Santiago, Wednesday

Thu 0041 Got up vaguely midday-ish. Probably left flat about 3pm and walked over to Cerro San Cristobal, up the hill to the statue of the Immaculate Conception. Pretty damn hot, and I didn't take any water with me, but nice views at the top and a cool breeze on occasions. I'd been up there before but it was still nice and I think I may have spent an hour or so meditatively staring out at the city. There was also some religious music being played over the speakers which, for all that I'm not religious myself, I really liked and I am trying to identify the singer but no luck yet. I also happened to note on a plaque that the sculpture of the Virgin inside the chapel beneath the statue itself dates from 2017, so wouldn't have been there on my last visit. (I didn't take a photo of it today and probably didn't (of the chapel, not the statue, of course, as it apparently wasn't there) last time as it felt a bit out of order.)

I then walked down a different route to come out near Pedro de Valdivia metro (which I had by accident walked to by going wrong way after leaving language exchange yesterday) and walked home from there, ie I effectively repeated my walk home last night during the day today. Could of course have got metro over to Baquedano on way out or back from Pedro de Valdivia but figured the exercise would be good for me. Was pretty thirsty/hot by time got home but was strong and went into supermarket to get some soft drinks and water and a couple of things to cook with before coming back to flat.

Had a quietish evening in but think this is OK, I did go out in a fairly substantial way this afternoon. I *think* I have been on the funicular and cable car before, but not sure - in particular the cable car seems to go from the top of the hill over to PdV and I don't recally going on any route other than to/from the north end of Pio Nono before. Old blog posts would presumably reveal the truth.

Had checked re safety on web before going; some mentions of daylight muggings but the fact it's happened once or twice is not automatically suggesting there's a serious risk. There were quite a few people about everywhere, not just at the top of the hill, despite it being a weekday afternoon, and except for one - rather brief, as it turned out - pedestrian trail down a hill on the way back I didn't really feel all that edgy (and it was fine on that trail too, I just wondered if it was a tiny bit desolate and didn't quite realise just how short a path it was).

I did buy a (probably overpriced) plastic cup of mote de huesillos at one of the kiosks just below the statue, before walking down. Quite nice, if not amazing, and I have had it before but I figured it was a bit more of an interesting way to quench my thirst than a diet coke - this was all I had to drink between leaving flat and getting back. Also went into the small museum nearby with some exhibits re the 100th anniversary of the park. Interesting to see it's apparently the largest urban park in Latin America. Mention in museum of a still-being-created 14km path around the entire park - it might be nice to go walk that on a future visit. As it is I may well go back up there at some point during this trip and walk some of the other parts of the park. Had no idea there are two (?) open air swimming pools up there - though obviously I could get more use out of those when I've learned to swim.

Have arranged to meet Cony tomorrow (did that before going out), so we'll see what happens there.

While meditating at top of hill, saw a young girl pick a handful of the small pale yellow fruit from the treet just under the "balcony" ; presumably you're not really supposed to do this but I obviously don't care. Wonder what fruit they were (hard to see but they reminded me slightly of very small peaches) and if they are actually edible. (She was with family so I might guess they wouldn't have let her pick them if the weren't, but maybe they only stopped her eating them after she'd picked them.)

It was hot today, undeniably, but either I'm acclimatising or it isn't quite as hot and/or sticky as it was in Mendoza. The feeling was "man is it hot" not "aargh, I feel so hot and sweaty I'll never be physically comfortable again" . (As always, stray spaces around quote marks courtesy of some secret and not-disable-able Blackberry keyboard feature.)

Santiago, Tuesday

1709 In laundry room. Not very happy. No detergent included with flat and supermarket opposite only sells it in gigantic 40+ wash quanties. Host says via airbnb there is a minimarket nearby in San Isidro which sells it. First one I try doesn't. Well, they do powder, but so did supermarket, but of course machines in flats need liquid. Went in another minimarket in SI and bought what I deluded myself was probably detergent with fabric conditioning features but which I pretty strongly suspect is just fabric conditioner. Have put clothes in with this *anyway* and now waiting - daren't leave just in case we get some comedy levels of foam emerging - 28 mins while wash runs. Thought about putting some of my hand-wash soap in the machine but given it's going to use way more water than a hand wash I'd have to put loads in and risk overdoing it or using it all up. Did toy with just hand washing and half wish I had, at CLP1300 for the machine and CLP1100ish for the maybe-detergent it's not super cheap, but I do feel a machine wash is better when it can be had. Not very satisfactory at all, TBH I feel this largely makes the on-site laundry useless for anyone not staying multiple weeks. Of course I have to blame myself for not embarking on an epic quest to find a minimarket which did have liquid detergent in small quantities, now I am assured it exists.

I can only hope it's true that washing is mainly a mechanical process and having the machine thrash the clothes around in cold water (I should probably have chosen warm in hindsight, but I didn't, since I was being super careful not to use high temperature and shrink stuff) will help a bit. Feel a bit of a sap TBH.

1749 At small restaurant on Santa Rosa, was going to get steak and chips but no steak so switched to chicken. Had two leftover hotdogs earlier but otherwise not eating at home today; need to go over to lang exchange soon and it's variety etc. (Back in London I can cook - using some frozen stuff - a moderate variety of things. Given issues with buying in relative bulk and using stuff up and being reluctant to use oven, my cooking here isn't as varied.)

Getting half litre schopp with it, WTF. May have a beer on way home from lang exchange too.

1826 Not bad. 6200, broke a 20k and left 800 tip. Place is Hao Zai Lai.

2253 At Bar Santiago between U Catolica and Santa Lucia metro stations (just for ref; walked over to exchange and walking back). Exchange was quite good, at a table with five Chileans, alternating 10 mins Spanish/English. Perhaps spoke too much but prob OK, ended up sharing a platter and had a beer with it (paid about 4500 with tip). Been sitting at table for ages without service, maybe it's not table service here. One of those snack bar kind of bars, but thought I'd give it a go. Got a recommendation to maybe visit Pichilemu (between here and Concepcion). Also apparently not v expensive to fly to Concepcion, tho will check and given hassles and expense of getting to/from airport (esp in Concepcion where I suspect it would involve a taxi) may not do it. Told it's about 7 hours on bus to Concepcion.

Also aware of my deficiencies in Spanish from having practiced but at least I was generally understandable and understood most of what other people were saying. All good really, it's all practice.

Wondering if should go up to bar, not sure.

2259 Chap just came over, took my order and took me slightly by surprise but it's all good. Had a beer at the lang exchange as I said, but don't think one or even two here will be a killer.

Didn't get up til maybe midday-very-ish, hung around in flat for ages, I think in part putting off enquiring into laundry room location. Stupid but do seem to have very strong "get blocked by procrastinating on tiny mildly unpleasant tasks" thing lately. It may be stupid but I feel I need to be careful not to squat too much in that flat to avoid the "pain" of going out and doing stuff. Meh.

A few of guys at table had been to Brazil, they all seemed to like it and said a lot of Brazilians spoke Spanish; I guess as native speakers they also have more chance of taking advantage of the similarities with Portuguese too. But this makes me feel a little better about going, and I should maybe try Spanish sometimes.

Didn't sleep too well last night at first, though I set no alarm and I think I felt moderately well rested as I emerged gradually into consciousness - I think when I do set an alarm, even for a late-ish time and I'm technically awake before it goes off, it might have some deleterious effect.

2/3 through this half litre. It's a bit extravagant (financially and wrt alcohol budget) but I might have one more before I go home. Not super enjoying it but also not not enjoying it.

Apart from meeting briefly a semi-bilingual Chilean woman who could have passed for English (her mum is English; apparently she stopped speaking English at home when she was 12 as it was affecting her Spanish accent) while paying at the counter, people met tonight included (all Chilean, all from Santiago):

- a mostly blind (he wore glasses but had been helped to table by someone else and may have had a stick; this is my impression, it seemed rude to ask) guy who'd just finished studying to be an interpreter

- a woman who had spent a year studying English in Australian, then gone to visit various places in Asia where she also had to speak English (having no languages other than English and Spanish)

- a computer engineer who had studied Chinese for a year in China

- a chap who was basically fluent in English but had taught himself solely by playing video games (one of the others also said this had been a big part of his learning but not necessarily all); I don't *think* he had had English lessons at school but I don't know for sure.

- another chap who didn't say that much but seemed a perfectly decent bloke (he was the one who told me about flying to Concepcion)

I find myself being tempted by the largish bars of chocolate in the supermarket; not something I routinely eat and I had loads of chocolate over Christmas but it is what it is; perhaps I am remembering in part how in Guatemala the concept of a largish chocolate bar didn't seem to exist outside not-usually-that-large-and-pricey bars of Hersheys, but this is not super rational. (I have no idea if Argentina does large chocolate bars; I don't remember noticing them but then again I didn't go looking.) Am drinking enough and eating enough that am doing my best to resist this temptation; TBH I am not sure I have put much weight on, or that what I have put on isn't mainly from Christmas, but whatever.

Am getting a second beer, then will probably go home. I think I'm maybe 10 mins walk away, perhaps less.

I hope they are serving me Cristal (1700 each) as I asked not Heineken (2400) as the glass says.

The video game English chap was quite taken with my suggestion that Chile seemed to combine the best bits of Latin American and England; he also said stuff about how Chile didn't seem very stereotypically Latin American. OTOH the semi-bilingual woman didn't agree (tho we didn't have a long conversation; I was waiting to pay) with me.

While I remember, supermarket opposite flat has signs saying according to a new law they won't be giving out free carrier bags from 3 Feb. Glad I at least got to enjoy being in a sane country for a few days; feels a bit like being here before they emulated the UK smoking ban. Wankstain controlling shitcunt social engineering bastards seem to be in power the world over...

I mentioned my plan to maybe find a student in Concepcion to have conversation classes with; not that they'd necessarily know if this is feasible and maybe they'd be too polite to say if they thought not, but no one seemed to say this was unlikely.

Might be dumb - I'm not pissed; just a bit extravagant - but if I can get another I might, just cos it's gone midnight on a Tuesday night and it tickles me to be somewhere with a less fricking controlled nightlife than the UK.

0019 Yeah, got another. Find myself wondering if they're toying with shutting - I asked the waiter for another, he didn't propose as last time, but prob mostly randomness there - but by no means empty inside and still all tables outside full. (I am indoors; no tables outside when arrived plus why not try inside?)

Except for what sounded like them from somewhere near flat earlier but may not have been, I still haven't heard any Los Prisioneros songs here in Chile this visit. Music in here hasn't had any and seems a bit English language (we just had La Isla Bonita) but is of a vintage which suggests we just might.

0047 Keep scribbling down details cos I suspect they'll add colour for Future Me. Woman from lang exchange lives (I think south) out past limits of metro, has to get that then bus, it's 1.5-2h each way(!?) and she does that every day and apparently this is normal. Apparently Santiago is growing rapidly (it has a London-like quality of being economic centre of country) etc.

0050 I was wondering if closing - and maybe they are - but a new group just turned up, and it's by no means deserted inside or out. I'm definitely going home after this beer though, feel mildly pissed and phone batt down to 11%. Still crave chocolate but even if find a shop open en route home will try to resist temptation.

0056 Got bill, all Cristal so all good, 5100. Breaking a 10k and tipping 700. Vamonos.

0110 Home. One of guys tonight said Santa Lucia was slightly dangerous - don't go on the hill after dark, and he had seen a guy assaulted here at night after being dropped of by a taxi - but not really worried and felt fine (tho desperate for piss despite going before last beer at the bar) on walk home.

Do ideally need to go up Santa Lucia hill and hill at north end Pio Nono during this trip; could see statue of virgin on PN hill as walked over to lang exchange. Been up both before but be cool to revisit, plus have photo in flat of IIRC view from top of Santa Lucia hill.

Santiago, Monday

Tue 0043 Not a super full day. Woke up late-ish, probably got up about 1pm, feeling reluctant to leave flat for some reason. Anyway, about 3pm I went out for a walk, which was quite nbice if not that long. Walked slightly at random but vaguely towards where I had seen Plaza de Armas on map. There was a likely-looking shop on Huerfanos so went in and asked about a travel adapter; hope I wasn't too volubly incomprehensible but guy did seem to understand me and I paid about for quid for a universal travel adapter, which does seem to work. Wandered on and found a St Isabel supermarket so had a look in there to see if there was any more variety (yes, but no English mustard) compared to Express opposite flat, bought some relatively lightweight supplies and came back home, popping out briefly to Express for some water/soft drinks (much better selection at St Isabel but not lugging bottles any further than can help) and cooked and ate.

Mostly bummed the night away, really need to sort out transport re Brazil but really reluctant to face this. Did sign up for the Spanish exchange tomorrow (strictly today now) at 8pm, so that's something. Need to investigate the laundry room supposed to exist in building tomorrow.

Feel a bit like I'm wasting valuable time here but at same time within limits if I'm feeling like relaxing a bit it's OK.

Oh, I did have a very brief chat with the woman bagging my groceries at the SI supermarket; she asked if I was on holiday here (must have some subtle flaw in my Spanish accent :-) ).

(First universal adapter the guy showed me was something like CLP6950. I asked if they had anything cheaper and they showed me another near identical one at CLP2690, which I bought. Ideally I'd shop around more but that's not an insane price - eg Robert Dyas had an AUS/NZ (Argentinian) simple fixed adapter plug at about four quid when I looked back in UK - and after having had to speak to someone instead of just  browsing shelves I felt a slight social pressure to buy; not sure if this is a minor character flaw on my part, but it wasn't too strong - I wasn't going to pay 6950 without having asked around a bit first.)

It's 0120, let's go to bed. Not exactly tired but not not tired and just maybe I'll get up earlyish.

Santiago, Sunday

Mon 0131 Woke up about 1pm-ish IIRC, just going to bed now. Not left flat all day, read a bit, watched Youtube on the big TV in bedroom (a novelty). Feel slightly guilty at wasting the day but OTOH I enjoyed it and haven't drunk any alcohol and I cooked which is cheap-ish and semi-healthy and feels good to be able to do something like this which wouldn't be so comfortable in an airbnb room, or even a hostel/hotel room (bit small to spend entire day in, plus can't cook). Anyway, it is what it is, just recording it here.

Mendoza-Santiago

Sat 0941 Sat on bus. All OK, though the guy putting my bag in the boot pretty much demanded a tip. Not happy - didn't see anyone else tipping (I *have* seen this when people have been *collecting* bags at end of trip) and feels a bit out of order (like I say, it's one thing at the other end when collecting bag - though TBH it also feels a bit off since it's not exactly a major service and I am fucking paying for the trip, the guy isn't carrying my bag for miles) but I gave him 10 (was planning on tipping 20 at the other end, and if they're Chilean and don't like ARS then can't be helped). It's all highly bureaucratic so I doubt he can disappear my bag but feel a bit cheesed off.

Rained quite heavily maybe 2am. Refreshing but in my drowsy half-worried state (kept waking up) was worried I'd have to walk to bus terminal in rain and get soaked.

Bit cooler with some breeze and the rain and it being generally early in day. Got up 8am after snoozing intentionally on alarms; had been half awake for ages, or so it felt. Not put any sunscreen on. Had a shower, handed over key to host, walked to terminal (maybe 40 mins).

1001 We're off.

1050 Guzzled remains of nuts and raisins and two alfajores we were given; there's the usual wanky question about carrying plant and animal matter on the customs and immigration declaration and given I'm crossing by bus and don't want any unnecessary delays I've just eaten it all. Mildly annoying but meh.

1053 Passing quite nice strikingly light blue lake.

1107 Reminded by seeing a muddy but moderately "rough" looking river next to road that there were various horse riding (can't ride, not interested) and rafting (can't swim yet) opportunities from Mendoza.

1527 I think we're about to drive out of Los Libertadores customs point. We got here IIRC about 1305. First 1h 20 ish just sitting on bus outside (allowed to get off if wanted; I didn't), then passport inspection, then checked and hand baggage screening. Does Argentina have the lurgy or is this insane? Meh. Good job (honestly) I am not up against a tight deadline in Santiago to check in. Yeah, we're pulling out now. Wonder how much of this delay is expected - maybe all of it for all I know. See when we get in I guess...

Mobile phone is now working at least, since Three's Go Roam works in Chile. Only tried mobile data but that's the main thing and it does work.

2027 At flat. Think the bus got in about 1815 but that's v approx; GPS track prob has true answer, not that it matters. Got cash - Redbanc wanted to charge me 6k on a 200k withdrawal but I said yes anyway, only to find they bounced me out because I'd failed to select "foreign client" earlier on. There was a queue behind me so went to adjacent Banco Estado machine which actually charged a slightly less extortionate 4.9k on a 210k withdrawal (I realised if I withdrew 200k I might get nothing but 20k notes, I would probably have been right). Mild wrong turn getting to U de Santiago metro nearby but no real problem, bought a bip card (handed over 10k and asked for change as credit, think got about 8.5k credit) and after having to ask where to go for the Los Dominicos train I got the metro over to Santa Lucia no problem, and checked in fine.

Of course I immediately hit the supermarket opposite - living it large or what? Got some hot dogs and stuff to cook tuna and rice with tomorrow. Bit of mix up with not weighing some stuff myself pre-checkout meant I lost some items, and as I thought all I'd lost was bananas but had also lost my individual hot dog buns I had to back and buy some more (this time I got a simple pre-packaged one to avoid enormous queue at weigh station). Sadly Chilean mustard is all that vinegary shit so going very lightly on it.

Don't have mains adapter that works here. Some web site said it was same as Europe but my Euro adapter seems to have slightly too fat pins. Luckily I remembered reading you can sometimes charge off USB port on TV and (very slowly) you can, so that will get me out of a jam for a day or two and I will have to shop for either a Chile-to-US adapter (and stack it with my already unreliable US adapter) or see if I can find a Chile-to-UK adapter (unlikely?) or buy a local USB charger (but then I wouldn't be able to charge my camera battery). Not ideal but not terrible and not urgent.

Plan is to maybe eat a bit more, shower/shit/shave and head over to Pio Nono for a hopefully restrained-ish night maybe 2130/2200. Not putting any pressure on, just have a few beers and if I come home at 2am or whenever not having spoken to anyone that's cool.

2220 At J Restobar??? (no 252) on Pio Nono. Got litre of Cristal at 3000, not too bad. Think Crazy Bar might have shut. Done a mostly complete circuit of street and not super impressed, far too much dancey/RnB-ish music. One place - in fact this place - advertises 1 ltr Beckeer for 1500 but only inside; I want to sit outside because it seems nicer and feels a bit safer and I'm easing myself in. Gut feeling is will maybe have couple of litres - not rushing - and go home unless I feel a lot differently then, no point burning alcohol allowance on a bad night.

Night is warm but borderline nice; it isn't too sticky and there's an occasional breeze.

Found an Argentinian plug adapter in bathroom in flat; left power bank charging on that via my wobbly US/AUS/Arg adapter in flat so that's better than TV, though still a temporary solution.

Let's just read on phone a bit. Waiter didn't understand me all that well but we got there in the end.

2252 Feeling a bit drunk. Perhaps been necking this a little bit out of thirst, as it's not like I haven't eaten etc. Probably well over half way through in about half an hour. Try to force myself to pace, even though I really am enjoying a cold drink.

Google Maps says Crazy Bar permanently closed, address 227 Pio Nono so maybe at some point, not nec tonight, go see what is now there.

2332 Nearly finished this litre, don't feel so pissed now. This place is fine but prices seem pretty standard and I'm not loving it or anything, so I think I'll get bill (prob should just say "pay", doubt anything so formal as a bill) and go somewhere else. Not sure anywhere else hugely appeals or will have tables free, but must be somewhere and I should move around a bit

2351 Paid, staff seemed a bit lax but WTF, made it 3500. Circulated. Ex-Crazy Bar address seems to be (one of; there's another opp side of road) Loft Sushi/Resto Bar locations. Really nothing working for me, nothing v rock/pop on music and most people do seem to be outside which makes me reluctant to go in and one or two OK places had no free tables. At Drink at 281 Pio Nono just cos it seems unpretentious but no idea if will have OK beer or if staff will ever come over.

0001 Chap just came over, they have a range of beers by the litre but ordered a Becker cos a) not tried it (recently) b) having no idea of prices, I get the impression it's cheap.

But I have an actual glass glass here instead of small plastic one at last place, so who knows? I can afford one overpriced beer I guess.

I haven't been down any of the side streets yet, and there's also a clump of bars up at the (more convenient for me) end nearest Baquedano - can't remember name of clump but saw it earlier - which may be worth considering but reluctant to go in at this stage, eg after a couple of litres. Another night. Maybe come out mid-week after a few days of relative abstinence.

0020 V quick Google suggest a few language exchange things in Santiago, worth following up on tomorrow. One looks to be Tuesday at 8pm which seems OK. Not gonna look further now.

0054 Nearly finished this litre. Will prob get another - and hope it's not too pricey. Not super smart but I'm not really pissed and while I'm probably not meeting anyone tonight, it's the first night of the trip I've had a chance to cut mildly loose (for all that I've been drinking responsibly per day but *probably* too much - for weight even ignoring medical semi-wank) so prob will do it. Batt 37% but be OK.

0059 Yeah, ordered a second litre. Barring highly unlikely socialising this will be the last drink of the night. Gut feeling is not setting an alarm tomorrow, want to avoid dragging myself out of bed earlier than I want in general and while I want to quietly "do stuff" in Santiago I also want to just chill a bit.

Anyway, these aren't litres of Becker. Can't see abv % anywhere - it's usually in microscopic print on the bottles over here - but can see its 970cc. Makes all the difference. :-)

Naively wish I was socialising but let's be honest, not to neglect the stuff in BA like the eclipse with airbnb host, I ain't been putting myself out there yet.

0114 Did notice in supermarket earlier they had "Southwestern hot mustard" or something like that - the same vinegar-heavy shit but with chilli peppers. Proper fucking mustard - and I am aware I am being a bit parochial, but still - English mustard as I believe we call it, *is actually fucking hot already*. Had vaguely hoped in Chile there would be some chance of buying English mustard but at least not in that supermarket opposite flat.

0122 Perhaps not the most acceptable sentiment, but truth, though it kill me - for all that I love Santiago, both BA and Mendoza had far more women (not all of them really young) walking round in tiny shorts with really nice legs than here. Not saying there aren't any here, but it does seem noticeably fewer. OTOH perhaps I like Santiago/Chile because it feels a bit more "like me" . Meh. Just a random drunk observation.

0128 I have to say that I suddenly realise the temperature is pleasant. Warm but not oppressive, just the tiniest hint of a coolish breeze.

After we left the border place the bus seemed to get warmer. Maybe they were trying to soften us up for arrival, but it seemed weird given in theory the aircon should have been just as good.

0137 Of course having made that comment about legs I suddenly start to notice them here. But I stand by my observation. And not that anyone has been remotely abusive or even mentioned it, but when you have football stadiums named "Malvinas Argentinas" and so forth it's hard to forget, it also feels a bit nicer to be in Chile where no one has AFAIK a natural go-to objection to an Englishman. I'm not sure how factual it is but I like to imagine a certain connection with England here. Their immigration shit certainly seems bureaucratic and slow enough to be English. ;-)

0144 Not that I regret tonight as such, but I should really have come out way later. As a minimum, since I switched bars at 2351, I could easily have come out at that time and then if I *had* socialised, I'd be that much more sober (and hopefully phone battery that much more charged). But it feels good to have a few beers without worrying, as eg I did yesterday when tempted to have a few but had early bus next morning. I think tonight is as much a cutting loose thing as a trying to socialise thing, if not more.

0151 Not for first time by a long chalk, a smell of marijuana drifts in the air. No idea where it comes from. Maybe people are just smoking at their table but not that clear.

Apropos of nothing, there was a bar (320?) walked past yday in Mendoza open 24h. Didn't go in, either at midday or on way home. I have a vague recollection legal closing time here is 3am. I don't think it's as late a culture as Argentina but still refreshingly late compared to UK. (The night tube ads portraying London as city that doesn't sleep are frankly ridiculous. What a patronising, we-know-best, don't-stay-out-late city London is. The closest it ever got was the narrow window between the introduction of "24h" drinking and the smoking ban, and even then 1am was about your limit.)

0216 On walk over earlier as approached Plaza Italia I said to myself "I think there's a Telepizza round this corner". There wasn't. But there was one nearby. So I give myself half a point for knowing the area.

 

Battery 16% but it will last, only have about half a pint-ish of this beer - which have maybe necked a bit.

0220 Jeez, just nearly handed over a 20k thinking it was a 2k. Waiter honest but thinks I'm pissed, I suspect. (Not sober, but not really pissed.) Fuck it. Bill is 5.5k which is hardly chap I think but not terrible (3k for litre Cristal earlier, tho had I been willing to go inside could have paid 1.5k for litre Becker, so 3k for two litres would be cheap and could have had two litres Cristal for 6k at other place). Think I handed over a 10k and asked for changed, fairish with tip would be 6 and a bit k, will make it 7k for guy being honest with me over that 20k.

OK, just tipped 2k which is prob overdoing it but fuck it, if the guy hadn't been square could have trousered 18k so fair play. He prob thinks I'm drunk to tip that much but fuck it. Will have piss here before I go, he'd better let me in.

0229 Just been for piss, risking remains of drink on table. No one inside. Didn't realise there were tables down side of bar off Pio Nono, worth noting. Not an amazing place but OK. Feel a bit lonely and a bit pissed but not a terrible situation. Not necking the remains but will drink them and go when finished. Englishy language prob American group nearby but not remotely interested in trying to scrap acquaintance; I feel a bit pissed and also not that desperate. Batt 13% which sucks but will do.

0234 Leaving shortly, dregs of beer left. Not actually a bad night. Lessons: a) come out fucking later, easier to socialise if more sober b) careful with 20k notes :-) b) prob influenced by lack of recent experience with current aka  being fresh off the boat, but still.

0240 OK, let's go. Necked last bit a bit but tis OK. Predict will be back at flat a hair over 30 mins from now. Have paid bill, so free to leave.

0309 Not a bad prediction. Felt pretty safe and also irrationally cool walking home. Prob deluding myself but Santiago is different from BA and I liked the way it felt on way back. Anyway, here I am. Maybe a hot dog then bed. It *is* warm in here but not terrible.

Just opened balcony door in living room. I actually don't like being on 2nd (UK 1st) floor, it seems to lack privacy. But tis OK, it's a nice flat and swings and roundabouts. (Flat overlooks pool. I may have right to use it, but since can't swim not big issue. Earlier v family noisy. Now a few ppl on fringe. Not *bothered* but compared to the privacy of a flat on 12th floor is different.)

0336 This is a nice flat but though a bit cleaner and more elegant not that much nicer than my place in London, yet I feel slightly lucky to be here. Not a bad thought/feeling I guess. Don't intend to force myself to get up tomorrow, if I lose the whole day cos I really want to sleep that's cool (tho will feel annoyed).

Mendoza, Friday

Fri 0030 Actually I fucked up; booking.com does have some apartment in Monjitas (for all I know same one stayed at before) for about £23 a night. I'm not too upset; I have a suspicion Santa Lucia is maybe a better location in general, the distance from PN is not significantly different and £3 a night isn't worth worrying about. It does annoy me a bit I missed this, though - ironically I think I did miss it because it's "Promoted" so I automatically assumed it was expensive and not respecting the sort by lowest price I had on. Worth bearing in mind another time, but I think it's good to try something slightly different (assuming those are the same apartments I stayed in last time).

(No, the address is not the same as the place I stayed in 2014. Looking at map the location of the Monjitas apartment may be a bit "better" , but it's hard to say - may work in my favour by showing me a slightly different bit of city. I don't really regret booking what I've done, but I am annoyed I didn't get to have this tussle before I booked, ie that I overlooked this one cheap option on booking.com. Oh well, small lesson learned, and as I say this is hardly a disaster and may subtly work out for the best.)

1243 Really didn't sleep very well, unlike last night which wasn't too bad. Got up 11ish. No one was downstairs 20 mins ago but host's wife/gf is up and she helped me put my clothes in washing machine, so need to hang around for 40 mins or so til they're done. TBH this is almost less convenient than washing them in sink myself, but it probably is a better wash. Seemingly endless messages from airbnb host(s), they want my private e-mail address, my whatsapp, as seems to be standard airbnb practice they completely ignore the information on my arrival time I wrote in the "tell us about your visit" box on the original booking and have asked for it again. I was tempted to refuse to give private e-mail or WhatsApp but decided was no point. Bit miffed all the same. They also want to know when I'll be leaving to sort checkout, will have to tell them when I know, seems a bit stupid as they AFAICR have a fixed hotel-ish checkout time like 10am so presumably they're not flexible and therefore why are they asking?

Hostess asked me some one word question in Spanish and when I didn't get it she switched to English. Think she's American. Always feel a bit irrationally peeved at this, I don't get one word so my Spanish is terrible!? But she did offer to carry on in Spanish, but I declined - seems futile when we're both probably native English speakers.

1513 Walked along Villanueva - which is quite near airbnb - must have been there on previous visit at night, though didn't exactly remember it. Done a circuit of lake in park San Martin, which is quite nice, and now at cafe place on one end of lake wondering if it's table service or not. There is a mildly cooling breeze and it's quite cloudy which is frankly welcome. Still feeling very hot.

Seem to have all details sorted with Santiago airbnb anyway, I can pick up key from a lock box using a code, just need to speak to concierge.

Think I will have a beer then a coffee; not super cheap here but it's OK and I really have no other pressing engagements. Not ideal to be having beer but tis OK. Place is Punta del Lago.

1528 Was spitting rain v lightly at times as walked round lake but now starting to rain a bit more. Moved under canopy on table, as long as doesn't piss down (tho could go in) quite welcome it.

Park has wifi which hadn't tried before but seems to work, which is nice, and no passwords or registration or other crap.

1719 Just asked to pay, assume waitress going off shift. 165ish, will tip 25. Money in my pocket is fucking soggy as shit, the sort of thing I'd seen retailcomic.com mention but had never experienced personally or forgotten. Feeling super sticky. No idea if it's better or worse today than earlier days. Having a cafe doble, gut feel is I will nurse this, go for a slash (mainly to wash hands) then buy a big bottle of water and wander for a bit before eating. Batt at 40% which isn't great.

1824 Bit shitty, the toilet - I asked - was outside, then despite signs saying it was free it was locked. Maybe if I'd gone back in and asked they'd have given me a key, dunno. Walked back to house - via Yes 24h shop bought water in earlier, had small fun bilingual smiley moment with guy at counter as was able to give him 105 to pay for the 57-but-rounded-down-to-55 bottle of water unlike this morning (does grate a bit I haven't found anywhere cheap for water here and seem to be paying nearly double what I was managing *in fucking BA*) - bit of a trog but exercise is good, *may* have a shower (we'll see) and I have plenty of time to go back out for food and prob another beer, also had chance to speak to host and establish I can put key throw open front window if he's not up when I need to leave tomorrow morning earlyish. His dog - which I hadn't seen since check in, big black thing called Gaucho - was sleeping in front of street door and had a bit of a bark but I think I handled him OK, eventually had a bit of a stroke, he seems a nice enough dog.

Sitting in room drinking my water while it's cold (this is handy as I can leave dregs here for drinking tonight/in morning without lugging half empty bottle around cafes with me), as I say may have a shower later (prob won't need to reapply sunscreen as be near dark when go out) tho dunno as prob don't want to burn a set of clean clothes, tho OTOH I perhaps should if they're dry as the comfort would be nice and I think there's a laundry room (and obv a private bathroom if prefer) in apartment. Topping up phone too. Assuming Android actually charges using power from power bank rather than treats the CPU as a space heater.

Am feeling bit hungry but that's good, I may end up getting a probably not-intended-for-one-person pizza and beer on Aristides, but we'll see. Quite looking forward to probably being able to cook for myself a bit in Santiago, tho plan to get lomo a lo pobre first night on way out to bars. (Have seen this here in Sarmiento plaza last night, but figured rather leave it for Santiago.)

2054 Need to put previous draft on top of this; Dropbox is refusing to open it. At Sixth Dagger on Aristides, getting pint of 2359 (on 2 for 150 offer; asked waitress if could get my two pints sequentially) and a possibly meant-for-2 pizza especial (hope so given it's 250). Lardy but WTF. Had to loosen belt when sat down despite not eating. Meh. Maybe all the water been drinking. Did complete circuit of Aristides Villanueva before settling on this place; lots didn't have a menu out.

Phone really struggling to top up battery, just poss it is the heat not the phone being shit but fk knows. Turned it off and left it charging in room and its 52% now, prob see me through night reading and home.

Saw trams earlier; IIRC these were just coming into service on my last visit.

Am sure am making horrific Spanish errors but waitress seems to understand anyway.

Did have a shower and changed clothes (not trousers: saving freshly washed combats for tomorrow) back at house. Still feel a bit sticky but not too bad.

2152 Getting second pint, pizza pretty good if bit hard, not stuffed. Vaguely tempting to have more beer after this but it's late-ish, need to pack and be up early tomorrow etc and will prob be out tomorrow night so be sensible.

2225 Not bad beer. Getting bill. Just slightly edgy over walk home but no real reason to expect problems. Fingers crossed do get that 2 for 150 offer but won't make a fuss if I don't, I think. Yes, I did, bill 400, will tip 50, nah, sod it, make it 60.

2248 Home. V slightly edgy on way back but no problems at all.

2350 Mostly packed, trying to charge phone enough to not leave it hooked up to power bank all night (because if I do it will run the thing flat and I'll have no reserve power for bus) then going to bed. Will send this now before I forget.

Mendoza, Thursday

Wed 0018 Prob looked this up before, but quick poke at web suggests it takes two weeks to acclimatise to heat, and it takes a couple of days for process to start (I think this is part of the two weeks). You need about 2h exposure a day doing light exercise, so aircon isn't necessarily going to slow the process down unless I camp indoors all day.

1632 At Bon Cafe - which is *air conditioned*, yay - getting medium coffee, 2 croissants and a juice (70, will prob make it 100). Just had 2 apples and 3 bananas on street purchased from a fruit stall I happened to come across. Bought ticket to Santiago for Saturday, was going to trog over and book either trek or bus tour for Friday then rebelled - I am feeling shit, have to be up early Sat for Santiago, not in mood for dragging myself up super early Fri too, just not that bothered about this tour or small trek up that mountain, so decided sod it. Maybe another time I visit.

Got up maybe 1030 after snoozing pleasantly ish on alarm. Didn't leave house til 1pmish IIRC, didn't see host or other guest(s).

Enough waffle for now. Read book on phone and try to relax.

1652 OK. Just to ramble a bit. The Mendoza-Santiago trip is about 7h. I dithered quite a lot while loitering in bus terminal but I figured it's a bit too short to do overnight - if you leave here at say 2145 you're getting into Santiago at arse o'clock in the morning with probably no ability to check in. I also sort of want to do it in the day in case there are good views. But - especially if I'm airbnb-ing an apartment - I may have to be checked in at accom by 8pm, which meant I kind of had to chose 1000 departure. You need to be there half an hour before, I can't assume I'll get a taxi near my current accom and it's a fair hike - call it 45 mins, maybe more - so even with 1000 departure I'm looking at having to leave house 0845 or earlier (just hope host isn't going to be asleep at that time).

Was feeling decidedly like I was/am rushing around like fucking crazy. TBH I am a bit dubious whether I'll enjoy myself in Santiago, but I think it's a slight low mood talking there.

1729 Been to bog to finally stash bus ticket and cards (brough both credit and debit out as not sure what might be acceptable; was able to use Halifax Clarity in the end, though in hindsight brining aqua card instead might have been better since I at least get cashback on that) and cash (since I couldn't assume bus ticket could be paid on card, and also intended to be buying tour of some kind). Feeling a bit better though not super "happy" I'm making good use of my time. I need to just relax and try to meander and observe a bit. Prob get a small coffee before I go, wander a bit then try to find somewhere to eat. Just *may* have a beer or two (since I may not want to be out Fri night, given early start) but we'll see how it goes. I may be out Sat night in Santiago if all goes well.

Feels good to have stuff stashed, I must say.

Bit leery of walking back to house after dark but was OK yday and I won't get lost today, plus not intending to stop out very late.

1739 Ordered cafe grande (45); this is black so negligible calories (as with the medium just had; not so much the croissants and juice) and I'm already in for a tip and by time finish this will have a briefish wander and see about food and maybe beer. Feel slightly I should be doing "more" (activity, socialising, whatever) but probably irrational. Phone batt is mildly limiting at 61% but be OK.

Address of this place is Av. Além 21. Slightly sterile and currently mostly empty but not too bad on the whole.

Bus ticket was 1200; that's semi-cama, cama was 1400. I asked a few places and price fairly standard. One did tell me 1050 for semi-cama but their bus left at 1030 and I felt that would be pushing it further than desirable on arrival time (plus they only took cash, which probably works out about 5% more expensive than paying by card by the time you factor in the cash machine fees).

I was feeling a bit pushed this morning at terminal with need to get over to the tour agencies after. I hope tomorrow to get up 10ish, ask about using washing machine, then go out for a more chilled wander for the day, since apart from needing to be up early Sat I will have nothing I have to do tomorrow. Will book accommodation in Santiago back at house tonight; need to take some care over it, though may be willing to take a chance on a central-ish but new-to-me area if it seems cheap or interesting; I can always get a cab home from Pio Nono if I want/need to. (Plus plan is to spend a week there; if I get bored - which I doubt - that's almost good, I can just chill out quietly - then try Concepcion. However long I spend in Concepcion will be back in Santiago at least briefly after, so I can always stay in a "better" place in Santiago on that second stint if the first one doesn't work out. But do want to exercise some judgement in selecting where to stay.)

Bought two litre bottle of carbonated water (with a sort of soda syphon gadget on top! Doesn't seem to work for me, I unscrewed top) this morning on walk to terminal (ARS50); drank most of it on the walk in, still lugging remains round in a carrier bag now. Used some of it to wash apples off; I don't normally bother washing fruit back in UK but feel compelled to abroad.

1845 Been mostly staring out of window and mulling, not feeling amazing but not too bad, moderately positive thoughts. Will get bill and go wander for food shortly.

1852 Interesting. Bill 115 and then they have added a suggested tip of 11.50. This suggests a raw 10% tip is generally fine. I was probably going to tip 30ish, will make it 130. Useful info, I think. Place may actually be *Bom* Cafe FWIW.

2014 Been walking round trying to find somewhere cheapish with acceptable menu. Knackered. At Berlina in Sarmiento (corner 9 de Julio), looks like they do small pizzas. Sitting outside, no idea if will get any service but let's wait and see. Also seems to be associated w Patagonia beer, may be pricey but might be OK for a couple of beers. May get taxi home but not too late anyway. It's warm/hot out but not too bad.

2024 Spoke to waitress, had to go in to order pizza. No sign of beer prices anywhere. Ordered pizza especial at 120 and paid 230 (no tip yet) with a small looking pint of Patagonia golden ale. May go elsewhere for another pint or two after this, this beer price isn't terrible but not great and as I say it looks a damn small pint, tho that may be misleading. If so will prob pop in and tip 20ish before leaving.

2046 Pizza not huge but OK, went in and tipped 20 (bit low maybe but then again it's not full service, is it?). At another place down Sarmiento (poss called Bremen something but not sure), got litre bottle of Andes for 135ish (plus tip), will have this then go home.

2054 Bugger. Left my mostly empty bottle of water and carrier bag (luckily a smallish one) on table at Berlina. Not going back, prob gone by now and I haven't paid for current beer here anyway. Not the end of the world but annoying. I already left it behind at Bom Cafe once but realised almost immediately and popped back for it. Annoyingly that means if I buy a bottle of water on way home I don't have a carrier bag to carry it in, but not end of world - obviously can't be given a carrier bag when I buy water, that would kill the planet.

2159 Brilliant, the normally-doesn't-work feature to activate camera without unlocking phone has gone off in my pocket to drain battery further. Bill 138, paid 150 which is bit low but OTOH got no change back or acknowledgement on the receipt thing I paid 150 so tis OK, fuck 'em. Prob gonna walk home but play it by ear, will buy water en route if can. Fingers crossed.

2229 Home. Stopped in for bottle of water just after leaving bar - bit pricey at 60 for 1.5 litre (sin gas this time) but hey, it was late and well worth it. No shit getting back, a few people on street including what seemed like a rugby club practicing on small athletic ground en route (mildly disturbing to see from a distance people sprinting round in a group, but rapidly realised it wasn't A chasing down B). Some woman - gf/wife of host? - said hi to me from lounge and fellow airbnb guest in her room with door open exchanged "buenas noches" as passed into my room. Sweltering. Don't like to shower after drinking but it was 3 pints, gonna "chill" (purely metaphorical, alas) for 30-60 mins then shower. Will investigate Santiago accom in 30-ish mins; not that I'm really drunk but might as well sober up first. Do appear to have successfully charged power bank again (tho fucking phone sucked the thing dry overnight, no idea why but hey, it's Android, so...).

2348 OK, I've just booked an apartment in Santiago (no air con, 2nd floor so prob no views but otherwise sounds good - and I've never had air con in Santiago AFAICR) near Santa Lucia metro for a hair under £26 a night for 8 nights. I cross checked with booking.com and they had no apartments for less than this (without even looking at their locations) after taxes and fees were added. Reviews look good and it's self check-in so apart from fact they allowed me to specify 6-8pm there should be no worries if I am delayed on the bus.

This is about 20 mins walk from Pio Nono according to Google Maps, so I should be good to go out there at night and walk back or if not get a cheap taxi. I think I can occupy myself for eight days in Santiago, I like it there, and if nothing else be good to chill out and do not much some days. This is a smidge expensive but it is within my mental budget. I also dug out an old e-mail and I paid USD80 a night (!) for one booking at Inmoba - still my mental "gold standard" for Santiago apartments, probably irrationally - though they then cancelled that due to electrical problems, but without dredging up a billion old e-mails this suggests £26 a night for a nearly as good location is pretty decent.

OK, quick look at old e-mails, I paid USD65 a night (poss plus 19% tax but not clear, let's assume I didn't have to pay that on top) in Jan 2014. That was in Monjitas which (looking at Google Maps) from a narrow "getting to Pio Nono on foot" perspective is perhaps *slightly* better, but not that much. Google suggests spot USD rate was 1.65 at that point, which makes that a hair under £40 a night. So really (assuming Santiago itself has not got cheaper) this suggests airbnb or general market economics have worked in my favour, especially bearing in mind the current spot rate is maybe 1.3 at most.

No further analysis. This is still *relatively* expensive but I think well worth it for the freedom of a place to myself in a city I like (we'll see if I still do), and as I say it is within budget.

Google Maps says Inmoba is permanently closed; didn't try to book there and not researched this further but FWIW.

0011 Not exactly tired but not not tired, will go to bed and read on phone in bed til I drop off. No regrets yet about not booking onto any kind of all-day activity for Friday.

Did briefly wonder about staying in a hostel in Santiago. I do intend to experiment with hostels and socialising on this trip, but so far been experimenting with airbnb (which has a social aspect when renting rooms not whole apartments). Also, while - let's be honest - I would like to be able to socialise with other travellers and have a few beers etc - I would *rather* meet locals if I can and staying in a hostel ain't so hot for that. Plus I really (assuming nothing has changed) do like Santiago and want to hang around on my own in the city and see what happens without any hostel shit, either feeling awkward or (dream on) getting sucked into hanging round the hostel socialising (or hoping to socialise) or going out with hostel people socialising. Plenty of time for that sort of shit later on.

To be scrupulously fair it may be that some hostels will have Latin American travellers rather than English-speaking ones and there is a slim chance I could get chatting with them; I shouldn't blindly assume all hostels will be dominated by English speakers (even if ESL ones, as with the many Europeans in Guatemala).

Feel quite good ATM. Be good to just wander round Mendoza tomorrow without much pressure, don't relish getting up and out to bus terminal on Fri morning but not a huge deal and it will be nice to settle down in a private place (I will probably try to cook for myself a couple of times too) in Santiago for a week.

Anyway, as I said a while back, bed.

Mendoza, Wednesday

1809 In Pizza Chopp or something like that, nr corner Garibaldi and FFS forgotten already. It's hot as hell, though cooler in here. Bought 1.5 litre water earlier and mostly inhaled in. Walked round. Went in few tour agencies. Walked more, slowly. Got another 1.5 litre and have drunk maybe half. Needed piss and dithering heavily re food later or not so came in here for coffee and pasty and (not sure they have one) maybe either food or check out menu to come back a bit later.

1826 So brief summary. I'm feeling a bit harried, I kind of need to get to Santiago or Concepcion and settle down for say a week, I think. It's also as I say hot as hell. airbnb host seems nice enough, may get some chat in but may not, I am only booked for three nights and may not extend.

The tour agencies basically have a full day tour by bus of mountains round here. If all else fails I may well do that Fri. One agency had a trekking kind of thing where you walk up some 2-3km high mountain for about 3h, but it's min 2 persons, I waited while they investigated poss of pairing me up for tomorrow but no joy. I have option to pop back tomorrow to see if they can do me for Fri.

I also need to go to bus terminal (a fair hike, but not a problem unladen, tolerable with bag) tomorrow to try to sort out a bus to Santiago for Sat - no idea how long it takes or cost or whether can/should do overnight. Then the tour of some kind Fri then move on. There are other tours but the mountain one is good enough, would prefer to walk a bit but it sounds interesting and cheap enough to not just be doing it for sake of it.

Useless plug adapter struggling to connect charger to top up power bank - I spent a couple of hours surfing and topping up phone with last of juice at airbnb before coming out - but think I managed to leave it charging. Gotta bin that fucking thing after this trip. Will buy an AUS/NZ adapter to complement my US and Euro adapters - simple, cheap, solid things with no moving parts - and use that.

Host told me he has been mugged at gunpoint a few times, advised me to visit nearby park but stay near the lake. Hmm. Not too worried.

Feels like I'm charging around sorting out onward travel and "things to do" again but it's OK, as I've said before plan is to "hurry" over to Santiago then I can maybe try to settle a bit more. Need to sort out Brazil side-trip but that's not for a while.

Amused to see ads for trips to Jamaica and tanning agencies earlier. OK, I guess beaches, but when it's this fucking hot here why got to Jamaica? And tanning agencies?! Presumably for the winter, but still amused me.

Oh, from bus not long before we got in could see the snow-capped mountains, but interestingly the colour of the sky and the non-snow-bits of the mountains were such a similar colour the snow looked rather like oddly-shaped clouds near the horizon. (Didn't try to photograph this.)

Finished coffee. Torn about what to do now. This place might be cheap to eat but not sure I really want to eat, and might be nicer to wait til say 8-9 and eat then go back for an earlyish night. (If I do the full day tour Fri it leaves 0730ish so be good to get a proper sleep, heat permitting, tonight.) I might get another coffee when they hassle me (I am only customer) and drag things out a bit that way. Really not that hungry, tempted to not really eat a proper meal today but probably will, we'll see how I feel later anyway.

1910 Getting a repeat. Kind of hate this waiting for time to pass but meh.

2015 OK, asked for menu (which I clearly pronounce wrong!?) and getting quarter chicken and chips with a coke zero - the quarter chicken and chips is IIRC ARS135 so cheap, if portion isn't huge that's fine as not super hungry and wasn't sure if should eat or not, once had this will go home and probably have second shower of day and go to bed, if only to surf and sweat for a bit, the surfing being contingent on power bank having managed to charge up with the iffy plug adapter. Batt at 24% as been and am reading on phone but think it will see me home OK.

2105 Very good, chicken was more like a half, bread too. Batt 11% but have checked route home and should be fine, let's get bill and go. Gonna have to break 500... Bill 250, was gonna tip 40 but might as well make it 50. Let's go.

2142 Just got back. Got slightly lost - but only slightly - can't quite believe the place is so far from what seemed a v central place. Not going to make hasty judgement but probably should have taken the "everyone says location is v good" stuff on airbnb with pinch of salt and paid more attention. Tis OK. At least powerbank seems to have charged, good job as phone at 5%. Host and prob friend chatting downstairs, I said hola but no one noticed me so come up, think other new airbnb guest in room next door. Gonna shower and go to bed-ish. Lights on stairs didn't work which isn't ideal but used phone.

2200 Just had shower. Very Bohemian; hadn't used toilet before here, but to flush it you have to stick your hand in a panel removed on wall where presumably a push button should be and lift up a valve (or something; I didn't peer in too closely). My room is pretty large if a bit spartan. Not saying I really hate this, to some extent you get what you pay for and it's sort of nicer than a comparably cheap hotel might be. I do intend however to try to get a half-decent apartment to myself in Santiago for a week; aircon might be nice, but may be pricey and may also work against acclimatisation.

Topping up phone from powerbank, will check balance of my Starling account and surf a bit before bed. Don't have a pillowcase and don't like to get dressed and go down and interrupt to ask for one, will be OK for one night.

Host runs microbrewery on premises; he showed me two downstairs rooms with vats and big plastic containers and so forth.

Do have a sofa in room, sitting on it now, which is nice. Guitar coming from downstairs, not a problem (was some mention of this in listing and doubt it's gonna be late and/or noisy enough to keep me awake).

2359 Bed. Gonna leave window open, no idea if going to get mosquitoes in but I've got to take a chance to get some slightly cooler air in.

Buenos Aires-Mendoza

Tue 1302 At Cafe Belgrano on Defensa near Santo Domingo church; been here before some come in partly for old times' sake and partly because it's air-conditioned. :-) Not super cheap but not too bad.

Got up 10ish but didn't leave flat til about 1230. Packed etc, left bag there. It's pretty damn hot out. Topped up power bank and phone as best I could while loitering in room this morning, tho phone is at 89% now so not great.

Getting small coffee and two meat empanadas; bit worried I'm putting on weight (belt feels a bit tight) but fuck it, if I'm not drinking today (and it is damn tempting in this heat already, never mind later) that's a good start. Not had an empanada here this trip and I think 40 each is moderately cheap. Perhaps (depending on who you believe) empanadas better for me than croissants...

Vague plan for today is mainly to wander, I may head over to the docks/waterway business park type area but we'll see how it goes. Been here before, am coming back, I don't have anything I desperately need to do. Plan is just to "be here" and potter around.

1318 Empanadas pretty good. Not sure what plans are today re food. Sent my complaint in to Edelweiss this morning, see what they say, nothing to lose and feels good to have it out of the way.

Brought camera out with me today, have snapped a few random street scenes just for hell of it.

1357 Getting second coffee. Mildly extravagant but never mind.

1450 Let's go.

1902 Sue me. I'm at Indoor bar getting pizza and a pint of Quilmes. Was really thirsty, just practically inhaled 1.5 litre bottle of water bought from shop. Nearly ordered a diet coke here but didn't. Not exactly the end of the world.

Will write more later, not a bad afternoon really. Pretty busy here at IB. Got my semi-usual table outside.

2051 At terminal. Got to flat about 2010 due to delay calling for bill and getting change. Used host's bog, I feel drenched with fucking sweat. Goodbye perhaps a bit hasty but meh. Not gonna write more now lest phone be swiped, will do more on bus. Not *too* hot now but do still feel sweaty. Hoping aircon on bus will freshen me up.

2124 On bus. Usual worries I'd miss it or it would be late and I'd think I'd missed it, but all OK. Had to dredge passport out of hidden belt (didn't try just using copy) and also was allowed to take my bag on but then it didn't fit under seat (v little space) so had to pop back out with it, but got it sorted. Battery 28% but have power bank, will top up once we're off.

So after coffee at Cafe Belgrano I wandered water-wards and ended up passing the museum of humour (think been before but would have gone in again, tho it's shut Tuesdays), taxi driver monument (wonder if seen this before, but if I had I'd forgotten and still think it's kind of cool) before ending up standing at one point along a wall separating road from green marshy reserve area. Little roadside stands every 30m or so but didn't patronise one, just stood by wall alternating between looking at traffic and marsh. Bit of shade and breeze, warm but quite nice. Got lost in thought, had a cool if pointless idea for a little project once I'm back home, generally pretty decent time.

Might have been there couple of hours or more! Then walked back vaguely round towards Chile and those bars; did an extra circuit feeling v thirsty trying to find cheap cold water, I knew there was an Express store in the vicinity which sells 1.5 litres of cold Ser con gas for ARS30, and I *eventually* found it - it's at corner Peru and Venezuela for future reference. As noted above inhaled that, went for pizza and pint at Indoor Bar. That was fine, finished pizza about 1930 but lingered over remains of beer and that plus not allowing for time taken to get and pay bill (had to wait for change, was 220 and tipped 40) made me a bit behind schedule and perhaps rushed more than otherwise would and that maybe made me feel/be more sweaty.

2130 We're off, on time, as was writing that. Beer was not a good, if not a terrible idea - I felt not drunk but I think a bit weird as a result, it's silly but almost like it made me a bit more sweaty. I had vaguely toyed with going to buy a second 1.5 litre bottle cold water for bus before going to flat and on to Subte to Retiro but didn't have time, tho to be fair I had kind of decided not to as did have bit in bag (just not v much) and if I had decided to do this I wouldn't have nursed dregs of beer for 20 mins. Another time I'll probably be stronger re not having beer. Half wish had bought that water but also didn't want to be lugging an extra 1.5kg over to Retiro. Tis OK.

Air con not super fierce (yet) but not too bad, I hope I'll feel better soon and if not I can have a shower tomorrow when I get to new airbnb. Looks like it's a stiffish but tolerable walk from bus terminal and I probably will walk it, partly to save cash, partly exercise and partly because I get a bit edgy in cabs abroad, tho pretty sure they're fine here.

Kept humming "Let Go" by Frou Frou to myself by marsh this afternoon so let's get "Details" album on.

Wed 1047 Slept not too badly though woke up feeling bit dry as usual and as I kept drowsing on I never got offered a drink this morning. Dinner on bus not long after we left OK, some hot vaguely chickeny pie thing, square cold pizza-y thing, cold tortilla espanola and a sticky cake and some sugary Sprite (I turned down red wine) and a small cup instant coffee. Listened to couple of mostly new-to-me HMHB albums (McIntyre and Creative Hub) and fell asleep to Seahorses's DIY (which also listened to on flight as my dad had said he's suddenly heard it on his ipod and it was good).

Bit reluctant to arrive and leave cocoon of bus but tis OK. Charged batt to 90-odd before sleeping, down to 44% now but OK. I think I've knackered the short yellow USB cable by squashing the phone, power bank and cable in my trouser pocket one of the first days/nights in BA to charge phone while being out and about, and it now makes unreliable contact - but just about good enough to charge with if not "disturbed" too much.

airbnb permitting I think plan today is to shower, have a brief walk and see very casually if I can spot any interesting tour agencies that might be able to offer me a trek of some kind, eat and have a quiet night in. Maybe do tiny bit of admin re Brazil side trip but mostly just read or surf web or whatever.

Did a bit of bird-watching at that marsh yesterday, took some photos, there was what might have been a heron. Realised when walking away after my n hours' loitering (no one disturbed me, incidentally) the entrance to the reserve was just up the road so I could probably have gone in and walked round. May do this next time I'm in BA. OTOH I rather enjoyed just standing there in the shade at the side of the road staring meditatively into space so not a big loss that I didn't go in.

Quite a lot of bottles/cans floating on marsh. Found myself wondering if a slow-moving (so as not to disturb anything) automatic cleaning machine could be invented. Or maybe a simple human remote controlled one - I could imagine it being just fun and challenging enough to drive one it would be easy to get a volunteer. But it would be coolest to have an automated one which would just keep cleaning slowly and steadily 24/7; I suspect that would be enough to keep the area completely clean even with the odd scrote throwing new stuff in every now and then.

There are USB sockets on the small screens mounted in front of seat but I am assuming my power bank will give a faster charge. Screens don't work super well, didn't intend to watch any films anyway but they kept freezing for minutes at a time during the patronising videos shown about eg human trafficking and wearing seatbelt shortly after we pulled out.

Went for quite badly needed slash few mins ago, bus toilet seemed OK. Not sure if you're allowed to take a dump or not but luckily not that desperate to do so.

1122 Stewardess type woman just gave me a snack boxy thing and said she couldn't serve me earlier because I was sleeping, which was nice of her I guess - will take it away, not hungry now.

1324 Been at new airbnb maybe half hour. Walked over here. Had shower. Seems OK, see how it goes. Anyway, let's send this.

Buenos Aires, Monday

1714 At Casa Mono in Tigre, getting 3 medialunas and coffee with milk for ARS75.

Just been on one hour boat tour (ARS200), which was quite enjoyable in a meditative kind of way. There was a pre-recorded commentary in English and Spanish but I could scarcely here it over the engine so almost completely ignored it.

Some picturesque old boats left to rust by the side of the river at some points. Lots of flashy-ish looking private homes with their own docks, also some run down looking ones. Quite a lot seemingly for sale. Not strictly my bag but mildly fantasy material to buy something like one of these places. But as with musings over buying property in BA yesterday, except even more so in this case, why the hell buy something like that when I could probably comfortably afford to rent by the week or month.

Got train over here, think left Retiro about 1338 but not at all sure - I just happened to get a train immediately before it left. I got some cold water and some apples and bananas in a couple of shops when I got in and ate them before slightly impulsively deciding I would do the tour, there were loads of booths offering it but just went with the one some Argentinians seemed to be using without shopping round. Very touristy but as I say it was quite a nice little circuit really. Will head back to BA after this coffee/snack, decided to come here since figured might as well have a coffee here as when I'm back in BA. Vague plan is to camp out in my room tonight and catch up on some vaguely "admin" stuff (arguing with Edelweiss, maybe a Spanish lesson, try to book some shit re Brazil, etc) and not go out and not have any beers.

Train was maybe half full when we got into Tigre. Seems a nice enough little place. Interesting to see the suburbanish places on the train ride out. Train was airconditioned which was v nice; it was v warm in BA and is pretty warm here too. Could imagine coming back here another time, perhaps even staying a few nights. Not necessarily at end of this trip - weather may be a bit cool by then. Also this is clearly the sort of place where a longer stay or even a half day trip is much better if you can swim, and I haven't learned yet.

Woke up 1030ish on an alarm, wasn't sure if would come over here or not but given I got my combat trousers with zip pockets back (so less worries about pickpockets) I did, tho didn't leave flat til about 1300. Got Subte from Independencia to Retiro, no problems, can't remember for sure if have ever used Subte before or not. Very noisy on platform for some reason even with no trains going in or out of station.

1742 Pretty good food/coffee. Quite a few wasps here, though mostly round the litter bins. Asked host last night about using washing machine, she actually put my stuff in that night, hence my wondering if I'd have my combat trousers to wear this morning, though she had put it on a quick wash after we discussed it and said the machine was also a dryer - she has even paired up the socks and folded them this morning, which was nice of her.

Bit reluctant to leave - perhaps in part because I don't want to do some of the mildly unpleasant admin tonight - but it's OK. It's an hour back to BA and I think there's a train every 15 mins so don't want to loiter forever. Got confirmation before I left flat this morning from the airbnb in Mendoza; wish I'd noted the price before so I could be sure it hasn't changed but it is approximately OK so not too worried.

May eat meal on way back to flat - I plan to walk from Retiro instead of taking Subte, for exercise - especially if I see something cheap and moderately healthy. Will probably try that cheap and decent grill place tomorrow. Am hoping host will let me leave bag at flat during tomorrow but we'll see; if not there is a left luggage office at Retiro bus terminal, tho no idea how much it costs. Was hoping to confirm I am staying there tonight and this leaving bag thing with host before left this morning but she was in shower as I left and given I felt it was a bit late to come to Tigre didn't want to hang around.

I guess it is "school/univ summer holiday" time here, and it's far from dead. Did see a small funfair from the boat which appeared to be shut, though - maybe cos it's Monday or maybe it's shut shut.

Got Subte to Retiro this morning partly to save time and partly to practice for making the journey tomorrow evening with bag if can leave it at flat during day - it's not too far to walk in a casual, sauntering kind of way, but it's a fair old hike and I wouldn't fancy doing it with my bag both from theft (unlikely but possible) and sweat/exertion POV.

2002 At Parilla Polo, the cheapish place at east end of Carlos Calvo. The chicken wok place seemed to be shut so come here. It's pretty busy tonight. Feel really sweaty, bit concerned gonna feel terrible tomorrow with no shower due to being on bus but not end of world plus suspect being on airconditioned bus will help a lot. Cat here wandering round, it just let me stroke it - it was sleeping under my table when I disturbed it by moving chair.

2101 Back at flat, host fine with me leaving bag here, I don't have to be up at any specific time or anything. Food at PP was 225 (bill given verbally), I paid 300 and bloke called me back but I told him rest was tip, pretty sure that's OK, if I had accidentally misunderstood and underpaid am sure he wouldn't have let me leave. This was bit of an overtip perhaps but also didn't like to get change in order to make it 275, perhaps should have done, meh, I perhaps under-tipped last time so it all evens out. Had a drink (Pepsi no sugar) this time, also got given second round of bread as had eaten first before food and a different cut of beef but very good, and the cat was very nice. A few other people said "buen provecho" to me as they passed (I think they were saying it to me), though I usually had my mouth full so couldn't say "gracias" .

2301 So about last night. Got back after my three pints and host spoke to me about the eclipse, we went out to 9 de Julio to look at it (she had some binoculars) and then came back and watched a bit live on TodoNoticias, she put my clothes in the washer, then we went back out at 2am ish to see the total phase. She offered the binoculars to a few passers by on 9 de Julio, and we also ended up with a small group of people just outside flat block looking at it. We had a bit of a chat during all this time, she is a teacher of maths and astronomy at 5 different public schools (some in evening for adults AIUI, others during day for teenage-ish students), her daughter is 17, her mother lives in Mar del Plata and I think her father is dead. Apparently 9 de Julio is the widest avenue in the world; easy to believe. Quite a cool night overall and a good memory I think.

Back is itching quite badly, wonder if it's sweat or the heat or maybe mosquito bites - host said tonight when I said I'd been to Tigre there were lots of mosquitoes there, didn't notice any but I often don't, and just maybe have had some bites through T-shirt on back. But it could just be heat or sweat related. Not a huge deal I guess.

2332 Bed. FWIW just used normal train from Retiro to Tigre, not the tren de la costa - that might be cool but did want to try the ordinary train today and can do tdlc another time. Oh, saw a big horse racing track (Palermo) with a few horses presumably exercising or practising on way back in to Retiro.

A bit before this there were two guys busking on train - one with guitar, another with cello. They did an OK cover of Wonderwall then some other slightly more melancholy song I didn't know, it was quite cinematic listening to that while staring out of window at construction work next to track sliding past. Put 10 in their hat. Didn't give money to any of the (admittedly non-threatening) London-style beggars, or the vendors of scissors, metal tape measures or chocolates saw at various points on journeys out and back.

Not really packed, but since I am under no time pressure to check out tomorrow will pack then after shower etc. Not done much admin, but have drafted complaint to Edelweiss and will send it tomorrow morning. Asked re Spanish lesson but teacher didn't get back to me. Not really done any of the other minor admin eg re Brazil trip but tis OK. Oh, have remembered to get offline map of Mendoza and put airbnb place on there.

Plan for tomorrow is to get up 10am-ish, shower, pack, etc, then have leisurely-ish day wandering round, perhaps revisit Lezama park if feeling brave :-), have some coffee to pass the time some places, but ideally no booze.

Prob other stuff wanted to mention but this will do. Actually bed... (Not exactly tired, but won't hurt to read in bed, plus since I will be sleeping on bus tomorrow night want to try to get a decent night's sleep tonight, and also ideally don't want to be up too late tomorrow.)

Oh, it's a smidge warm in flat but only a smidge and have resisted temptation to turn on the air conditioning unit in my room. Fairly sure I'm allowed to but I did decline its use first night and I'd rather avoid the electricity use. Also to some extent better to suffer some temporary discomfort re temperature so I'll feel more comfortable in the long run. I don't know if it might be more comfortable in Mendoza anyway, not checked. Naively maybe cooler due to it perhaps being a bit higher up (*if* it is) but then again it's not on coast so may tend to be warmer, but so many variables (eg nearness of Andes) no way to sensibly guess I think.

Buenos Aires, Sunday

1348 At Alma cafe near Retiro, they have promo of coffee with milk and two croissants for 75 which is OK, will be welcome but sort of here for toilet - I withdrew 4.1k at Retiro and also have a 2.3k bus ticket and want to secrete these away in the bog.

Woke up about 6am and leapt out of bed with that weird pseudo homesick trapped panic. Got up a bit after 10, showered, shaved etc, host and daughter both sleeping in living room when I left at 12. Maybe they like to sleep late. Maybe they were out last night.

Came over to Retiro trying out a few cash machines en route - all with my Starling card. Banco Credito (not sure remembered right) are Link and seem to change same as Banco de la Nacion. Santander Rio had a gorgeous air-conditioned ATM "room" with a secure door lock but wanted to charge me something like 380 fee, and the machine seemed to get screwed anyway because it sat on a "please wait" screen, then eventually asked if *I* needed more time. Banco Credit wouldn't let me wd 5k; I am trying to find a high wd limit not just best fee. The ATM at Retiro was Banco Ciudad - another Link one - and it charged me the usual 220ish fee but it did let me withdraw 4.1k. Maybe other Link ones would allow this, but still, at least am pushing the amount up a bit, will try 5k next time.

Woman outside one booth up the far end of the ticket area (it's huge) as I circulated round asked me if I wanted tickets. Told me 1800 for semi-cama, system was down when she looked up cama but 1.8k was joint best semi cama fare so went back after going to cash machine (which she directed me to). Cama ejecutivo was 2.3k which was also joint best price and no fuss about different types of service, so I got that. The single seats were all sold out but I got an aisle. Did muse  while circulating round looking for cash machine if I should try semi-cama, but I figured a) it's ten quid difference, ish b) it's a longish journey c) I should try semi-cama on a shorter journey and see/remind myself what it's like then maybe consider it for an overnighter. I also - triggered by some brief research on web re cheap cash macines - decided to pay for the bus ticket on debit card (better would have been eg Halifax Clarity but didn't have it with me) - yes there's a risk of cloning (does chip & PIN reduced this?) but for big purchases like this it's probably a worthwhile risk and it avoids spending expensively-withdrawn cash. The card worked fine, I hadn't anticipated this so am taking a gamble Starling won't stiff me on fees but I suspect they won't given they're good on cash withdrawals.

Much quieter up that end of bus terminal ticket area, may be worth bearing in mind. I got lots of Spanish practice buying the ticket, had to explain I didn't have my passport but did have a copy, also we got into a discussion about what my apellido and nombre were (I don't care but didn't want the bank to decline txn on grounds of name being wrong) and at one point she started typing "BRITISH CITIZEN" in as my name - can't really blame her, obviously my names are "weird" to her, but still amusing. (It is right under my name on the passport, and the copy was a small credit card sized one so I suspect she had been misled by me pointing at something with a fat finger.)

Will also point out - not to suggest anything, I rather liked her - my debit card never went out of my sight, so I'm hoping that suggests cloning is unlikely. I *did* ask for the card back before she offered it to me but that wasn't really suspicious on her part, I simply feared I'd walk off and forget it.

While I admit I'm being rather lazy/taking it easy, the problem with short-ish stays like this 4 nights in BA is that sorting out onward travel tends to impinge on the stay, e.g. yesterday I went to Retiro to check out bus/train options, had to mull it over, had to come back today to buy and I still need to book accommodation (gut feeling is will do 5-7pm-ish as probably go back to flat round then to top phone up - had a quick poke on airbnb this morning and fairly sure will be able to get *something* acceptable, it's not all sold old).

Does feel a little bit of a shame I'm leaving BA so quickly but it kind of makes sense to get right away now at the start of the trip and come back here more slowly at the end - at the end of the trip I have a tight deadline in the form of the flight so I don't want to be many hours' travel away with only a few days to go. Also as I've said before BA seems to be somewhere I'm likely to visit semi-regularly because it's such a relatively cheap and convenient place to fly into from London.

Once I finish up here and have stashed my valuables away, I'll head down towards Defensa/Plaza Dorrego and see if I can enjoy meandering round the market and maybe have a beer or coffee somewhere cheap. Drinking a bit too much (not to excess any one day, but still) but not worrying about it too much right now, doesn't help that I don't like to loiter in flat too much.

It *is* quite good/interesting to be staying in San Telmo (technically Constitucion) instead of the area further north where I think I've usually been before - it's all walkable, but it does influence which bars etc I am likely to go to.

(Did walk past Kilkenny and the bar with the wooden pirates outside yesterday, obviously remember those. Also saw - and took a quick snap on phone from same location - building I have a photo of on wall of my flat, which is near there.)

1427 Enjoyed croissants (medialunas; I am assuming that's a good translation), coffee not bad either. Will get bill, prob make it 100 and hope that's OK (that is a 50p tip and 33% so should be), then use bog and go.

1721 In bar just north of Lezama Park having pricey (110/pint) IPA; feel a bit played as sign outside implies they have pints at 80 but it may have had a cunningly obscured "1/2" on it. Anyway, was super thirsty - hadn't had anything all day except small coffee earlier - popped into supermarket hoping to get bottle of cold water but they had none in fridge. Going down too well, may have a second pint anyway despite price. It is pretty decent.

Was no bog in that cafe so had to use one in station, which was mildly annoying given I went to cafe primarily for bog, but croissants were nice anyway.

Bought a SUBE card at San Martin Subte stn, ARS75 and put 100 credit on it. Expected problems being asked for ID and only having copy of passport and to have to fill in a form (based on web search yday) but none of that; handed over cash and got card and got it topped up. It's odd, I'm clearly *not* off the beaten track here in BA, but to judge from the outdated and incomplete info on web (eg SUBE card, long-distance trains) it feels a bit like it.

Saw at Retiro that using SUBE a train ride to Tigre costs ARS30; insanely cheap really. May well go tomorrow, we'll see, just wander round for an hour or two, not do any tours, perhaps have a pint and/or lunch. The train trip is part of fun really on something like that.

Wandered down to Defensa, walked the length of the market (didn't buy anything, though will admit some purses (monederas) shaped like empanadas were cute - not a reason to actually buy one, of course) and saw a couple of minutes of a tango being danced (over shoulders of a crowd, not great view) in Plaza Dorrego itself; was OK but not really my bag, glad I saw it though, may be first tango I've ever seen despite visiting BA n times before.

Really am necking this pint but I am sort of enjoying it and I was very thirsty.

Since I found myself nearly at Lezama park and a sign mentioned it I went in and did a circuit (partly to wear out any residual worries from Friday) - super busy but quite nice. Popped into free Museo Nacion Historica (something like that) on one corner for brief look; was feeling really thirst as went in and only spent maybe 15-30 mins in but not too bad, may pop in again another time, not sure if have been there before or not. Bit of stuff about Falklands and Britain signing some treaty then invading; didn't pay that much attention as I feel it's best not to know too much about it so I can plausibly say that if anyone does try to argue about it, plus of course that's likely to be a biased source (as a naive British source would be).

1741 Finished pint, will get another. Think this place is Almarina, at least judging from wifi name and reading rather scripty writing in window backwards. Not sure if is perhaps a smidge of a tourist trap but prob unfair. Anyway at these prices prob wouldn't come back but they're not insane, may have another pint and an americano after but let's see, have a pint anyway.

Note to self: "IPA" is pronounced as a word (eepah) not as individual letters.

1812 So I've applied (will take up to 24h to get yea or nay) for a place in Mendoza on airbnb. See how it goes. Good to at least have sort of got a booking sorted.

1826 Been reading about currency conversion shenanigans with airbnb, had been wondering if I could take advantage of my no-foreign-exchange fee credit card instead of paying for these Argentinian properties in GBP. Not super clear. As long as the price I'm quoted in GBP is what I pay I can tolerate any shenanigans because I decide if that price is OK, but will have to keep an eye out to see if they're charging me more in GBP than they quoted in GBP when I booked.

Finished second pint, bit tempted to have another but 2nd wasn't as good as first (sure this is psychological, but that's kind of important) and I may well go out tonight for a couple and want to go eat and then pop home to top up phone and ideally ask host if can use washing machine tomorrow, so will get an americano and then go. Do sort of like this bar but it is quite pricey, but the americano isn't super expensive and to a limited extent the more I spend the less shit there is with the tip.

(If I keep drinking now I'll be super pissed before it's very late at all, even ignoring minor "excessive drinking" concerns.)

Just noticed they have one of those gold cats with a waving arm on the bar. No idea if true but can't help thinking of Andy McNab novel claim (from memory) that this is waving money into the owner's pockets, not waving hello. :-)

1855 Some difficulty getting attention but just ordered americano. I feel rushed in a slightly annoying and not super clear way. Maybe it's the prospect of cheaper drinks at eg Indoor Bar til 9pm and time seeming to run out, for once it isn't really the airbnb situation. Need to chill. The saving at eg IB is negligible compared to the extravagance of having had a couple of beers here.

1917 Turned down more peanuts (tempting but had nearly finished coffee and wanted to leave) - v loud drumming outside, think a band is going past in a kind of procession - and got bill, 275 which seems right, going to break a 500 and will maybe tip 50 which may be OTT but not terrible.

Phone at 37%, prob last fine during meal but may take a while to top up back at flat before heading out again. Half tempted not to go out for beer tonight but sort of don't want to loiter round flat. Meh.

1955 Back at flat. Was going to eat at some place had seen earlier offering wok chicken + veg at 180ish, but it was shut. Pizza place opposite airbnb was technically open but didn't look practically open, so come back to top up phone and will eat when go out. Host and daughter sitting on sofa, brief chat, asked if could use washing machine tomorrow and told yes but got no details. Dunno if host will be around tomorrow and didn't like to ask, will see how it turns out and may just "help myself" tomorrow if it's just me and I can see the laundry soap etc.

2102 Yay Android. Battery is increasing at about 1% every 20 mins. I even rebooted the fucker. The back of the phone is almost painful to touch but it's all a wonderful magic black box and there's no way to see what's going on. So I've spent an hour here - using phone a bit but not so much just lately, and that is really no fucking excuse anyway - and got basically jack shit in return for it. All part of the Android magic, I guess. Phone is at 47% now.

No idea if it's too late to eat given it's Sunday or if BA is still a "late" city even on Sunday. Will head out very shortly and see what happens, if I can't eat I have some nuts and raisins left and not eating much today won't kill me. Oh, battery now down to 46% even though it's plugged in and all I'm using is Dropbox text editor. What a stinking fucking turd.

2126 At Indoor Bar. Ordered pint Quilmes and individual ham and red pepper pizza (190); IIRC Argentinian pizza is by my standards a bit odd but is edible. Quite a lot of people out generally, though the pizza place opposite airbnb was virtually empty and not appealing. Could have had steak for eg in couple of places but reluctant to pay 400 odd when there's that decent little place at half the price; I had also hoped to eat semi-healthily today (eg that veg+chicken wok thing) but that's life. Will try to do better tomorrow, eg at least buy some fruit and eat that.

Feel I should be varying my places more but OTOH did go to that new place this afternoon plus given my price sensitivty and a certain nerviness about going inside a bar alone and therefore liking the outdoor seating here etc it's OK. As I say I am actually visiting newish places - this is only my second visit here

Host told me there's a lunar eclipse tonight after 11 and moon will appear red. Just may see it from here, can see moon though looks a bit low and may set by time of eclipse even if I am still out. This does suggest she doesn't expect me back super early tho esp given phone batt situation may not be out super late anyway. Have seen lunar eclipses before, would be nice to see but not overly fussed.

Ah, web says eclipse starts half eleven here and not maximum til gone 2am. So won't be seeing that I think. If I were back home I might well see it from flat at such a time (tho won't be 2am in UK of course) but as it is won't here. Not a big deal.

Seem to be quite a lot of lost cat posters in streets here. :-( Incidentally seem to be no stray dogs in streets. Can't remember if this was case on previous visits or not.

2152 Pizza pretty good, feel a bit stuffed actually so decent portion size. Was vaguely how I remembered - a pretty much solid "sheet" of sliced ham across the whole pizza, not shredded bits all over as might see in UK, with four strips of red pepper across. But very nice.

Oh, AFAICT - I got a notification when I had internet access at Almarina and checked in their app - Starling didn't shaft me on using my debit card to pay for bus ticket. Would prob be better (if no fee locally) to use Halifax Clarity, since I could probably better afford to "lose" it if it did get cloned. But I will be experimenting with it if I stay in country long enough to see if it gives me lower local bank fees anywhere. Will experiment with Barc Plat Travel first tho, and will be a while I suspect cos have all that cash withdrew today.

Was thinking earlier that while I'm sure as hell not doing it now, I *could* imagine spending say a month in BA studying Spanish. I don't know how much it would cost, but I'm less concerned about the local accent/vocabulary/voseo than I was.

Saw some properties in an estate agent's window earlier. Superficially half decent flats at USD100k+. But it would be crazy to buy, even if I really loved BA. As TEA puts it, download your holiday homes from the cloud. Why would I lock myself in, have to deal with local tradesmen and taxes etc when I could probably rent a flat for an entire year for well under USD10k and have total flexibility to stay anywhere else in the world I wanted instead? Yeah I'd have the chance of upside on the local property market but also downside. Do I know jack shit about BA property? No, I don't. I'd be as well sticking the cash in an index fund and putting the returns towards the rent. Not that I was seriously tempted to buy here, but when you're somewhere half decent and have vague emigratory thoughts and prices seem low the idea of buying always flits through your mind. My mind anyway.

Moon no longer in view FWIW. Finished first pint, will get another, battery at 32% which bites but will prob last out what I need, and I know the way back without needing Google Maps to navigate if it *does* get really low (not that it's gonna go dead). Pretty busy in general, if anything more raucous than last night - speculating, maybe people don't stay out as late Sun so I am seeing people towards the end of their evening out (and thus a bit drunker/more animated) compared to people starting their evening out at this kind of time Fri/Sat.

2257 May regret this but having a third. Not pissed but I am drinking modestly-but-very-frequently of late and if I do go to Tigre tomorrow I'll probably have a couple in the afternoon. A smidge worried about getting back late but should be before midnight anyway. Meh. Batt down to 19% but should last out.

2310 Still pretty busy. Got to love a city where it's not dead at this time on a Sunday, completely different from London. For all that it annoys me I don't really understand the opening patterns of various eateries.

2321 Dire Straits "Tunnel of Love" (I think) coming faintly from bar next door. Maybe I'm wrong. Hard to hear properly. The more I hear - lull in nearby conversations - the more certain I am. Definitely Dire Straits anyway. It might actually be the song about "Guitar George" whose name momentarily escapes me.

2331 Nearly finished third. BTW did get flat door open earlier, host congratulated me. Will get bill shortly and go back, don't think it's too late, feh. Pretty busy FWIW, no idea what time they shut. Battery 11%.

2338 Bill 425 which seems right, will make it 500. Just waiting for waitress to take note before leaving. Batt 9%. Fucking thing not charging earlier...

Mon 0221 Bed. Been watching eclipse with host. Odd but very enjoyable, phone at 4% but not dead, presumably as screen been off. Will write more tomorrow, bed now.