Mon 19th 1757 On roof terrace, no one else here or on either lower terrace. Not a bad day at all.
First off I just used the bog on first floor and a guy was doing some laundry in the sink and there's even a washing line full of clothes off the first floor balcony. So I may well do a bit of relatively open laundry myself, perhaps tomorrow.
Didn't sleep brilliantly but not too badly. Dorm is by kitchen so could hear people in there 8ish and ended up getting up maybe 830. Turns out (not that it's hard, I didn't realise it was just flour and water) you mix your own pancake mix here. I waited to get access to a stove, no fuss. Cooked couple of pancakes (will make more batter tomorrow), ate at table while two slightly posh young brits talked to each other but didn't feel too awkward.
Then ended up having an hour or two's chat with nice guy called Liam from West Midlands who is my age about various stuff. He has a Lifestraw "soft" bottle and I think he has sold me on getting one for next trip. About forty quid but if it lasts for a few weeks before you lose it it's probably getting on for break even, and in terms of weight saving I reckon is could be a win because while it weighs more than the "nothing" you notionally carry place to place when buying bottled water, in reality I often find myself carting at least a litre around with me and if I had something like that I could avoid doing that. The squeezy aspect is important as a) it avoids the bulk of a solid plastic bottle in bag b) it means you can squeeze the water out into a cup or disposable plastic bottle and thus do things like chill it or enjoy a nice thirst quenching draught without the hard work of sucking through the non-squeezy LS bottles.
Went over to Boca de Drago, bus took about 45 mins, didn't get on at first as seemed full and bit annoying but a staff chap opened door after it shut and there were a couple of seats free. Hot on bus but not insane. 2.50 each way.
Walk round to Starfish beach fine (noticed on way back some sign about "don't hike paths on your own" , seems weird here, anyway lots of people about), the beach before you get there perhaps had less people and was nicer. Was feeling oddly (given breakfast) hungry so went to Emily's at start of starfish beach and got a ceviche mixto (small but very nice) for 5.50 (I asked the guy and he said it was tigre de leche and it was like a juice rather than a sauce, and it was v familiar) with some patacones and a maracuya juice for another 3. Bit of a splurge but not too bad, v welcome (and I used their bog rather than pissing in bushes) and at least I have now tried ceviche here and feel able to order it more freely.
Beach busyish but not horrific. Lots of restaurants etc. V little beach (tide in???) and no sign of any starfish but not dirty or horrible. Wandered up to far end, did a few exercises, called parents, played "Muerte en Hawaii" on speaker to myself on a whim, not exactly meditative time there but vaguely. Walked back, got bus no fuss - emptier on way back.
I blew hot and cold but gut feeling is I can and will go over there in swimming gear on bus (pencilled in for day after tomorrow), take bottle of water and some sunblock and perhaps not even a towel in clear plastic bag and secrete that somewhere and separately secrete a few dollar coins to pay bus in an emergency. Quite a lot of people in sea, did look fairly calm.
When I got back went back to hostel, as recep chap in kitchen and spoke to me asked about photocopying and he recommended Bocas Pharmacy so I took passport over there and despite people slightly pushing in (I had queued the "wrong" way) and whinging to myself a bit, I got the fuck-knows-why-but-that's-what-I've-been-told three copies of my passport (I got main page and the one with the Panama entry stamp both done three times) and despite phone net (?) being slow I also e-mailed the two documents I needed printing to them and got those done. So I may be sorted on paperwork for the boat now.
I also asked about repellent, nothing strong on shelf, I asked chap and 50% DEET is not illegal here but it is rare if not unheard of - guess I will just keep asking (eg. may try another random pharmacy tomorrow) and if I can't do any better will settle on the 25% stuff.
I then spotted a junk-ish shop with some flip flops, some at USD4, so engaged the MoS woman out front in some chat and she showed me a couple of pairs in my size for USD4 or 5, the former being more basic flip flop in "foam plastic" stuff and the second being a harder plastic. I had to look up Euro sizes on phone, but I plumped for 41) and I tried them on (peeling socks off one at a time!) outside shop and they seemed OK so I bought the USD5 pair. Shame to have to lug these round but I probably need them for the boat trip and buying them now means I can wear them for my planned swimming excursion to starfish (estrella?) beach too. Maybe should have got cheaper foamy pair but I do already have a pair like that at home, these are probably more durable and at least I then have a choice in future. Hard to judge weight by hand but prob not much in it.
Feeling pretty chuffed with myself for getting all this sorted I then went to Mama's nearby and got a "casado" (they didn't call it that, something similar I can't remember) of beef, frijoles, rice, plantain and (after some linguistic difficulties) an undressed salad for USD5.75 and a white coffee for presumably 1.49. Left tiny tip in jar as I had very little change, I got no table service (carried food over myself) and they forgot the coffee at first (I had to ask) - wasn't pissed off, but not clear tip warranted or exactly expected and as I say I had little change. I may tip more on a subsequent visit.
Then back to hostel where an Italian (I thought Spanish) cover of Laura Brannigan's "Gloria" was playing, recep chap saw me recording it and told me it was Italian and showed me the artist on his phone so I took a snapshot of that. Then dumped photocopies in room and did bloody Duolingo (this will cease to be such a source of stress once boat trip is over and I no longer need the ultra long bonus streak freeze), dumped a bottle of water in fridge and came up here.
So nothing absolutely epic today but overall fairly satisfying so far. Sky fairly clear but pale blue with wispy clouds today. Nice breeze just now. Warm but not awful. I don't think the actual sunset from up here is likely to be anything all that special so now we're close to sunset I think I am going to go down, have a shower and shave (actually I may skip it today since no one cares and I'd rather not knock the scabs from yday off) and put some mostly clean (not trousers) clothes on and then go out and get myself a beer or two from supermarket.
Oh, my tops (and socks) washed at LF still not dry, I left socks in one of the "cubicles" in room yday and on pulling damp top out this morning I spread the others on bed. Have a horrible feeling I may have been emitting a musty wet dog kind of smell on bus (top was *clean* but had been damp in bag) but who knows, and I think once it dried it was definitely OK.
1819 Yeah, shower and change of clothes.
0144 Been chatting witj Liam. Didn't actually shower but can do that tomorrow. nice to actually have some beers with chat.
First off I just used the bog on first floor and a guy was doing some laundry in the sink and there's even a washing line full of clothes off the first floor balcony. So I may well do a bit of relatively open laundry myself, perhaps tomorrow.
Didn't sleep brilliantly but not too badly. Dorm is by kitchen so could hear people in there 8ish and ended up getting up maybe 830. Turns out (not that it's hard, I didn't realise it was just flour and water) you mix your own pancake mix here. I waited to get access to a stove, no fuss. Cooked couple of pancakes (will make more batter tomorrow), ate at table while two slightly posh young brits talked to each other but didn't feel too awkward.
Then ended up having an hour or two's chat with nice guy called Liam from West Midlands who is my age about various stuff. He has a Lifestraw "soft" bottle and I think he has sold me on getting one for next trip. About forty quid but if it lasts for a few weeks before you lose it it's probably getting on for break even, and in terms of weight saving I reckon is could be a win because while it weighs more than the "nothing" you notionally carry place to place when buying bottled water, in reality I often find myself carting at least a litre around with me and if I had something like that I could avoid doing that. The squeezy aspect is important as a) it avoids the bulk of a solid plastic bottle in bag b) it means you can squeeze the water out into a cup or disposable plastic bottle and thus do things like chill it or enjoy a nice thirst quenching draught without the hard work of sucking through the non-squeezy LS bottles.
Went over to Boca de Drago, bus took about 45 mins, didn't get on at first as seemed full and bit annoying but a staff chap opened door after it shut and there were a couple of seats free. Hot on bus but not insane. 2.50 each way.
Walk round to Starfish beach fine (noticed on way back some sign about "don't hike paths on your own" , seems weird here, anyway lots of people about), the beach before you get there perhaps had less people and was nicer. Was feeling oddly (given breakfast) hungry so went to Emily's at start of starfish beach and got a ceviche mixto (small but very nice) for 5.50 (I asked the guy and he said it was tigre de leche and it was like a juice rather than a sauce, and it was v familiar) with some patacones and a maracuya juice for another 3. Bit of a splurge but not too bad, v welcome (and I used their bog rather than pissing in bushes) and at least I have now tried ceviche here and feel able to order it more freely.
Beach busyish but not horrific. Lots of restaurants etc. V little beach (tide in???) and no sign of any starfish but not dirty or horrible. Wandered up to far end, did a few exercises, called parents, played "Muerte en Hawaii" on speaker to myself on a whim, not exactly meditative time there but vaguely. Walked back, got bus no fuss - emptier on way back.
I blew hot and cold but gut feeling is I can and will go over there in swimming gear on bus (pencilled in for day after tomorrow), take bottle of water and some sunblock and perhaps not even a towel in clear plastic bag and secrete that somewhere and separately secrete a few dollar coins to pay bus in an emergency. Quite a lot of people in sea, did look fairly calm.
When I got back went back to hostel, as recep chap in kitchen and spoke to me asked about photocopying and he recommended Bocas Pharmacy so I took passport over there and despite people slightly pushing in (I had queued the "wrong" way) and whinging to myself a bit, I got the fuck-knows-why-but-that's-what-I've-been-told three copies of my passport (I got main page and the one with the Panama entry stamp both done three times) and despite phone net (?) being slow I also e-mailed the two documents I needed printing to them and got those done. So I may be sorted on paperwork for the boat now.
I also asked about repellent, nothing strong on shelf, I asked chap and 50% DEET is not illegal here but it is rare if not unheard of - guess I will just keep asking (eg. may try another random pharmacy tomorrow) and if I can't do any better will settle on the 25% stuff.
I then spotted a junk-ish shop with some flip flops, some at USD4, so engaged the MoS woman out front in some chat and she showed me a couple of pairs in my size for USD4 or 5, the former being more basic flip flop in "foam plastic" stuff and the second being a harder plastic. I had to look up Euro sizes on phone, but I plumped for 41) and I tried them on (peeling socks off one at a time!) outside shop and they seemed OK so I bought the USD5 pair. Shame to have to lug these round but I probably need them for the boat trip and buying them now means I can wear them for my planned swimming excursion to starfish (estrella?) beach too. Maybe should have got cheaper foamy pair but I do already have a pair like that at home, these are probably more durable and at least I then have a choice in future. Hard to judge weight by hand but prob not much in it.
Feeling pretty chuffed with myself for getting all this sorted I then went to Mama's nearby and got a "casado" (they didn't call it that, something similar I can't remember) of beef, frijoles, rice, plantain and (after some linguistic difficulties) an undressed salad for USD5.75 and a white coffee for presumably 1.49. Left tiny tip in jar as I had very little change, I got no table service (carried food over myself) and they forgot the coffee at first (I had to ask) - wasn't pissed off, but not clear tip warranted or exactly expected and as I say I had little change. I may tip more on a subsequent visit.
Then back to hostel where an Italian (I thought Spanish) cover of Laura Brannigan's "Gloria" was playing, recep chap saw me recording it and told me it was Italian and showed me the artist on his phone so I took a snapshot of that. Then dumped photocopies in room and did bloody Duolingo (this will cease to be such a source of stress once boat trip is over and I no longer need the ultra long bonus streak freeze), dumped a bottle of water in fridge and came up here.
So nothing absolutely epic today but overall fairly satisfying so far. Sky fairly clear but pale blue with wispy clouds today. Nice breeze just now. Warm but not awful. I don't think the actual sunset from up here is likely to be anything all that special so now we're close to sunset I think I am going to go down, have a shower and shave (actually I may skip it today since no one cares and I'd rather not knock the scabs from yday off) and put some mostly clean (not trousers) clothes on and then go out and get myself a beer or two from supermarket.
Oh, my tops (and socks) washed at LF still not dry, I left socks in one of the "cubicles" in room yday and on pulling damp top out this morning I spread the others on bed. Have a horrible feeling I may have been emitting a musty wet dog kind of smell on bus (top was *clean* but had been damp in bag) but who knows, and I think once it dried it was definitely OK.
1819 Yeah, shower and change of clothes.
0144 Been chatting witj Liam. Didn't actually shower but can do that tomorrow. nice to actually have some beers with chat.
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