Iquique, Tuesday

2204 I think I stink. I don't know why as such but even the damn fleece seems to smell.

Working backwards, came out for a wander and a beer. Struggled a little to find a bar but did walk through the market and as it happens past rather nice blue and yellow cathedral (camera at hostel tho). In some quite pleasant little bar/restaurant whose name and street I shall note later.

Hostel staff (or hostel?) new. Very friendly and helpful, in fact a positive surfeit of information about the area, how much it should be in a colectivo back from anywhere (as if I can do that), where the supermarket is to buy food (as if I'm gonna cook at the hostel), good restaurants and the price of about five different drinks there.

Hostel a bit dilapidated/characterful but clean and sort of rambling. Quite a few SYTs around but doubt I shall end up hanging around there much. We shall see. They even have a pool table. No bar, not that that's a surprise.

Apparently is a casion here, no dress code, 1k to enter. May pop in as suggested just to look for the experience.

Came out maybe 2130??? Bus got in about 2045, lashings of taxi drives competing to drive me (CLP2k plus 300 tip; am trying to cut back on stupid 20%+ tips) and probably got to hostel 2100ish.

24h reception and I keep the key with me (paid 3k deposit for it) but for some reason it's on a four-ish inch wooden disc keyring. Does fit in pocket OK.

Oddly they made a massive fuss over a receipt for the 3k deposit and not for the 35.1k I paid for the room. They will remember if push comes to shove as two 5k notes stuck together so I accidentally gave them 40.1k and they handed it back. Am sure they are not gonna try and scam me.

Wifi allegedly but not tried it yet.

Do resent (nothing specific to here) the general ability of SYTs to hang around in shared areas without feeling awkward. Anyway.

Impressive night (well, late twilight) views of town from the cliff road coming in. Didn't take any photos as sat on wrong side of bus. (News on TV about 30 yrs of The Wall.)

We did get in earlier than expected but there was a stop in what I will call a satellite town which delayed us a bit. No dramas.

At the very least with staff (one guy especially) being so super-informative should be easy to find a nearby laundry tomorrow. Hope not to be up too late.

Room basic but clean. No furniture with holes I can chain my bag too unfortunately. Fingers crossed. Three bathrooms (one poss women only, not clear) opposite. My room is I think the only one up some steep spiral staircase on first floor overlooking terrace (tho it has a cloth cover I think so can't see all of it). So modest privacy I think, for better or worse, though there is a smoking area on that small first floor bit, as well as on a balcony on the far side of the computer room on I think the second floor. (Super-helpful guy gave me a tour, if didn't already say.)

Whiteboard of rooms in reception suggests place not huge. Maybe saw 10-20 SYTs during that tour.

Market quite bustling when walked through but no bars. Bit dead beyond there. Saw two closed bars (at least one calling itself a pub, El Dragon Rojo) and a small pool bar (but more pool than bar; I wouldn't have like to sit in there drinking). This place was a bit of a lucky find. Sure there are lots of places but tonight obviously a bit funny on time.

Oh, super friendly hostel guy who gave me tour spoke to me in Spanish but other guy in reception used English. Waitress in this bar seemed to understand my Spanish but asked in English if I was an English speaker. FWIW gut feeling is she's not very fluent but can handle serving English-only speakers.

Apart from when I couldn't find a bar, first impressions quite good here. Very much not 'smart' (streets a bit run down in a kind of Mexican way) but doesn't feel dangerous (and hostel guy said it's fine) and it has a sort of 'real' quality for want of a better word.

This is almost certainly as far north as I get this trip.

2228 Just saw weather forecast on TV. Weird to see South America on the screen somehow!

Just got another beer. Waitress obviously wanted to use my glass again and wasn't expecting it so had to swig the last bit sharpish. No problem, just observation. If they don't close might have this and one more (I am guessing 500ml tho suddenly wonder if they are larger) then home. Don't expect any chat at hostel (and - tho am less conscious of it now - perhaps for best if I *do* stink) but if there is don't want to be pissed. Also hope to be up earlyish and I might have a shower before I go to bed (and perhaps do a discrete wash of one T-shirt to wear tomorrow) so don't want a repeat of the Oaxaca incident (tho in reality that was just bad luck, but still, once bitten etc).

Could be a stiffish journey or two to get down to Santiago on time but do have a fair amount of time in hand. Do plan to spend at least one or two nights somewhere en route, tho Bradt guide says (and easy to believe) I could get a bus from here all the way to Santiago in one go. Doubt I will be so enamoured of place will do that but still.

Place not huge but maybe 10 people here, I suspect full seated capacity is 20-30. I quite like this bar actually, even if I did come here because it was first half decent place I found.

Could be a stiffish onward journey anyway as with time being what it is I might decide (if possible) to go to Vina del Mar (an hour from Santiago) next rather than anywhere nearer halfway. We shall see and no need to worry about it now, have three nights here including tonight. Time to panic and jump on super-long-haul bus is if I'm here a week today or tomorrow. :-)

Be very good to get laundry sorted.

Oh, if glass branding is to be believed, schop is Cristal. Plausible as seen lots of Cristal branding here, and now I think about it outside this bar too.

2251 Waitress just took group photo of what I assume are some Chileans at other table. If memory serves this place is a bit of a resort. I find the concept a little odd when you're never that far from the coast here (the trip I did today was mainly east to west and I think that's about as far as you can be from the coast) but I guess not all beaches are equal and not all coastal places are the same. I mean, this is (probably) very different from Chanaral and again from La Serena.

Really hope I can get up not too late tomorrow. I always struggle but would be good not to waste time. Let's be realistic, if I could be up by 10 I'd be super happy. I could then hand the laundry in by 11 to pick up same time next day (I assume), have a good old walk and see the place and - let's be honest - have a spankingly unhealthy lunch and just relax a bit.

I believe you can do paragliding here. I suspect that's not on the cards - I know little about it but I believe it's water oriented and I can't swim and forgot to bring my trunks anyway - but it might be cool and I should maybe look into it. Tandem obviously, and no food for at least 12h beforehand if I do it. :-) At least you probably don't need special shoes. :-)

Am in this odd UKish mode where I fear they are going to close soon. They may, but still 5-10 ppl here and no obvious signs of such. Not a massive deal if can't stay for one more but would be nice.

2259 Just got another, waitress said they weren't closing. Then said 'one more?' in English. I will assume that was a question mark not an imperative. I think she's trying her English out on me; she just changed my beer mat (I don't think I spilt, but it was sticking as always) and said "this (beer mat) is new". I could assume she finds my Spanish terrible but I think that would be unreasonable.

Does remind me that my Bradt guide says of one hostel, possibly in this town (I just happened to notice it; nowhere I ever book on hostelworld appears in either guide book) that "the owner thinks he speaks English, and has a foul accent in Spanish too". :-)

2306 No worries but five people here now including me. Not gonna rush this as such and for all I know other people will turn up but wondering if I might end up in the way. Still, I can and have and will again finish up while staff clean up so no big deal. Not super late anyway.

Oh, muscles in my arms still hurt when I stretch. Not complaining - sandboarding was easily worth this, and I feared a lot worse - just an observation. Noticed on the bus it even hurts when I flex my wrists.

2320 TV programme now about some obese guy. And while he's got a bit of a gut, he's not one of those uber-fat guys you'd expect to see on a UK programme (or, dare I say it, a US one) about the same subject.

Must admit I'd like another beer but not gonna push it in terms of opening hours. Will be guided by the waitress I think. Still five of us here. Suspect it's best not to but we'll see.

2328 Group of three getting the bill so I think I shall leave unless blatantly obvious I'm welcome to stay for another. Feeling the beer a little so perhaps for the best.

2332 Two guys just come in and waitress getting them fresh glasses, so may have one more. Feeling it but not drunk so may have one more then off.

Yeah, she insisted on speaking to me in English but it's cool, also asked for bill. Feeling it a bit but not really pissed (assuming they are 500ml, it's less than four pints). May or may not shower (Oaxaca!) but can always wash T-shirt in bathroom while cleaning teeth. Wonder if my using Spanish to her is a bit rude now but what can you do. She doesn't show any inclination to engage me in conversation. Odd to feel like this after four but it's more of a buzz (I guess I have been fairly moderate lately) than that "my god, I'm pissed" feeling. Not that I've stood up since I got here. ;-)

I would ask if it was a half litre but I feel (and have since the third, so not necessarily fairly) like I'm the drunk foreign idiot here ("are you sure it's OK if I have another?") so don't really like to.

2347 Joy. Looks like a failed email address expansion lost my earlier blog post. I assume it lives somewhere in my GMail account but I need to fart around to get it resent. Still, at least it's not lost. I think. Brief attempt to resend from phone seemed to show latter part missing.

Not pissed but half wish hadn't stayed as worried am pissed without realising it. But come on, it's less than four pints. Not got bill yet. Oh well, all cool.

2354 Can't be litre schops as I'd probably be on the floor by now but do feel sort of drunk. Tis OK, hostel not far. Definitely not going to shower tonight though. Teeth and T-shirt, no more. (No, they can't be litres. I feel heavy and weird but not really pissed. Halfway through this so litres would be 7 pints and it's not like that. Have to assume it's cos am bit tired, maybe out of practice and not eaten since midday.) Just hope when I stand up it's not bad.

PS Battery at 10%.

0006 Waitress disappeared so paid at bar. CLP4k for four schop! Paid 5k. Feel OKish outside. Place is Restaurant & Schoperia Esari's next to post office in Simon Bolivar nr corner with Obispo Labbe. Battery at 9%. Do feel slightly drunk but only slightly. Odd. Shall putter home. Dogs barking heads off. Todo bien. ;-)

0039 Back. GPS waypoint thought was hostel was 300km away. Woman who answered door asked if I was going to bed!" Said 'don't worry about that'. Some SYTs *dining* on lower terrace. Cleaned teeth and washed T-shirt, no way is gonna dry by tomorrow but have to try. Sat on upper smoking terrace before go to bed. Feel totally sober. Odd squared.

I mean, I felt pissed when she let me in. Fuck knows what she meant by that question. And I now feel fine. How I'd *expect* to feel after four pints. Think the SYTs on lower terrace are German but not sure. T-shirt is supposedly an easy dry job but is sopping on windowsill in my room. No chance of putting travel clothesline up, room too spartan. But maybe I should give it another go. May try wifi and see if can rescue earlier blog post before go to bed.