Sat 0452 We were told to turn up for breakfast at 6, yet for the last half hour I've been in bed (I keep waking up every few hours, probably partly due to fear the phone won't wake me up due to battery going dead) hearing people arriving (my room is on first floor almost immediately above QT) and one of the trek leaders telling people to take plates, forks, spoons and tent pieces. WTF do we need tent pieces for? We're not camping anywhere. This may also fuck over my plan to use my own bag. Why couldn't we be given these tent pieces last night? It's not as if they're perishable, and then I could have taken this into account in my packing decision last night.
I turned phone radios on briefly to check e-mail but have it back in aeroplane mode (as it is actually called) now. Apparently we can charge our phones second night but not first, so given that my power bank should be adequate for charging - however, as we may well be out of reception some of the time it seems smart to keep aeroplane mode on to avoid battery-draining signal-hunting.
0513 There were flashes of lightning last night, including during meeting at 6. Not seen these here before, hope not a bad weather sign.
Lurking in bed mostly awake but reluctant to truly get up earlier than necessary.
0543 Down at QT and no one else is here. I'm only 17 mins early but where did all the early fuckers go? One of trek leaders here and plates out for breakfast, I'm obviously not late. Did they all get up at 0430 just to take tent pieces then go back to bed?
0546 Have handed in my small daypack to take to lake and I think I may not have to take anything extra except plate/fork/spoon so probably be OK.
Don't expect to be writing this blog continuously but while I'm bored.
Bit apprehensive about my ability to do this lugging a (for me) largish pack but should be fine I think.
1911 At municipal hall we are sleeping in at some very small town.
Early morning hike prep I overheard was people going up some volcano, not my group.
Hike generally OK, some of the downhill bits a bit iffy due to very narrow path in places and slippery surface and apparent risk of going over some moderately nasty drops but on the whole I managed pretty well. Left shoulder hurts a bit but tolerable. AFAICT no blisters. Temezcal (sp) sauna thing surprisingly enjoyable after initial mildly claustrophobic feelings.
Food OK, pesto pasta for dinner not ideal but tolerable and I piled the black pepper on to make it more palatable.
We did some group exercise to help remember names this morning, I think I do know everyone's name - about 13 people on hike plus two guides - though one or two bit iffy.
People probably going to bed soonish. Writing this while waiting for sink to clean teeth.
I can't get any mobile signal except emergency calls here (probably because I'm on Movistar network via Three and Claro is the one which works here) so hope everything's OK at home.
Don't feel super matey with the group but on the whole getting on relatively well.
We got here about 1530 and I went into a shop and tried to buy chocolate, got 10 big lumps at Q1 each which it turns out are probably intended for making hot chocolate drinks but they're actually relatively edible so I'm happy, and a single Snickers would have cost way more even at supermarket back in Xela.
Phone battery only got down to 66% but going to top it up (indeed doing it now) from battery pack because why wouldn't I?
1926 Cleaned teeth. Not needed to take a dump all day - TMI? - but we apparently walk with a shovel to allow digging a hole and shitting in the woods. I still hope I can avoid that but if I don't need to go I don't need to go; maybe tomorrow morning.
As I say, generally happy with my physical abilities wrt the hike; going uphill not easy but not terrible, it's the downhill bits which have tested me more and that's not exactly a fitness thing. (Impromptu yoga lesson going on; only a few people participating, not including me.)
We got a colectivo over to that starting point after a walk over to the pseudo-archy memorial where we got bus back into town from Cerro del Baul trip other weekend. In theory a chicken bus was on the cards but I think there's a semi-informal arrangement where a minibus driver/owner turns up in likelihood of getting the job.
Much complaining about snorers in dormitories during pre-dinner conversation. Not too bad natured but a bit. I am pretty sure I snore but don't know how badly; have camped out in a relatively isolated corner of this large hall partly on grounds of minimising disturbance and partly because this is the corner nearest the bogs in case of midnight necessity.
Breakfast at QT was pretty good, scrambled eggs and potatoes. We left there about (all from memory of course) 0755. Probably walked 4-5h today. Google Maps suggests we are in Santa Catarina Ixtahuacan. I think (I have a photo) something like this is also on outside of this hall. It feels very small and rural (chickens in street etc) but while that's probably true, it is also probably (guessing) an hour's drive from Xela so it is not as remote as it feels.
Think we have to be up at 6ish, breakfast in a local restaurant. Mon morning we get up at 330ish to hike to mirador to see sunrise over lake.
It's 1947 now and I am yawning a bit. Hope I can go to sleep OK, I prob can't read on phone in bed without disturbing people with the light. This is apparently a dry town so no beer-assisted sleep though had a tot of rum in coffee as one guy had the foresight to bring a plastic bottle full with him.
Had a Jumbotron Mani ice cream (great name) earlier, not as sweet and satisfying as I might have expected. Perhaps eating that probably-drinking chocolate earlier saturated my palate.
Don't know if it helps really but as on other (day) hikes made a point of wearing the slightly heel and toe padded Rohan socks today (and tomorrow) rather than the more "normal" ones which consistute my other three pairs.
I can't actually send this with no mobile connection, but I will send it and leave it in outbox before I go to sleep to reduce chances of the draft getting lost by accident.
Phone nearly up to 100% and battery pack still showing four out of four lights. I think unlike the previous Atitlan trip not having phone radio on during day seriously reduced power demands. I only tried turning it on briefly here this evening and turned it off as soon as it transpired I got no signal or emergency calls only.
May leave phone charging off power bank overnight but OTOH that might just risk running power bank down for no real benefit and with radio off overnight phone shouldn't run down very much anyway.
Very nice cat hanging around at hostel outside QT this morning BTW.
2015 Lights still on but gone quiet and think a lot of ppl in bed, so got into sleeping bag. Will keep reading on phone til lights out but will send this (if only to outbox) now.
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