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.