La Serena, Sunday

1344 Annoyed. Three people left dormitory this morning so went to reception and asked if could move to lower bunk. Cool, woman told me to tell cleaner and I did. I have been leaving my daypack full of low value items on bed as marker but cleaner at this point was insistent it was safer to put it in locker.

When put netbook away after booking hostels etc, was a bloody sleep mask on lower bunk. I have shifted it to upper and dumped my daypack on there but I suspect it's gonna get moved and I will not be in a position to argue. Not the end of the world but annoying. I am assuming there is some kind of 'beach towel' arrangement (despite the signs saying you should tell reception which is yours so they know which to make) but I wasn't sure so didn't like to argue with cleaner when she was so adamant about me putting it away. I guess once this is done I will know next time for sure.

At some hopefully cheap restauarant where there doesn't seem to be a menu, though they sort of pretend there is. Lots of stuff listed on board out front, waitress listed exactly three dishes when asked and none of them were familiar. So having chicken and chips.

Hacked off over this fucking territorial dispute, primarily because I know I've lost. Will console myself with trying not to worry if I disturb lower occupant on returning late.

Booked hostel (single room) in Valparaiso for Mon/Tue nights and apartment in Santiago for Wed-Fri. Checked flight online just to make sure; netflights seemed to have lost it, but it's on viewtrip.com with the Galileo reference. Am assuming I can pick up a bus at random tomorrow but for sheer lack of anything to do may walk down to bus terminal after eating and see.

Hostel wifi worked on netbook but refused to work on phone again. I think I keep getting free Skype credit with my hostelworld bookings and was going to try to apply it but not joy.

Walked around with bag of clothes this morning trying to find open laundrette but it's Sunday. Will just have to push it a little (wearing same T-shirt as yday and which I accidentally slept in - wasn't going to climb down a second time just to take it off, having had to do that once already for my glasses) and should be able to get some done in Valparaiso if I get up earlyish Tuesday.

Food here anyway.

1412 Not bad. Portion as a whole not gigantic but OK. Quarter chicken over here seems more substantial than in the UK somehow. May even eat a second time later today out of sheer boredom.

Really don't want to go to bus terminal but it's exercise and there's nothing else to do so... Thinking about it, if there are plenty of buses, I may not buy a ticket anyway - it would put the pressure on tomorrrow morning. Depends on times of buses I guess.

Oh, this is a rotisserie chicken place - they have a rack of chickens rotating as you come in, and just saw waitress handling a skewer of chickens.

Will be a bit rushed in Valparaiso - Monday evening, all day Tuesday and checkout being at 11 will probably be on a bus to Santiago by midday or 1ish Wednesday. But there's no pressing reason to stay here another day and Valparaiso sounds quite cool (hills with ascensores, trolleybuses) so what the hell. I also don't want to arrive (food 3.4k, 3.8k with tip) in Santiago too early; I like the place but don't want to overdo it, and I will have three nights (tho Fri not a proper night, with needing to be at airport 1030 so checkout probably 830-9) and two full days there as it is.

1451 At terminal. Just paid 13k for 1140 bus tomorrow morning. Bit sucky but the one other company I asked who had a bus had it at 9pm-ish. Also a bit pricey given IIRC it was 7k up from Santiago to here and Valparaiso isn't that far from Santiago. One company had a price list up showing 10k but no one at their window to ask for times or to buy from.

Not the end of the world. As yesterday (and indeed the first night ever at Aji Verde when had double to myself, which is also off lower terrace) will doubtless be awakened 9ish by conversation of SYTs breakfasting. Getting up 930-10 bit of a pisser but not too bad. Think I actually got up about 10-1030 today anyway.

Think it's 6-7 hr journey. Bit crap doing it during day; my planning has arguably been a little poor lately but don't want to overdo the plans. Might have been better to have travelled overnight tonight, but I'd then arrive super early tomorrow (probably 4-5am) and while as it happens today has been dull (relaxing, let's say ;-) ) I couldn't know that in advance, and if I'd only booked one night here I'd have been more rushed yesterday, so there's a kind of knock-back effect.

Am wondering if might have been better to spend Wednesday night in Valparaiso instead of Santiago but it's all booked now and not the end of the world etc etc.

Oh, couldn't remember word for 14 when choosing seat. Said '10-4' and woman didn't have a clue. Don't think she was very impressed with my Spanish in general...

1504 Partly for "old times sake" and partly cos while pricey it is quite nicely classy and has a (temperature) cool terrace, come to El Santo opposite bus terminal. Not eating, just gonna have a hopefully slow beer or two before wandering again.

Tooks GPS coords of bus terminal just in case. It's 1.5km from hostel in straight line, probably further by the grid, so I don't really want to walk it, but depending on when I end up checking out, the weather (it's been relatively cool and overcast here so far, a bit of sun now but not unpleasantly hot) and the availability of taxis I may do so.

Cut my bottom lip shaving this morning (bit careless, been using decent wet razor bought here last time ever since) and it's a bit uncomfortable at times.

Oh, waitress said 'cerveza?' when I asked for 'schop', so do wonder if it's not draught here (as I said before, it seems a bit more flavoursome than typical lager) and they just don't give you the bottle to pour it yourself.

Really do need to work on my Spanish when I get back to the UK. I know practice is important but I think I really do need to study up on the building blocks like the basic tenses. I am essentially living entirely off present and the 'he hecho' form of the past, plus 'voy a comer' form of future. Eked out with tiny bit of largely forgotten preterit (which has a lot of irregulars; I think I stick to 'fue' mostly) and imperfect. Yes I need practice to use them properly (and we're not even getting onto the subjunctive here, never mind general vocabulary) but I need them in my head as 'facts' before I can do so. Maybe a bit of 'A-level revision'-esque study is well overdue. Thought this before and not got round to it of course, but maybe this time will be different.

Battery at 46%. Been using what (taking the phrase from Dave Gorman's "America Unchained") I shall refer to as 'destroyer tactics'. I am keeping phone charger in pocket and whenever I get the chance (eg while having any of the three S's at the hostel) I whack the thing onto charge. You can squeeze an extra 5-10% or more into it quite easily if those activities are prolonged, and it all adds up.

1541 Apropos of nothing, some of the SYTs were talking about the Salar de Uyuni trip over breakfast this morning. General consensus seemed to be that altitude sickness pills were de rigeur and that it was a problem. Admittedly one or two people referred mainly to getting breathless after climbing a few stairs (which I had) but that's hardly altitude sickness. The thing is, I don't recall most of the people I was with having problems (maybe because they took tablets, not that I think they did, but if they took them in anticipation how could they know they *needed* them?). I almost wonder if there's an element of 'reverse bragging' here - people claiming to have felt worse than they did to make it seem more adventurous. You'd still think people would prefer to say they had no problems, and I struggle to believe most people do have problems, unless I was just very lucky and my group was too, or I didn't observe them well.

Battery 31% but sod it. If (hahaha) I keep the lower bunk I can actually charge phone in bed, but I shall probably (I can't drink or wander all afternoon) spend an hour or two milling around the hostel reading Yes Man while charging phone sometime this afternoon anyway. Not exactly keen to sit around like a lemon but needs must.

Was wondering if should push for more dormitory experience (it's clearly just a matter of learning the ropes) by deliberately staying in one in Valparaiso but when they actually had a single room (rather than paying for a double to myself) for not much more than the dormitory here I couldn't resist. I still have tonight to get through anyway and don't want to overdo it. If I had more time left I might (somewhat paradoxically) have gone for it, and similarly had it been a case of paying for a double to myself I might have gone for it.

Really on these 'while on a contract' trips I am cash rich and time poor (unlike 2010 to a certain extent), although at the same time I never like to spend more than really necessary to have a good time. On the other hand, it may be that doing things on a lower budget (even if by choice rather than necessity) helps meet people. On the third hand, I don't want to seem desperate to meet people by deliberately going ultra low budget.

In purely financial terms, the flights cost about £40/day (off top of head, but right area) for a trip this short, so almost any other expenditure is minor by comparison. (Very roughly - there is some variation from place to place - you're looking at 7-15 quid for a dormitory bed, 10-20 for a single room and 20 quid for an overnight semi-cama bus.)

Oh, there was a probably 60ish Dutch woman on the Mamalluca tour last night who was going to hook up with some 20something SYT Germans in Santiago. I didn't speak to them but overheard it in bus back, which was interesting.

Did tour in Spanish BTW. Understood 25-50%, dropping to 10% for the powerpoint presentation of astronomical stuff I already knew done over a (fairly clear) microphone. I do think the guy doing the tour, while a nice chap, was probably speaking in a very Chilean manner and at full speed. I could have done an English tour but my entire group was Spanish-speaking (at least of the two) and a) I didn't want to get separated, as it all felt a bit slapdash and didn't want to get stranded up there at midnight and b) they asked - in Spanish, dur - on the bus on the way up if anyone wanted the tour in English and I didn't say anything, so I thought it might be confusing if I switched. Could mostly understand stuff said in the (mini)bus except when the guy insisted on talking when we were rumbling over bad roads. I might have been OK in English under those conditions, but it would have been a push so I had no chance in Spanish then.

Battery at 23%. How exciting! Reminds me of being a bored 5ish year old and my Mum showing me the orange 'half full' light had come on on our new vacuum cleaner. The anticlimax was palpable.

1551 Just got a second beer.

1620 Nearly finished this. Batttery at 22%. Probably have one more then back home.

Did occur to me while re-reading Three Men on the Bummel that this trip meets the definition of a bummel; a trip, long or short, going where things take you, governed by nothing except the requirement to be back where you started at a fixed time.

More time would have been nice but three weeks doesn't seem too bad. As have doubtless said before, two weeks would just have been that bit too tight I think. As it is one more day would have been nice so I could have had a 'proper' Friday night and an albeit constrained Saturday night at the end, but still, not bad. While not exactly looking forward to being at work next week (especially the three support days, though I kind of got lucky there with a three day stint - I owe loads, but worry about that when it comes) at least it's only a week, then it will be sort of nice to be back up in Skegness for a week, especially compared to my recent flying visits on unpleasant business. Am sure (hahahahaha) will manage to squeeze in the aforementioned Spanish study between Christmas and New Year. If I can (as I hope) get dates for Feb trip confirmed next week I will also be able to muse over that. Advice from friends notwithstanding I am likely to come back to Latin America, though probably some previously unvisited part. Maybe Ecuador or Colombia, or central America. Doesn't have to be just one country but don't want to stretch myself too thin. At some point - possibly the next long trip - would be cool to fly into Panama and go overland into Mexico. I suspect that is doable, albeit at 'around the world in 80 days' kind of speed, in three weeks, but probably not the best use of the time. Some of my guide books do have various itineraries for the use of both year out and 2-3 week people and those might be worth a glance at least when deciding what to do.

As noted earlier, could have ended up going back to Santiago via Argentina except for bad luck with bus. But - and who knows what may happen in the next few days anyway - already turned out well in its way, as I wouldn't have gone paragliding in Iquique had that happened.

1630 Going to get one more. Am not sure these are 500ml and if they are three is fine. My tolerance and phone battery should see me through another then back to hostel for Yes Man and a recharge.

1708 Just got bill. 3x350ml for 4.5k! Call it 5k with tip. Duna tonight for sure. ;-)

2030 At Duna. Left hostel about 8. Fuck.

Put phone on charge in locker. 91% now.

Incidentally, my bag still on lower bunk *plus* eyecover. Some other bag on top bunk. Assume I still have lower and eyeshade is floating loose. As long as I have a bed, fuck it.

Got a litre of Becker. 1200 and left 150 on table as tip.

Sober but maybe not for long. Probably shouldn't write this but fuck, I feel shit.

Sat on lower terrace with Yes Man. Two SYTs and a member of hostel staff down there. Didn't join them as didn't know if they knew each other, plus I have an idea that hostel guy dislikes me, plus while chat would be welcome wasn't exactly seeking it out. Would have been so happy to have had place to myself.

Anyway, over the course of what, two hours, SYTs came, went and conglomerated around that table en masse. Boy did I feel like a sad fucker. I am jealous - how the fuck do they do it? - but also just felt so fucking stupid. I guess in hindsight I should maybe have gone and sat with those couple originally. But what if they told me to fuck off, or what if I was intruding? And I wasn't desperate for a chat. Then later on it felt like a (foolish?) consistency prevented me from doing that.

FFS, I'm not averse to a drink on my own (I was on water, FWIW). But sitting there in the hostel like that was like slow fucking torture. Was hoping to stick it out til 830 but couldn't hack it. Only delayed (probably fortunately) by difficulty of locating an open shop prior to coming here.

Sat here on my own but it's different. I've got a beer, the music is passable, I'm fucking *meant* to be on my own, I'm a lone tourist in a probably local bar.

Anyway, glad I got that out. If anyone's reading this, well, fuck what they think. Need to chill a little, with the aid of the sweet brown liquor. ("If you wanna get drunk, love, it isn't a crime.") Maybe serendipity will drop a conversation in my lap. If it doesn't, I don't care - I don't feel like such a fucking loser sat here.

Don't want to go back staggering drunk but beyond that fuck it. ("Easy (like Sunday morning)" playing. Not exactly rock but 'tis OK.)

Anyway, chill.

2057 Cooling down somewhat. Shall try not to harp on the theme but I guess it's having it rubbed in my face (not on purpose of course) that does it. (Nirvana playing. "I love you, I'm not gonna crack" or similar.) I like to think I'm pretty personable once I actually get to speak to someone - and FFS it's not like the conversation of the SYTs was Wildean - but I seem to have major fucking problems getting into a conversation in the first place.

2116 Radiohead's "Creep" playing. ;-) Richard Cheese version would be more amusing but still.

2129 Am sat inside - more cos music is different here than in courtyard than for any other reason tho may be a touch chilly - and people coming in from courtyard. Suspect will lose my table when go for a piss but we will see. Will leave half a beer on table on offchance it helps, and if it doesn't I will be that tiny bit less drunk. Or I will feel that tiny bit sober and order a whole extra litre on the strength of it and end up off my face. Life is all about random chance I guess. ;-)

Definitely piss time. "Everything I do" playing. A song the non-English speaker must find more pleasant for not appreciating the sappy, pathetic rhymes. Will never forget Bill Bailey's take on it.

2134 Slightly hasty piss but still got table. Door to courtyard (and bogs) just in front of me and guy at next table is frantic to keep them as such as possible. He is in a T-shirt (like most of SYTs, who appeared to find no minor breeze in courtyard; I put my fleecee on and felt very comfortable after a bit) and a lot of locals in long sleeves but still, I doubt the breeze can be that bad. It isn't cold by any means outside. If I do get forced out after next bottle no harm.

Just ordered another. Attracted waitress' attention at a distance and ordered via the international symbol of the gesture. She sort of rotated her hands, probably meaning another, and I raised my empty litre and smiled (or as much as I ever do ;-) )

If I can avoid getting too pissed too soon this could be a moderately entertaining night.

Battery still at 91% somehow.

2143 Two youngish women just blew bubblegum bubbles at table across the room. Oddly amusing. FWIW only about to start on second bottle, despite ordering it earlier. Unless strange feelings overtake me expect to manage three easily but obviously not rushing it, and wish to record how relatively restrained I am being. I don't want to be reeling drunk when I ring the hostel bell but I neither expect nor desire intercourse with the SYTs on my return. If I can get into my bed without embarassing myself I will be happy. Already waffled about the restraining quality of hostels in that way. Hotels suck a little but you at least feel the staff can keep their opinions to yourself, especially when the late night staff tend to be young and probably enjoy the odd session themselves. Apartments are perfect, because you have the key and at worst walk past the person at the desk (and ideally non-tourists actually live in the same building), and if I weren't already inured to that living at Metro Central Heights would have cured me. (Aparthotel in Calama was hotel-ish, in that you had to ring bell for admission. The apartment place I stayed at in Santiago two weeks ago was MCHish and I hope the different apartment place (better location, I think, not far from Bellas Artes) I booked for Wed onwards will be similar.)

It's odd that in such nominal haunts of youthful frivolity as hostels getting drunk feels worse. I guess in part it's because I'm on my own; returning with a drunk group would be OKish. The fact that hostel staff occupy this weird (sort of cool, insofar as I mingle, don't get me wrong) pseudo-guest, hang-around-with-the-guests quality also probably makes it more embarassing. Also the fact that it's external may be a factor, though in reality few hostels have a proper bar and I've never come close to getting drunk on the odd can I've been sold internally. The latter doubtless being due to my outsiderish nature, qv earlier, not to mention Andy the last time I was at Aji Verde.

2153 For tedious detail, only now am I about to take first drink from second litre (well, 970ml). No one's reading it but apart from being interesting to Future Steve, this rubbish also serves the purpose of occupying me semi-fruitfully instead of swigging.

2216 Not feeling at all drunk but seem to be taking it very easy over this bottle, which is all to the good. Just been for a bonus piss and table and bottle still here; I figure one of the ways to end up forcing myself to drink while feeling miserable is hanging on then necking it so I can go for a piss unencumbered by possession of beer. These are valuable lessons; I trust the solo drinkers of the world are hanging on my ever utterance.

Credit seems to be down to zero again; I admit I have done a few private e-mails and checked my mail a bit but boy does roaming suck. Only consolation is it would suck worse on my contract SIM. 'Tis is a shame the phone appears incapable of connecting to hostel wifi here; you might assume a mainstream Android phone would be more likely to work than my netbook running Linux. (Though, on the other hand, I guess full Linux is probably about as forgiving as it gets, for all the problems I have had over time.)

A tenner here or there is not the end of the world but it does grate. I may save this up and hope I can send it from free wifi in Valparaiso, but taking my lesson from the lost posts I should maybe top up on the bus and send it. At very least will save copy of text now so unless I lose my phone it won't be lost.

Music OK and atmosphere not bad but I need a tune that resonates with me at least a little.

2230 Actually this sucks a bit. As already noted music in courtyard is for some reason different to in here. Door to courtyard open and volume seems turned down in here so we get a horrible mixture of the two (music in courtyard is more metal and that's OK, but as an overlay to the quieter rock in here it absolutely sucks; it's audible milk and orange juice). If this continues may actually go sit in courtyard; I don't mind metal even if I prefer rock, and I'd rather have pure metal that than this foul mixture.

2241 Volume been cranked a little but still hard to hear music over chat in here and bass from metal in courtyard. Bit of a shame. Not sure what I will do. I'm unlikely to get the same 'yeah, I love this one' vibe from anything metal and it might be cool (temperature) outside but it's hardly great musically in here. Whinge whine. :-)

2246 "Carrie" by Europe now. Can't believe I am hearing a Europe song other than "Final Countdown". :-)

2250 Yay. "Jeremy"

2256 Is slightly middle aged bloke on his own at next table. Vaguely inclined to see if he fancies a chat. But it's noisy, my Spanish is poor and I'm shy. :-) Also if it goes bad don't really want to go home. Just might chance it a bit later on next beer.

2303 Figuring what the hell I just spoke to him. He's waiting for someone or someones I gather and didn't seem keen to chat. But I tried. Fucking Bryan Adams again now. Can hear this shit perfectly. Do wonder if he thought I was trying to pick him up but I doubt it.

Am toying with moving into courtyard anyway on offchance of meeting someone. Yet Bryan Adams notwithstanding I think music is better in here. Still, is an idea, and I do feel slightly awkward after trying to talk to that guy. Vamos a ver. :-) At least paying as I go, as seems custom here, I can move freely, though as previously blogged I am told and have seen even when you run a bill the staff work on faces not tables (which is a scary skill to me).

Hmm. It's lateish though am not pissed. Certainly one more. Not here for chat but music not going down great anyway due to aforementioned issues so maybe courtyard wouldn't be a bad gambit. I'm not a big metal fan but it's all good. Don't think they're open super late (memory of text over bar says 130) but could always move back inside after, subject to drunkenness. As noted need to be up by say 1030 (if I maybe skip a shower) and ideally earlier but it should be cool. Also, if (not that I plan or expect to) I miss the bus tomorrow it's not like missing the flight on Sat. Wish I could have got a later flight but I assume I was aware of that when I booked and there was no better later option.

If I go outside I guess I'll be getting a different experience, so it's like two nights for the price (time) of one.

If I do have the lower bunk I can also swig at water during the night, and pop off to the bog with minor disturbance.

I am thinking too much. Yeah, will finish this bottle then get next at table outside. Not giving much up even if it sucks.

Also, 1h 15 ish for this last litre (if my scan back over this entry is correct, and not finished it yet) is pretty temperate. Bloke I spoke to just slapped me on shoulder and said goodbye and left. Which is friendly but weird. Can't help wondering if he did think I was trying to pick him up. I mean, I'm a foreigner and should get some slack on my Spanish. On the other hand, for all the nominal friendliness here, maybe what I did was weird and he thinks I'm a gay foreigner. Shit, I don't know and I guess it doesn't matter.

Definitely sober enough that one slow litre more and subsequent late arrival at hostel doesn't bother me, especially if I do have that lower bunk. Based on last night people turn up to bed around 0030 after SYTery and I will be back not much after. Also the dormitoryness and breakfast make it very unlikely I won't be awake by 9 anyway.

Some half recognisably cool song now but aforementioned issues make it suck. Oh, it's "I'll fly tonight". But yeah, let's have a litre outside.

2321 OK, fuck knows. Outside and just ordered another litre and waiter hardly seemed to understand me, or rather he sort of did but said shit I didn't understand which seemed superfluous to my order. WTF, gave him the money and that's main thing. Probably my imagination but a decidedly nastier vibe. Maybe it's just the difference between waiters and waitresses. I am good for the tip though so hope he brings my fucking beer.

Youngish slightly geeky looking chap solo at next table but at this volume and in this slightly (though not much) fraught atmosphere not gonna push it. If he wants to talk to me he's welcome but otherwise, meh.

Fuck, I paid 2k and waiter has brought me some kind of fucking pitcher. Now assuming - which I think is fair - I owe jack shit on it, cool, but I am damn well not finishing it. At this rate maybe I will speak to guy at next table. Most worried I owe money but no, I paid up front and that's the way here so fuck it. The pitcher is fucking gigantic. Maybe modulo payment doubts this is fate encouraging me to make friend. But fuck it's intimidatingly huge. Best guess 2 litres. 2k seems too cheap.

OK, fuck it. I handed the guy money (if only 2k) so if I walk out and they accuse me a) it's not deliberate and b) I can pay. I asked for a fucking litre. So let's not worry about the money. And now - for better or worse - I have beer to maybe make 'friends' with. If I have or am going to pay for this might as well make most of it. Oh, and I will be here for a bit so if the guy wants money he should come talk to me. I still fear leaving now but make the best of it.

OK, I just collared the waiter and I don't have to pay any more. This is amazing value and an amazing millstone around my neck, but maybe I can make 'friends' out of it, ie at least get a bit of a chat.

Also assuming he wasn't setting me up, very honest of him not to sting me for a further payment. I have lashings in hidden belt but a solitary 1k note in wallet and maybe 1k/2k in change.

Why does this never happen in UK where I could appreciate it? I would also feel happier if the order had been totally comprehensible, but that is a blow to my pride and no worse.

Music is metaltastic out here. Given crap inside at this time of night I feel the bar is foolish to mix the two like this but so it is.

Everyone else seems to have lashings of litre bottles. I do wonder how I ended up with this. Surely my pronunciation of 'litro de cerveza' can't be that poor. One of life's little mysteries. Financially it's a quid difference and I don't understand why all the groups of friends here don't order this. Just fucking weird. If it was super pricey I could put the waiter's behaviour down to greed but even if I don't want this much it seems super value.

Fuck it, stop worrying I guess. Absolute worst case is I get stung for say 10k on departure, and that's not likely.

2344 Just been for a piss and no one nicked it. This has thrown me and no denying it. Am sure it's cool. The waiter said I owed no more, and for all that I don't understand how I ended up with the damn thing I shouldn't worry about it. Maybe 15 mins before I want to leave I can buy a bit of conversation (and incidentally maybe find out how it happened) by proferring the remainder to some locals.

Feel totally sober but then I've hardly touched it.

Hostel is like 5 mins walk away anyway.

2354 While totally unthreatening, no one here looks approachable. I feel this pitcher is a damn albatross around my neck. I guess if nothing else occurs, come 0030 ish I shall offer the thing to the nearest semi-approachable group without expecting even chat in return. The whole thing makes me doubt my Spanish skills more than I already did, yet I can't quite see how it happened anyway. Chillax Stevey boy. Another night I might drink it myself but having bus at 1130 I am not so sanguine.

0302 Well fuck you guys. I just got back from a few beers with some locals. That pitcher served me well. Anyway, to bed.

0312 In bed. Turned out nice again. :-) Lower bunk mine. Early start but worth it.

0328 Managed to get phone on charge while in bed. Early start so need to sleep but yay.