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.