuck my sleep over but as already said had good night out and no point regretting what I basically live for.