Quepos, Wednesday

Wed 8th 0846 Coffee in kitchen. Quite a few people around, said hi etc, not really chatty but it's fine.

Slept OK, it rained in the night which felt odd. Did manage to completely loosen the fitted base sheet on mattress with my movements though. Woke up fairly early and drowsed semi-pleasantly, think I actually got up about 0810.

Nothing major to do today except pack (trivial-ish), ideally do some sneaky laundry and book a taxi for tomorrow. I am thinking I will "have" to book it for 8 - this feels shit as it means getting up a smidge early at 730 or earlier, plus the reality is if all goes well I'll probably be at the ferry by 815, across by 820 and at the bus terminal by 0830ish with an hour to kill before the 930 bus *and* I'm then potentially going to be in Uvita by 11ish and having to kill time until I can check in at 2. But this is hardly the end of the world of course - I am perhaps just feeling a bit lazy after not having made a "proper" journey for a week.

I also despite the weird auto-message about early check in at new hostel harbour a hope they will at least let me drop my bag with them when I get there.

Auto-word-delete still kicking in like a good 'un BTW.

And the next bus after 930 is IIRC way too late for comfort (1430?) - I could check out of here late-ish with no problem, I suspect, but if anything *did* go wrong I'd be running up against darkness. Also potentially I can at least talk to some tour agencies (esp if I can drop my bag off) about stuff in Uvita itself and/or Bahia Drake tomorrow afternoon.

If I didn't already say, I am not sure how much there is for me in Uvita. I'm not doing any tours that make a big deal of swimming or snorkelling. But we'll see.

And if I didn't already mention it, I observed the other week that the buses here have "snorkels" on them, presumably to handle fording of moderate rivers or whatever during rainy season (less macho chunky versions than typical 4WD ones).

Legs/neck/wrists feel a bit sunburned but nothing terrible. Worth noting that since I used "new" (and brand name) sunblock on legs/wrists this suggests my from home unknown age sunblock works at least as well as the new stuff. And also worth noting that despite vaguely hysterical warnings on net about how ordinary clothing (and bear in mind I chose my tops for light weight and you can kind of see through them if you hold them up to the light) doesn't block much UV and has an SPF of 8-ish IIRC, I have *not* been burned at all on my torso, despite never covering it with anything except my light-weight tops.

(It is possible I have gradually tanned a bit on my torso - very hard to judge. But I'm still pretty white on the non-sun-exposed bits.)

I also need to keep a positive attitude about Uvita. It's easy to irrationally assume the hostel's going to be a bit unfriendly and/or horrible, that there's nothing for me to do there, that I'm going to struggle with onbound travel etc etc. None of which has any rational basis.

I have four weeks left as of tomorrow. I need to be careful not to write this off as nothing! It's well over a third of the total trip. As already noted, it also very comfortably gives me time for Osa peninsula.

While making coffee this morning I thought (not for first time) that I'm using the "not for drinking" (probably) unfiltered well/rain water from tap and boiling it but *not* taking care to bring it to a rolling boil for a minute or whatever. And there's as noted yday the odd toothbrushing error and water on washed but not dry (there's no tea towel, so no one every dries anything after washing it) crockery/utensils. So fingers crossed it's fine, but just noting.

Am wearing trunks and top. Will put (clean) trousers on when I go out to the shop for food for dinner though. Blowing a smidge hot and cold over whether I'll make a second trip out pre-sunset for coldish beer or not.

0934 Certain amount of chat between unknown-to-each-other youngish people here in kitchen; I didn't attempt to join in and kind of didn't want to, but also felt (only slightly) ignored. Just FTR, not moaning.

Also the white dog with a coloured patch of fur by one eye (and an apparently untreatable problem with one of its eyes, which looks slightly manky in a hard to remember way) just walked over my bare foot and (as I think I noted the other day) seems utterly indifferent to me, despite barking its head off and acting a bit threateningly (two of the other three dogs are lovely, and the third of those dogs just seems a tiny bit stand-offish and/or subordinate to the two and I may never have stroked it but it doesn't seem remotely objectionable) yesterday when I walked up to the "house" to pay for the extra night.

Older French couple waved goodbye as they left maybe half an hour ago, which was nice.

If I forgot to say I cut my toenails rather badly last night - I don't like doing them with fingernail clippers but since only terrorists fly with nail scissors in their hand luggage and I don't really want to buy and carry toenail clippers I did the best I could. This is the first and will probably be the only time I cut them on this trip (a bit less frequently than I'd like, but not too bad - they're way less critical and seem to grow slower than fingernails) so it's not too big a deal.

(I like using fingernail clippers, but back home I always prefer nail scissors for toes over any kind of clipper.)

Incidentally I have this vague (and yes, irrational) feeling that I "should" be going direct from Quepos to Sierpe, just because some people I spoke to at previous hostel were doing that. But it's hardly as if I'm going to have trouble getting from Uvita to Sierpe as far as I know - the bus from Quepos *probably* even stops in Uvita.

Owner just spoke to me in a casual chatty way saying I was staying another night, so I guess that's OK.

Not that it matters but I definitely just stroked the "third nice dog" and probably have before. There's a solid-ish tan one (the "third nice dog" ), the black and tan one and a dark brown on top light brown below one (called Brownie).

1012 Just made two more cups coffee, I am not worried about running out of my modest supply now as it's last day. I haven't always had access to coffee during trip and it's been fine, I don't need to worry about taking some with me etc. Incidentally I am surprised how well the "coffee sock" works, given compared to cafetiere the water must spend much less time on the ground coffee.

Dutch-CR couple having conversation at table, it's kind of unobjectionable but there's a vaguely "wanky philosophy" and "oooh academic medical studies" tone (I think the Dutch girl is a researcher of some kind) which slightly grates. Mostly ignoring it successfully though.

(Wrt academic medical studies it's a certain self-satisfied entitlement to the academic mindset that primarily grates.)

1039 JFC, they're now onto a wanky (pun maybe intended, in hindsight) semi-philosophical discussion of sex and masturbation. The word "energy" features heavily.

I mean, it's fine, but fuck-a-doodle-do. The trouble with this place is since there's jack shit to do, they can probably sit here all day and talk this kind of bullshit.

I guess if it *really* keeps up all day except for when I cook lunch I can (I already kind of wanted to) sit here with headphones and watch some YT.

I did a quick web search for "how to ignore annoying conversations near you" but found no tips, just all sorts of stuff about what to do with annoying people at work or if you feel left out of a conversation - and believe me, there is nothing I want less right now than to be involved in this conversation.

They're not saying anything deeply offensive and it's hardly revelatory that there exist mildly annoying pseudo-intellectual idiots with pseudo-deep thoughts (hell, I'm probably one myself - I just like to delude myself I *recognise* this fact), but still, FFS, I just want to sit here and read and not listen to this shit.

1052 They said much earlier they have been together 4 months. I am - somewhat "unhelpfully" for my own long term pysche, perhaps - trying to dispel the mild irritation of having to listen to this by visualising an acrimonious break up in a few months' time. (I've definitely mellowed over the years. At one point I think I'd feel some kind of anger building up inside me at listening to this kind of shit, but now I just find it mostly fucking annoying.)

1101 Also to be scrupulously fair (just for the mental exercise of it :-) ), beyond the vague implict smugness of the academic stuff at the start, neither member of this couple appears to be actively crying out the need for belief X or social system Y to be enforced on the populace in general. I have no reason to believe they *don't* harbour such beliefs, but at least the stuff I'm forced to listen to is mostly of the "I see it X way" kind.

1108 Peace at last.

Will probably go shopping in an hour or so but cook 2-3ish subject to cooker availability. May treat myself to sugary (expensive, like everything here in this backwater, even by CR standards) expensive snacks "instead of" beer tonight, though I will drink my last lukewarm small can of Pilsen rather than try to take it with me and risk spills/punctures/whatever. We'll see how I feel.

1119 Worth noting - not a novel thought - that *because* my trip is finite and I don't eg have a laptop with me (deliberately), my "normal" life is kind of on hold during the trip. In some ways this is good - it's a break, a change from the routine and (assuming my good intentions don't go the way of many good intentions) there is all sorts of stuff I'm keen (while also apprehensive about my ability to follow through on and to "ease myself into" successfully when I return) to do when I get back. But it's also kind of annoying, as there is a certain pent up "pressure" from all those accumulated desires to do stuff when I do get home.

1139 Claro Costa Rica are absolute fucking bastards for sending unsolicited "top up X to get Y"  texts (or some kind of more base-level phone type popup) all the bloody time with no obvious way to opt out.

1204 Writing loads out of pseudo-fun boredom. I intend to return to eating in sodas tomorrow - I am cooking here out of necessity, I cooked in last Quepos hostel because I wanted to, but it will be kind of nice to eat a meal (even if not a huge one - but that's maybe good from a weight loss perspective) with varied components without worrying about bulk buys and access to different ingredients and access to a cooker. Obviously if there *are* no suitable cheap restaurants in Uvita it will be different, but I suspect there will be.

FTR being barefoot for once I did just take the opportunity to sneakily try out a hammock as I was alone. I couldn't get myself "very diagonal" but I didn't feel too uncomfortable or at risk of falling out. So that's a small experiment successfully achieved.

I suspect it's not cheap in typical cases (not sure if it's sold in local shop at all) but being given red wine by that French couple last two nights made me think that in situations like this where refrigeration is a problem, drinking something like red wine that doesn't call for it is maybe worth considering. Obviously I never *need* alcohol (and while not drinking nothing, I feel I'm overall being relatively conservative given the multiple temptations of "being on holiday" - which is an excuse in itself, as well as giving rise to things like a slight pleasant-ish boredom whereas at home I have lots to do, sunsets to watch which go nicely with a beer, minor-so-far (most hostel people not super into beers) social drinking etc) and I prefer beer to wine in general, but all else being equal maybe a warm red wine beats a warm beer.

1355 Cooking.

FTR (musing over "stretching" travel budget by maybe doing a "sit in one place as a pseudo-pretend-emigrant" trip as well as a "travel round" trip like this one) Syrian guy told me the way to handle a long stay in Argentina given currency problems (so you can't just turn up with x thousand dollars in cash) is to have money sent in via Western Union. This sounds - and he said the same - shit and I don't want to do it, but FTR.

1442 Tempted to ask for taxi for 815 but really, fuck it, 8 will feel safer and it's not a huge deal. Will ask in next half hour or so.

Also, it's not a huge deal. If I ask for 8 and I spend 70+ mins at the bus terminal I *might* chafe a little. But by tomorrow night, probably by the time I'm on the bus, I won't care at all. And if I end up feeling stressed about missing the 930 bus and eg charging extra-sweatily from ferry terminal to bus with my bag in this warm (albeit less so than it was - don't think it's trunks doing it, as felt similar in trousers going to shop) weather that's going to have a slightly longer lasting (but still forgotten once I get to take a shower in Uvita) downside.

1515 Asked woman to book me a taxi for 8, she seemed OK (tho white dog again got a bit stroppy at me near house). As long as she remembers that is sorted, and 8 gives a bit of leeway if she forgets.

Been poking on booking.com and airbnb and there are some private room options very cheap with good reviews in Bahia Drake. However, despite being tempted to book, I don't really want to commit right now - I have three nights (which is only two full days) booked in Uvita and I might want (because the hostel feels good or because there's a lot to do) to stay there an extra night or (less likely but possible) two and booking ahead in BD will limit flexibility. I may miss out on a private room and/or have to overpay a bit for a dorm but it's fine - I will leave it til tomorrow or ideally day after before booking in BD, as by then things should be clearer.

It's odd but in my head the Osa peninsula has this vaguely "Patagonia" image of extreme remoteness and (sort of) cold.

1543 Raining quite hard. A somewhat odd experience after not experiencing rain for a few weeks. Quite refreshing but I hope the rainy season proper hasn't returned early.

OK, it's intensified enough I feel happy saying it's pissing it down.

1546 And now it's pissing it down squared.

1732 Back in room after washing tops, shower and blind shave. Had coffee in kitchen earlier. Annoying couple from this morning getting a bit lovey-dovey in corner utterly oblivious of my presence. May or may not go back to kitchen and have coffee again later; there's no one here I am overly keen to chat with (Jack's OK but we're not super chatty) and I am leaving tomorrow, but also kind of don't want to hide unnecessarily. We'll see. Will prob watch a bit of YT and snack on galleta de panaderia bought earlier for now. Sort of need to pack but also sort of want/need to do it tomorrow morning - there will be daylight then, plus I need to let the clothes dry ask much as possible.

Stopped raining maybe (v v roughly) an hour ago but it kept it up for ages. Might be lightly spitting now.

1843 Guzzled galletas, quite like rich tea but thicker and crunchier. Watched some YT in room while guzzling. Come to kitchen for coffee, annoying couple were sitting together in dark but fuck 'em - it's not like they *don't* have a bloody room, nor (for all their smugarse pseudo-philosophical wank this morning) have they shown much respect for me by carrying on in this common space while I'm here.

1926 Back in room. Not *entirely* in mood but going to have (no attempt at evap cooling) last can of Pilsen bought first night here, as reluctant to try taking it with me in bag. Have left last little bit of bag of coffee in kitchen for anyone who wants it (if they even notice it) but have reclaimed the elastic band off it. :-)

1948 Just got back from cleaning teeth, room light still works but one in bathroom was flickering and emitting no useful light so cleaned teeth by light of phone torch and skipped flossing as would need both hands - not ultra critical and will try to floss in morning instead. Have alarm for 7 and reality is I'm likely to be awake then anyway. Easier to pack in daylight and with room floor made of pallets with gaps in it's less likely I'll lose stuff down the cracks (and be reluctant to grope for fear of cockroaches :-) ) then. Reality is although things in bag are mildly chaotic I can just shove everything in willy-nilly and it will mostly fit without too much fuss.

Going to get under mosquito net and watch bit of YT etc before going to bed proper. No one else visibly around FWIW, didn't see anyone else in kitchen/lounge area and I turned lights off there when I left after coffee.

Despite feeling it would be nice to have something sorted, I think it was smart not to pre-commit to dates in Bahia Drake by booking earlier. As I think I said, guide book (memory) seems to imply not much for me as a non-swimmer in Uvita, I can probably go onto the beach which forms part of the marine park but it's not entirely clear what specific thing I would see by doing it. I will do it anyway of course, at minimum it will be a walk. With luck things will be clearer once I'm there. As I've said ad nauseum, if I *like* the place/hostel/there's lots to do I will stay longer, if not three nights/two full days will be fine and no point loitering unnecessarily. But it's only smart to make the decision once I've been there for a night or night+day etc.

Perhaps one thing to come out of last couple of days is (silly as it may sound) some "getting used to" walking around wearing trunks as pseudo-shorts - I may or may not look silly, though I suspect not particularly, but I perhaps feel less self-conscious about it. Not saying I'm doing it all the time though!

I do need to count up USD/CRC reserves and wd cash if necessary in Uvita because (not asked anyone in person yet) guide book says IIRC no ATM in Bahia Drake, but as I say I can do that in Uvita. Will leave security belt hidden "under floor" here overnight (didn't want to wear it under trunks) and fish it out in daylight.

2045 OK, just been out for piss (kudos to myself for walking round in the "compound" fearlessly-ish at night, not pitch black as the odd IR triggered light and using torch on phone but still) and now in bed about to read but be "open" to going to sleep instead of YTing it up.

Will be slightly sad to leave here but it probably is time. Fingers crossed all goes well tomorrow but no real reason it shouldn't. And I might hope at 8-9am-ish there aren't too many weed and/or alcohol fuelled twats loitering round by the ferry terminals and the streets near it on the other side.