Quetzaltenango, Thursday

1337 At PdlJ. Salad was beetroot - I should have asked first and tried to negotiate a swap - but food otherwise good.

Class OK. Felt tired but not hungover this morning. Teacher gave me advice re going to Santa Cruz La Laguna. Sound immensely difficult - need to get bus from terminal (where I went to market) but they will tell me to get off somewhere a few kilometres north of the lake, I then need to get another bus to Panajachel and then a ferry to Santa Cruz La Laguna. They may try to overcharge me but the two buses should be about 20-25 and 10 respectively. There may not be many ferries and if I have to get a 'private' boat it could cost 100. There was also an accident on Lake Atitlan the other day and at least three and maybe seven people drowned when a boat overturned - went out with teacher to buy a paper for lesson and it was on front page. However, teacher says if I get a big public ferry it is safe, and also Panajachel to SCLL is on the same side of the lake so we wouldn't be in the middle of the lake at any point. The accident was a combination of overloading (16 people instead of max 10) and high waves due to strong wind. I think this means I wasn't at risk, so to speak, when I did the tour of lake other day.

Have Whatsapp connection (she set it up; I feel really grandad-like but I struggle with Whatsapp, at least abroad) with one of students I am meeting and I think they are going to let me know any wrinkles in the travel once they get there. Teacher also gave me (unprompted) his phone number so I can call him in an emergency; obviously don't intend to do this but nice to have the option.

Going to try language exchange at La Luna at 3 but will go home first. Would sort of rather just have a quiet afternoon but make an effort etc and I will probably enjoy it once I'm there.

1508 No one here at La Luna. Spoke with staff/owner, they think it's Friday. Am getting a coffee - quite a nice place, although bit pricey at 10 - and will drink it then go if no one comes, not a big deal, it's all exercise walking over etc.

2121 Was surfing web when one guy turned up, we alternated Spanish and English every 15 mins for maybe an hour or hour and a half before parting. There is apparently "often" (it would be turn up and hope) an exchange there on Wednesday as well as the official Tue and Fri ones. All very amicable if a tiny bit strained and will definitely go to next one I get chance to.

Went to supermarket for tuna (to cook with tomorrow night) and peanuts (for Sat trip, as "emergency" snack) after; second day in a row been there and walked home in dark (but very bustly; not late at night, 6ish) and felt perhaps irrationally chuffed about doing these perhaps trivial things in a foreign country etc without worrying about them.

Alternating between feeling I am actually living up to my semi-resolution other day to "live a bit harder" - social activities yesterday, exchange Tuesday and today, English teachy thing tomorrow, going to Lake Atitlan Saturday etc - vs "argh, so much crap to do".

The trip to Lake Atitlan on Saturday morning - teacher says I need to leave flat about 6am - is (rationally or not) something which frightens me just a little bit and is therefore kind of good in a comfort-zone-stretching way. It may in fact be a near trivial thing to do but it feels just dangerous enough and involves speaking Spanish in unfamiliar situations that I think I'll feel proud of myself when (if? ;-) ) I arrive at the hostel. In some sense it is almost ridiculous to spend the time and money going there for just one night, but I did say I'd do the thing on Friday, I do want to take this opportunity to socialise and in a way it's good it forces me to travel alone because that's a facing fears kind of deal, whereas going with the other two (or however many; not 100% sure) would allow me to be a bit more of a passenger. I think apart from the Spanish-speaking angle, I need to try to remain broadly positive *and calm* if I get confused about where to go or what to do.

Guide book says 5 direct buses to Pana from here between 10am and 5pm taking 2h. Think teacher said there were only 2. Meh. I suppose it will be worth trying his suggested route anyway if only for the experience, and in theory that could get me there for 10-11am which will give me more time there too. (I expect that arrival time to prove laughably unrealistic.) It may well be different for the guys going tomorrow because they will be leaving early afternoon, not early morning.

Guide book says it's 30 mins and Q15 in lancha (dangerous??) from Pana to Santa Cruz La Laguna. Except for the possibility of direct buses it seems generally consistent with what teacher has told me. Apparently the hostel is right next to the dock.

F&CO advice doesn't seem *too* specifically scary re this route, though it does as always advise against the public buses (chicken buses, though it doesn't call them that). However, teacher did say it's safe, and no one else here has cautioned me against them either. I feel a bit better about it because I will be leaving most of my possessions here in Xela anyway, which reduces scope for theft and means I don't need to have a bag put on the roof.

I should probably move towards bed soonish. Didn't get ideal amount of sleep last night and given I "want" to be up at 6 on Saturday and will probably not get home til 7:30 Friday and I then need to cook and pack, it seems smart to get some sleep in tonight if I can.

Will say now I probably won't be writing up the Sat/Sun trip until I get home Sun night (and maybe not then if I am knackered). Will be staying in a dormitory (it's one night, I've done it before and I will be with other people I know, mildly comfort zone expanding and mildly sheepishly doing same as people I am going with) so won't get private chance to write and I *hope* to keep my phone strictly in my pocket between leaving home and getting to hostel to avoid attracting undue attention. I need to fricking remember the name of the town I am going to, TBH, keep forgetting.

2252 Bed. Not as early as perhaps ideal but not too bad. Incidentally I am *not* treating everything my teacher says re eg this trip as gospel, just noting down what he says and considering that he is probably *moderately* well informed but not necessarily an expert on eg bus timetables.