Barranquilla-Medellín

Fri 1106 At gate 9. I see from departure boards there are flights to Medellin at 1110 and 1808; those were probably sold out (or so expensive I didn't see them) when I looked, it's not as if there are loads of flights as there are to Bogota.

Everything OK, apparently got an emergency exit row seat (I was doing check in in Spanish and guy asked me if I was happy with emergency exit row, I said yes, should be OK) - don't know if this is on both flights but still good luck even if only one.

No massive problems this morning, woke up earlyish (bright light again), got up maybe 830. First EasyTaxi asked me to cancel after about 10 mins of him visibly driving away from me, saying something about being delayed at llanteria, but I got another one fairly quickly and while he seemed to be a slightly scary driver (we nearly hit a motorcycle) and there was no rear seatbelt (well there was, but it seemed to be tucked behind the seat and I didn't go fishing for it - a bit of authentic Latin American danger :-) ) and the traffic was bad (roadworks on road to airport) and it took ages (think approx 930-1020 in taxi) got here OK and it cost 30k which was about what app had lead to me to expect.

Been having loose shits last couple of days, touch wood not too bad today, think not helped by those pizzas and then larding out on crap in hotel room the day after carnival.

Got through security no fuss having remembered to put everything in bag/coat first, though they did ask me to take my cap off after I went through scanner but they didn't examine it or anything.

Glugged a litre bottle of water before security, don't really need piss yet but may go jic.

Queue in (apparently temporary) check in area was short but moved very slowly, but didn't get too stressed out and it's all worked out OK. I have two (very flimsy) boarding passes.

Noticed last night the cleaner had apparently thrown out a lot of my empty plastic bottles, including one I though had a bit of water left in. This is always annoying but I just need to remember to hide them inside a bag if they're not blatantly non-empty.

1211 On plane (A320-200), many announcements in Spanish which I understood and feel mildly smug about. In middle seat but it is emergency exit so not bad. Also managed to get my bag in the locker over seat; given I have a connection to make I really didn't want to be stuck unable to get back against the stream of passengers to get my bag out and be forced to be last off. I think we may be slightly delayed but that's not super clear; departure board never showed than but some apologies about delays at El Dorado. Still, while I really hope it doesn't come to it a) I have a fairly generous connection and b) it should fall to LATAM to sort me out if I do miss the connection.

1255 Still here on ground with door open, tho aircon on. Can't take fleece off as don't think allowed it loose on knee in emerg exit row but with aircon it's not too bad. Connection in Bogota is starting to feel a bit iffy, but what can I do? No real announcements about this delay.

1321 Still here. Been given glass of water. Leaflet in seat back pocket (I read English version) about rights for passengers is extremely vague but suggests allowing four hours (!) when you have to make a connection and that the airline is not responsible if the delay is outside their control; it isn't clear if this means they can just tell you to fuck off or you don't get *compensation* but they still have to get you there. Fuck knows. Just have to see what happens. We're over an hour late now, the connection would be iffy (since I'm sure there's going to be a security screening in Bogota) anyway but if we don't take off soon it's going to be out of the question.

Absolutely no announcements, not that I can't understand them, there simply aren't any.

1327 Crew announcement over tannoy, sounds like we might be leaving soon. Of course, if we leave now the connection is going to be extremely stressful but there is a chance.

1406 Announcement, we're landing in about 50 minutes. Took off not too long after 1327 entry. This is going to be extremely tight verging on impossible.

1501 Maybe I'm an idiot or maybe someone else is. Fought my way off the plane, a woman was there calling for people with connections to Cali or Medellin and I hurried over and showed her my boarding pass and *the boarding pass* shows a departure time of 1920 and now I've had a chance to look so do the departure boards here in Bogota; flight is delayed. So I didn't need to be getting workedqll up during the previous flight. Yes this four plus hour delay bites - connection woman said something about subway and being entitled to food, but there *is* no Subway and I can't find anyone else to ask but no immediate rush - but at least I will get there eventually.

I *don't* recall any flurry of unintelligble Spanish from the guy at check in who gave me my boarding passes, maybe he just slipped it in so casually I failed to notice. Fuck knows. I might in hindsight guess the announcements about El Dorado back at Barranquilla were about delays at the airport here in Bogota, though I suppose I *did* kind of understand those. Really fuck knows. Perhaps I have failed to understand something I was told, but it does feel like communication on this has not been great.

Miraculously internal connections here at Bogota do not appear to require passing security.

1508 Annoyingly the 1541 LATAM flight to Medellin seems *not* to be delayed, but I am guessing they're not putting me on it, maybe they have put other people on it.

1511 Kudos. I spoke to staff at 1541 flight desk and a) I do have to go to Subway, which means passing out through security then clearing it again, which sucks but really I have plenty of time b) I did *ask* if I could switch onto the 1541 flight and they said it was full, not too surprising, but at least I *did* ask rather than being too timid.

I will wait til the 1541 flight goes - just in case some bizarre fluke causes a seat to turn up - and then go out through security and see if I can get some free food at Subway. I'll e-mail the hotel in an hour or so.

This is pretty shitty but not the end of the world. I'd rather not be having to arrive in Medellin after dark but as I was taking a taxi anyway and it should be a fixed fee door to door it's not that big a deal. You can apparently drink the tap water in Medellin so if there isn't a handy shop right by the hotel to buy any I can always fill my bottle from the tap and shove a chlorine tablet in it as a belt and braces precaution.

I do at least have my powerbank so I can top up phone and thus can read during the wait. I can even surf the web within limits I guess, thanks to having a reasonably decent data allowance.

1727 Embarked on epic quest to find Subway, which was hiding on ground floor near arrivals, nowhere near any of the other food outlets. But got a small ham and turkey sub with packet of crisps and a drink for free (just had to sign my name on a passenger list) and do feel better for it. Of course that just whetted my appetite so after a hassle-free security re-transit to get back into gate area I splurged 3900 on a small but nice enough warm flauta (chicken, mushroom, bacon according to sign, though TBH contents seemed slender enough to hardly notice). I asked and beer there is 6.xk, I was tempted to go back later but the cans looked big in the fridge but noticed they are actually those tiny half-pint cans so unlikely to splurge on a beer.

1903 On plane. As could see from boarding pass am in middle of a row (right at back too, so won't be off in a hurry but not in a desperate hurry) but it's fine, it's a short flight and I just want to get to fucking Medellin and check in. Need to keep reminding myself - not that I'm actually flapping or angry - that this is all very routine stuff, fixed fare taxi, not arriving super late at hotel, all sweet.

Contrary to ticket, safety card says this is another A320-200. Not that it matters, but jotting that down passes the time...

2308 Can't help feeling I've fallen on my feet here. But let's back up.

Flight to Medellin seemed almost insanely short, think we landed about 2000. No fuss at all walking out of airside to landside, no checks. Bit edgy re taxi but I got a white taxi for the advertised 80k with only a bit of incomprehensible futzing around (eg chap by side of road telling me a price and gesturing at some cabs in an unclear way). I did sort of get offered a colectivo at one point but given the late hour and the fact I'd never been intending to do it (tho it's probably a good option for a tight git like me; I could almost certainly have EasyTaxied it from the central drop off point and saved money, but as I say it was late) I didn't.

Driver didn't talk to me. He had radio on, I mostly followed it once I put a bit of effort into it, some chap talking about record collecting. Intrigued, amused and vaguely flattered to hear him say a) he tended to be into 80s English language music, they played Depeche Mode "Enjoy the silence" in background b) when asked which his favourity city would be to but records/listen to music/drink beer, he answered "London" every time - for all the fact I'm a bit jaded on the place it's still quite cool to be here seeking "exoticness" and hear some guy saying he likes where I'm "fleeing" from.

Also one small positive of being here later than planned is I got to see Medellin by night on the drive in, very cool really.

While going through the new tunnel (which is pretty impressively long) I couldn't help randomly thinking of the tunnel through the Great Glossourantus (sp) from The Cyberiad.

Got dropped off outside hotel, some woman seemed to start talking to driver and also said hello to me which seemed a bit odd but handed him 80k in cash and although he seemed a bit distracted all fine.

Street hotel is on seems very lively; I immediately liked the vibe, there was a bar opposite hotel and I formed almost immediate plans to pop out for a few beers after check in having had this dropped in my lap.

Check in relatively smooth, I haven't paid yet and although my Spanish semi-failed me (I *did* ask for a repeat instead of pretending I understood, so kudos, but it didn't help much) it appears I can pay by credit card at no additional charge and in any case I can pay when I check out.

So came up to room, stashed passport etc and put a bit of charge into HTC then went out. I did a very short mini-circuit up one side of street and down the other. The area reminds me a little of Pio Nono, though it really isn't the same (in both a good and a bad way; bear in mind last few visits to PN have been a little disappointing), primarily because it's not *just* bars but there are many hotels and casinos and little shops interleaved, but it is quite noisy and lively. I can hear noise in my room right now, but compared to my Cartagena room this is nothing. Maybe I'm in a different mood and perhaps having a little less culture shock going on matters, but the rowdy env round Cartagena hotel felt tourist-exploiting and too young for me, whereas this feels more local-ish - for all that I saw some probably USish expats in their 50s on street - and a bit more "real" and while undeniably a lot of youngish people about I am far from oldest person on street.

It feels "a trifle low" (JKJ) but I like that; I was marginally intimidated by some teenagers eg skateboarding but I think it's not a bad/unsafe place and loads of people on street. It also feels nicely low budget, like PN, and that's brilliant for me.

I did sort of want to eat so was looking at food prices and ended up in a grill place approx opposite hotel which didn't seem to have a clear name but the sign had "ay que rico" prominently on it so will assume it's called that. Pollo a la plancha and the like 20k which isn't cheap but not terrible, I wasn't starving so compromised on the "chuzo de pollo y cerdo" (chicken and pork kebab, pretty much) at 12.5k which was actually very decent (I got the salad undressed but it seemed a bit coleslawy and I didn't eat much) with chips, salad and two small arepas. Also got a 330ml bottle of Pilsen (4%) at IIRC 3.5k (bar opposite, which had similar colour scheme and may be under similar ownership advertised Pilsen at 3k, but since I never got written bill can't be sure what I paid - actually it probably *was* 3k, since I had 4 in total and my bill was 24.5k and I then tipped an extra 4) which is cheapest beer out I've had yet, and perfectly decent. So I had four, but didn't go nuts and popped over to a "no entry, served through hatch at this time of night" drug store I'd seen during my brief circuit for a bottle of water (1.5l for 3.7k, bit pricey but not terrible and it is chilled) and came back to hotel.

Oh, I checked about breakfast when I went out and it's not included, so won't be bothering with that.

I don't know if I was out "early" by local standards. It was lively but then again a sort of disco bar next to where I went had at most one table occupied, but on third hand I passed some other bars which were rammed when going back to hotel with water.

Reason I say bar/grill opposite where I ate might be related is its sign said "barra libre de ensaladas" whereas the menu at mine said "barra libre de salsa" and I wonder if this was a kind of mutually referencing joke, and they had similar black-red-yellow colour scheme and font.

I wore the fleece out and it was borderline too warm, borderline comfortable.

So while it would certainly be good to eg find live music or try some web-based meet-up thing, I think there is some potential for moderately restrained solo nights out exploring this immediate area and no transport shit to worry about.

Plan for tomorrow is just to explore a bit, no pressure. GM might have some kind of hill a few blocks north and while I will do a bit of web research first it may well be you can walk up it (I don't think it's anything epic, but who knows?) and I might suspect *if* it's unsafe at times the weekend is the best time to go up.

I did feel a bit conspicuous sitting there a) on my own b) feeling foreign, but it started to pass after a few beers and I think it's fine - this is in large part psychological shit related to being somewhere new and therefore mildly scary. (Not saying I will ever totally blend in, but the idea that I stick out like a sore thumb is probably mostly a psychological thing in my own head.)

I am sober enough to have a shower, I think. Just realised there is no towel supplied; I have my own of course but this is still a little bit shit. But really given I'm cool with the noise level (as I say, it's way less than Cartagena *and* I've already derived some positive benefit from being in a noisy/lively area) this room does seem very good value.

Incidentally the loose bowel thing hasn't really been an issue today, fortunately. I will try to eat some fruit/veg (if only raw from a supermarket) tomorrow too.

2346 Just had shower. Very welcome, not been a super sweaty day really but worn fleece enough in warm-ish conditions it still felt good. After a false start it turns out the shower here actually has truly hot water (like the suite in Barranquilla, but unlike airbnb and hotel was in last two days which only had cold) - in the BQ climate cold water is tolerable and even here it is hardly chilly and cold water would be OK but this is still a very nice surprise.

Not being sarcastic: one advantage of being able to hear noise from bars etc in street is I have a chance of gauging (subject to being awake) when the nightlife hours are here from when I can hear noise.

I am feeling a little tired but will briefly YT it up before cleaning teeth and going to bed.

Sat 0041 Bed. Intermittent pseudo-cold (coronavirus :-) ) feelings in nose/throat during day but probably just my imagination. Feel fairly good generally, I think it's nice to be somewhere new and not have that "leaving in a day or two" feeling I've had the last few days.

Barranquilla, Thursday

Thu 2021 Feeling a bit dissatisfied and lightly edgy about tomorrow. In theory it's no big deal but with a taxi to the airport, two flights and thus probably two security screenings and a taxi at the other end (which is probably going to cost 80k fixed fee if MG is to be believed) it feels a bit of a bugger.

Didn't sleep super well, IIRC I was woken up about 6am by sunlight streaming in through window. Ultimately got up properly maybe 10ish and think after dicking around I finally left hotel maybe 11-1130 but can't really remember.

I had checked out an internet cafe on GM but it didn't seem to exist. Vague plan was to head over to museo de antropologia so I wandered in that vague direction. I wasn't that desperate to go and in a way it was quite nice just to be wandering the streets. Was warm but slightly damp synthetic long-sleeved T-shirt after yesterday's wash actually sort of alleviated things a bit at first.

I did eventually stumble on an internet cafe not far from MdA and paid 1k to print the e-ticket so I have that if I need it. (I always forget "how" I'm going to do this and I think I always re-invent the same solution eventually, ie create a public link to file on Dropbox and type that in on net cafe PC.) I then went and had a fairly decent lunch at Food Time (IIRC) nearby, where you go up to a sort of counter and they serve you pseudo-buffet style; only 8.5k, I handed over 12k and woman seemed a bit mystified and handed me the 2k note back but I said it was tip. Arguably unnecessary as there was no table service but never mind, still cheap and food wasn't bad and if it wasn't airconditioned in there it somehow managed to be pretty cool anyway.

Totally failed to find MdA, even got GM out on phone in street. I walked past where it was supposed to be and even saw buildings with similar street numbers but it apparently doesn't exist. I wasn't deeply bothered about going but it was a bit annoying as I sort of felt I needed to "do something" today. I did luckily stumble across Confamilia (from memory, not sure) and nearly didn't go in but a security guard encouraged me in as I peered through door, and although I didn't go upstairs they had a small carnival-themed art exhibition around the ground floor library which was quite good (didn't take photos as not sure if allowed). GM shows museo romantico in approx same location so it may be that, but it didn't say that outside. Didn't see MR as a separate entity. I was considering the Bolivar museum just down the road but it looked a) as if it was undergoing renovation b) as if it might be more of a university/student-ish building and I didn't go in through the off-to-one-side gate where various young-ish people entered intermittently.

I then went and had a couple of new-to-me juices (zapote and nispero, 4k each - not unreasonable, but mildly insane/indulgent to spend nearly as much on two juices as on lunch-pre-tip - oh, and I "had" to make the juices 10k total with tip anyway of course) somewhere on calle 76 on walk back to hotel and made a point of looking out at the (not "bad" , but not particularly scenic) street view a bit in the hope of soaking up a bit of atmosphere. I had flirted with getting a couple of cold beers to drink back at hotel room but in the end I settled for a couple of cold bottles of soft drink (from a supermarket).

Been slacking off in hotel since got back (maybe 3-4pm-ish). Probably tied in with flight tomorrow but while today in itself has been fine (I enjoyed the walk and I sort of saw the city a bit and the little art exhibition was cool) I am kind of feeling I "should" be having more fun and/or "doing more". But meh, fuck it. It is what it is and I am who I am and TBH the idea of charging round like crazy trying to pack hours of " stuff" into each and every day sounds hellish. Don't get me wrong, a bit more "fun" might be nice, but then in my current mood I'm probably inclined to write off little successes like eg last day or carnival and the four day tour. Also I suspect to some extent those "should" goals conflict; trying to continually squash "formal" tourist activities in would leave little time for random serendipitous bits of fun to arise.

It's silly but I'm a bit worried about getting something to eat in Medellin if I am arriving only an hour or two before dark. But I'm sure it will be fine and it wouldn't kill me to not eat for a day if things really go tits up. In a way it's a pity I am arriving on a Friday as I may feel a bit extra BNM not going out on the Friday night. It's just possible I *will* go out even if just for a couple of beers *if* somewhere attractive is very near the hotel, but I'm reluctant to stray far afield in a new city after dark.

I need to pack - re-pack really, obviously it would be easy to just squish everything into my bag but given I'm flying and there's security shit to deal with I kind of want to take everything out and put it back in neatly and compactly (to minimise chances of crap with airline staff deciding bag is too big for carry on). This really won't take long but been putting it off.

I am disposed to like Medellin unseen but we'll see how I actually get on. If I am there for a while (or even if I'm not) I may try some CS/meetup events there (and other lang exch things if I can find them) and see how that goes. I may consider studying Spanish there but I've no idea how cost effective that would be and I'm obviously only doing that if I do decide I would like to stay there for a few weeks. (I have to bear in mind the relative cheapness of one-on-one classes in Guatemala, among other things.)

2106 Incidentally, it's possible that (mostly due to the accident of using MG for miscellaneous travel advice) reading the odd article on there about being an ex-pat and emigration and so forth makes me think about the idea (both scary and sort of inspiring) of forming a new life in a new city/country where I don't know anyone, and that perhaps makes me reflect on my life back home which isn't all it could be (but not to be morbid; it is in many ways pretty sweet, and I do have all kinds of options including various nuclear ones if I really cared to exercise them) *despite* it being "my own country" and having lived in London for well over 20 years. (In part this is simply a fairly natural drift of friends out of London as they get older, but that doesn't alter the fact it reduces the number of friends I have locally.) I don't blame my mildly "down" mood today/tonight on this particularly, I just mention it as one of the thought complexes rolling around loosely inside my brain.

And of course in a way it's slightly sad to be leaving BQ/the north coast. Not forever as I've already said, and it's not as if I've fallen in love with them, but still. And as I always say, better to be sorry I'm leaving than delighted.

2145 FFS. Lucky I did unpack the bag, I noticed a strange patch of light inside it and the fabric has ripped just beneath where the main strap holding the top shut attaches to the body of the bag. I honestly don't think I've terribly abused it - it sure as hell hasn't been overloaded in terms of weight, it has been packed a bit tight on some occasions but within the adjustment capabilities of the strap. Fuck knows. Just maybe something happened to it while it was strapped to the horse on last day of four day tour. I've patched it with some tenaciouis tape and it will probably - fingers crossed - be fine but this isn't exactly reassuring. The small rip on the top pouch didn't seem too bad (I also patched that back in SM) and was easily justifiable as perhaps over-packing that top pouch during four day tour or perhaps something catching on it during that tour.

At least I've spotted this and hopefully been able to patch it up and stop it spreading.

2354 Did at least find Howsarlock (in zipped pocket of fleece) while packing. Slightly camp sounding guy making half-intelligible phone call on adjoining balcony. He sounds a bit Italian but I think he is speaking Spanish; do wonder if he's maybe Argentinian though can't say I specifically recognise the accent.

The HTC just locked up solid in the middle of a YT video and is now "Optimizing app 1 of 1" for a hell of a long time during the ensuing reboot. Fingers crossed it's OK.

Fri 0010 Not exactly tired but sort of need to be up early (so I can get to airport insanely early if - as fingers crossed happens - nothing goes wrong) and might as well be in bed reading (will stop YT now) as loitering around room reading.

0015 Jesus, he's still burbling on. This is not a quiet hotel room anyway with all the traffic (tho less noise at this time of night) but having this voice drifting in from "nearby" feels a bit fricking intrusive. I'm sure he'll have to shut up eventually.

Barranquilla, Wednesday

Wed 1508 Been a bit slack but it's OK. Need to start having a poke at flights to Medellin really.

Woke up fairly earlyish, drifted back off to sleep. Got up about 10, packed slowly, no one was at home for me to leave the key with and explain about the shower rail having fallen off last night. This kind of worked in my favour as checkout was nominally 11am and new hotel check in 1330, so I got to hang around in the airconditioned airbnb room til about 12 when host got back. No trouble about the shower rail, all very amicable. Got an EasyTaxi over here (worked fairly well; to be fair I think the price ticked up a couple of hundred pesos between the driver showing it to me and me getting charged but not worrying about it), checked in a bit early with no fuss and was able to pay on card. First (UK terminology) floor room with balcony, bit of traffic noise but it's OK.

Went out looking for cheap restaurant, seemed to struggle a bit but came across Mataleña on calle 79 a few blocks north of hotel. Felt oddly intimidated on first going in but relaxed after a bit, was also feeling hot despite aircon but that gradually improved. Had fairly decent carne a la plancha with undressed salad and a full-fat coke I didn't order but which went down very well. Bill 12.5 so made it 15 with tip. Came back via a Justo y Bueno supermarket (with very odd/poor selection of goods) I had found on GM before heading out, got some water and some crisp-ish snack things - bit lardy really. Have had two of the smaller snacks already; packet of "Extrucitos" spicy flavour maize nuggets - nice enough - and nice and slightly odd Snacky brand "caramelo" maize snacks, which are indeed lightly caramel flavoured.

Right. Let's have a quick poke at flight prices and hope I don't get sticker shock. OK, it's not too bad. Annoyingly the few direct flights all leave really early or really late, but there is eg a LATAM flight via Bogota 1217-1601 for £59. Actually the exact same outbound flight is available with a 33m connection in Bogota arriving Medellin 1514, at the same price, but TBH I'd probably feel safer with the slightly longer connection.

1631 Have booked that 1217 flight. Bit edgy about doing it but I've been planning to go to Medellin for a while and there's nothing here on the north coast I want to do right now; I am sure I'll be back and there is lots of potential stuff here, but I've done enough for this trip. Had a quick poke re accom earlier and some cheapish options available but going to slack off a little bit after booking flight before I do anything else. EasyTaxi suggests it would be about 30k for a taxi to airport when I checked an hour ago; it may be more at 9amish but it looks like the price is not horrific and certainly not horrific enough for me to start faffing with public transport to the airport (as per my "be extra cautious when in transit" rule).

It is not clear if I need to print the itinerary which forms my e-ticket or if having it on my phone is good enough. I suspect I don't need it printed, but (I plan to just bum around in hotel room tonight; I've been reasonably active during last few days and a rest won't hurt) tomorrow I will try to "do something" touristy (if only wander round the city a bit; it is interesting that I've now stayed in three different places, although first hotel is walkable from here, and I can see from GM that places I've starred are near-ish, but it sort of feels like I've visited three different places) and I will check for an internet cafe before I leave home and see if I can get a printout for peace of mind.

As with previous flight I'm going hand baggage only and stretching my comfort zone slightly (the flights are very short, especially Bogota-Medellin) by not paying to choose a seat. It's annoying not to have been able to get a direct flight, but I really didn't want to be flying ultra early or ultra late. Maybe if I'd booked further in advance there'd have been direct flights in middle of day, but maybe not, and in any case I think this minor inconvenience of a longer non-direct flight pair is a decent trade off for having the flexibility of not needing to commit to a specific flight date a week or two in advance.

Oh, saw on news as checking in that coronavirus has arrived in South America. TBH I thought there had already been a few cases in Colombia, but anyway, that's what the headline said (sound was off). Mildly worrying but ultimately there's nothing I can do about it of course.

Happened to see some stuff about retirement visas and the like on MG site while taking quick poke re areas and accommodation. Certainly a possibility later in life, although I'd be a bit worried about tax issues and the like. Ultimately not anything I have to worry about right now, for the moment I *may* possibly end up "travelling" and staying in a single city abroad for 3 or just maybe even 6 months as a kind of pseudo-expat in the near-ish future, but while it doesn't hurt to pick up information on actually becoming a proper expat as and when I come across it, I'm not ready (in all sorts of ways) to make the transition to being a true expat at this point.

1853 Booked hotel in Medellin a bit ago, 5 nights at a hair under 40k a night for a double room with private bathroom in what looks to be a decent-ish location seems almost too good to be true but reviews seem OK and give it a go. (No aircon, but there is a fan, and I think it's a bit cooler in Medellin anyway - and if I managed without aircon in Cartagena and Santa Marta I think I can manage in Medellin. (I'm not going to give Medellín its accent most of the time for ease of typing, but I will try to include it on post titles.)

Thu 0024 Did a bit of laundry earlier, been pretty damn slack really but there you go. Bed anyway.

Barranquilla, Monday-Tuesday

Mon 1841 Fairly standard carnival day. Up 930ish, haven't seen airbnb hosts at all today BTW, out to Totumazo for early lunch, back to flat for about an hour from 1130-1230ish then walked over to Via 40 for parade, nominally at 1 but started in practice about 1320. Only paid 5k for a seat under awning today, probably because parade was shorter (finished 1630ish IIRC). Not bad though TBH all getting a bit samey. While I remember, one day (poss first) one group had costumes which were sort of long thin cones over their heads with really basic bird's head's on top, and by means of a string they were making a wood-clapping noise with the beaks, which was quite cool.

Went over to Mono's pizza near airbnb afterwards - pretty decent though not very spicy despite having the El Mono Picante (I did add some chilli flakes from dispenser on table though - and having chicharron, the crumbly packet type stuff, on pizza was a novelty for me) - and have come back to airbnb for shower and to wait for more details from CS group. Organiser sent out an e-mail which I saw at end of parade saying we are going to a "tienda" for beer - I would hope this means there will be a fairly fixed location, and I do intend to try to go to this even though it will probably be other side of town. So not that I would be doing that much otherwise, I am waiting around for more info on this. (If this e-mail hadn't come in I'd probably have come back to airbnb first and gone over to Mono's now-ish, and maybe stayed for a beer or two. It looked moderately lively when I passed it last night, though I was so early - due to influence of possible CS meetup and the parade finishing early - I nearly didn't go in and only did go in because some guy spoke to me and said yes I could come in and unlocked the street door.

Have washed one of my non-wool long sleeve tops in bathroom, I am trying to avoid wearing the wool ones out to carnival lest they get ruined by flour or whatever, though touch wood haven't been on receiving end of any of that yet.

2133 Still no e-mail about this meet up. This isn't necessarily out of order - maybe the meet up will be 11pm or whatever - but I'm leaning towards not going. Maybe I'm just a boring old fart these days. But I think it's the taxi that kills it for me. Also, if it had been announced hours ago "we are meeting at place X at 11pm" I would have sort of  been mentally prepared. As it is I'm suddenly (presumably) going to get an e-mail and have to organise a taxi and trog over there at what feels a pretty late time to me and I'm half dreading the e-mail arriving. Meh. See what happens as and when it turns up. In some ways this suggests my airbnb is in a poor location, but a) price comes into it b) it is in fact in a pretty good location for the Via 40 parades, you can't have everything c) it's not as if there's any one location which would have worked for both NdT and the thing I didn't go to in parque de caribe last night.

Not to mention I have little confidence I'd actually meet anyone when I got there. Not that I wouldn't get on or I'd feel awkward, simply that I'd not manage to physically meet up with anyone. In some ways I would have liked to have experienced some of the carnival nightlife, but I'm increasing un-bothered by this. There will be other "parties" on other occasions, probably when I least expect them, which will probably be less of a massive fucking chore to attend.

(I did observe from GM a couple of local bars shut at 4am over the weekend. So in many ways it is *not* late yet - and quite possibly during carnival things can go on even later - but given the trogging over by taxi - *and* trogging back by taxi afterwards - and the fact I am not really being given much advance warning of the actual time I'm feeling pretty meh about the whole business.)

There's maybe also an element here of "I went out this afternoon, but I " couldn't" stay out so I had to come back home and now I've been hanging around here for ages and I kind of don't want to go *back* out". Had I gone to the parade then met people, or at least gone to parade, popped back for quick shower then gone out again I'd have kept some kind of impetus, but after loitering around here in room for hours I kind of don't want to go back out again now.

On random note, host taught me "bacano" (meaning same as "chevere" ) on walk over to parade on first day. And I did sneak a peak at someone's WhatsApp at the parade and they used "chevere" .

2216 Still no CS e-mail. On a random note, on all three parades so far noticed largish birds soaring around overhead - tempted to call them condors, as if I have the least idea about identifying birds.

2244 OK, fuck it, still no e-mail so I'm officially going to bed - instead of just lying in bed because it seems best comfort compromise between having aircon on and not feeling overly chilled - and this meet up for beer, if it is indeed happening, can fuck off.

(I might have personal messaged the organiser to ask for details, as discussed with Z earlier today, but since she *said* "will post details later" it didn't (doesn't) seem appropriate to ask for those details ahead of time. Meh.)

Tue 2138 OK, a pretty good if mildly weird day. Never any further e-mails from CS group (so last one was yday early afternoon saying we'd meet at tienda for beers yday evening and a subsequent non-existent e-mail would give when and where) - Hanlon's razor suggests organiser just busy with her real friends, but fuck knows. I had half planned to send a "anyone fancy a beer now?" message after today's parade but as about to write that got overtaken by events.

So I slept fairly well but (not too surprising given earlyish bedtime) woke up a bit during night. Got up 930ish, loitered in room, showered. Spoke with airbnb host about going over to calle 84 for parade, popped out to Totumazo for earlyish lunch (asked briefly about carne asada instead of pechuga a la plancha but it got complicated so switched back to palp, bit pathetic but in absence of a menu didn't want to accidentally get stuck with a big bill), incidentally felt hot as hell while eating, came back to airbnb and host (as had sort of said before) said she was driving down to calle 84 to meet some friends and invited me to join her.

So I did, and we parked up somewhere off calle 85 and met her friends and took some camping chairs off to a shady part of calle 84 and sat and watched parade for free. Friends gave me a couple of beers and I felt a bit of a freeloader but as was toying with buying a round from an ambulatory vendor host said some of them were going off to supermarket for beer and I managed to contribute 20k and didn't feel too bad then. Host gave me some commentary on parade (tho all I can remember to write now is a) women in red with white spot dresses incl bow on head called negrita puloy (sp) b) "garotos" (sp) are men who dress as women in tribute to men who did that during slave era to attack Spaniards who preyed on their women). I was a bit socially nervy at first but really this was all pretty cool. Got some photos taken with group and an Edward Scissorhands impersonator, one of group chucked load of powder over me and host but not a problem (and I figured if she doesn't mind, it's her car and her flat getting it carried on from my clothes).

When we came back after parade it was boys-v-girls split so I came back with some of the guys, which was fine, managed to chat with them (sat in back with Freddie, who was in his late 50s) and we came back to airbnb. Some YTing and more beers, rather oddly *everyone* suddenly decamped after about an hour at maybe 730pm, so I made my excuses to hosts and went down to Mono's for a pizza (which was pretty decent), feeling mildly but not particularly pissed. Got back and showered (though most of powder had gone anyway) and now writing this.

Oh, as everyone decamped they "taught" (forgotten seconds later) me some rude-ish local words and maybe in a nice way this was a bit of a pisstake but generally felt pretty decent with everyone. Mildly amazed/amused that when I said I wanted to go to bog during parade (we had quite a few beers), the first time about five of us went together and they negotiated 500 pesos each instead of 1k fee (shown all over town during carnival), and the second time I went Freddie came with me and insisted I should pay only 500 pesos as was second visit and I said as much to woman at bog and she accepted it. Normally I might write such things off as being an arsehole tourist bickering over pennies (if it says 1k I will pay 1k, though it anyone had tried to charge me more yes I might have argued) but since the Colombians seemed to feel it was OK I went along with it.

So I think that's about it. Pretty cool to have had that "local" experience today even if slightly stressful at times, and in a way it's "pleasing" that the CS group proved incompetently unhelpful right to the end.

I hastily booked a hotel for next two nights while waiting to leave with airbnb host about 130pm, so going there tomorrow midday ish. I figure that while I may be going to get shafted on buying a flight at short notice, I can afford to hang around here a day or two and look at flights calmly tomorrow instead of booking something in haste today and repenting. I also need to read guide book etc re Medellin to get accom in an acceptable location and really didn't want to be booking a flight to Medellin tomorrow and accom there in a hurry and maybe regretting it.

I think that's about the gist of everything up to now. Will do fucking Duolingo and maybe go to bed and probably post this before go to sleep but if not at least it's written up.

2206 OK, yes, I think that's about it. There were some of those conical clacky-birds-heads in today's parade (though not as divertingly rhythmical as other day) and I did snap a photo (poss rather poor) with phone. I'm going to go to bed now so I'll submit this and I can always make random observations which occur to me later in subsequent posts.

Barranquilla, Friday-Sunday

Fri 1610 Back at airbnb. Although no specific details on where exactly to meet up yet, that CS group has a new comment about meeting up in plaza de la paz about 7pm for noche de los tambores, so I will probably get a taxi over there (I'm going to end up spending a fortune on taxis, and not completely sure how I'll get back - will I use phone on street (big no-no during carnival according to airbnb host) or will I chance getting a cab on street) later.

Everything mostly smooth today. Breakfast and several coffees by pool til 1130ish. Packed no trouble, I've got a horrible feeling I've lost a 50k note I had stashed in the trousers I washed last night (I took it out to wash them but don't know where I put it and frantic looking round before I checked out failed to find it in room; maybe it is hidden somewhere in my bag and I forgot where I've put it), but apart from that everything seems OK.

EasyTaxi didn't lie about arrival time of cab (tho it *did* have a different registration number, which was mildly disoncerting this time, except for minor confusion over building number and a mildly over-intense concierge type chap on the gate (he keeps calling me "mister" and saying incomprehensible things as I go in/out) everything is fine with the airbnb, room is quite nice and I have a private bathroom (though I need to go across communal hallway to get to it) and there's aircon etc, which I am indulging in now. Host talked to me a bit, I explained about this rather wappy group of people I hope to meet and I think she said she can show me where to go to maybe be able to get some sort of seat for parade tomorrow middayish if nothing happens with my group.

I went out for a brief wander, area seems quiet ish (only security advice host gave me was not to get phone out on street as it's carnival and more foreigners and more presumably-opportunistic snatch-and-run robberies), she had said were several cheap restaurants and I eventually found one (Totumazo) which I risked even though no prices show - service not bad natured but *very* informal-ish, but got a pretty decent chicken breast with the usual trimmings including soup (and an undressed salad; I need to ask for this more directly instead of using a long waffly sentence I think) and a small coffee after (I asked for that and guy seemed a bit dubious if they had any, then someone else said they had) for 9k! I asked if that included the coffee (well, that's what I think I asked) and he said not to worry about it. So I handed over 10k and left it at that, amazing value.

Then got some water (6k for 5l) and six croissanty things (2k the bag) at shop opposite the apartment compex the airbnb is in and came back here. Am just loitering in room, reading a bit, writing this etc, and had three croissanty things (bit lardy). I am hoping some more information on CS meetup will come in but if not I will head over to PdlP 7pmish and see what happens. This carnival business feels very passive (normally I would be saying "I will go here" or "I will do this" , even if it's a struggle against nerves/laziness, but now I'm being very reactive) but it feels like I need to be super cautious given the insane levels of business during carnival (although I'm sure I'm exaggerating the level of this in my head).

Is a junior fiction book "Me dicen Sara Tomate" on shelf here, which it turns out is actually a translation of an English book I haven't read. I have read a few pages of it intermittently.

1737 Need to remind myself I'm not heading out into a fucking war zone.

Sat 2037 Catch up. Jumping ahead, just got back from Soda Loka round corner from airbnb - I had gone out for an unnecessary bit of food (I ate this morning and had three croissant things when I got back this afternoon) and a couple of beers. Service ultra slow, I seemed to have my personal invisibility field switched on by accident. Got some french fries (tiny portion, no salt and waitress had evaporated before I could think to ask) and an Aguila light (no original). After having those thought I might have same again, closest I got to staff attention was when I managed to make eye contact with a waitress serving an adjacent table, I *thought* I asked her for same again but obviously I just mumbled and she couldn't be arsed to ask me what I'd said so ignored me. Someone cleaned my empty dish and beer can away and I sat there for a good while half hoping something would turn up but it didn't. So I went over to cashier window and paid - they did manage to include the voluntary service charge, of course - they didn't offer me a copy of the credit card receipt or anything. Shit service is one thing but I wonder if this is something I'm doing wrong, esp wrt Spanish. On the other hand they probably just don't give a shit, given eg not asking me if I wanted a copy of receipt.

TBH I was feeling a bit cold (laughable, really) sitting outside at SL and worn out and although there's been some modest activity on the CS group this afternoon no one has yet actually made a concrete proposal (and the meetup group I signed up for this morning also has no concrete meetup details) and my feet are hurting a bit after all the standing today and yday so I came back to flat. Host gave me a ciruela (small but tasty fruit although 90% of volume is an inedible stone) to try, and I made my excuses (well, told the truth) about indefinite shity on CS group and feet hurting and after cleaning teeth have come to lie on bed and write this up even though not really in the mood.

So going back to where I left off last night, I had huge wait (though it was all well-communicated; I am out here in a suburb and it's carnival, so expect some delay) to get an EasyTaxi over to PdlP. Happened to bump into host who was driving back in as I went out to get in taxi.

On way over there - oh, maybe they *really* don't rate my Spanish based on the initial "gracias" type exchange as I get in, but one way or another the ET drivers don't seem very chatty for better or worse - I was feeling a bit shitty. The expense and hassle of the fairly lengthy taxi journey, wondering (big underlying theme of the evening) how I'd get home, extreme doubts about meeting this super-wappy CS group, the largely deserted streets not exactly seeming lively. Then when we got to PdlP it was really busy and felt a bit threatening.

Anyway, I got out and didn't feel too bad and at least it *was* lively. I loitered a bit and then noticed people going "inside" the barriers round the plaza and I went in myself - brief security frisking but nothing major. Some people also got their ID checked but I didn't. I don't think I sneaked in without a ticket but who knows. There were probably a thousand people there, probably way more, so obviously just saying "we're going to Plaza de la Paz" is a perfect way to arrange a meetup of total strangers. I did - it felt reasonably "not on the street" inside the barriers, with quite a bit of empty space towards the back - post on group to say I was there but no one ever replied (as seems to be mostly happening with the few comments from other people today).

I found a pretty decent standing spot up against a railing on some ticket-only seating area (just plastic chairs on the flat ground) with apparently an inner fenced off area on the other side which was quite busy; not at all clear if the non-seating inner fenced off area was open to anyone as I didn't really try to get into it (or even find the entrance).

In theory I could have bought a beer from an ambulatory vendor (they weren't remotely offensive) and I had already seen they had portaloos there but I decided not to, mainly out of concern about getting home safely.

The scrolling text around the stage said "Noche de Tambó" , not "tambor" , incidentally.

I had a pretty good view of the actual stage even without looking at the large monitors. The music (cumbia) is not precisely my cup of tea, but while I felt slightly loser-ish being there on my own and mildly conspicuous, those feelings both faded and especially as the music changed a bit with different groups and some of it was less "pure rhythm" and more instrumental I did quite enjoy some of it, especially Carlos Piña and the guys (probably not his regular band) he was performing with. Fair amount of involuntary foot tapping and mild bodily swaying etc. (I didn't dance.)

I tried not to worry about getting home but couldn't help thinking about it. Had initially thought it would end quite early but (I did understand the gist of most of the announcements and some of the song lyrics) towards 11pm IIRC someone said they had 7 more bands to come and when I left about 1ish other people were leaving but it was still going on.

I didn't realise until one of the song lyrics (I think there's an element of improvisation, or at least custom-written-for-the-event, in some of what they do) said about being in front of the cathedral that I looked round (I had been facing the stage) and saw the wall of the cathedral with those pseudo-triangular windows in behind me, which was quite cool. (I had walked over to cathedral from old hotel when I visited, and ended up coming down a side street - it felt quite back alley sketchy, actually - to get into cathedral and thus had no idea PdlP was there.) I had seen the cathedral was next to PdlP on GM when coming over that night, but I still hadn't realised it was right there.

Incidentally lots of people seemed to be sitting on steps outside cathedral way outside the railed off areas and there were food carts etc there. I'm assuming they just preferred to be there (eg able to sit, and still hear perfectly and probably see fairly well), given it was apparently free to get at least part way into the railed off area.

In the end I decided to book an ET on safety grounds, even though it meant waiting 10ish mins while a veritable sea of taxis waited right in front of my eyes. (I felt borderline safe using mobile in railed off area near exit.) The driver then went and parked off on the other side of the square and - insert needle in haystack metaphor here - I went off (no longer really liking to use phone as out on street) to try to find him by reg plate (which is also painted on the doors, it's not necessary to go literally peer at reg plate) in the sea of taxis, which I did eventually (he was actually across the road). Anyway, got home no fuss - though despite being stone cold sober I fumbled with eg numbers when talking to street security guard on apartment complex trying to get let in, oh, and the ET app was showing the ride as still in progress 5 mins after I'd got into the flat so I messaged the driver - maybe this was just one of those things, maybe it was a small scam.

It was about 130 when I got into bedroom and I spent next half hour trying to top up my Movistar credit via their app, as it was due to expire on 23rd (who knows if this meants 0001 or 2359) and I didn't want to get caught short with no mobile data for calling taxis. Three attempts with two cards all failed, so I gave up and went to bed about 2.

Didn't sleep too badly though did wake up a bit in night, and felt a bit hungover in morning. I called credit card company thinking card would have been blocked and they had no record of the txns, so evidently Movistar considered it highly suspicious of me to try to top up online using a phone containing one of their SIMs and the card I'd used for my initial top up.

On advice from host I went out - it was maybe 10/1030 at this point - and after a few false starts (shop I thought I wanted was shut, then asked in Dios y Fe and they pointed me next door) I spoke with a bloke in there who did the top up for me on his computer and took 25k in cash off me. So at least that got sorted. (And yes, my phone buzzed when he did this and I could see the change in the Movistar app pretty sharpish.)

Then went for early lunch at same place as yday, they said 30 mins to wait but I had no choice so said I would wait and don't think it was that long. Parade nominally starts at 12 so was feeling a bit pushed for time. Food 9k, made it 12k with tip.

Going to take bit of break from writing this up. Oh, wrt NdT, in many ways I'm quite glad I was there on my own, I could concentrate on the music (tho I did end up with mind wandering off a lot, but that's not really a bad thing either) etc. In those sort of circumstances having someone to travel home with would be nice to diminish the stress (eg maybe we could even have taken an off-street taxi), but an ad-hoc meet up would never have provided that anyway. Subject to not feeling knackered etc, it *would* be nice to have a drink and socialise in a party-ish atmosphere, but at a live music event I like to be able to concentrate on the music.

Was going to say something else had forgotten but can't think of it now, so let's have that mini break from the write up.

Oh, I think it was about ET (though not specific to their app). Being picked up at a specific location is fine if you're at bar X or restaurant Y, it's not so helpful when your location is a large public square with a major event going on. This is not ET's fault, I'm just making the observation. I did wonder about wandering down street and trying to find a bar or coffee shop and having one drink there then ordering taxi from that place, but it was getting late and my feet were hurting and I wasn't too sure if I could find somewhere suitable.

And that reminds me that what I really wanted to say was that I was also a bit worried about getting enough sleep and getting up in time to try to sort something out for Sat parade. But I did keep telling myself that NdT was something enjoyable and something I was *actually* seeing (bird in the hand) and I shouldn't go clearing off early *just* in order to maybe be up in time for a parade I perhaps wouldn't be able to see anyway. (As it was, when I left 1ish it was because I was feeling a bit tired and I'd kind of had my fill - I'd probably been there since 8ish, CS nominal meetup was 7 but with delay getting taxi don't think I left airbnb til nearly 730 - so probably 4-going-on-5 hours of the experience of interesting but not quite my taste music (not to deny at times I was really enjoying it, eg CP) and I wasn't enjoying myself as much by 1ish, though *part* of this would be the lingering getting home issue.)

If this had been in London I'd probably have been walking home, of course. GM said it was about 4.5km IIRC, grid system might bloat that in walking distance, but technically completely doable. However, that didn't seem the safest option and I was knackered from standing (and this is a multi-day event of course).

Sun 1857 Fell asleep (which I didn't fight) after taking break yday. Currently back at airbnb to shower after today's parade; I intend to go out down calle 88 for some food and maybe a couple of beers shortly so not a full write up now but bashing out a few paragraphs as I am behind.

So yday after popping out for phone top up and food came back to airbnb and host very kindly walked over to Via 40 with me and after some abortive attempts to get me a ticket into the palcos she got me a possibly-semi-dodgy 50k entry into one of the minipalcos (cash, no ticket) - these are covered but not banked. I had taken a litre bottle of water with me and sipped at it very slowly as I didn't want to have to leave for a piss, which might have involved a minor struggle to get out (though I was nearish the back) and although had checked was bit dubious I'd not be let back in. I had a tolerable if not perfect view, standing up intermittently and also sometimes standing on a sandbag type think on floor in front of my patio-style chair. Was a mildly bear pit kind of atmosphere - a woman behind me had a go for having my chair too bar back at one point - but on the whole fairly pleasant. I was a bit in the sun at times as it was more or less overhead and I was right by the solid metal "wall" at left of the stand and thus not entirely under shade, but in a way this was nice as I had no one on my left, and it seems I haven't burned so I must have had enough sunblock on the back of my neck and lower down. It was pretty warm but not absolutely intolerable; the occasional breeze v welcome. Ambulant vendors around, I held off on buying a beer (3k for a 269ml can, not too bad) until 4pmish for not-wanting-to-need-a-piss reasons. By 4pmish the crowd had thinned out a bit and there was a bit more room, though parade went on til 5pmish IIRC.

Walked back to airbnb using street numbers and not GM, didn't take optimal route but not too bad. Not exactly a street party atmosphere at that point but a lot of people in streets and food carts and beer sellers etc as had been along Via 40, maybe they would be there all night or maybe this was only in aftermath of parade.

Came back to airbnb, much needed shower, then popped out to Soda Loka as waffled about above.

So except for general observations re parade which I will save til I've written today's up, I think that completes this write up up to and including Saturday night.

2035 live reportage on HTC. at deserted and expensive bar (7k for a Sol) bar at bottom of calle 88. very noisy private party behind a hard across road. world+dog seem to be entering but after feeling I ought to I spoke to guy on door who told me its a private party. I am not pissed - had an aguila light with fairly good steak at place up 88 nearer airbnb - and while I am not terribly disappointed I feel a little like he wasn't telling me truth somehow.

cs group has a post about meeting in parquet cultural Del caribe 9-10pm. as yet absklutelh no details on how we strangers might meet up in this big area. TBH I am almost certainly not going, it's even further than plaza de la paz was, I am not really tired but I'm not really in the mood to Trog over there on the offchance I do in fact manage to meet up with this cs group, who on past performance are flaky as fuck.

think am only customer here but it's early - not that I plan to be out late. kind of only came out for food as didn't eat before parade today due to ending up in conversation with host and (mostly) her husband. that was good, don't get me wrong. but while a beer or two is vaguely appealing I am not feeling particularly like there's much prospect of me socialising with anyone tonight and I don't feel inclined to duck around eg slogging over to that cs thing.

feel pretty Billy no mates but somehow it's kind of OK. I am feeling more secure here now but all the same the idea of hanging around alone at whatever the duck is happening over at parque Caribe is not massively appealing, especially not with the hassle of easytaxi-ing it back. I just didn't want to sit in airbnb room Al night hence coming for beer or two after eating.

yes yes it's carnival I should be partying but I am not feeling it like that. parades were sort of fun but I don't feel this is entirely my environment. making excuses perhapa.

maybe tomorrow night I will take some kind of chance with kr without the cs group. not that I'm deeply flawed, but also main parade (tho not near airbnb) on Tue is 4pm whereas tomorrow kt is 1pm so I can sleep later tue after a night out.

duck it. if I'm not feeling it not forcing it. In many ways already done better at carnival than expected, seen both parades so far thanks to airbnb host (today was easy and I did it myself but her help was key yesterday) and having had fair amount of chat with hosts I feel I've ticked off some kind of social interaction box too.

I might have [duck I hate this on screen kbd] one more overpriced beer when finished this and by then will be late enough to go to bed.

I mean, I even made an effort to meet up with other solo tourists via cs and meet-up but meetup has no actual events, just 40 people joined but nothing else, and cs is vague and unhelpful (eg "we are going to noche de tambor" and then there's no info on where to meet, no one replied to my message or even belatedly acknledgsd it, TBH far from obvious to me anyone was there from the group). yes this is all just volunteers like me but come on. on plus side ndt was good solo and wouldn't have gone if not for cs but still, from a meeting people pov it was a frost.

was tempted to post on cs suggesting ppl private message me their whatsapp details and I would create a group chat, but I felt the actual organiser might feel I was stealing her group. but I think a private whatsapp chat might work in a  way a visible to world plus exposed via search engines with our real names on for all eternity "chat" on cs website doesn't.

maybe I'm doing something wrong but these web meet-up things don't seem to work very well.

at least honour is satisfied by having spoken to gate chap at pricae party opposite - I had felt a bit like chance had dropped a lively nearish accom bar or whatever in my lap and it would be improvident to ignore it, but I did ask and it wasn't like that.

oh forgot to say during sat parade one chap offered me a plastic shot glass of kfa GE (orange, but not to HTC kbd) liquid and 95pc sure was fine as he and frienda drinking same but like a good boy I followed advice and declined it which felt like a shame. another chap spoke to me in prob friendky way but could not understand him (his accent/my poor Spanish/loads of noise) so that went nowhere.

I will need to sort out Accom and or flight soon, only have airbnb up to and including Tue night iirc.

so not feeling terrible but vaguely loserish. but really I've made a fair effort and as I said above I have done better at touristing it up than I expected.

2212 Back at airbnb. Brief pip-pipping with hosts (bloke attempting to repair a microwave on living room floor) but mostly left to own devices.

Was mildly torn about having a third beer at overpriced place (maybe Tragos y Copas, based on memory of GM not any sign saw there) but was yawning a bit and I don't like to come back "pissed" (not that I would have been, but still) to airbnb too early and decided not to. Didn't feel unsafe on walk back anyway. Area has some big electricity pylons by side of road (you can walk right under them) which is quite unusual and sort of cool and also a little bit desolate. May try to take photo of this.

Anyway, to summarise above wafflings, while I feel a bit "left out" of the carnival party, really I have done about all I could in terms of making an effort (as of now still *no* more detail on the CS group about tonight's meet up; maybe there is a WA group I'm not privy to but given a good chunk of the 10 ppl in group are my kind of age and none of them have met me yet I really doubt I'm being excluded deliberately) and I've always been a bit iffy about "special" events like this and NYE; I prefer to have a "normal" night out which turns out to be fun. But anyway.

So today I got up about 9:30ish (an epic sleep really, I woke up and turned light out 11pmish but went back to sleep pretty quickly, though was semi-drowsing from maybe 7am). Parade was at 1 so felt a tiny bit less hurried, had planned to go out to Totumazo for early lunch but as already waffled ended up chatting with airbnb hosts (which was better) so left flat 12ish to head over (solo) to via 40. I had checked on GM first but somehow managed to end up circling back on myself, which I luckily twigged on unexpectedly encountering Totumazo. Second attempt went better and as I think already waffled I got a perfectly good seat in a covered area (I never got as far as the palcos so didn't have to futz around trying to buy tkt from a tout and seeing if it was valid) for 10k. Was deeply tempted by some sausage on stick things being grilled in street but didn't buy one before going into seating and decided to hold off. May risk one tomorrow; I might have got one today after parade but I moderately over-indulged in other snacks (three smallish packs of maize-ish snacks - 1k except for first one where guy told me 1.5k which I "knew" was a foreigner price as had heard 1k from everyone else but decided to just pay it - and then 3k for some churros, which I *really* wanted when I saw ppl selling them out of reach, and which were nice enough but not great and left me feeling mildly sick, even though they weren't as rich-tasting as I'd expected) and wasn't super hungry by the time it might have been practical to buy some grilled sausage thing.

Didn't get any beer today. Although I was told to shift (nicely) a few times, and at points it was busy-ish, the seating today was way less busy (I don't think this was a "minipalco" like yday, it felt more casual) and generally the atmosphere felt a little more relaxed (not that it was *bad* yday, quite vibrant and not really threatening, in some ways maybe I got more of this vibe being in that minipalco than in the expensive seats) and the weather seemed a bit cooler too.

Parade was decent and I couldn't help but appreciate the effort people had obviously gone to, but it did go on from 130ish til 6ish (was getting a bit worried about it getting dark, but am feeling bit more secure and it was fine anyway) and TBH was also a bit boring. Quite a few groups today had some presumably traditional costumes with the women holding a bundle of candles in one hand. Towards end (but it wasn't dark; I was home before dark and I did stay to end of parade) one group had the bundles of candles alight and that was both curiously impressive and a bit scary. (One woman had the flames from the bundle held at arms length streaming directly towards her face; she seemed OK but I bet that was fucking hot and maybe a bit intimidating.)

Parades refreshingly un-PC. Both today and yesterday many people blacked up (torso too, not just face) - some of them were (from blacking smeared away view) clearly not white, but equally clearly not "black" in the way they were made up, and it felt good to see something so un-PC anyway. Also yday was a group of people dressed as "Chinese tourists" (stereotypical conical hats etc) and with some sort of container labelled "coronavirus" - I'm not saying this is "fair" , but to see humour being made of a mildly scary situation felt good. Yday was also one float with a moderately realistic Donald Trump impersonator, but it didn't appear (I may well have missed something) to be tremendously insulting - more of a "hahaha, we've dressed up like Donald Trump" sort of good natured vibe.

I'm sure there's something I will have forgotten to say in this piecemeal write up but I've probably got the bulk of the stuff in. I can always write more in a subsequent entry. I think I might send this off now before I lose it, and while I'm no longer tired I might to bed and watch a bit of YT or something. LTDB! (But fuck that. Waffled extensively. I can only try, and I have tried, and so far any kind of "party" seemingly eludes me in ways which, to be fair to myself, don't hinge on poor social skills or being an old fart. While there's a slim possibility staying in that dorm at that hostel would have been a way to meet people, my experience suggests a) staying in a dorm doesn't really make much difference to meeting people b) hostels in general are hit and miss, and c) I could easily imagine most people at the hostel are already with a group of friends anyway. I think really I *did* come on my own, and it's not trivial to find people to hang around with, and I *have* made an effort and been disappointed but that doesn't really reflect on me. Maybe there would be better websites to try to meet people through, but I have tried two well-known ones and both seem dead in this regard. They may well do better with regular events rather than one-offs like this.)

Barranquilla, Thursday

Thu 1214 Sitting by pool at hotel; with brief exception of short trip back to room (currently being cleaned) been here since breakfast at 930ish. Coffee pot got replenished about 945 and I drank most of it over the next hour or so.

A carnival meet up group has appeared on both meetup.com and couchsurfing. The CS one seemed smaller so I've created a CS profile and joined that one. No idea what if anything is happening, there's no comments within the group, but hey, I've done something.

Feeling a bit "guilty" for just sitting here at hotel but in some ways this is exactly what I'm supposed to be doing. Also reminded (as have been on other occasions when it maybe fit better) of the sketch with the horse in Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency where it makes plans and then has the pleasure of completely ignoring them.

On a random note, while I was never hugely tempted, I noted first morning here pool rules require use of bathing cap (tho not *sure* this is honoured in practice) and thus I am not able to use it so no need to wrestle with any personal demons and/or safety issues there.

1228 Had a poke on tubeoleta.com site for carnival tickets linked from MG. Oddly the minipalcos booking page has a broken line. The palcos page shows a dozen different categories (and what they mean is totally unclear), most show as "finalizado" (=sold out, I am 99% sure) but a few say "comprar" , however when I click on them it tells me they are sold out. Highly confusing. Wondering if I should post to the CS group asking for advice but *no one* has posted any comments yet and I'm reluctant to be the first. Assuming there's an element of "ticket is for seating area X if not a specific seat in area X" , it may be bad from a going-with-group perspective to buy a ticket now and end up in the wrong aream Maybe I should post to the CS group anyway, how much of an idiot can I make of myself? It may well be we will meet up tomorrow afternoon/evening and discuss this in person and it may well be the local host knows a good place to stand for free or we will all go buy tickets on the day together.

Fuck it, I posted a comment. Brave or what? :-)

1348 Hanging round hotel, got bottle of chilled water from my fridge and sitting by pool/at table in dining area (quite a few other people). Feel I'm killing time a bit but it's sort of enjoyable. Quick poke at OGB and GM suggests modern art museum is just round corner and opens at 3pm so will prob hang around here til then and go out to see that then.

In a way it's good to be enjoying the loitering here; I will prob not want to be hanging around at my airbnb excessively.

Noticed some bites round my ankles other night; I really need to be more rigorous about applying repellent there. It's just that I'm generally so un-hassled by mosquitos it's easy to forget to apply any.

1611 Back at hotel. Didn't think I was feeling caffeinated from post-breakfast 4-5 cups but maybe I was. Shortly before heading out about 1515 I started to feel a bit edgy for no obvious reason, as though something was about to go wrong. Got to modern art museum (MAMB) no problem, 5k to get in tho one of those bizarre glitches with the language on entry, a woman said something to me I didn't catch and I was completely unable to persuade her to repeate it, she summoned over another woman who spoke some English who said "hi" to me and then stood there expecting me to say something, so I explained the other woman had said something but I didn't understand it. Felt a bit embarassed, perhaps aided by whatever-was-making-me-feel-a-bit-weird. Anyway. Museum very small but oddly taken with Santiago Cárdenas' "Espejo verde No 44" and spent quite a while looking at it. It's "just" a painting of a mirror propped up in the corner of a room, but somehow (maybe I'm in a funny mood) it really appealed to me, a sort of optical illusion quality, and I kept noticing the little details like the penumbral shadows and the green edge of the mirror. Painted 1974 according to plaque; it's older than I am.

Popped into small pharmacy opposite when I left (tempted to milk EV44 some more but was feeling a bit "jittery" and had been looking at it quite a while, plus I took some photos) in hope of buying some Dioralyte-equivalent as I used my whole supply (3 sachets) on VdN tour, but they had no powdered salt-replacement things on shelf, only actual bottles of drink (the same as guide bought me in shop-restaurant at end of tour). I don't need any now and this isn't critical but be good to replace it before I need it.

I went into El Torito (partly just to extend my time out) on way back, I had toyed with getting a tinto but decided I was probably prudent to stay off caffeine so got a jugo de lulo en leche (5k+small tip): this was very nice anyway, don't know if this is a milkshake as such but perhaps similar.

So now back at hotel, will probably cook soon as do feel a bit hungry. Perhaps at a slightly loose end but it's OK.

1954 Done three small loads of laundry - underwear, tops (both just 2 sets) and one pair trousers. Have wrung out in travel towel so hopefully be dry enough to pack tomorrow. This should give me max clean clothes for carnival while I'm in the airbnb with probably shared bathroom (and no washer).

Will have last two small beers in a bit. Finishing off second or third bottle over time here of Columbiana; noticed this evening the small print says "sabor a kola" , not sure if this is same as English "cola" , I find it hard to describe the taste and maybe the reddish colour put me off but (probably just the power of suggestion) there is maybe a hint of cola flavour about it, seems slightly fruity though.

I remember that during day 4 of VdN tour in morning while feeling ropy I slipped during a water crossing and ended up knee deep (perhaps only due to not being upright) in water. Not a huge deal and IIRC I wasn't terribly upset about it (luckily phone and camera didn't get wet). I do remember the guide saying "fuck" on my behalf as a kind of joke, as we'd been talking afternoon of day 3 about people's attitudes and he had said there was a word the English speakers said when things went wrong but he didn't know what it was and I said "fuck?" and he said yes, that's it. (Prob already said, he didn't speak English - I asked - perhaps just the odd word, but the agency have English speaking guides. I guess they either didn't think or thought I'd be fine with a Spanish-speaking guide. Guide incidentally was not indigenous and didn't speak whatever local indigenous language is.)

2105 Also remember that on day 1 of tour guide told me about some wild raspberries we were passing but I didn't eat any (probably as he didn't precisely offer), but on day 4 he did pick quite a few and give them to me (while semi-sneakily photographing me, I think) and they were pretty nice.

airbnb host got in touch few mins ago to ask when I'll be arriving. I said about 1; checkout here is 1, but don't want to hang on to last moment (as prob said other day, want to allow time for fuckups and so I can go buy a big bottle of water and poke around area in daylight after checking in) but also don't want to be having to rush off sharpish, this way I should be able to pack after breakfast+minor free coffee binge without feeling too pressured, maybe checkout 1215-1230ish and hang around in reception and use ET app to order a cab and wait half an hour for it to turn up "in 2 mins" . Not an ET fan but seems best option really, and good to "practice" with it as may want/need to use it during carnival.

2330 Another random thought re tour. Guide taught me the word "chevere" (sp), which seems to be v Colombian word meaning roughly nice/cool/comfortable. Wonder if it plays perhaps a vaguely similar role to Dutch "lekker" .

2356 Bed. Not exactly tired but doesn't seem much point staying up.

Barranquilla, Wednesday

Wed 0037 FFS. Just in bed and got e-mail for airbnb host, he wants to put the price up an extra £39.26. "Is this a problem?" You fucking bet it's a problem. Yes it was cheap but this still feels highly bait-and-switch. I'm not going to reply now, I'll sleep on it. I kind of feel the location etc is good enough and the price is still cheaper than the dorm for a (ignoring no reviews "risk" ) better room and location, but this is *precisely* what I'd think after a deliberate BAS (the "growing own legs" business, as Cialdini puts it). He can't know I haven't gone to sleep, let him fucking sweat a little bit maybe. I might well have booked at this new price up front but this sort of after-the-fact deal changing always pisses me off. But of course I don't want to decline (airbnb e-mail kind of implies he *might* have to honour the old price, but far from clear) and try to get the old price as it's likely to cause ill-feeling. Feh. As I say, sleep on it, probably deal with it after going out to collect jumper.

1214 Back at hotel. Breakfast as usual just a bit earlier, went out to pick up jumper - it wasn't ready but guy did it while I waited (maybe 10-15 mins). I am astounded at the result - I *must* be missing something, but I cannot see the repair. Will give it a day or two to find the flaw and then leave a good review on GM if I can't. Well worth 7k if it really is this good; I expected a small but mostly unnoticeable visual imperfection.

Have had a poke on airbnb re accommodation prices. My airbnb is trying to put their price up 50%, which comes in around £23.55/night, but there is *nothing* that cheap on airbnb right now, most stuff is £30+, and nothing at all that near Via 40 at similar price - OK, I tell a lie, there is one other place at £24-27ish a night (airbnb prices are needlessly confusing due to service charge). I'm a bit dubious my airbnb may be "too far north" along Via 40 - I don't know exactly where the parades enter and leave it - but although calle 84 (one of the streets with street party mentioned) is very very long, I might assume (infer from one of the MG articles) that the street party is near the intersection with Via 40 and my airbnb is as I say within probable walking distance of that intersection.

So I'm going to mull it over for 15-30 mins and then say yes, OK to the price rise. It does feel a bit shitty but it's still a fairly decent price and comparable (ignoring the fact it's a "new" listing and thus IMO should be a bit cheaper to account for the risk of it being shit - though maybe it *is* cheap because of that to be fair)/better to other stuff on offer.

1304 Yeah, fuck it, I'll say OK. I *still* have free cancellation AFAIK so this is hardly final, and it's still cheaper than the dorm and probably a better location.

1846 Just cancelled hostel dorm booking. Fucking hope the airbnb doesn't fall through. I just said "personal reasons" for cancelling in the hope that if I end up re-booking it will attract less ire.

Do vaguely plan to look at possibility of buying a parade seat on web tonight and also poke at forums to see if can find anyone to meet up with.

2301 Been pretty slack, not looked about carnival meetup shit or buying tickets. May do this tomorrow after breakfast.

Went over to cathedral this afternoon. Quite a lot of people on street, didn't generally feel at all unsafe (tho briefly on way back fancied some chap was following me, totally irrational). Warm but not intolerably so. Outside of cathedral a bit dull, but inside actually very impressive - great big open space with amazing huge modern stained glass and a gigantic asymmetrical carving (?) at the altar end coming out of the wall. Spent quite a while staring semi-meditatively (with "milago de amor" in my head, go figure). Particulalrly liked the not-quite-triangular stained glass windows at the rear, the middle one to my mind anyway looked a bit science-fictiony with a kind of planets motif. (Did also notice a small (relatively speak) ringed planet embossed on wall above the huge carving.) Very glad I saw that. Was dithering a bit about leaving cathedral, I sort of wanted to get back "home" and eat (even though it wasn't that late) and "get the walk back over" but also sort of wanted to milk the experience of being there.

I learned my lesson and retraced my steps more or less exactly (same streets) on walk home, rather than thinking "hey, it's a pseudo-grid, I can go down this parallel street to make it a circuit and see something new" , so I didn't get lost.

Occurred to me earlier tonight on hearing a dog barking I haven't noticed any street dogs on my limited peregrinations here in Barranquilla. I honestly can't remember if there were any in SM; day-to-day comments on blog would be most reliable but memory says I have seen quite a few elsewhere on this trip, probably in Cartagena but not sure.

Does feel a bit like I've wasted last few days but really I think I needed it - I was/am a little bit "ill" and need to recover, I've done a few quietly interesting things, I've cooked for myself and enjoyed having a nice-ish room etc. And this was always pretty much the plan.

Just had super-powerful hot shower. Think will go to bed, if I'm only looking at crap on YT or reading I can equally do that in bed.

I don't think cooking for myself is actually saving money compared to eating in cheap restaurants - eg I managed to eat for 13k with a 30% tip at Restaurant Medellin, today's mostly-food-for-two-days-excluding-rice-and-spices shop came to 36k - admittedly I did get 6k worth of soft drink (massively overdoing it on soft drinks, but never mind - I don't subscribe to the hysteria about their health effects and it's not as if I consume a lot of soft drinks in general) but otherwise it was mostly the food. I am not cooking for myself to save money, it's for the variety (compared to restaurant food; most of the meals I cook are samey due to limited supplies and not being able to buy a lot of different spices as I'd have to throw loads away when I move on, but I am ringing enough changes that the lack of internal variety isn't terrible for such a short period of time) and the portions are arguably larger and I am eating way more vegetables than a restaurant meal (even if I do get an undressed salad) which is probably good for me both in general and wrt very mild bowel-churning "illness" of late.

Probably said this before but when I start a block of blog text with a time that's the current time as I write, *but* I don't always put a time in - so the absence of them doesn't mean I wrote a block of text in one go. But if it's been hours since I last wrote I probably *would* always put a time in.

Anyway, bed, I think.

Barranquilla, Tuesday

Tue 1212 https://www.stuartoswald.com/2018/12/how-to-register-and-unblock-your-phone.html?m=1 seems to imply my phone will work with my UK Three sim in roaming mode post block.

the link movistar guy gave me is just to search list of approved devices. and (I have a screenshot) the one a9s *is* approved for all four frequency bands. so fuck knows. if (I doubt it) I can find a. email address I may send a mail on offchance. I can only assume either a) incompetence b) my phone is a different sub-midel (but about phone dialog shows no model number beyond one a9s anyway). if I can switch movistar and three sims when block hits that is a fairly good resolution, tho of course it may not work.

OK imei.info says mine is a 2pwd200 and the 2pwd100 is the approved one. crock o'shite. I can't possibly jump thru the hoops as it needs a photo of phone or phone box showing imei and I don't have this (and back cover not removable so info not on phone itself in physical form). just poss someone else will jump thru hoops first tho suspect chances microscopic for such an oldish unpopular phone, but can't be helped. fingers crossed the UK roaming SIM trick will be a workaround - rather not expose UK SIM to theft but it is payg and tolerable.

bit headachey and some looseish but not too bad semi urgent shits this am.

1648 Back on Priv, much better.

Woke up 7-8am ish feeling borderline OK but not great (had dream about Jaffa being dead, for some reason), went back to sleep, drowsed a bit fitfully, got up in time for breakfast. Asked about coffee, was a self-service pumpy thing so hung around after breakfast nearly an hour (til nearly 11) drinking coffee and half thinking this would give cleaner a free run. Anyway, got back to room and cleaner wanted to come in so went back out and sat by pool looking at phone for a bit longer.

Think this was mostly just slacking off but maybe did tiny bit of productive stuff. Oh yeah, signed up for Meetup (sure I had an account but seems not) in thought there would be one for Barranquilla and/or carnival but there wasn't. Still, there is some group in Medellin so account may be useful.

A few loose-but-not-diarrhea rather urgent needs to shit during the morning. Also then developed a bit of a headache and got a little bit paranoid was seriously ill but fought that down. Went out with torn jumper in quest of a repair. First place on GM seemed not to exist, second place very dismissive, third just took it, said no problem, told me 7k when I asked and told me to come back at 8 tomorrow. (I will go after breakfast.) Got no receipt so bit edgy but I need to be more trusting, it's hardly likely the business is really just a front to steal damaged clothing. Also while the jumper was sort of wearable I'd have been a bit nervous about it (if nothing else in case it came to pieces leaving me haklf naked in the street one day) so if I *don't* get it back I haven't lost too much. Fingers crossed. I don't expect an invisible repair but if it's broadly decent and solid I'll be happy.

Came back via supermarket on corner from first day and got some water and another of those double bottles of diet manzana-and-Colombiana soft drinks.

Feeling relatively OK health terms by this point.

Had a Spanish lesson, then just for the sake of going out a bit went over to Torito practically next door and had a tinto (espresso, more or less - very small cup) in there - tried to break a 50k but they asked if I had anything smaller so seeing machine I said I'd pay by card. Not sure I need to break a 50k really, do have modest collection of smaller bills, but getting bit edgy re carnival.

Just got back here after nursing that tinto. I didn't need to go out but feels a bit better than just staying in hotel all afternoon. Prob not going out again but it's OK, I may do a bit more casual poking on web re carnival and hopefully bash out VdN stuff later, and to some extent given I feel mildly weak it's a good thing to just relax, enjoy the comfortable room with private  bathroom and try to recuperate. Will cook some rice+veg+tuna in a bit, which may also be good for me.

I just hope this mildly iffy bowel feeling goes before a) carnival b) having to be in a dorm (with no reasonably priced options to escape to a private room due to carnival) for five nights.

Tomorrow I may try walking over to cathedral for a bit of a look after picking up the hopefully repaired jumper/T-shirt/whatever to call it.

2116 Mostly slack evening, running out of stuff to watch on YT for better or worse. Cooked, felt very salty despite salt only coming from chicken stock cube and the tuna, but perhaps not a bad thing. Quite satisfying all the same.

Let's waffle about day 4 of VdN tour. Not really that much to say. Towards the afternoon we passed by (not through; apparently not allowed) an indigenous village and met a party of youngish (6? 8? yo) girls all in (dirty) white robes. Guide divided some packets of crackers up for them, halving them with his machete (cutting, not slashing) as the girls held them, which wasn't *really* scary but made me a bit edgy all the same. Some more turned up shortly after and last girl got a chocolate bar instead as he'd run out of crackers. He said they probably didn't speak much Spanish at that age.

Later we saw a few adult people from same group, including a guy who I think was their nurse on a horse with an astoundingly white set of clothes. I guess being on a horse helps though. Guide spoke a bit with some of them, not all.

I wasn't feeling terribly ill after a few hours but it was still a long walk even with the bags on the horse and although there were some cool views I struggled to enjoy them as eg we walked up seemingly interminable winding uphill path.

Suddenly the guide told me we were 98% of way there; I thought I must have misheard him but indeed maybe 10?? mins later we arrived at a cluster of shops and houses. We went to a small restaurant-cum-shop (with a mildly disturbing group of apparently 16yo-ish looking soldiers there eating ice lollies and chatting) and guide bought me an apple energy rehydrating drink thing, and after waiting a bit we were served a pretty decent meal (chicken in tolerable sauce and the usual extras) though my stomach felt a bit iffy and I deliberately didn't force myself to eat too much (did eat all the chicken though). Woman at restaurant also brought me a cup of yerbabuena tea (very nice, aniseedy) which she swore would help my stomach. Used toilet there as well out of paranoia though didn't really get anything out.

Guide went off leave horse somewhere and came back with bike, which had apparently been moved by someone from where we'd left it. We had a short ride to another shop where he'd said I could get wifi access while he went off to sort something out. I did (3k for 12h was cheapest, but well worth it to get in touch with parents and find no nasty shit had happened while I was incommunicado rather than wait til I got into town/to hostel - I had been getting a bit edgy about this earlier in the day, esp on top of illness - I suspect anything truly terrible they'd have got word to me via agency but there could eg have been nastygrams from HMRC - suspect am repeating older posts but never mind) and bought some water to have back at hostel too, tho I already had 2l left there.

We rode to Minca (I didn't feel sick, bit of a strain holding on and the guide seemed determine to "race" a little with some other bikes we met, but OK really) and went to a small cafe and I gave the guide a 100k tip and he seemed pleased-ish, he asked for my WhatsApp but he hasn't hassled me (tho he did make polite enquiries after my health next morning). He bought us both a small juice and then (at my partial insistence) we moved off on the final leg as I had hoped to avoid being on bike in dark. This didn't happen as it was 6ish at this point and it was dark by time we stopped in SM but the ride was OK. He pulled over at side of road not long after we left - getting but not yet dark - and pointed out the view of the lights of SM.

When we got to SM I thought for a second some random dude at wherever we stopped was loudmouth and felt edgy, but it wasn't him. Guide got me a taxi and - I made super sure to confirm this with driver - arranged a price to take me to hotel (a small bonus for me, tho negligible difference in distance compared to insisting on taking me to the office) and paid the driver and waved me off in the cab on my own. Was a bit of a journey but the driver was fine and I said he could drop me fifty metres or so away.

Got to hostel and horde of staff on desk greeted me surprisingly warmly. No one ever knew where Ñymejan was, even if I pronounced it correctly, when I replied to questions about where had been. Finally got up to room, legs killing me, think I did lie on bed and read and try to relax for a couple of hours, also started to find those two types of ticks/mites on body. I did have a shower at some point, I may also have gone to sit up on terrace with water for a bit but I can't remember.

So I think that's the broad outline complete. I may - today or another day - write additional little details as they occur to me.

2237 Right, after poking and dithering a bit I've booked a room "10 mins walk from Via 40" on airbnb for a hair under 78 quid for the five nights - this is a private room (with aircon) compared to around 168 quid for a dorm bed at the other hostel. This *is* a new airbnb listing so am taking a bit of a punt perhaps but probably be OK. Yes in theory the hostel might be more sociable, but reviews didn't really seem to indicate that. Also this airbnb is plausibly within walking distance of calle 84 and the street party mentioned on MG. The location in general feels a bit more convenient (if not perfect) and that in turn may encourage me to try to meet up with other people (yes meetup.com didn't work but eg Lonely Planet forums may have something).

I have *not* cancelled the hostel yet (I have til 2359 tomorrow night to do so for free), am going to sleep on it and also see if I get weird messages from host tomorrow. I have free cancellation on airbnb til the 20th.

It's one thing to stay in a dorm to save money, but since the potentially more comfortable option here is also cheaper it seems a better bet.

Having two phones was helpful here as I could eg look on airbnb on one while looking at carnival website on other with less (ultra laggy) switching back and forth and trying to remember things.

Incidentally there is (I had noticed it before but not quite realised connection) a card next to bed advertising "Torito", it even has a three digit extension number as if it's on the hotel phone system and it says they will deliver to my room at no additional cost. I don't intend to do this but wonder if it is effectively owned by hotel or merely has an arrangement with them.

Not hit by crippling regrets/doubts re this accommodation change yet.

Incidentally while aircon is nice I think I am borderline acclimatised enough it's not essential. (Just saying, I *think* dorm was aircon anyway, but not checked.) It was set to 24C in room when I got here and I've left it on that, and I intermittently feel a little cold and turn it off. It is pretty shady in here though. I mean, it was a smidge warm in room in SM where I just had a fan, but I wasn't dying of heat and being unable to sleep etc.

Did bit of laundry earlier - water going almost disturbingly brown. May go to bed soon-ish, breakfast finishes half an hour earlier tomorrow as one of hotel staff has died and this is to allow most staff to go to funeral, which is a bit depressing but there you go. Also while not feeling too bad sleep probably a good thing re improving my health; not being in dorm (and prob sharing a bathroom but with one or two perm residents of airbnb) takes edge of feeling a bit iffy but obviously if I am going to be out and about and maybe eating street food and drinking the odd beer I want to be in good shape to start with.

I feel very mildly bad for taking advantage (or rather, planning to - not done it yet) of the free cancellation, but it *is* explicitly offered and so I guess it's fair enough for me to use it - it's not like I'm exploiting a loophole.

While it's hard to judge, airbnb did have other half-decently priced stuff (in worse locations, AFAICS) so if I somehow get left in the lurch I should be able to get *something* else. I suppose if push really came to shove - and I don't expect this to happen - there should be seats free on buses *out* to SM and accommodation free there during carnival, so I could always flee BQ altogether.

Wed 0022 Bed. Finally shaved too (kept meaning to do it after breakfast but always put suncream on before thinking to shave). Brief exchange with airbnb host, he manages it but actually his parents live there, but that's fine by me. He says there's a bell to ring when I get there (I asked) so probably all be fine, I said would confirm arrival time later (he didn't ask me to say anything about this) but prob be 1pmish. Checkout here is 1 but prob won't hang on too late, better to get over there and then I can scout round the area in daylight once I check in. (Will use easytaxi again though frankly given it's daylight hours I could probably just take a cab off street and get no worse ripped off, but at least with easytaxi I get to type the precise address into the app - as it's a private residence and I don't currently know what the street entrance looks like this would be a bit awkward in a cab hailed from street as I can't say "drop me here" or "the hostel is called XXX" . (On which note, places with English-y names suck in this regard. They're usually only English-y so even a fluent English speaker might not "get" them when said out loud, and a Spanish-only speaker is not likely to recognise the written form of the English name when I pronounce it correctly.))

Anyway, bed. Minor bowel rumblings earlier but generally feel OKish.