Bogota, Tuesday night

2041 "And I don't want the world to see me cos I don't think they'd understand" playing. In bar just round corner from hotel. Not very nice really. Only tiny bottles of beer at COP3,500 - though to be fair that is a bit over a quid and hence a bit over two quid for more than a pint, not that I can see the exact volume on bottle. Meh. Might try next door - though as a basement bar not sure how brave I am feeling - after this. Quite a few people in here, no idea if they are tourists or what.

Out of the incomprehensible list of beers reeled off by slightly sullen barmaid (no big bottles or draught, I asked) I picked Club Colombia. She asked if I wanted Dorada or Roja, I said Roja. It's OK.

2052 Europe, "The Final Countdown"

2102 I think this place is Apóstol, but could be wrong. It's not so bad but I think I might chance my arm next door. (The bar right under hotel not open.)

2108 No, it's called Papyros, looked over door as came out. Now in Lymbo Rock Bar almost next door. Not v busy but a bit bigger and not scary. Beer (small bottles again; didn't bother asking for anything else) only 2600 here.

Sat at table as bar occupied by couple of friends of barmaid. Not a problem. Quite a few people on streets, if I can keep things moderate tonight I might go out again tomorrow night and perhaps venture a touch further afield.

"Don't want to touch you but you're under my skin... you're poison" (Alice Cooper???? Looks like him on the video playing on big projection screen.)

Drinking "Poker" beer. It's OK. Club Colombia Roja was probably a bit better though.

2213 Re-reading Mark Twain's Following The Equator on phone. Him talking about Indian and trains brings back memories, which I guess is one reason I travel, for the memories. Got third beer in here, might have one or two more as only smal and hotel round corner, tis OK, not going to go nuts.

Am feeling a touch more relaxed here now. Not particularly concerned on street during day today, correctly or otherwise.

2229 Midnight Oil, "Beds Are Burning". Makes me smile somehow, probably because it reminds me of that night in Quito.

2235 "Devil Went Down To Georgia". Notable as never seen the music video to this.

2238 I'm now last person in here. Might see if can go elsewhere, perhaps back to Papyros. Not saying I have to leave here but it's Tuesday and don't like being only one in. Maybe nowhere else, bit of shame if so but c'est la vie.

2243 Back at hotel. Was tempted to ask at bar if they were shutting but didn't. Walked slightly further up street but beggary weirdo gave a few coins to earlier was in middle of it and think he recognised me so turned back. Whatsit Beer Pub mentioned yday on other side of road looked shut and Papyros was very much shut so I'm strongly inferring nearly everywhere round here would be. Slight shame but no real problem, at least I have checked out a couple of places and can try somewhere else tomorrow.

0104 OK, bed. I am going to set an alarm for 11am and otherwise try last night's plan. I am sure despite my relatively easy life right now all that snoozing-disturbed-sleep has taken its toll and I am not going to expect to 'recover' from it in one night.

Bogota, Tuesday

1745 At some place near hotel round corner from Museo de Oro getting half chicken, chips and arepa. Difficulties re whether I wanted food or toilet and which floor and still a bit confused but meh. Feet killing me for some reason.

Woke up but didn't get up or dare look at clock. Eventually got up about midday and left hotel 1ish which was bit sucky but probably still more relaxing and no later than continual snoozing, so may try again tomorrow.

Went to Museo de Policia which was quite interesting, just me on tour at first then joined by a woman who might have been Dutch or Irish. The tour was nominally in English but when solo I told guy I spoke some Spanish after he said he had only been learning English two months. He spoke English to me but when the woman joined us - she said she spoke some Spanish - he switched exclusively to Spanish, he asked me to help translate but I didn't want to patronise her and she said she understood him so fortunately I didn't need to. Not sure if she was Dutch or Irish as she said it in Spanish and I thought she said Irish but the tour guide thought she said Dutch. He was probably right, she didn't immediately strike me as Irish when I heard her speak English. Bit intimidated going up to museum as it looks like a police station with guards and all staff are police but I asked and it's been exclusively a museum since 1986.

After went to Museo de Oro. They announced tours in Spanish and English; was going to do the English one but on a whim joined Spanish group. Not complete tour, we spent over an hour just on a few exhibits on the symbolism floor but was interesting and pleased to understand about 90%. Buzzed round rest of 2nd and 3rd floors after, by no means seen everything but they were not far off closing and my feet were hurting as not eaten all day except an apple and a pear this morning before leaving hotel.

1808 Food OK if not amazing. 9500 for the food and 1800 for a smallish bottle of coke zero. Place is Suiza, Av Jimenez 4-98.

2025 Will go out for beer soon. Stupidly nervous. Notice bar next to hotel was open when came back so hopefully not like last night.

Bogota, Monday night

2112 What a crock of shit. I went out. Some fucking dog barking its head off as got into street. Pub under hotel not open. Walked round corner, a few people about but pretty dead. No bars in that vicinity open, not even (it was blacked out with bloke standing in doorway, I didn't actually *ask*) the Bogota Beer Company on the corner which (unlike most of the nearby bars) was open when I walked past about 5pm. WTF? It's open at 5pm but shut at 9pm? It looked crap anyway, it was full of a very SYT crowd, but still, I am surprised.

I am not saying I might not have found something had I walked further but definitely not chancing that. I have to assume that Monday is just an ultra-dead night. Meh. I will try again tomorrow. Fortunately I wasn't gagging for a beer or the chance of a conversation, I just feel it's good to go out every few nights. Meh. Dunno what bloke on reception who had to let me in about three minutes after I left thought. :-)

To be scrupulously honest one 'shop' was open and lit and had three blokes smoking outside and though I didn't feel up to stopping for a good look in it might have been a narrow bar full of people. On the other hand a sign on the wall did say 'we sell ice' so maybe not. Certainly not a blatantly signed bar and definitely didn't feel up to investigating it further. I suspect it is relatively safe on the streets round here at night but who knows for sure, and I need to gradually build my confidence up in any new-and-potentially-dangerous place (not sure if that is rational or not).

0142 Feh, been surfing. Feels like I've read some useful stuff but may be deluding myself. Done a few calculations too, so not been pure idleness. Need to get to bed soon. Going to take a chance and just set an alarm for midday. I am hoping that if I can avoid the whole 'completely broken snooze-button for hours' sleep I will actually wake up, maybe go back to sleep again but then wake up ready to get up earlier than I would with all the snoozing. The midday alarm is just a kind of backstop to prevent me waking up at 3pm feeling like I've lost the entire day. But I still have five full days here so I can just about afford that, though I'd rather not - I'm very lazy but I like to get at least half a day of activities in if possible.

0155 OK, bed.

Bogota, Monday

1154 Just got up. Been snoozing on alarms since about 9, seriously. I can't help thinking snoozing is a terrible habit, would be better to just go back to sleep. Maybe I should just set an alarm for say 1pm and let myself wake up naturally. Mind you, doesn't help the room is just slightly on the cold side and that never helps getting out of bed. Probably take ages to go out as need to consult guide book and worry about safety. Sod it, do what I can I guess.

1329 Come out. Lots of museums shut today, not fucking around with tour arranging (prob impossible anyway) or the risky business of that hill. Got lost on way out, I could swear I went the direction indicated by phone compass on OSM but then it turned out that was exactly opposite. Didn't notice immediately as trying to minimise having phone out on street so couldn't watch the current location dot run off in wrong direction as I moved. Fuck knows. Maybe doesn't help that hotel is on a weird corner not shown on map precisely so hard to get my bearings outside hotel. Also it's all very well having this grid calle/carrera scheme but right here the street layout is nothing like a grid and there are a/b/c calles shoved in and fuck knows.

In some small pizzeria which is bit intimidating but fuck it. Managed to order a pizza after much dickering trying to find out how big a medium is. On my way to Casa de Moneda which sounds OK but going partly cos it is open Mon. F&CO website says a British tourist was robbed at gunpoint in this area. But I suppose it was one of thousands etc and guide book etc makes it out to be OK. Getting increasingly rammed and I have a table and wondering if going to end up sharing or if I should preemptively move to counter.

Finished paying hotel when came out. They haven't charged me the 16% VAT which is a bonus. Counted up my USD and should have ample even for two USD30 taxis plus hotel in BA, not that I intend to spend that much.

Mega warm in here, am sat near semi-open kitchen, but it's OK, quite nice in a cool-ish way out so will cool off after eating. Does mean loads of people milling around on my left.

No diet coke, they offered me natural lemonade and it really is lemony and unsweet. I like lemons but an unusual taste. Need to conserve it as not v big and having a medium pizza.

Place is Ricasole Pizzeria on Carrera 4.

Oh, the pizza sizes are named exlusively in English but everything else on the menu is in Spanish only. WTF? Maybe this is just one of those weird things, like coffee sizes in some places in UK using Italian names even though English has its own perfectly good words for the same things.

1819 Back at hotel. Went round CdM and some of the confusing back passages which unite it with an adjacent art museum. All free. Got told off for trying to take a picture of some big lump of gold, as always can't see why prohibited but when it's free bit less annoying. Walked up towards Museo de Oro station as had seen shop there other day where hoped to get diet coke and fruit but most shops shut at 1710. Walked round a bit and ended up in major plaza, where I bought a grilled corn on the cob and after eating that went into nearby supermarket and bought soft drinks and water and fruit/veg - room has a fridge so might as well take advantage.

May see if any of adjacent bars open/decent later but not til 8 or 9 and won't be a late one.

2041 Will prob go out in 20 mins or so. Oddly jittery given there is a pub right under the hotel if open and failing that several just round corner. Anyway, will send this now...

Bogota, Sunday

1533 Been out for cash, either phone GSM is subtly off or the OSM maps for here are bullshit. Eventually found cash machine, got some fruit in weird little shop on way back, forgot to take receipt for hotel out and since room on 5th floor didn't pay rest yet. May pop out see what the nearby bars like later if not too tired and will pay on my way out. Left ARS200 in plastic bag with passport and credit card, hope doesn't go walkabout.

V steep hill with chuch and top and funicular or something like that nearby. Will look into that kind of thing and its safety tonight/tomorrow. Area slightly run down in places but not too bad.

1737 Not going out tonight unless I have a major change of heart. Bit tired, it's Sunday so probably a bit dead (places might even be shut for all I know), no point burning through my alcohol allowance. Surfing, seems bit of waste of time but OTOH nice to enjoy the relative luxury and with luck will be up earlyish tomorrow.

2335 Been surfing, bit tired, should prob have gone to bed. Anyway, shower then maybe move in that direction. Looking out of window street seems v quiet and not much street noise, despite some claims of it being disturbing on web reviews. So I am going to infer Sunday night is fairly dead and I did the 'right thing' not going out. Arguably I could have used my time better tonight but tonight when I am tired it is probably more defensible than ever. Feeling a smidge down but will put it down primarily to tiredness.

2343 OK, there was at best tepid water in shower and it's cool enough in room I'm not going to freeze my arse off for no reason. Bed.

Quito-Bogota

0602 Dragged myself out of bed about 0548, think woke on 0540 alarm. Inevitably I didn't get to sleep til about 0300 or maybe later, probably nerves re oversleeping or just general perversity of life. In room topping up phone - I didn't dare not sleep with it - before head down to reception. Fingers crossed but I guess having got up probably means the major risk of missing the flight is out of the way.

Naturally the T-shirt I left unpacked is still damp, as were the others and the underwear I packed last night. Well, they'd only been hung on travel clothesline in bathroom for about 48 hours, in Quito's deliciously cool climate that evidently isn't anything like enough time.

0617 In back of taxi about to leave, oldish bloke came down, maybe bell doesn't ring down in hall cos didn't heard anything, he let me out and driver was waiting outside, handed key over. Checked destination and price with driver, so that's all good. Don't think want to deliberately go to sleep now but if I do probably OK.

0709 At airport. Woohoo, a nice quick journey! Only four hours to wait. But even in hindsight what else could I do?

0718 Getting expensive half fries half onion rings for USD5 at Johnny Rocket's. May see if can get 'proper' food airside but the restaurants landside are pricey or not doing food of any kind this early or both (went downstairs, saw the ones there). This will be something if nothing airside.

Not an original observation even for me but air travel is insanely expensive by the time you factor in the taxis (I often cheap out on arrival but for departure not so much as it's more time critical) and the need to eat overpriced food at the airport. I could have brought some snacks with me - I do have a few peanuts - but still, that's not ideal either.

The (presumably) mock 50s USA vibe is decidedly cheesy but meh.

0737 Credit where it's due, the portion was less stingy than I expected and was quite good. Anyway, might as well make my way airside.

0756 Airside. Relatively painless and no queueing but they put my bag back through the scanner a second time, between security and immigration some kind of cop asked to see my passport and asked why I was in Ecuador and which cities I had visited and what my job was and my final destination and then an immigration I was asked why I was going to Bogota and it all just made me a smidge jumpy. Aaaaanyway.

Not starving but will have look round restaurants and if I can get something for USD10-15 I may eat in 30-60 mins. Counted up last night to ensure I have enough USD left for Buenos Aires (hotel will be a rip off if don't pay in USD and ideally will have enough to pay for two taxi from/to airport though hope it won't come to that at least on arrival) but I think I can afford that much.

0805 I see there is a flight to Ezeiza - I assume that means BA Ezeiza not some city of same name. So perhaps I didn't need to go on to Bogota to get a direct flight to BA. Meh, no real harm done.

One place here sells pizza *by the slice* at USD7.99. FFS. There is a place which does chicken nuggety things at USD8.51 ish. I have about 2.70 in change so if I get some of those it will 'only' cos me USD5 as change is virtually dead money otherwise, I am unlikely to ever carry it back out once I get it home. I am wondering if I should 'save' a representative selection of coins but I don't collect coins so bit of a silly thought really.

1030 Went for "chicken pop" and managed to use up nearly all shrapnel while only burning through USD5 of notes, though the woman on the till nearly shortchanged me by USD2.

The thing I was about to write yday afternoon when food arrived was that on leaving lower end of TeleferiQo (as it is spelled; I thought it was a typo in the guide book before yday) where taxi had dropped me I milled around wondering how to get away. One taxi turned up but an old couple took it. A chap with a can of beer turned up and told me the bus stop was 100m down the hill; he was right but I refused to follow him out of paranoia at first and only when he returned in a car to pick some people up and told me again did I go down. The entrance to nearby funfair (Volcan???) was there and I nearly got a minibus for USD1 to Foch in Mariscal - but the two guys in there with me decided to get a cab, so I was sat there on my own then a cab with the 'secure' sticker on the windscreen came past so I jumped out and got that. He only quoted USD4 back to Plaza Grande but I made it 4.50. (It was USD6 up to TeleferiQo.)

1424 At hotel in Bogota. (Was at Hostal San Blas in Quito.) Room v large, a suite really, but slightly shabby. Quite good though. Guide book full of shit as usual, there is no booth outside the baggage area where you get a voucher giving an exact fixed price for your taxi. However I asked a cop and it's safe to take a taxi from the rank and although the driver mysteriously turned the meter off 700m from the hotel he charged me COP24,000 which I think is probably OK, guide book IIRC suggests about COP21k but v unclear. Have left passport and credit card at desk, I hope they are not going to leave them under the counter where they put them just now. Need to go out and withdraw some more cash in a minute. Area looks a smidge run down but is apparently safe. Was feeling really tired in taxi. Anyway, will send this now.

Quito, Saturday

1113 Didn't want to get up but managed to drag myself up about 1030. Everything seems such a fucking effort; it's the fact that simply getting a taxi to Teleferiqo is fraught with danger. Also knowledge of delightfully early start tomorrow not encouraging me to leap out of bed today.

Am in some 'just starting to open' restaurant hoping to get chicken and chips. It's already overcast if it wasn't all morning so no massive rush. I will go do online checkin and print after this - if I am worried about getting back in time to print it will ruin the afternoon, and with the super early start tomorrow I could be shafted if I don't get it printed today - then probably get a taxi from Plaza Grande where I can hopefully eyeball a parked taxi for authenticity rather than flagging down a moving one which I can't study first.

Really starting to worry about getting another contract or what will happen if it's front office. Rationally I need to say fuck it. I can't do anything about it now - not til I get back to UK - so silly to spoil rest of holiday. I can probably get *something* to stop eroding my savings even if it's shit money. If I get a front office job and can't stick it then I'm no worse off quitting than if I didn't get it in the first place and depending how long it takes I might get six months worth of money by way of a consolation prize. I also have some minor plans which I could perhaps push forwards a bit further if push came to shove. Also while I'd rather not erode them I do have some savings so I don't have to go into a fucking panic.

They haven't asked me *how much* chicken I want yet. I dunno if they are just assuming or they are still firing up ovens or whatever.

1124 Woo, been served, looks like 1/8 chicken. Lard out baby! Oh well. It will help cancel out some of the snacking I've been doing at night. I haven't had a really decently large cooked meal in ages. Closest is the trout at EPDLT but even then I don't feel all that full.

1255 What a crock of shit. It's 8.50 for foreigners vs 4.50ish for locals. I had to queue 20+ mins to buy my ticket. It says 'express' on it but the express line isn't open so I have to queue in the regular line (I tried and some woman waved me round to back of regular line). At least in India you get preferential treatment in return for paying extra. Obviously I shouldn't have come on a Saturday. Writing this in queue to board. Printed boarding pass OK and after lurking a bit got taxi in Plaza Grande, cost USD6 but didn't tip, was a fair old drive so prob reasonable. Dunno if services offering hike to peak will be offered at top (guide book vague) but definitely not chancing it solo and it's perhaps a bit late in the day even to do it with a group. Sun comes out occasionally through gap in clouds but dunno what view will be like.

Double checking guide book it says it's 3h hike to top (and 'some scrambling required'), so I'd guess *at least* 4h up and down, probably more like 5h. Given I'm not even at the front of the queue to board yet and it gets dark 6ish I think that's definitely not happening. Another thing for next time. Though next time I hope to arrive and depart by bus because using the airport is fucking expensive and inconvenient with the 2h USD26 taxi each way.

1410 At top. In cafe having overpriced empanada, cloud came down for a bit and eliminated the view, seems to have lifted somewhat though cloud level is still low. View is pretty cool but a) struggling to fight off the waves of uncertainty which are pounding me at the moment b) it would be much much better if it were clear weather. Saw sign to path to higher summit, it says 5h so yay for my estimation and definitely not doing it; I also haven't checked on robbery risk on that path (guide book mentions it) even were there no time issues. Did go a little up it for slightly higher views and also wandered slightly around and went to some little church perched on the hillside.

1638 At Caravana for half chicken and chips. Bite me. Was going to go to El Palacio de La(s) Trucha(s) but they had stools on tables, not sure if were shutting or opening. Went to Iglesia de la Compañia de Jesus which was quite impressive - did like the fake spiral staircase painted on wall, though not as realistic as I might have hoped - but the miserable gits don't let you take photos. They charge double for foreigners too. Old bloke coming in next to me was asked where he was from and (I rather admire this) wanted to know why they wanted to know. Everyone thought he didn't understand the question instead of wanting to know why. He then asked why he had to pay to get in as it was a church, which made me wonder if he's just a bit of a curmudgeon instead of principled.

Didn't realise I had to... food here.

1733 Back at hotel. Spoke to reception (in Spanish) and woman called taxi firm, they think 2h to be on safe side to airport so I have a taxi booked for 615, will be USD30 - only 4 more than when I came out, it is kind of early morning/Sunday and hardly in a position to argue. In reality I think arriving at airport 3h early is a bit ridiculous but it gives me a safety margin. Doubtless traffic will be light and I'll get there 4h early but that's life^Wair travel.

0058 Bed. Bit late but I probably wouldn't have got to sleep much earlier anyway. Been surfing, packed of course, uploaded some photos, wifi worked on netbook tonight. Oh, did a bit of 'mental exercise' while up at top of Teleferico and managed to dispel a fair amount of the uncertainty worry. So that's good. Still not in full on 'woo, I'm on holiday' mode but it's an improvement.