1805 Just had shower as going out tonight so can't shower later. Class OK on the whole. School has trip to Cerro del Baul this weekend - teacher says Sun, noticeboard doesn't say. Will prob do that, bit disappointed they aren't doing Lake Chica bal. Feeling a bit edgy about not having got much/any walking in yet and hating the mix of health and ability and "who to go with?" doubts this whole business stirs up. Did however end up speaking to woman (30ish, not super fit by her own admission but not unfit either) during my short break today (15 mins, since we finished 30 mins early Friday, and will do same tomorrow to make it up) who had been to Antigua for the weekend and done Acatenango 2 day hike and it had been fine - not *easy*, but not ridiculously hard. She also recommended Quetzaltrekkers and warned me the door is always shut but if you knock someone will let you in. I also spoke to my teacher about this in various contexts. He suggested - something I had seen before - the 3 day non-volcano hike from here to Lake Atitlan. It is not cheap but for three days' "accommoation" and travel it's not insanely expensive. It would (probably) give me some experience with camping etc before confronting this prospect at the same time as going up a volcano, and while it may not be "easy" I have little doubt about my ability to cope with this hike in raw "physical" terms, since it is "just" walking, maybe a bit hilly etc. If I wasn't planning on going back that way *anyway* it might not be so appealing, but I am.
I am thinking I will probably try to do the Acatenango 2 day hike with a reputable company from Antigua (hopefully before I lose any altitude acclimatisation from being here in Xela), subject to no terrible lessons learned on the 3 day hike to Atitlan.
Teacher says he can take me to Chicabal - I would do this if I could get a couple of other students interested, but not sure if I can. If I can't I will probably speak to Quetzaltrekkers and see what if anything they can do for me locally - I may avoid anything involving camping here, so I can try that out on the 3 day hike. There is I believe a half day hike to a lookout on one of the volcanos here and while in some sense I'd like to go to the top, I think the right way to look at it is that they are two separate and potentially interesting trips and it's not either-or - I could do that one to the lookout "now" and then perhaps on a subsequent visit to Xela I could do the other one, without feeling I was repeating activities. (Of course, if it's tremendously fun then no harm in repeating.)
I kind of need to stop second-guessing my own abilities, take sensible precautions (eg I think, notwithstanding a slight excuse-y quality, it has been sensible to let myself acclimatise here for a few weeks before doing any of these things) and otherwise just fucking have a go rather than trying to judge the feasibility from a mixed bag of reports on difficulty and so on. However, FWIW my teacher rather poo-poohed the (doubtless well meaning) advice from that guy at the language exchange about Lake Chicabal being difficult; while I suppose he doesn't know how fit I am or aren't, he *is* a professional guide and he said one of his 11 year old children and his wife (who walks round town a bit but otherwise doesn't particularly exercise) have both done it with no real difficulties.
Been feeling a bit down this afternoon despite feeling OK earlier. Didn't want to get up as always due to cold/tiredness.
I also need to pretty promptly form some sort of moderately solid plan for the last few weeks of the trip. Then I will know how many weekends I have to do any hiking-y kind of activities here (eg time permitting I am thinking Lake Chicabal - with teacher or a tour agency like QT - and that volcano lookout day hike would be nice, but if I'm doing CdB Sunday I only have one day free this weekend and right now I don't know if I will be here the following weekend) and how much time I might have in Pana/Lake Atitlan and Antigua. Also not sure about visiting GC or not. Guys went with this weekend suggested signing up with couchsurfing.com or whatever because you can find people who will show you round even if you don't want to stay with them.
Because I'm an inconsistent arse, after feeling a bit of a sad loser with no social life earlier on, I am currently feeling a bit over-stretched with the drinks tonight (if anyone turns up...) and the language exchange tomorrow afternoon and possible joint birthday drinks for a couple of students tomorrow night and a vague prospect of some kind of Thanksgiving dinner and/or drinks on Thursday. From a raw alcohol consumption POV (ignoring possibly slightly high but not insane consumption this weekend just gone) this mid-week drinking isn't as bad as it might be, because if I'm off hiking at the weekends I am unlikely to be out drinking much then.
Bit of a health mental wobble earlier when my right eye seemed to be a bit 'dazzly'. I *think* this was simply caused by sun reflecting off my glasses etc as I sat at kitchen table reading on phone and my sort of ploughing on regardless. I wore half of my sleep mask over that eye for a bit and touch wood it seems fine now. Obviously have to be careful not to ignore this if it keeps happening but I think I probably slightly over-reacted.
0043 Got home few mins ago. Three beers and a political discussion with doctor then we went and chatted for a bit in courtyard of her accommodation, which is practically next door. Can't say I felt super comfortable with the politics discussion but it was OK and probably good practice at not not expressing opinions. Quite an enjoyable night all the same. The other two didn't turn up FWIW. Bed.
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