Sun 28th 1909 On terrace outside room. Not a bad day of touristing, but I need to waffle about onward travel. Been mulling this over during day.
Accom wifi seems to have no internet so forced to use my mobile data - I have plenty but not ideal.
I sanity checked and the cheap direct flight from Bucaramanga has not reappeared.
I am basically thinking I'll knock Mompox on the head. I'm sure it's nice and it has (dunno what time of year or how affordable it is) a jazz festival, but I have seen two nice colonial towns so far and going to Mompox feels incompatible with my current rather flurried movements. Just possibly it may be a possible destination from Cartagena during final three weeks. Failing that another time.
I am kind of thinking that given I'm going to be feeling the pressure anyway and there's nowhere massively urgently appealing between Bucaramanga (which is mainly somewhere to do a daytrip to that canyon from right now) and the north coast, I may make a bit of a beeline up to Barranquilla - before carnival - and get to Panama ASAPish that way and get all the rushing over with "now" .
My current thinking is I'll budget three nights in Bucaramanga and two in Barranquilla. I will actually only book accom for two nights in Bucaramanga (poss in a dorm, but main criteria is if reasonably possible the hostel should be handy for bus terminal, as my main business there is getting in, getting daytrip on bus to canyon and getting bus out, and it could well be a 10h bus so may want to leave early) and unless I feel I need the extra day I will leave after two so as to have more "buffer" time in Barranquilla.
I am picking Bq rather than Cartagena as it's maybe closer, flights seem roughly as good, I may end up in Cartagena post boat anyway and Bq while not super lovely IIRC feels more like a "normal" city and less like a tourist exploitation factory than Cartagena.
A 10h bus - prob during day for safety - is a bit sucky but it's a one off and it "solves" a lot of my rushing around problems. Arguably I could go back to Bogota instead in less time, but by the time you factor accom and risks of getting mugged if wandering round even early evening etc it doesn't appeal.
To maybe state the obvious the two critical path resources here are time and cheap flights to Panama. Time is scarce but it is mine and I'm not competing with anyone else for it. If I can get a flight from (say) Barranquilla to Panama booked, I may have a certain amount of dashing round and sitting on buses to do, but the "will I miss out?" aspect is largely resolved. I don't actively fear every bus seat being sold out. I already have boat reservation. The bureaucratically necessary refundable air ticket Panama-Colombia I plan to claim a full refund on needs buying before I fly, but except for wanting to keep cost down in case I can't get a refund, I am not too price sensitive on that as I don't ultimately intend to pay it, and it is a month in the future and I can be extremely flexible with the date and flight times if it helps keep the price down because I'm not intending to use it. Yes I need to book a bit of accom "around" these various air and sea transits, but they are either far less scarce resources or are far enough in the future there's no massive fear of missing out, if I just book them in the next week or so. It's the flight into Panama which is critical, so that's what I really need to bite the bullet on tonight.
Sanity checking on booking.com, I can have a private room in Barranquilla from USD30-50ish in total for three nights check in 1 Feb and check out 4 Feb. I want a private room pre-flight, hostel would be *nice* for maybe socialising but pre-flight I really would like a private. Anyway, it doesn't look like accom in Bq is going to be a nightmare.
And in Bucaramanga for Tue 30th-Fri 2nd (this overlaps with above as I'm considering availability both ends for the "float" day which I may spend in either) I can have a dorm bed for USD20-30 for all three nights. So I probably don't have to worry about accom in either city.
The bus company website which r2r identifies as doing Buc-Bq does let me choose those cities but the timetable page never loads. I may just have to take it on faith there is such a bus for now. FWIW guide book for Buc doesn't specifically mention bus to Bq, but the Bq pages do mention two daily buses 9-12h duration to Buc, so while the times may or may not suck there really probably is a bus.
I see Medellin is apparently 8h by bus from Buc and wonder if I should go there instead. But I dunno, Bq feels "better" somehow.
Getting to the flights, Copa - and I did search this on their own website - have a direct flight Barranquilla-PTY on 4 Feb 1817-1944 for £123. There is a Wingo flight for £97ish but despite listing as including cabin bag when I click through there is no option for "normal" cabin bag, just the personal item or then move up to checked baggage and/or (I looked a bit earlier so memory fuzzy) it costs an extra £40+ to get a fare with cabin bag FFS. Copa's Economy Basic *does* include 10kg cabin bag with normal dimension rules.
Copa do a morning flight on 5th (£194) but it's way more expensive. The 1817 flight isn't ideal but it isn't getting me into PC in the middle of the night or anything, and it does probably fit fairly well with checkout out of Bq accom midday-ish and using public transport to get to the Bq airport (though guidebook says there is a fixed fare from city centre by taxi, I'd still rather avoid taxis if I can help it - or am I mixing this up with Buc, never mind now anyway).
The cheapest flights from Bucaramanga are £226 and require a change in Bogota. It isn't just about money. I dunno though. I hate the idea of changing planes in Bogota with double security checks and backtracking. On the other hand, it's gonna cost me (making this up based on r2r) £25 for the bus from Buc to Bq. I am going to spend an extra 2-3 nights in Colombia instead of Panama, but I'm not exactly going to be enjoying them and one day is spent on the bus. Maybe I should just suck it down and condense all the shit into one day from Bq to PC.
This *does* put the pressure on slightly as I need accom booked in PC for first night (which I need to choose carefully-ish so it's easy to get to on public transport) and the page printed out for Panama immigration, and ditto for the refundable return flight, and I need them sorted in the next couple of days before a flight from Buc on (say) Fri 2nd Feb. Redoing search on kayak, prices seem OK-ish. There is an Avianca "S" fare (so cabin bag), albeit at an insane premium over XS, for £168 on 2nd Feb, leaving Bucaramanga at 1410, 2h44m in Bogota and arriving PTY 1950. This departure time is public transport no panic compatible and the arrival in PTY is not ridiculously late (and I could maybe get a taxi, but it's not just about money - in some ways I feel safer on public transport). And £168 is not that much more than the direct flight from Barranquilla and the arrival time is about the same and it saves a 10h bus and "wasting" a couple of days in Barranquilla pre-flight.
2nd Feb departure means I have tonight and tomorrow here, then nights of 30th-1st inclusive (three nights) in Bucaramanga. The 30th has me travelling there but it's only a few hours from San Gil so I probably have some time to myself that afternoon/evening to book and plan and maybe print stuff out if I'm ready. The day of 31st would be set aside for the canyon. The 1st is then free for last minute booking of stuff if I haven't already got it done and/or printing out bookings. There surely to god has to be an internet cafe in one of the largest cities in the country.
This is a little rushed but really it's OK. It is starting to feel silly to dash up to Barranquilla just for the benefit of a direct flight. I hate the XS vs S pricing, but the Avianca S fare should be "safe" (I suspect I flew out on it from London to Bogota).
And there is just no way I can't make it to Bucaramanga in time for a 2nd Feb flight - this is much less stressful than having to get to Barranquilla for a flight. And it means I get more time in Panama and all I'm giving up is some harried dashing around and hanging about in Barranquilla.
Yeah. I'm gonna sit on it for 10/15/30 mins but this feels like a plan, even if it's completely different to the plan I'd been formulating all day of dashing up to Barranquilla by bus.
2008 French woman (we spoke Spanish) asked if I had internet. I told her I only had it via my mobile and offered to share if she needed it urgently for something like a booking. So hostel wifi is obviously down generally and it isn't just me, not that I thought it was.
I am starting to think this is the way to go. I may have to check in online for this S fare to avoid an extra charge, and it vaguely looks as though they want to charge me for *a* seat (but it probably means seat selection), but this is all prob OK. I can prob check in online and show boarding pass on phone or print it for free at a kiosk. The layover in Bogota isn't too long and it solves a lot of problems and gets all the crap over with and sees me hopefully back semi-relaxed bumbling round on a bummel in Panama soon. The evening transfer from Panama airport to accom isn't great but we're not looking at getting across PC around midnight or anything barring major delays. The price isn't amazing but it's not bad (and since I'm booking direct with Avianca I think I can trust what I'm seeing) and by the time you factor in the cost of the bus to Bq even without time or accommodation on a "not really fun" part of the trip it probably works out the same or better.
It may not be perfect and I may have post-booking regrets, but it clearly isn't a terrible option and I can and will make it work. There's no doubt about getting to Buc in time or having accom in Buc - though on this plan I want a private room (in hostel if practical) in Buc to prep for flight in comfort and do laundry etc. (I did wash four tops earlier tonight, forced myself to do it as well as exercise, four tops is a bit too much in the sink here as in my accom sinks but did want to get as much done as poss.)
I *may* even - given plan for tomorrow was just leisurely viewpoint visiting and wandering and a swim (I made a conscious decision not to swim today as it would have been a bit crippling wrt other stuff I did and having a day off is prob good both from exercise POV and from "novelty" POV too, if I do manage tomorrow three out of four days is not bad at all) - be able to book PC accom and the refundable return flight tonight/tomorrow morning and get all my stuff printed out here and that would be a load off my mind.
2019 I'm gonna chew this over a bit more and then book this 2nd Feb flight at 2030.
2021 It occurs to me as this is Avianca it *may* be reasonable to wing it and just show the SBA booking instead of buying a refundable flight. But I should probably go belt and braces just in case. It's not *just* the airline checking this before boarding, I assume Panamanian immigration ask this question as well and at best it's gonna be delay and stress buying a hopefully refundable airline ticket under the cosh at the airport in PC.
I do appreciate I'm probably considering something now I utterly ruled out yesterday. But you know, emotions, plus maybe it takes time to emotionally and/or intellectually grind through the options and come to a decision.
2028 It sticks in my throat the enormous surcharge for S vs XS (£111 vs £168, for a 10kg cabin bag), but it can't be helped and maybe it helps to think of S as a stupid promotional fare or something.
2030 Fuck it. Let me just redo the kayak search and then I'll book Avianca. OK, all the other stuff comes up with the Avianca £111 fare which has no cabin bag (and my bag is just too big for me to feel I can maybe sneak it in as a personal item and put it under seat) or is £145ish kiwi.com and when you click through there's no cabin bag option etc. Look, £168 may not be the best price possible but it isn't life-ruiningly terrible even if I do feel pissed off at somehow discovering a better option after.
And checking Panama FCDO page I see no recent updates so touch wood still no mask etc shit to be death with in Panama. So let's book.
Naturally it fucked up for no reason. Going in direct with Avianca and it's 1410-1950 on 2 Feb for COP835610
FFS, I'm worried they don't know I'm not Colombian (there was something in the fare breakdown about "resident exit tax" ) and if I buy this I'm gonna get shafted.
2100 FFS. I managed to go in via kayak.com link and I'm on Avianca.com ready to pay in GBP but it hasn't asked for my nationality and I'm seriously concerned they're going to sell me a ticket then refuse to honour it. I tried WA but it's just a virtual assistant which doesn't understand.
2107 Right, I'm on avianca.com *via a UK VPN* and the fucking flight now shows as £179.10. This sucks but *maybe* this is due to different taxes for foreigners. It's still better than anything eg expedia will sell me and I suppose it's "only* £11 more. Nope. FFS. It costs more but it still hasn't asked me my nationality and the flight cost breakdown still includes " resident exit tax".
2127 Fuckety fuckety fuck. I'm halfway to tears with frustration. I've actually submitted a fucking ticket on the Avianca site asking for clarification. Of course none of the online travel agents will sell anything but the XS ticket - they just don't offer a choice.
WHY THE FUCK DOES THIS HAVE TO BE SO HARD? In a sane world the fact they sell me the ticket without asking my nationality should mean it doesn't matter, but this is fucking air travel.
Another fucking evening lost. I can't go and book any accom in PC because I still can't be sure when I'm going to arrive.
Of course having raised this ticket I may not get a response for weeks and if I do somehow find some other way to buy the ticket it may mean I'm shafted if they subsequently reply saying "oh no, fuck you, any ticket you purchase won't be valid" .
Filtering out avianca on kayak means the cheapest flight is £207 and this is potentially (I haven't checked) before you dare to want to take a cabin bag.
I could call Avianca tomorrow morning, but I'd feel happier having something in writing.
I should just call it a fucking night but let's have an experimental look on booking.com for accom to maybe expedite things tomorrow.
2147 Fuck knows. There are hostels (and of course there is the hostel I'm staying in pre-boat trip to consider) for USD50ish for two nights for a private, but the ones I've spot checked are 10-20 mins walk from a metro stop. Maybe this is fine at 10pm or whatever but maybe it's not.
I am fucking sick of this. Why do the flights have to be so fucking difficult? Am I just making up worries about the fact the avianca site didn't ask for my nationality? But I dunno, it does feel a little weird.
OK, FWIW the "official" boat trip hostel is 8 min walk from a metro station. Again no idea if this is safe or not but still.
I still need to write up today. I was gonna buy some beers at the local place I went to after first night swim on way back but it was shut - poss cos it's Sun. I could have easily bought beers in town but I thought I'd get them there. I decided I'd accept this "nudge" from universe not to buy any and didn't turn round to trog back. I had two Pokers when I got to Guane (and that was I think a good, "luxurious" decision) anyway. But I still have one Aguila upstairs and I'm gonna go drink that. It's getting too late to do much more and in any case I feel stuck. Best case is the alcohol makes me suddenly think of something, worst case is the night is already over for productive stuff anyway.
2214 Let's just bash out today. But what I guess I really travel for is all this fun with fuckwit arsehole airlines, right?
Basically I did the "inca" camino real trail over to Guane, which is mentioned in guidebook but which I know as Tim told me about it. Pretty nice views (nothing astounding compared to viewpoints other day, but nice) and while inevitably your attention (mine anyway) gets focused on the path not looking round it was quite a nice walk.
Sign at start says 13km (!) but it then rapidly drops to 5-6km at next sign. I did it in about 1h20m and wasn't absolutely caning it by any means.
On arrival in Guane I steeled myself to go into a local shop-cum-bar (I have a photo, might be El Nuevo Amanecer from memory) and had a couple of bottles of Poker (3k each) as a "reward" - and this was nice, as expected after the heat of the walk a beer went down well. Owner a smidge surly but nothing major. Slightly drunk locals singing and chatting a bit (not loads of them; half a dozen in shop, maybe half a dozen more at a bench across road) but sort of cool. Didn't feel "welcome" but also not actively resented, and I sat outside so was kind of alone and not in anyone's way. mariachi-ish music playing and all quite nice really.
I then wandered round a bit, saw paleontological museum shut til 2pm and it was 1pm ish so wandered a bit more, shoved head in church, went to the lookout at west side mentioned in guide book (pretty cool) and had two white coffees (5k each) and then joined a load of other people (maybe 8ish of us) who had obv been waiting for PM to reopen when it did open at 2pm. As mentioned in guide book and on sign, they take you round and give your a tour (Spanish only, but fairly basic Spanish) and then pretty much kick you out after the 20 min tour and for no obvious reason no photos or videos allowed.
This sounds kind of crappy but actually I strangely enjoyed it. No photos meant no pressure to take random snapshots (though some of the large ammonites - and the museum is just full of loads of v similar but coolish fossils, like they didn't want to stash then in a back room and just put everything on display) and the tour explanations feel kind of cool and there's no temptation to "milk" the experience or spend ages staring at a dozen similar things and as I say it actually felt strangely enjoyable.
As I had come into Guane I had thought I might walk back to Barichara instead of returning on bus given walk hadn't been the 2h I was expecting, and I did walk back. No dogs on way out (and Tim had said none BTW), on way back as got near Barichara there was one utterly innocuous black dog - I saw it but it went into its own property and didn't even bark - and one biggish dog at someone's house which did start barking as I passed but the owner was there and told it to stop and it didn't actually "come at me" so not too stressful.
Very good (even bigger, and in one piece, compared to yday when it came in three bits) sobrebarriga at deserted MLB at about 4pm (oh, and there was a very friendy fluffy cat in there) - I dunno if this is same as arrachera, and it isn't cooked as I remember it in Mexico, it is maybe part breaded, but it seems to be a very nice and perhaps slightly fatty (but fat "all over" , not on edge, but on the underside as served so not so noticeable - this may be part my imagination or breading or bad description) steak, and huge portion. I then got some soft drink (still had litre water left over from 2 litres had purchased before heading out to Guane) and went back to accom as already noted.
Guane quite cool and did feel both touristy but rural and pseudo-untouched. Goats in street in places.
OK, I'm gonna go back into room and maybe watch some YT and then go to bed. Vague plan for tomorrow is to be up early, *maybe* call avianca, maybe spend the morning trying to sort out this fucking flight shit. Maybe I'll have a brainwave overnight. I don't want to spend the entire day in the hostel but if at a minimum I swim and ideally also at least wander over to some other viewpoint type places as shown on OM I will be reasonably happy - while I did not come here to fuck around constantly with bloody flights, I also don't and didn't have anything else specific I wanted to do here.
2256 Forced myself to wash some uw and am also copying some photos off O6.
2311 Bought some baked pastry things at shop this morning along with water but never ate them as didn't feel the need. Was going to snack on them now and they're full of ants. Don't blame shop but I have to assume they sneaked in somewhere during the day. For want of anything better I've had to chuck the whole pack in the toilet paper bin in my bathroom, hope this isn't going to cause an ant infestation. (The kitchen area upstairs doesn't seem to have a bin - presumably there is one but I haven't been able to find it, so all my empty plastic bottles and beer cans are accumulating by the door of my room. Not that these are causing any infestation issues, just saying that bins seem scarce.)
I feel a slight tingle when holding K1 on charge! I don't understand this but I do have an idea it's vaguely normal and not a massive concern, though TBH I am gonna try not to use it while charging.
2343 OK, I'm yawning a bit, I've cleaned my teeth, I'm going to bed. Vaguely hope to be up early and maybe sort this shit out. I am not utterly despairing (I mean, prices can go up, I can waste my time here, but I am not to the day and I have some flexibility) but I am quietly hacked off.
Hostel wifi still seems to be down, maybe it will come back in the night. If I hadn't had my generous data allowance on the movistar SIM I wouldn't have been able to waste the night trying to buy flights and getting nowhere... ;-)
Accom wifi seems to have no internet so forced to use my mobile data - I have plenty but not ideal.
I sanity checked and the cheap direct flight from Bucaramanga has not reappeared.
I am basically thinking I'll knock Mompox on the head. I'm sure it's nice and it has (dunno what time of year or how affordable it is) a jazz festival, but I have seen two nice colonial towns so far and going to Mompox feels incompatible with my current rather flurried movements. Just possibly it may be a possible destination from Cartagena during final three weeks. Failing that another time.
I am kind of thinking that given I'm going to be feeling the pressure anyway and there's nowhere massively urgently appealing between Bucaramanga (which is mainly somewhere to do a daytrip to that canyon from right now) and the north coast, I may make a bit of a beeline up to Barranquilla - before carnival - and get to Panama ASAPish that way and get all the rushing over with "now" .
My current thinking is I'll budget three nights in Bucaramanga and two in Barranquilla. I will actually only book accom for two nights in Bucaramanga (poss in a dorm, but main criteria is if reasonably possible the hostel should be handy for bus terminal, as my main business there is getting in, getting daytrip on bus to canyon and getting bus out, and it could well be a 10h bus so may want to leave early) and unless I feel I need the extra day I will leave after two so as to have more "buffer" time in Barranquilla.
I am picking Bq rather than Cartagena as it's maybe closer, flights seem roughly as good, I may end up in Cartagena post boat anyway and Bq while not super lovely IIRC feels more like a "normal" city and less like a tourist exploitation factory than Cartagena.
A 10h bus - prob during day for safety - is a bit sucky but it's a one off and it "solves" a lot of my rushing around problems. Arguably I could go back to Bogota instead in less time, but by the time you factor accom and risks of getting mugged if wandering round even early evening etc it doesn't appeal.
To maybe state the obvious the two critical path resources here are time and cheap flights to Panama. Time is scarce but it is mine and I'm not competing with anyone else for it. If I can get a flight from (say) Barranquilla to Panama booked, I may have a certain amount of dashing round and sitting on buses to do, but the "will I miss out?" aspect is largely resolved. I don't actively fear every bus seat being sold out. I already have boat reservation. The bureaucratically necessary refundable air ticket Panama-Colombia I plan to claim a full refund on needs buying before I fly, but except for wanting to keep cost down in case I can't get a refund, I am not too price sensitive on that as I don't ultimately intend to pay it, and it is a month in the future and I can be extremely flexible with the date and flight times if it helps keep the price down because I'm not intending to use it. Yes I need to book a bit of accom "around" these various air and sea transits, but they are either far less scarce resources or are far enough in the future there's no massive fear of missing out, if I just book them in the next week or so. It's the flight into Panama which is critical, so that's what I really need to bite the bullet on tonight.
Sanity checking on booking.com, I can have a private room in Barranquilla from USD30-50ish in total for three nights check in 1 Feb and check out 4 Feb. I want a private room pre-flight, hostel would be *nice* for maybe socialising but pre-flight I really would like a private. Anyway, it doesn't look like accom in Bq is going to be a nightmare.
And in Bucaramanga for Tue 30th-Fri 2nd (this overlaps with above as I'm considering availability both ends for the "float" day which I may spend in either) I can have a dorm bed for USD20-30 for all three nights. So I probably don't have to worry about accom in either city.
The bus company website which r2r identifies as doing Buc-Bq does let me choose those cities but the timetable page never loads. I may just have to take it on faith there is such a bus for now. FWIW guide book for Buc doesn't specifically mention bus to Bq, but the Bq pages do mention two daily buses 9-12h duration to Buc, so while the times may or may not suck there really probably is a bus.
I see Medellin is apparently 8h by bus from Buc and wonder if I should go there instead. But I dunno, Bq feels "better" somehow.
Getting to the flights, Copa - and I did search this on their own website - have a direct flight Barranquilla-PTY on 4 Feb 1817-1944 for £123. There is a Wingo flight for £97ish but despite listing as including cabin bag when I click through there is no option for "normal" cabin bag, just the personal item or then move up to checked baggage and/or (I looked a bit earlier so memory fuzzy) it costs an extra £40+ to get a fare with cabin bag FFS. Copa's Economy Basic *does* include 10kg cabin bag with normal dimension rules.
Copa do a morning flight on 5th (£194) but it's way more expensive. The 1817 flight isn't ideal but it isn't getting me into PC in the middle of the night or anything, and it does probably fit fairly well with checkout out of Bq accom midday-ish and using public transport to get to the Bq airport (though guidebook says there is a fixed fare from city centre by taxi, I'd still rather avoid taxis if I can help it - or am I mixing this up with Buc, never mind now anyway).
The cheapest flights from Bucaramanga are £226 and require a change in Bogota. It isn't just about money. I dunno though. I hate the idea of changing planes in Bogota with double security checks and backtracking. On the other hand, it's gonna cost me (making this up based on r2r) £25 for the bus from Buc to Bq. I am going to spend an extra 2-3 nights in Colombia instead of Panama, but I'm not exactly going to be enjoying them and one day is spent on the bus. Maybe I should just suck it down and condense all the shit into one day from Bq to PC.
This *does* put the pressure on slightly as I need accom booked in PC for first night (which I need to choose carefully-ish so it's easy to get to on public transport) and the page printed out for Panama immigration, and ditto for the refundable return flight, and I need them sorted in the next couple of days before a flight from Buc on (say) Fri 2nd Feb. Redoing search on kayak, prices seem OK-ish. There is an Avianca "S" fare (so cabin bag), albeit at an insane premium over XS, for £168 on 2nd Feb, leaving Bucaramanga at 1410, 2h44m in Bogota and arriving PTY 1950. This departure time is public transport no panic compatible and the arrival in PTY is not ridiculously late (and I could maybe get a taxi, but it's not just about money - in some ways I feel safer on public transport). And £168 is not that much more than the direct flight from Barranquilla and the arrival time is about the same and it saves a 10h bus and "wasting" a couple of days in Barranquilla pre-flight.
2nd Feb departure means I have tonight and tomorrow here, then nights of 30th-1st inclusive (three nights) in Bucaramanga. The 30th has me travelling there but it's only a few hours from San Gil so I probably have some time to myself that afternoon/evening to book and plan and maybe print stuff out if I'm ready. The day of 31st would be set aside for the canyon. The 1st is then free for last minute booking of stuff if I haven't already got it done and/or printing out bookings. There surely to god has to be an internet cafe in one of the largest cities in the country.
This is a little rushed but really it's OK. It is starting to feel silly to dash up to Barranquilla just for the benefit of a direct flight. I hate the XS vs S pricing, but the Avianca S fare should be "safe" (I suspect I flew out on it from London to Bogota).
And there is just no way I can't make it to Bucaramanga in time for a 2nd Feb flight - this is much less stressful than having to get to Barranquilla for a flight. And it means I get more time in Panama and all I'm giving up is some harried dashing around and hanging about in Barranquilla.
Yeah. I'm gonna sit on it for 10/15/30 mins but this feels like a plan, even if it's completely different to the plan I'd been formulating all day of dashing up to Barranquilla by bus.
2008 French woman (we spoke Spanish) asked if I had internet. I told her I only had it via my mobile and offered to share if she needed it urgently for something like a booking. So hostel wifi is obviously down generally and it isn't just me, not that I thought it was.
I am starting to think this is the way to go. I may have to check in online for this S fare to avoid an extra charge, and it vaguely looks as though they want to charge me for *a* seat (but it probably means seat selection), but this is all prob OK. I can prob check in online and show boarding pass on phone or print it for free at a kiosk. The layover in Bogota isn't too long and it solves a lot of problems and gets all the crap over with and sees me hopefully back semi-relaxed bumbling round on a bummel in Panama soon. The evening transfer from Panama airport to accom isn't great but we're not looking at getting across PC around midnight or anything barring major delays. The price isn't amazing but it's not bad (and since I'm booking direct with Avianca I think I can trust what I'm seeing) and by the time you factor in the cost of the bus to Bq even without time or accommodation on a "not really fun" part of the trip it probably works out the same or better.
It may not be perfect and I may have post-booking regrets, but it clearly isn't a terrible option and I can and will make it work. There's no doubt about getting to Buc in time or having accom in Buc - though on this plan I want a private room (in hostel if practical) in Buc to prep for flight in comfort and do laundry etc. (I did wash four tops earlier tonight, forced myself to do it as well as exercise, four tops is a bit too much in the sink here as in my accom sinks but did want to get as much done as poss.)
I *may* even - given plan for tomorrow was just leisurely viewpoint visiting and wandering and a swim (I made a conscious decision not to swim today as it would have been a bit crippling wrt other stuff I did and having a day off is prob good both from exercise POV and from "novelty" POV too, if I do manage tomorrow three out of four days is not bad at all) - be able to book PC accom and the refundable return flight tonight/tomorrow morning and get all my stuff printed out here and that would be a load off my mind.
2019 I'm gonna chew this over a bit more and then book this 2nd Feb flight at 2030.
2021 It occurs to me as this is Avianca it *may* be reasonable to wing it and just show the SBA booking instead of buying a refundable flight. But I should probably go belt and braces just in case. It's not *just* the airline checking this before boarding, I assume Panamanian immigration ask this question as well and at best it's gonna be delay and stress buying a hopefully refundable airline ticket under the cosh at the airport in PC.
I do appreciate I'm probably considering something now I utterly ruled out yesterday. But you know, emotions, plus maybe it takes time to emotionally and/or intellectually grind through the options and come to a decision.
2028 It sticks in my throat the enormous surcharge for S vs XS (£111 vs £168, for a 10kg cabin bag), but it can't be helped and maybe it helps to think of S as a stupid promotional fare or something.
2030 Fuck it. Let me just redo the kayak search and then I'll book Avianca. OK, all the other stuff comes up with the Avianca £111 fare which has no cabin bag (and my bag is just too big for me to feel I can maybe sneak it in as a personal item and put it under seat) or is £145ish kiwi.com and when you click through there's no cabin bag option etc. Look, £168 may not be the best price possible but it isn't life-ruiningly terrible even if I do feel pissed off at somehow discovering a better option after.
And checking Panama FCDO page I see no recent updates so touch wood still no mask etc shit to be death with in Panama. So let's book.
Naturally it fucked up for no reason. Going in direct with Avianca and it's 1410-1950 on 2 Feb for COP835610
FFS, I'm worried they don't know I'm not Colombian (there was something in the fare breakdown about "resident exit tax" ) and if I buy this I'm gonna get shafted.
2100 FFS. I managed to go in via kayak.com link and I'm on Avianca.com ready to pay in GBP but it hasn't asked for my nationality and I'm seriously concerned they're going to sell me a ticket then refuse to honour it. I tried WA but it's just a virtual assistant which doesn't understand.
2107 Right, I'm on avianca.com *via a UK VPN* and the fucking flight now shows as £179.10. This sucks but *maybe* this is due to different taxes for foreigners. It's still better than anything eg expedia will sell me and I suppose it's "only* £11 more. Nope. FFS. It costs more but it still hasn't asked me my nationality and the flight cost breakdown still includes " resident exit tax".
2127 Fuckety fuckety fuck. I'm halfway to tears with frustration. I've actually submitted a fucking ticket on the Avianca site asking for clarification. Of course none of the online travel agents will sell anything but the XS ticket - they just don't offer a choice.
WHY THE FUCK DOES THIS HAVE TO BE SO HARD? In a sane world the fact they sell me the ticket without asking my nationality should mean it doesn't matter, but this is fucking air travel.
Another fucking evening lost. I can't go and book any accom in PC because I still can't be sure when I'm going to arrive.
Of course having raised this ticket I may not get a response for weeks and if I do somehow find some other way to buy the ticket it may mean I'm shafted if they subsequently reply saying "oh no, fuck you, any ticket you purchase won't be valid" .
Filtering out avianca on kayak means the cheapest flight is £207 and this is potentially (I haven't checked) before you dare to want to take a cabin bag.
I could call Avianca tomorrow morning, but I'd feel happier having something in writing.
I should just call it a fucking night but let's have an experimental look on booking.com for accom to maybe expedite things tomorrow.
2147 Fuck knows. There are hostels (and of course there is the hostel I'm staying in pre-boat trip to consider) for USD50ish for two nights for a private, but the ones I've spot checked are 10-20 mins walk from a metro stop. Maybe this is fine at 10pm or whatever but maybe it's not.
I am fucking sick of this. Why do the flights have to be so fucking difficult? Am I just making up worries about the fact the avianca site didn't ask for my nationality? But I dunno, it does feel a little weird.
OK, FWIW the "official" boat trip hostel is 8 min walk from a metro station. Again no idea if this is safe or not but still.
I still need to write up today. I was gonna buy some beers at the local place I went to after first night swim on way back but it was shut - poss cos it's Sun. I could have easily bought beers in town but I thought I'd get them there. I decided I'd accept this "nudge" from universe not to buy any and didn't turn round to trog back. I had two Pokers when I got to Guane (and that was I think a good, "luxurious" decision) anyway. But I still have one Aguila upstairs and I'm gonna go drink that. It's getting too late to do much more and in any case I feel stuck. Best case is the alcohol makes me suddenly think of something, worst case is the night is already over for productive stuff anyway.
2214 Let's just bash out today. But what I guess I really travel for is all this fun with fuckwit arsehole airlines, right?
Basically I did the "inca" camino real trail over to Guane, which is mentioned in guidebook but which I know as Tim told me about it. Pretty nice views (nothing astounding compared to viewpoints other day, but nice) and while inevitably your attention (mine anyway) gets focused on the path not looking round it was quite a nice walk.
Sign at start says 13km (!) but it then rapidly drops to 5-6km at next sign. I did it in about 1h20m and wasn't absolutely caning it by any means.
On arrival in Guane I steeled myself to go into a local shop-cum-bar (I have a photo, might be El Nuevo Amanecer from memory) and had a couple of bottles of Poker (3k each) as a "reward" - and this was nice, as expected after the heat of the walk a beer went down well. Owner a smidge surly but nothing major. Slightly drunk locals singing and chatting a bit (not loads of them; half a dozen in shop, maybe half a dozen more at a bench across road) but sort of cool. Didn't feel "welcome" but also not actively resented, and I sat outside so was kind of alone and not in anyone's way. mariachi-ish music playing and all quite nice really.
I then wandered round a bit, saw paleontological museum shut til 2pm and it was 1pm ish so wandered a bit more, shoved head in church, went to the lookout at west side mentioned in guide book (pretty cool) and had two white coffees (5k each) and then joined a load of other people (maybe 8ish of us) who had obv been waiting for PM to reopen when it did open at 2pm. As mentioned in guide book and on sign, they take you round and give your a tour (Spanish only, but fairly basic Spanish) and then pretty much kick you out after the 20 min tour and for no obvious reason no photos or videos allowed.
This sounds kind of crappy but actually I strangely enjoyed it. No photos meant no pressure to take random snapshots (though some of the large ammonites - and the museum is just full of loads of v similar but coolish fossils, like they didn't want to stash then in a back room and just put everything on display) and the tour explanations feel kind of cool and there's no temptation to "milk" the experience or spend ages staring at a dozen similar things and as I say it actually felt strangely enjoyable.
As I had come into Guane I had thought I might walk back to Barichara instead of returning on bus given walk hadn't been the 2h I was expecting, and I did walk back. No dogs on way out (and Tim had said none BTW), on way back as got near Barichara there was one utterly innocuous black dog - I saw it but it went into its own property and didn't even bark - and one biggish dog at someone's house which did start barking as I passed but the owner was there and told it to stop and it didn't actually "come at me" so not too stressful.
Very good (even bigger, and in one piece, compared to yday when it came in three bits) sobrebarriga at deserted MLB at about 4pm (oh, and there was a very friendy fluffy cat in there) - I dunno if this is same as arrachera, and it isn't cooked as I remember it in Mexico, it is maybe part breaded, but it seems to be a very nice and perhaps slightly fatty (but fat "all over" , not on edge, but on the underside as served so not so noticeable - this may be part my imagination or breading or bad description) steak, and huge portion. I then got some soft drink (still had litre water left over from 2 litres had purchased before heading out to Guane) and went back to accom as already noted.
Guane quite cool and did feel both touristy but rural and pseudo-untouched. Goats in street in places.
OK, I'm gonna go back into room and maybe watch some YT and then go to bed. Vague plan for tomorrow is to be up early, *maybe* call avianca, maybe spend the morning trying to sort out this fucking flight shit. Maybe I'll have a brainwave overnight. I don't want to spend the entire day in the hostel but if at a minimum I swim and ideally also at least wander over to some other viewpoint type places as shown on OM I will be reasonably happy - while I did not come here to fuck around constantly with bloody flights, I also don't and didn't have anything else specific I wanted to do here.
2256 Forced myself to wash some uw and am also copying some photos off O6.
2311 Bought some baked pastry things at shop this morning along with water but never ate them as didn't feel the need. Was going to snack on them now and they're full of ants. Don't blame shop but I have to assume they sneaked in somewhere during the day. For want of anything better I've had to chuck the whole pack in the toilet paper bin in my bathroom, hope this isn't going to cause an ant infestation. (The kitchen area upstairs doesn't seem to have a bin - presumably there is one but I haven't been able to find it, so all my empty plastic bottles and beer cans are accumulating by the door of my room. Not that these are causing any infestation issues, just saying that bins seem scarce.)
I feel a slight tingle when holding K1 on charge! I don't understand this but I do have an idea it's vaguely normal and not a massive concern, though TBH I am gonna try not to use it while charging.
2343 OK, I'm yawning a bit, I've cleaned my teeth, I'm going to bed. Vaguely hope to be up early and maybe sort this shit out. I am not utterly despairing (I mean, prices can go up, I can waste my time here, but I am not to the day and I have some flexibility) but I am quietly hacked off.
Hostel wifi still seems to be down, maybe it will come back in the night. If I hadn't had my generous data allowance on the movistar SIM I wouldn't have been able to waste the night trying to buy flights and getting nowhere... ;-)
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