Thu 22nd 1632 In dorm at hostel in Bastamientos. All OK, tho bit peeved it was actualy USD96 here not 88 as the tax not included. Because arseholery, booking.com's email neither said "includes taxes" or "excludes taxes" , but if you log onto the site and look at the booking it does say excludes taxes. Liam's booking.com booking here (in a 6 bed dorm vs my 4) does include taxes. Fuck knows. I did ask for a receipt and may have mildly peed off the guy who checked me in but nothing major. Won't let this spoil things but it does all feel a bit shitty.
Went for walk with Liam down some track to get to Wizard Beach long way round. Quite cool, wouldn't have wanted to do it on my own as felt quite "rural neighbourhood" in places and in other places v isolated - we asked for (not that helpful in hindsight) directions from random locals in isolated bits and got quite lost. We stood in the shallow water (strong waves even so) at Wizard beach then came back. I think I trod in some horse shit and shoes/socks/trousers got v muddy so I washed them (inc shoes) in sink an hour or so ago, have buttoned trousers round line on first floor balcony, left shoes out there and put uw at bottom of bunk, not ideal but be OK. there is a washing line on first floor balcony but lacking clothes pegs I can't use it. Hostel is out on stilts in the water and would also be edgy about stuff falling over, so definitely not using travel clothes line. (I can look out of dorm window next to where I am sitting and it's water, with other stilt buildings beyond that.)
Wearing flip flops while shoes dry, if I didn't have them I guess I'd maybe be OK in the wet shoes but as it is best to leave them to hopefully dry nicely outdoors.
Vaguely dissatisfied feeling, nothing major. Petr said hi this morning, I said hi back but yet again didn't use his name. Didn't say bye to him and Miro as they weren't at hostel when I left, I did pop all round to check. (Or they were in their dorm, didn't go in of course.)
Accidentally cooked too large batch of pancakes this morning but I didn't do too bad a job with them and even though I struggled to finish them at least it's something in terms of free food. Despite being extra-pricy here for a dorm (which is nice enough if not amazing) there's no breakfast included. Not a big deal. Saw takeout chicken place down street mentioned by M&P while out with L and may eat there, there is also a cheap-ish seafood place doing ceviche mentioned in guide book which I may try another day.
Gut feeling is I'm not doing any tours here. I will probably (mild safety concerns, tho only guide book seems to seriously suggest this is an issue) walk over to Wizard beach on the "main" path - oh, Liam pointed out the sloth he'd seen the other day, it was still in same tree, have (bad) photo and got to look at it through binoculars of a German couple we met while getting only mildly lost after finally finding the trail towards end of our walk - and walk on the "chain" of beaches past red frog etc, depending how long it is. I am not sure there's a huge amount to do here if you don't do tours but it's probably nice enough to hang around a bit in a low-ish pressure way etc.
If I didn't already mention when I was swimming at Playa Estrella the other day the water seemed to have pockets of pretty cold and pretty warm water, which were very significantly different and it was kind of cool and kind of weird to feel these changes as I was swimming along.
I still don't have a sheet despite asking earlier and I just popped out and can't find any MoS. Not mad rush but the staff/owners seem to live in an adjacent house and there's no reception desk as such and if I don't get this sorted before it's too late I may not be able to find anyone to ask.
On the plus side they have given me a towel.
1703 Kind of killing time in dorm (poss dutch guy came in, v brief chat, he turned aircon on) while I wait for it to be a bit later when I'll pop out to that chicken place if I don't see Liam first.
2217 Heading to bed soon. Lovely views out from terrace which have to self. Went out for chicken and chips with nice young German guy (Sebastian), Liam came out with us but ate at restaurant by hostel (he's vegetarian). Got back and eventually managed to get a sheet (partly confusion on my side but not entirely) and Liam was chatting with owner('s husband) and we joined them and sort of cool. Liam went to bed earlyish but been chatting with Sebastian. Not bad day really. Got some snacks from supermarket after chicken & chips and shared them with S while chatting over some beers.
Just copying some photos and also giving S first run at dorm bathroom. We are prob full, the two of us and the bearded guy saw earlier and there's a woman on bunk above mine.
FWIW I did give the hotel owner guy a beer, which he seemed to appreciate. Perhaps felt on my side at least a bit of an olive branch for my minor surliness re the tax business, but was also nice of him to be chatting with us.
2305 In bed, watched YT but eyes were closing.
Went for walk with Liam down some track to get to Wizard Beach long way round. Quite cool, wouldn't have wanted to do it on my own as felt quite "rural neighbourhood" in places and in other places v isolated - we asked for (not that helpful in hindsight) directions from random locals in isolated bits and got quite lost. We stood in the shallow water (strong waves even so) at Wizard beach then came back. I think I trod in some horse shit and shoes/socks/trousers got v muddy so I washed them (inc shoes) in sink an hour or so ago, have buttoned trousers round line on first floor balcony, left shoes out there and put uw at bottom of bunk, not ideal but be OK. there is a washing line on first floor balcony but lacking clothes pegs I can't use it. Hostel is out on stilts in the water and would also be edgy about stuff falling over, so definitely not using travel clothes line. (I can look out of dorm window next to where I am sitting and it's water, with other stilt buildings beyond that.)
Wearing flip flops while shoes dry, if I didn't have them I guess I'd maybe be OK in the wet shoes but as it is best to leave them to hopefully dry nicely outdoors.
Vaguely dissatisfied feeling, nothing major. Petr said hi this morning, I said hi back but yet again didn't use his name. Didn't say bye to him and Miro as they weren't at hostel when I left, I did pop all round to check. (Or they were in their dorm, didn't go in of course.)
Accidentally cooked too large batch of pancakes this morning but I didn't do too bad a job with them and even though I struggled to finish them at least it's something in terms of free food. Despite being extra-pricy here for a dorm (which is nice enough if not amazing) there's no breakfast included. Not a big deal. Saw takeout chicken place down street mentioned by M&P while out with L and may eat there, there is also a cheap-ish seafood place doing ceviche mentioned in guide book which I may try another day.
Gut feeling is I'm not doing any tours here. I will probably (mild safety concerns, tho only guide book seems to seriously suggest this is an issue) walk over to Wizard beach on the "main" path - oh, Liam pointed out the sloth he'd seen the other day, it was still in same tree, have (bad) photo and got to look at it through binoculars of a German couple we met while getting only mildly lost after finally finding the trail towards end of our walk - and walk on the "chain" of beaches past red frog etc, depending how long it is. I am not sure there's a huge amount to do here if you don't do tours but it's probably nice enough to hang around a bit in a low-ish pressure way etc.
If I didn't already mention when I was swimming at Playa Estrella the other day the water seemed to have pockets of pretty cold and pretty warm water, which were very significantly different and it was kind of cool and kind of weird to feel these changes as I was swimming along.
I still don't have a sheet despite asking earlier and I just popped out and can't find any MoS. Not mad rush but the staff/owners seem to live in an adjacent house and there's no reception desk as such and if I don't get this sorted before it's too late I may not be able to find anyone to ask.
On the plus side they have given me a towel.
1703 Kind of killing time in dorm (poss dutch guy came in, v brief chat, he turned aircon on) while I wait for it to be a bit later when I'll pop out to that chicken place if I don't see Liam first.
2217 Heading to bed soon. Lovely views out from terrace which have to self. Went out for chicken and chips with nice young German guy (Sebastian), Liam came out with us but ate at restaurant by hostel (he's vegetarian). Got back and eventually managed to get a sheet (partly confusion on my side but not entirely) and Liam was chatting with owner('s husband) and we joined them and sort of cool. Liam went to bed earlyish but been chatting with Sebastian. Not bad day really. Got some snacks from supermarket after chicken & chips and shared them with S while chatting over some beers.
Just copying some photos and also giving S first run at dorm bathroom. We are prob full, the two of us and the bearded guy saw earlier and there's a woman on bunk above mine.
FWIW I did give the hotel owner guy a beer, which he seemed to appreciate. Perhaps felt on my side at least a bit of an olive branch for my minor surliness re the tax business, but was also nice of him to be chatting with us.
2305 In bed, watched YT but eyes were closing.
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