Wed 27th 0749 Didn't sleep too badly. Woke up a few times. Vaguely needed a piss and at 0700ish got up and went for piss and a (hot) shower and used the possibly intended for hands only towel to dry myself as I'd rather not have my PackTowl festering in my bag for 36h.
No emails from Avianca re checking in online but a mildly alarming one (which for all I know is generic, but iirc I didn't get one before rhe outbound flight) saying some passengers may get bumped (paraphrasing) and offering me the chance to volunteer and get a USD500 voucher if I am bumped. Or something like that. Under circumstances (Jaffa, seeing family at Easter which is why I chose this return date instead of taking advantage of 90 days tourist visa and contents insurance limit, the fact that at the end of a trip an extra day or two in Bogota is not *that* much fun when I already rushed to get here a bit) I am not volunteering. I went and did the online checkin and have a boarding pass and I had already paid for a seat. FWIW the middle seat in my row still showed as empty when the seat selection/change screen came up. Anyway, I am at least checked in, I am 95% confident I could show the PDF at the airport (and I have downloaded it to both phones) and 99% confident I could show it in the Avianca app on the O6 but as I am gonna be hanging around a lot today I will get it printed when I go out (though I plan to loiter in hostel until nearly checkout time).
Gut feeling is I am going to carry my passport round with me today in flip belt. Probably lesser of two evils and I suspect the beggars etc are annoying but not actively dangerous or skilled pickpockets.
Will go down to breakfast soon-ish but no major rush.
0935 In room. Have mostly packed. Bag bulgier than I'd like but it's not insane and of course I will be wearing the fleece at the airport, at least any time it possibly matters. Filled my water bottles in kitchen and downloading some videos to help kill time at airport if it feels appropriate (with powerbank I probably do have some power to spare). Drinking bit of water now so I'm hopefully starting the day fairly well hydrated and will prob top up bottles before I check out and leave bag with staff so I have the full 2ish litres to drink at the airport landside before going through security.
Fingers crossed they will store my bag, if they say no I will have to get on web and see if I can find another hostel which will (whether that means paying for a room or not) or some paid luggage storage near here.
I plan to spend the day wandering around very circumspectly in areas round here I've mostly already been in, having two biggish meals (prob a "casado" ish thing for lunch fairly soon after I check out, tho will prob go get boarding pass printed first, then a pizza at that place near hostel 5ish) and coming back for bag about 6 so I can get on the TM (Los Heroes-Gelhada - incidentally some ads which I photoed at station make me wonder if the Gelhada bit is some kind of sponsorship) which is v close to hostel (82Hostel) before dark - it's v close but always a bit edgy in transit. (Albeit - fingers crossed - while having bag stolen would always be a pisser, if it happens today as long as I still have my passport the harm to the trip is about as minimal as it can be.)
I may have the odd beer during the day and probably quite a few coffees.
1045 OK, refilled water bottles. Bag *is* absolutely bulging with those in, but it does shut and obviously those are no issue with flight bag size or weight. Going to shut K1 down, lock it in top of bag and then check out, so unless they refuse to store my bag next entry will probably be at airport. Fingers crossed.
1757 On J74 from Heroes to Las Aguas. K23s to portal dorado pass but don't stop and I suspect if I only knew what the fuck I was doing (or there was a fucking sensible map to show me actual routes) I could get to airport in half the time, but as it is at least I'm not in a rush.
O6 batt dead after lots of use today, can't charg en route as short usb cable is super stiff and plug too fucking fat to sit nicely with phone case.
Not a bad day, not amazing but not bad. Wandered, had sobrebarriga and (after some awkward negotiation) undressed salad at Delicias del Cheff (sic) David near hostel, after paying 400 to get boarding pass printed.
Wandered, found microbrewery but prices even higher than BBC for same shit, then found Bruder pub which was 20k pintish but at least had novel selection and had 2 pints (maracuya 5% and choc 8.5%) then americano then (after aking for lulo beer but it was off) another pint (can't remember what right now, have note on o6) and another americano, paid on card as no extra cost and cash low enough that im happy to take it all home, then had two pericos at "il buen cafe" (have photo whatever it is called), then had lush but late jugo de mora en leche and pizza mediana mexicana (which had eg crumbled tortillas and afaict no pico de gallo, completely unlikely mexicana there two days ago) at Rafaello (?) near hostel, then picked up bag and K1 (which had been stored sep; i did dither about handing over passport at this point but decided to keep it on me) and then came over to los heroe and farted around looking for "good" route before getting this one. tullave card balance too low so topped it up with all my loose change.
1935 At airport landside. Being an out loud whiny fuck. Mile long platform at Portal Dorado, so obviously you just wander the entire length of both sides til you happen to spot the K86 airport bus. (I asked a policewoman and then some other chap helped me as I tried to board a K86 dropping off only by the H54-or-whatever sign.) And now I'm at the airport and there are no seats so sitting on floor (why provide enough seats?) with O6 on lap charging from powerbank using shitty fat inflexible short cable. (I also charged it - having to physically hold the cable in - on the TM, both on way to Las Aguas then from Universidades (via foot tunnel) to Portal Eldorado.)
Oh, and you have to "know" (or see everyone else getting off and take it on faith) that the stop for the actual airport on the K86 is "Muelle Internacional" .
I seem to have been noticing a small but noticeable minority of people wearing masks the last few days. Maybe this is a Bogota thing vs rest of country or maybe I'm imagining it or being more irritable. there are a few around here.
Did see Torre Colpatria lit up in flag colours with Montserrate in background on TM en route to airport. Minor shame I didn't get to go up Ms at end of trip but it's not a huge deal and it really wasn't super convenient. I will be back anyway, and I have been up it before. (There was a souvenir for Ms on wall at Finca La Playa, BTW. Think have photo.)
On random note, I did see a local-ish guy wearing a poncho in Salento. (No hat with it.)
2025 Got ex large tinto (8.3kg, 16oz) at Juan Valdez landside after getting O6 up to 70%. Going to drink this and then go airside. Definitely not showing to advantage in terms of staying calm and cheerful today, the actual day in town not too bad but since heading out to airport have been feeling decidedly on tilt.
2120 Just got through immigration and security. No real fuss esp w security but auto gates at immigration (migration?) didn't let me through and had to queue briefly for manual attention and woman said something about 21 days and (just chattily I think) that I had a lot of entries and I said I liked colombia. Not entirely sure but hey they let me out, this 21 days just *may* be how long I have been in the country since entering from panama but don't think so as that was prob 4th. anyway, I guess it's fine.
Just checked passport, I have a stamp dated today which is presumably exit and I do have an entry stamp for 4th which says 90 days (validity). Anyway, I didn't say "si" to anything I didn't understand (I did say "gracias" at one point when I was tbh a bit vague but suspect this was OK) and since I am free here airside I guess it's all sweet.
Let's check out prospect of buying aguardiente.
2149 Wandering over towards gate. Looked in couple of duty free places just past security, first didn't seem to have AA but got a litre bottle for "USD13" (but had to choose COP or GBP when paying on ccard, confusingly - I picked COP) at attenza and I asked and the guy there said it was OK for carry on baggage. Have squashed it into bag (I pulled clothes out onto floor and packed them round the nice-ish bag I got with the bottle - now doubting myself as write this but I *did* check hadn't left anything on floor after) and subsequently stopped for a bit of a tinker and to throw one of my litre plastic bottles out. I don't think my bag looks too huge and if they *do* quibble with it being oversize I think (I just checked avianca site) I can take daypack out of main bag and use it as my "personal item" which should make everything technically compliant but fingers crossed it won't come to that.
2201 Sitting at gate A10. Found water dispenser and have filled the remaining litre bottle; I have this in inside pocket of fleece. I feel vaguely overburdened but there is no way I am overweight (unless the water somehow counts, and worst case I can discard it) and if forced to repack I am 95% confident I can fit my main bag and personal item in the regulation guides - it's just that I have the daypack inside the main bag for reduced fuss until I get to my seat.
I don't *like* having this mildly fragile glass bottle in my bag but I guess it will fingers crossed be fine. In theory being able to bring an alcoholic souvenir back (even if I had to buy it airside - but COP50k approx is not bad for a litre, iirc I paid 14-15k approx for that 375ml? bottle I got in Manizales) is an extra benefit of a direct flight (though it *may* be possible given security seals or receipts or whatever to do a non-direct flight with these liquids in hand luggage, I should check this out next time I fly non-direct rather than assuming it isn't OK).
Squashing some more charge into O6 using powerbank, there are power stations along this "corridor" of gates but I have enough power in the powerbank to not need to faff with them.
For some reason Dropbox has duplicated this file a billion times and it may be some parts have got "lost" into some versions but not others. I may be able to sort this out when I get home if I remember.
Avianca didn't tell me to do checkmig form this time and I didn't and given no one mentioned it (even tho there are small signs I didn't read with a qr code on the migration officer cubicles) I assume this is fine and is nothing to do with why the automatic gates didn't work for me.
People intermittently being called up to desk to show documents. I assume I won't be called (it is a direct flight and I am a UK citizen, unlike that time I was called flying from Bucaramanga to Panama City) but this sort of thing always makes me edgy.
I feel mildly over-warm in the fleece but it's not terrible, and I will want it on on the flight (and if I don't I can stick it in my daypack once I am on board).
2310 On plane (B787), all seems OK. Not even a mention of wheeled bags only in overhead lockers. Flight does not look massively full but people still boarding.
Oddly the English language automated boarding announcement kept saying destination was "Londra" , which is IIRC Italian.
2322 No, looking quite full now. And all three seats in my row are occupied, not a big deal of course.
2325 Quite a lot - poss all - of the cabin crew seem to be wearing masks. I don't think they were when I flew out. I hope this is just their choice.
Lots of different lA country ads playing on seat back screens. As on flight inbound, it looks like the seat back screens are fixed in place and won't pivot to accomodate the seat being reclined. Meh, even less important this time on a night flight.
Ads vaguely annoying as they spur vague desire to travel plus a kind of fomo as they show "idealised" travel experiences. Think we've had CR, Panama, Mexico and Guatemala so far, and it may not have looped back round.
On the plus side the soundtrack is afaict just music with the "commentary" in subtitles only.
Thu 28th 0001 Slightly disconcerted (visions of leaking duty free) by the odd drop of water but a) figured out the angles were wrong and it was probably coming from an overhead vent b) a cabin crew member just came by (I suspect guy in window seat pressed call button) and explained it is just a bit of condensation.
He at least is not wearing a mask, so presumably it is at least not entirely mandatory for crew.
Watching The Duke.
0114 Meal served, not too bad really. TD isn't bad either, not finished it yet, sort of enjoying it yet it's also sort of vaguely cringe (but not quite that) and annoying - maybe cos I sort of half agree and half disagree with a lot of what's going on.
Left leg hurting, fuck knows why this happens when I sit for prolonged periods (but not eg at computer at home - it seems to be more a vehicle thing). Will get up and go for piss/walk a bit once meal service finished.
0732 Finally nodded off (listening to music) but it took a while. Semi-woken with vague and confusing impressions everyone on plane was rushing to get forward - it was just the two people to my left wanting to get out .
I have drunk a bit of my litre of water just now and a bit earlier. I am glad I have it though trying to husband it. I don't feel great but for sleeeping on a plane I don't feel that bad.
We are 1010 miles from London and I suspect they might serve breakfast soon-ish.
Just been for a piss since I was up anyway and did kind of need it.
0738 Cabin lights came on a few mins ago and the trolleys are starting to make their way up to the fancy end of the plane, I think.
0826 Finished breakfast (scrambled eggs, fruit salad, bread rolls with butter, black coffee).
(days later) I've just merged the weird duplicate versions Dropbox insisted on creating for this file. Only one small chunk (the 1045 entry) had gone missing anyway and I've restored it. My other notes say I got back to flat about 1700.I think we maybe landed 15-30 minutes late but I'm not (and wasn't at the time) completely sure. We may have touched down at the time the flight was due to land but obviously it takes longer to get to the gate. Not that important.
I got all my edible souvenirs home intact. I may do some kind of post-mortem later but for now I just wanted to finally get the merged version of this final day(s) of the trip posted before it gets lost or forgotten.
No emails from Avianca re checking in online but a mildly alarming one (which for all I know is generic, but iirc I didn't get one before rhe outbound flight) saying some passengers may get bumped (paraphrasing) and offering me the chance to volunteer and get a USD500 voucher if I am bumped. Or something like that. Under circumstances (Jaffa, seeing family at Easter which is why I chose this return date instead of taking advantage of 90 days tourist visa and contents insurance limit, the fact that at the end of a trip an extra day or two in Bogota is not *that* much fun when I already rushed to get here a bit) I am not volunteering. I went and did the online checkin and have a boarding pass and I had already paid for a seat. FWIW the middle seat in my row still showed as empty when the seat selection/change screen came up. Anyway, I am at least checked in, I am 95% confident I could show the PDF at the airport (and I have downloaded it to both phones) and 99% confident I could show it in the Avianca app on the O6 but as I am gonna be hanging around a lot today I will get it printed when I go out (though I plan to loiter in hostel until nearly checkout time).
Gut feeling is I am going to carry my passport round with me today in flip belt. Probably lesser of two evils and I suspect the beggars etc are annoying but not actively dangerous or skilled pickpockets.
Will go down to breakfast soon-ish but no major rush.
0935 In room. Have mostly packed. Bag bulgier than I'd like but it's not insane and of course I will be wearing the fleece at the airport, at least any time it possibly matters. Filled my water bottles in kitchen and downloading some videos to help kill time at airport if it feels appropriate (with powerbank I probably do have some power to spare). Drinking bit of water now so I'm hopefully starting the day fairly well hydrated and will prob top up bottles before I check out and leave bag with staff so I have the full 2ish litres to drink at the airport landside before going through security.
Fingers crossed they will store my bag, if they say no I will have to get on web and see if I can find another hostel which will (whether that means paying for a room or not) or some paid luggage storage near here.
I plan to spend the day wandering around very circumspectly in areas round here I've mostly already been in, having two biggish meals (prob a "casado" ish thing for lunch fairly soon after I check out, tho will prob go get boarding pass printed first, then a pizza at that place near hostel 5ish) and coming back for bag about 6 so I can get on the TM (Los Heroes-Gelhada - incidentally some ads which I photoed at station make me wonder if the Gelhada bit is some kind of sponsorship) which is v close to hostel (82Hostel) before dark - it's v close but always a bit edgy in transit. (Albeit - fingers crossed - while having bag stolen would always be a pisser, if it happens today as long as I still have my passport the harm to the trip is about as minimal as it can be.)
I may have the odd beer during the day and probably quite a few coffees.
1045 OK, refilled water bottles. Bag *is* absolutely bulging with those in, but it does shut and obviously those are no issue with flight bag size or weight. Going to shut K1 down, lock it in top of bag and then check out, so unless they refuse to store my bag next entry will probably be at airport. Fingers crossed.
1757 On J74 from Heroes to Las Aguas. K23s to portal dorado pass but don't stop and I suspect if I only knew what the fuck I was doing (or there was a fucking sensible map to show me actual routes) I could get to airport in half the time, but as it is at least I'm not in a rush.
O6 batt dead after lots of use today, can't charg en route as short usb cable is super stiff and plug too fucking fat to sit nicely with phone case.
Not a bad day, not amazing but not bad. Wandered, had sobrebarriga and (after some awkward negotiation) undressed salad at Delicias del Cheff (sic) David near hostel, after paying 400 to get boarding pass printed.
Wandered, found microbrewery but prices even higher than BBC for same shit, then found Bruder pub which was 20k pintish but at least had novel selection and had 2 pints (maracuya 5% and choc 8.5%) then americano then (after aking for lulo beer but it was off) another pint (can't remember what right now, have note on o6) and another americano, paid on card as no extra cost and cash low enough that im happy to take it all home, then had two pericos at "il buen cafe" (have photo whatever it is called), then had lush but late jugo de mora en leche and pizza mediana mexicana (which had eg crumbled tortillas and afaict no pico de gallo, completely unlikely mexicana there two days ago) at Rafaello (?) near hostel, then picked up bag and K1 (which had been stored sep; i did dither about handing over passport at this point but decided to keep it on me) and then came over to los heroe and farted around looking for "good" route before getting this one. tullave card balance too low so topped it up with all my loose change.
1935 At airport landside. Being an out loud whiny fuck. Mile long platform at Portal Dorado, so obviously you just wander the entire length of both sides til you happen to spot the K86 airport bus. (I asked a policewoman and then some other chap helped me as I tried to board a K86 dropping off only by the H54-or-whatever sign.) And now I'm at the airport and there are no seats so sitting on floor (why provide enough seats?) with O6 on lap charging from powerbank using shitty fat inflexible short cable. (I also charged it - having to physically hold the cable in - on the TM, both on way to Las Aguas then from Universidades (via foot tunnel) to Portal Eldorado.)
Oh, and you have to "know" (or see everyone else getting off and take it on faith) that the stop for the actual airport on the K86 is "Muelle Internacional" .
I seem to have been noticing a small but noticeable minority of people wearing masks the last few days. Maybe this is a Bogota thing vs rest of country or maybe I'm imagining it or being more irritable. there are a few around here.
Did see Torre Colpatria lit up in flag colours with Montserrate in background on TM en route to airport. Minor shame I didn't get to go up Ms at end of trip but it's not a huge deal and it really wasn't super convenient. I will be back anyway, and I have been up it before. (There was a souvenir for Ms on wall at Finca La Playa, BTW. Think have photo.)
On random note, I did see a local-ish guy wearing a poncho in Salento. (No hat with it.)
2025 Got ex large tinto (8.3kg, 16oz) at Juan Valdez landside after getting O6 up to 70%. Going to drink this and then go airside. Definitely not showing to advantage in terms of staying calm and cheerful today, the actual day in town not too bad but since heading out to airport have been feeling decidedly on tilt.
2120 Just got through immigration and security. No real fuss esp w security but auto gates at immigration (migration?) didn't let me through and had to queue briefly for manual attention and woman said something about 21 days and (just chattily I think) that I had a lot of entries and I said I liked colombia. Not entirely sure but hey they let me out, this 21 days just *may* be how long I have been in the country since entering from panama but don't think so as that was prob 4th. anyway, I guess it's fine.
Just checked passport, I have a stamp dated today which is presumably exit and I do have an entry stamp for 4th which says 90 days (validity). Anyway, I didn't say "si" to anything I didn't understand (I did say "gracias" at one point when I was tbh a bit vague but suspect this was OK) and since I am free here airside I guess it's all sweet.
Let's check out prospect of buying aguardiente.
2149 Wandering over towards gate. Looked in couple of duty free places just past security, first didn't seem to have AA but got a litre bottle for "USD13" (but had to choose COP or GBP when paying on ccard, confusingly - I picked COP) at attenza and I asked and the guy there said it was OK for carry on baggage. Have squashed it into bag (I pulled clothes out onto floor and packed them round the nice-ish bag I got with the bottle - now doubting myself as write this but I *did* check hadn't left anything on floor after) and subsequently stopped for a bit of a tinker and to throw one of my litre plastic bottles out. I don't think my bag looks too huge and if they *do* quibble with it being oversize I think (I just checked avianca site) I can take daypack out of main bag and use it as my "personal item" which should make everything technically compliant but fingers crossed it won't come to that.
2201 Sitting at gate A10. Found water dispenser and have filled the remaining litre bottle; I have this in inside pocket of fleece. I feel vaguely overburdened but there is no way I am overweight (unless the water somehow counts, and worst case I can discard it) and if forced to repack I am 95% confident I can fit my main bag and personal item in the regulation guides - it's just that I have the daypack inside the main bag for reduced fuss until I get to my seat.
I don't *like* having this mildly fragile glass bottle in my bag but I guess it will fingers crossed be fine. In theory being able to bring an alcoholic souvenir back (even if I had to buy it airside - but COP50k approx is not bad for a litre, iirc I paid 14-15k approx for that 375ml? bottle I got in Manizales) is an extra benefit of a direct flight (though it *may* be possible given security seals or receipts or whatever to do a non-direct flight with these liquids in hand luggage, I should check this out next time I fly non-direct rather than assuming it isn't OK).
Squashing some more charge into O6 using powerbank, there are power stations along this "corridor" of gates but I have enough power in the powerbank to not need to faff with them.
For some reason Dropbox has duplicated this file a billion times and it may be some parts have got "lost" into some versions but not others. I may be able to sort this out when I get home if I remember.
Avianca didn't tell me to do checkmig form this time and I didn't and given no one mentioned it (even tho there are small signs I didn't read with a qr code on the migration officer cubicles) I assume this is fine and is nothing to do with why the automatic gates didn't work for me.
People intermittently being called up to desk to show documents. I assume I won't be called (it is a direct flight and I am a UK citizen, unlike that time I was called flying from Bucaramanga to Panama City) but this sort of thing always makes me edgy.
I feel mildly over-warm in the fleece but it's not terrible, and I will want it on on the flight (and if I don't I can stick it in my daypack once I am on board).
2310 On plane (B787), all seems OK. Not even a mention of wheeled bags only in overhead lockers. Flight does not look massively full but people still boarding.
Oddly the English language automated boarding announcement kept saying destination was "Londra" , which is IIRC Italian.
2322 No, looking quite full now. And all three seats in my row are occupied, not a big deal of course.
2325 Quite a lot - poss all - of the cabin crew seem to be wearing masks. I don't think they were when I flew out. I hope this is just their choice.
Lots of different lA country ads playing on seat back screens. As on flight inbound, it looks like the seat back screens are fixed in place and won't pivot to accomodate the seat being reclined. Meh, even less important this time on a night flight.
Ads vaguely annoying as they spur vague desire to travel plus a kind of fomo as they show "idealised" travel experiences. Think we've had CR, Panama, Mexico and Guatemala so far, and it may not have looped back round.
On the plus side the soundtrack is afaict just music with the "commentary" in subtitles only.
Thu 28th 0001 Slightly disconcerted (visions of leaking duty free) by the odd drop of water but a) figured out the angles were wrong and it was probably coming from an overhead vent b) a cabin crew member just came by (I suspect guy in window seat pressed call button) and explained it is just a bit of condensation.
He at least is not wearing a mask, so presumably it is at least not entirely mandatory for crew.
Watching The Duke.
0114 Meal served, not too bad really. TD isn't bad either, not finished it yet, sort of enjoying it yet it's also sort of vaguely cringe (but not quite that) and annoying - maybe cos I sort of half agree and half disagree with a lot of what's going on.
Left leg hurting, fuck knows why this happens when I sit for prolonged periods (but not eg at computer at home - it seems to be more a vehicle thing). Will get up and go for piss/walk a bit once meal service finished.
0732 Finally nodded off (listening to music) but it took a while. Semi-woken with vague and confusing impressions everyone on plane was rushing to get forward - it was just the two people to my left wanting to get out .
I have drunk a bit of my litre of water just now and a bit earlier. I am glad I have it though trying to husband it. I don't feel great but for sleeeping on a plane I don't feel that bad.
We are 1010 miles from London and I suspect they might serve breakfast soon-ish.
Just been for a piss since I was up anyway and did kind of need it.
0738 Cabin lights came on a few mins ago and the trolleys are starting to make their way up to the fancy end of the plane, I think.
0826 Finished breakfast (scrambled eggs, fruit salad, bread rolls with butter, black coffee).
(days later) I've just merged the weird duplicate versions Dropbox insisted on creating for this file. Only one small chunk (the 1045 entry) had gone missing anyway and I've restored it. My other notes say I got back to flat about 1700.I think we maybe landed 15-30 minutes late but I'm not (and wasn't at the time) completely sure. We may have touched down at the time the flight was due to land but obviously it takes longer to get to the gate. Not that important.
I got all my edible souvenirs home intact. I may do some kind of post-mortem later but for now I just wanted to finally get the merged version of this final day(s) of the trip posted before it gets lost or forgotten.
