Alajuela-London

Thu 6th 1120 Fuckdustering fuck. Guess which is apparently the only airline not supported by the self check in/print boarding pass machines here? Fucking BA. I just checked at information desk and I have to do it at counter and they won't open til 1430. Am here early as shuttle (just local taxi minibus which I guess hostel contracts with) left early, presumably cos all 5 passengers were here.

This is not *too* big a deal since I have food to eat here, but I did want to get the shit of security out of the way ASAP plus it always feels a little safer from a theft POV airside and seats seem at a fucking premium here landside. I might see if I can get an electronic boarding pass via website, although when I checked in last night they said nothing about "oh, we're the awkward fuckers who don't work on the automated machines so don't choose print boarding pass at airport" .

OK, just had poke on BA site. It seems to be willing to let me check in again, even though I already did once. If I click round further it says self-service check in not available, though wherher this is because that's how it is at SJO or because I already checked in I don't know. Not going to risk doing the check in *again* lest it complicate things.

What a crock of shit. Going to see if I can find a seat and then I'll write up this morning.

1129 OK, sitting on tiled wall (which is the closest landside seems to come to seats) slightly out of way.

Didn't sleep too badly, woke up a bit in night and went for piss etc and as had turned G5 into aeroplane mode to save power it decided it was December and some completely different time just for shits and giggles which was a bit confusing. Some people got up very early (presumably for flights/buses) which slightly disturbed me but not much - I think main thing was "not oversleeping" concern.

Probably got up about 750ish but not sure. Cleaned teeth but didn't finish packing as dark in there etc. Went out for walk and food - Soda El Parque closed when I left hostel but after wandering round a bit it was open around 0830. Had same as yesterday (gallo pinto, 2 fried eggs, sausage, tortilla with black coffee) for 2750, a guy behind counter asked if I remembered him and it turned out he had me confused with some Canadian guy he'd met in Santa Ana (somewhere in/near Alajuela).

Did more wandering, obviously an element of milking this but the alternative was just sleeping late or sitting round in hostel so no real harm. Snapped loads of random photos on "why the hell not?" grounds. Popped back to hostel once or twice, swizzled phones and chargers and powerbanks around between locker and dorm etc.

Had vaguely intended to have a full-sized "lunch" but it really didn't feel right, I wasn't that hungry. So I got a prob 600ml bottle of Jet energy drink at Pali for 800 (just to try it, I'm not that familiar with sugary energy drinks but tasted OK - bit expensive but it was an "experiment" ) and had a smallish pan pizzero eating in at Musmanni for 900 (no choripan).

I am not hungry now, I have 2x90g takis fuego and (if I want, tho may well not) the packet of nuts from home and the mani garapinado to snack on in airport. The food on the flight will probably be fine (touch wood) but you never know so I'd rather eat something (even if it's junky) while in airport.

While sitting in main-ish square not long before finally going back to hostel at 1025ish, a woman came up and asked me for directions to some pharmacy or other. I had to say I was a tourist, but maybe some small vindication of my "try not to look like a tourist" strategy.

Earlier I also noticed the church/cathedral with the red dome was open which IIRC it hadn't been before so I popped in - quite impressive - for a quick look and a quick photo.

I think that's most of it.

Obviously it sucks a bit sitting here feeling semi-bored and I'm not sure if I can get access to mains power for charging here landside, tho I do have fair amont of charge in powerbank I think and both phones were full-ish. It wouldn't be much better airside but at least I might have an actual seat and I'd have got the security shit out of the way. But ultimately in the long run it doesn't make that much difference - it would be kind of sucky even if I were able to go airside now.

If I'd know about this, would I have written off the free airport shuttle and eg put my bag in storage at hostel til 2ish and gone for wander round town, or camped out downstairs in hostel (where not sure there's any free coffee)? Maybe but maybe not. Going for a walk with the "got to leave 'soon'" feeling was already getting old and it wouldn't have been all that relaxing.

I have some water with me, I don't know if there's potable water in the toilets here although logically it should be OK since almost all tap water in CR is potable.

The cash machine here landside isn't BCR or BN so I'm not withdrawing any USD to keep on me for future travels - I already have a fair amount and maybe don't need any anyway, but unless I can get it fee free I'm not withdrawing any more. (It's useful to have some to take the pressure off on arrival, as if I can't get cash machine to work, the chances are a local taxi in most of Latin America will accept USD even if at a shitty rate, or maybe there's a bureau de change.)

I am wearing two tone blue isocool top, I have fleece in bag and also orange wool top. I was and maybe still am considering wearing wool on flight with fleece, but the isocool felt more appropriate for wandering round Alajuela with moderate heat this morning. Right now I feel v comfortable in just isocool so probably won't change until I am nearer to getting on flight, or even mid-flight - I will keep the "unworn" top in my daypack. (On way out this provides option for a comfort change as it does on return, but I also have a change of clothes in daypack so I'm less screwed if the main bag somehow goes astray.)

1242 Reading on phone. Battery holding out well so far (fingers crossed). It was/is a bit odd to be at the airport here a bit calmer than I was when I arrived, as darkness was setting in on an unknown country and I was struggling to get the cash machines to work, tired after the flight and with a horde of taxi drivers to deal with outside.

1258 Just had packet TF, quite nice - wasn't really hungry but kinda sorta was and eating sort of to fill the time of course.

1350 Just guzzled my 190g packet of Asda nut selection. Vaguely greedy but meh. At least this way I can wash them down with some water, whereas I *may* not be able to get any airside.

Starting to feel vaguely jittery about check in (well, getting boarding pass) and security. Pretty normal, for me anyway, I guess. Vaguely worried check in is going to strop out at my bags, even though they will be lighter/smaller by the time I get on the plane. The weight is actually a non-issue, both pieces of hand baggage have a 23kg limit and I'd guess even with the roughly 1kg baked snacks my main bag is well under 10kg, and daypack even less.

Security usual general jitters, obviously I don't have anything to hide but it's just unpleasant and intrusive and officious.

I am going through security as soon as I can, want to get it over with and I assume if there was anything I had somehow managed to leave at hostel and wanted to dash back for I'd have remembered by now.

1527 Airside, sitting at wrong gate as I randomly picked this direction after sorting myself out post security. Bar Imperial here wants USD4.95 (why show a price in the national currency?) for a presumably 350ml Imperial or Pilsen. I refilled my water bottle in the toilets, it didn't say the water was drinkable but it also didn't say it wasn't.

Joined fairly long BA checkin queue about 1425, maybe got boarding pass (no fuss) about 1500 and drank water and came through immigration (no stamp out, I think? anyway, I assume they know what they're doing and haven't double checked passport) and security, which wasn't too big a deal and I didn't get any hassle. Feel broadly a bit encumbered by my two separate bags but until I eat remaining TF I am reluctant to try squashing daypack inside main bag as they'll smash up. Slightly sweaty - been wearing fleece for a couple of hours, it was comfortable if not strictly necessary while sitting waiting - but nothing major.

Was vaguely worried I'd be asked if I'd left bag unattended since I packed it, and since it was in dorm that would technically be the case, but I am not sure they ask that question any more.

Couple of Unicef women (seeking donations I guess) wearing masks hassled me as walking over, I thought they might be something official given their matching "uniforms" but when seeing what they were I said "sorry" and hurried off.

Not asked to take shoes off at security BTW.

USD4.95 is CRC2673 at market rate, a tasty markup for a beer I was paying 1400/1500 for in bars yesterday. And that's before they apply a possibly predatory exchange rate. Gut feeling is I won't be buying, but we'll see. I will poke around the terminal a bit later. Haven't drunk any of water from toilet tap yet, may hold off if I can - I might buy an overpriced soft drink or coffee somewhere.

(I could pay on credit card in USD for a drink etc, but with an excess of CRC on me it seems silly to do so. Maybe if it avoids breaking more notes and getting more coins it isn't ridiculous.)

Flight is in less than three hours and boarding starts in just over two. I might ring parents again and then perhaps eat the TF as they are the main breakable snack I am carrying. (Well, I hope the baked stuff will get home intact-ish, but they are slightly padded inside my main bag.)

1601 Hahaha. Just found drinking water fountain, emptied out (and will consider "contaminated" until I get it home and wash it, or until it dries out anyway) leaky "reusable" water bottle's toilet sink water and drunk my fill direct from fountain and also filled up my trusty crushed-to-reduce-size single-use plastic bottle. And put my daypack inside main bag so I only have one maybe fractionally oversized bag to lug round now.

I am almost certainly not having a beer or coffee or whatever until I'm on the flight. While I've been slack-ish while on holiday, a bit of restrains (the tiniest bit) won't hurt, I can have beer on flight and also I can consume that alcohol/calories foregone here in the terminal back home at a decent price in comfort - it's not as if a beer here is going to be luxurious or memorable or special, not like last night at rooftop bar or even that bar mid-afternoon.

1612 Walked down from gate 20 (highest I think) to my gate (3). Starbucks want USD4 for a small Americano, gastropub wants USD3 for a black coffee (at least 1500 CRC, I paid 750 this morning at Soda El Parque and thaty didn't feel cheap). Gastropub does at least seem to do vaguely craft beers but no prices shown and I'm not desperate, just writing this out of boredom.

Pretty cool frog on end wall here.

Air conditioning is pleasantly fiercer here sitting at gate 3. Into the lining.

On utterly random note which just reminded of, Rosemary did at least have a tent etc with her, which would naturally account for some of her backpack weight.

Bar yesterday afternoon in Alaljuela was Donde Memo. And the place I had empanada de queso and coffee at market was Las Recetas de Mam.

Airport free wifi seems to work fairly well (maybe bit iffy for Signal, used my Claro data for that) and no need to register or anything. Prob noted this on arrival if not too panicked but kudos.

1626 And nicely there is a charging point at this gate, have come over to get a top up.

1720 Got bit of power into both phones, watched couple of YT videos so perhaps slowing charge down a bit but still, OK. Gate getting busier.

Might go off for a slash in a minute, I'm not desperate and I'll probably need to go the minute I'm on the plane and can't. OTOH maybe I should hang on til nearer boarding.

1734 Dribbled out a little bit. (Exciting this, isn't it?)

I may well go queue up "early" to board despite normally not bothering, because I want to reduce chances of my bag not getting a space in overhead locker. No one queueing yet tho.

1742 Gut feeling is the flight will be fullish judging from busyness of gate, but obviously that's just guesswork.

1749 People seem to be lining up and I'm not clear why. I'm not gonna be an arse, I will go asap when my group is called but not getting too bent out of shape about it.

1801 Sorted, was sitting nearish entrance to plane in gate and got up promptly when group called, one of first-ish on down here and got daypack out and put main bag in overhead locker other side of aisle where I can see it.

1815 Intermittent announcements that due to the loading requirements of this aircraft (airport??) please don't move from your allocated seat to an empty one. Amazingly (touch wood) both middle seats in my middle group of four are currently empty. Flight is hardly empty but there may be the odd spare seat around; I guess the announcements would imply there are enough that it matters (unless this is really just for admin reasons, but I don't think they normally stress it so much).

Plane is 777-200 and both those seats look like they are empty, we'ce finished boarding.

2130 Mild turbulence. Food service felt a little chaotic/slow but had fairly decent vegetarian asian style noodles, bread roll, soda crackers and some kind of mousse dessert. Also earlier can of Brewdog Jetstream beer and a small bottle red wine - the latter a little nerve-inducing as plane kept shaking a bit but seem to have avoided any spills.

Watched Minions: Rise of Gru earlier and Monsters Inc now. Don't want anything too demanding, not in mood (never am) to be lectured by an unknown modern film or for anything terribly "challenging" . MROG OK, bit dull but I appreciate it's for kids. Seen MI before so if I want to fall asleep during it I can - I am assuming food/drink service is over til breakfast now so I won't miss anything. Tho I can't help feeling I should have been offered tea or coffee but no major deal - I *may* have popped off for a piss and missed it, tho not sure.

Oh no, looks like that's happening now. I just gave my milk away with my otherwise finished with dinner tray, so I will have a black coffee instead of white tea I had thought I might have.

OK, they did have milk so got some tea. Minor linguistic difficulties despite both of us being native English speakers - not a new lesson, but if this had been in Spanish I'd have thought I was speaking badly, but in difficult (eg noisy) environments, it happens anyway, right?

Do feel slightly kinda-sorta tired. Not critical if I don't sleep but see what happens. I suspect we are done with food/drink now til breakfast, when I fully expect to feel shitty as I always do after sleeping on plane. Will drink bottle of water been given in hope it helps, one of flight attendants did make conversational comment to me about it being important to hydrate to avoid feeling terrible after sleeping.

2205 It's weird, I know roughly how MI ends and I have seen it before (in its entirety though?) but from about an hour in starting when Mike and err his friend - oh yeah, Sully - get banished, it's like "err, OK, I don't remember this" . Maybe abominable snowman bit familiar, but not sure.

2229 Yawning quite a lot. I must have fallen asleep during MI before as all the last third-ish is only slightly familiar if that, it basically felt new to me.

Fri 0340 Did sleep kind of well - don't remember waking up much - but also badly as woke up before 3am not wanting to look at time and semi-drowsing with eyes dry etc. We've had breakfast (gallo pinto with scrambled egg and sausage, small bit of fruit chunks, chocolate muffin thing, white tea, orange juice) and I feel reasonably OK. It's 1041 London time and we're due to land in 1h10m. Not busting but will go for piss once finished tea to beat the pre-landing rush.

1113 Landing in about 40 mins. Just been reading on phone. Need to dig flat keys out of bag at some point but will probably do it in airport landside.

Smugarse begging video being played with sound over speakers.

Oh, the aisle does seem wider here at the back because of the 2-instead-of-3 seating in the rear window groups. Widest aisle at point furthest forward where still 2-not-3, of course, but even in my row I think it's a bit wider and as I naturally look forward a bit it also means I "see" the wider point there.

1244 On train. Except for being forced to use stupid egates which are probably somehow a massive privacy invasion in a way I don't know about and took about three attempts to let me through, no real problems. Big queue for tickets for train which I joined, no services to Vic but LBR seemed OK, as I got near head of queue I asked a guy to check trains to LBR and he told me to just use contactless and I checked and he said it would be cheapest and I wouldn't be charged Gatwick Express prices. So I've done that and fingers crossed etc.

Went through nothing to declare lane at customs, I don't believe my supermarket plastic sealed baked goods/sweets needed any attention and obviously not brought anything else of value back etc.

WA waiting from Byran ("Canadian son" from Cartago) when I landed, also message from Martian which I think is just a drink invite but is oddly worded and has me slightly edgy.

Got keys out of bag when seatbelt light went off and we were waiting on plane.

1519 Forgot to make note but got home about 1330, which isn't too bad.