1006 Put blanket on bed during night. Not super cold but better with it. Slept OKish, woke up once or twice, alarm for breakfast at 830 (served til 9) but decided better to stay in bed. Some mild muscle aches (esp right ankle) but nothing serious. Got up so could have a piss maybe 30 mins ago. Still at hotel. Quick web search suggests there is absolutely no point booking a San Pedro tour here, given I am staying here in town - I can get a tuktuk from dock to trailhead for about Q5, and there I have to pay Q100 entry which includes a guide if I want one. I may see if I can/am automatically hooked up with someone else to share a guide, but essentially all I need to do is get up at sunrise tomorrow, trog over into town and get a tuktuk up there - no need to book today.
WhatsApp group of people from hike has been formed, lots of photos posted, not said anything yet myself.
Incidentally someone on web (a woman who is an expert on IIRC tripadvisor forums, maybe some other site, seen her posts before and she seems to know what she's talking about) says the party places in San Pedro are down by the dock and the place as a whole is not that lively but is nice etc. This seems to fit what I've seen. TBH I would like to socialise a bit but not necessarily as intensively as the verb "party" seems to imply in this kind of context. (Yes, meeting locals would be even better, but that seems an even harder problem.) I may well try going to eg San Marcos (which is lively but a bit less "party" AFAIK) after this, see if I can find a hostel with a bar or something and chance my arm at socialisation. Independent of that of course I need to sort out Antigua hostel/Acatenango and consider paragliding. Paragliding has more of an impact on my short term plans, as it may require that I am spending a night in Pana in order to be on the spot.
I think the immediate plan is to clean my teeth and put sunblock on (possibly after dicking around here at hotel a bit longer) then go out and collect my laundry and have some lunch and maybe a beer overlooking the lake. I can then have a relatively tranquil afternoon/evening of looking into the above travel shit and uploading my photos of the hike to Google photos (as a backup in case my SD cards get lost or corrupted; this happens semi-automatically once I copy the files onto my phone, which is nice).
1027 OK, I just called LV (travel insurer) and they do not cover paragliding, flat. No option to pay an extra premium, just not possible. This is a bit shit. In past - can't be sure if it was Trailfinders or MoreThan or both - was allowed to pay an extra chunk of cash for one-time cover for this.
This does not automatically rule it out. I may be able to get a separate policy, either UK based or introduced by whoever I go with.
1033 While I remember, I should say Q15 for a small bottle of Gallo is actually pretty normal in bars, so I was being a bit unfair yesterday. Influenced by prices on hike no doubt. I would greatly have preferred to pay Q35ish for a litre though.
1144 At small restaurant on walk into town. Getting chicken, rice, tortilla, frijol - was offered choice of encebollado and despite some debate I couldn't get clear exactly how the onion figured into this, and fearing a sauce I said without onion. Always disappointing to have these linguistic challenges, though in part this is 'just' a problem with my dietary quirks.
Tallish very slightly new agey looking white bloke been oscillating around my position on walk over here and he has come in here too. I don't think this is remotely sinister but it feels a bit. His Spanish is even worse than mine, bordering on nonexistent actually. Odd as I had him mentally pegged as a semi-resident for no good reason at all.
Ah, this is Coffee Shop La Amor de Dios - I had seen it outside but couldn't remember exactly but can see it reflected in mirror of empty gym next door.
Left fleece at hotel, it's v warm on street but just the tiniest bit chilly in the shade in here. This should really be welcome and mostly is, but I guess I need to get used to not wearing the fleece all the time.
1151 Some problem with rice, frankly not clear. However I was emboldened by the appalling Spanish of that bloke and other visitor to say I didn't like sauce and apparently encebollado does not imply this so I said that would be fine. TBH am not sure what I will get but meh, worst case is I pay 20 for nothing and I expect juice and tortillas at a minimum to be edible. This isn't far from hotel and therefore definitely on fringes of touristy central parts at most.
1205 Just brought enormous jar of white liquid, presumably a drink, but no straw or glass or anything yet. I can't seriously believe this is all included and the price is Q20 but WTF. Bit nervous about pouring as there's no spout, it is a jar but let's have a go. No, let's wait and see if I at least get some paper towels to mop any spills up later.
1210 Just poured some out and damn the risks. Very sweet, possibly sweetened milk but not at all sure. Still waiting for food but this is a good start. Food just turned up, noodles instead of rice and chicken with fried onions on, looks good!
1232 V good, large portion too. Name is not quite Amor de Dios, it's La Morra or something. Will see when I leave. Lingering slightly over rest of juice. The jar does actually have a handle, I noticed.
1241 Don't really want to leave but will be good to get laundry collected and go have a restrained beer or two somewhere if possible.
1307 At Tacomex, sitting by lake with a litre of Brahva (Q23, plus tip). Picked up laundry, not opened properly so uw may be fucked but the bigger items all seem to be there. Asked in a couple of shops and 2 litres water was Q10 which seemed a bit steep, managed to find a gallon (3.7ish litres IIRC) for Q12 elsewhere and bought that. Will need 2 litres for San Pedro tomorrow and have v little other water back at hotel so need some for today too.
Wondering if I should try to find some web site to arrange to meet up with someone to share a guide tomorrow but I think I'll just wing it. If I can get up there relatively early it will give me more time to find someone or have guide find someone (I guess it's in his interest as he will get more tips for a larger group).
1333 Feel quite bloated, not in a bad way, lunch was pleasantly large and had a lot of that white juice to drink (not complaining; way better than the small glass you normally get, I like a big drink with a meal). Guess it will help stop me bolting this litre. Need to withdraw some cash on way home, otherwise don't plan to do much today. Do photos and some onward trip planning back at hostel; wifi was not working earlier but hopefully only temporary and onward booking can be done over mobile data connection if I need to. Feels a slight waste of a day but I always planned to take it very easy and it's not like there's a huge amount to do here. I could hire a kayak but even if I had experience *and* could swim I'm not sure it would be smart to do that alone.
Gut feeling is I will not worry about doing Indian Nose hike this time - there's a fair chance I'll come back here in future, and if I don't I doubt that will be a deathbed regret - San Pedro will be enough. I'll probably go over to San Marcos after my current hotel booking runs out - not sure if I want to meet guys from hike or not, but having been there yday and w people on that weekend trip from Xela, it seems if a bit hippyish (way more so than San Pedro) it also seems moderately lively and I could probably find a hostel with some chance of getting a bit of socialisation in with someone. I will look into booking an Antigua hostel and/or e-mail to arrange an Acatenango hike tonight too. Still not sure if will try to put in a night or two in GC.
1451 All but finished beer. Feel surprisingly pissed. Not pissed pissed, but I know I've had a drink. Will probably get a coffee or two now before I go back via cash machine. Been reading on phone but also admiring view a bit.
Notwithstanding that Q15 for small Gallo is normal and Brahva is I think a lower status brand, I can't help contrasting this Q23 litre with the Q15 small bottle last night. Since I plan to be up very early I won't be in the hotel drinking tonight.
1501 Ordered cafe americano at Q8; not ultra cheap but certainly OK, will fill in the afternoon (phone battery permitting) while I read and look at view and maybe mull a bit before going home.
1507 Few kayaks out in what looks like middle of the lake. Though I think my view here is truncated and they're not necessarily that far out. Sort of thing that might be fun but got to get swimming sorted first, and maybe then something down at Shadwell Basin or whatever. (Though I'm sure in many tourist places you can take kayak lessons. Swimming lessons probably not so much.)
1518 Random observation on seeing a boat with everyone wearing lifejackets - not the norm here. There *are* lifejackets eg in roof of cabin, but you don't wear them normally.
1540 Noticed earlier too - the waves on the lake make occasional white crests which then disappear, and I am reminded of the Island animation on the Acorn Electron welcome tape. :-)
It's warm, pleasant verging on too hot - despite being in shade I feel the sun on my arms, I think it has recently got low enough to be visible under edge of restaurant roof given I am fairly near edge. It's OK, I put sunblock on this morning and it did indeed seem to work (ie I am putting a respectable quantity on) yesterday when I was sat on the dock at the restaurant in full sun.
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