1012 At hostel.
Didn't sleep very well again, prob not swimming nerves but who knows. Couple of guys presumably from hostel chatting in street outside room at 3am, dunno if they woke me or I just heard them while I was awake.
Did get up 720ish to go swimming. Had fucking messages from Jardin accom demanding 50% payment to a Colombian bank account. Naturally booking.com emails vague as fuck - there is a 50% prepayment mentioned but it is far from clear if this is taken by credit card or whatever. They also demanded my ID details and similar wank. All this in Spanish. Flipped out a bit, replied in Spanish just saying sorry I'm a foreigner so can't pay Colombian account and not offering any other suggestions or alternatives or anything. I did comply with the ID demands so hopefully this gives an appearance of non-stroppiness. Fingers crossed. Push comes to shove I can probably get alternate accom without too much fuss judging from plenty of availability last night and then argue the toss via booking.com/ccard chargebacks at a push if the accom is stroppy. Or, you know, they could just wait less than twelve hours and get their money in cold hard cash no fuss.
Phone GPS decided it wasn't going to lock just cos I was hurrying over to swimming pool and that got me chuntering to myself as well.
When I got to the pool it was surrounded by and full of 60ish yo women (all in hats or bathing caps) who - hard to tell, and I felt vaguely pervy peering in through wire mesh and equally didn't take photo - might have been having swimming lessons (I saw some noodles) or perhaps were playing a beginner level version of some water sport - the pool *might* have been divided in two, hard to say. There is a second pool which looked unused but judging from the giant swan waterfall-ish thing I suspect it was a shallow kids pool. Given all this I didn't go in and speak to anyone at the booth - the pool was so full and even if it wasn't reserved for something specific at best i'd have felt extremely uncomfortable and struggled for space to swim and been worried these old women would get arsey about my not complying to the letter with the dress code etc. I *didn't* flip out about this - perhaps it was a slight relief (tho seeing all these people there and it being daylight etc made it seem much less intimidating) but more to the point I'd made an effort and I couldn't have done more.
I wandered round and had quite a lot of coffee (tinto and with milk), ham and cheese croissant, some sweet pastry thing and a freshly fried rice and meat empanada at a place nearby (have photos - corner calle 87 iirc, but may not) and quite enjoyed being up early and watching traffic and passersby. For second time in Medellin (first time at masapan?, not sure - yes, think it was) I got far too much change back and was honest and reported it (maybe I'm a sap, but my position is (inner OvB :-) ) if people play fair with me I play fair with them, and when people don't play fair with me I kick up a stink and/or may consider screwing them in return if I can).
Then came back to hostel and have 95% packed and am going to head out soon but letting water filter through me. Had big dump on getting up so feel fairly sure I won't need to go again today.
Fairly sure I need terminal de sur and it's 2km+ walk from nearest metro. Bus line 1 goes there but I am far from clear where I could get it. Given I have backpack I am going to get a taxi. I think - esp as *will* have K1 with me to receive texts on UK num at a push - I may experimentally try to book an Uber via web on O6 and if that fails I will ask reception if they can call me a taxi.
Slightly edgy I won't be able to get a bus but in reality it should be fine. r2r says there is an hourly service, it says north terminal but given my subsequent poking around while it's utterly unclear I am fairly sure gb is right and it will be south terminal for Jardin.
1035 Last piss. Kind of don't want to go but no point hanging around and the sooner I get to the bus terminal the sooner I get on a bus and the sooner I'm there and can deal with any accommodation shit with more daylight on my hands. Prob end up paying for piss at terminal anyway just to be safe but we'll see.
Gonna hand key in then book Uber from reception.
1117 At terminal sur. I was gonna book Uber but then it popped up with the fucking "lease" shit so I cancelled and booked a taxi via Uber instead - only a smidge more expensive and I paid cash (22k, within price range quoted) and no fuss, made sure we did the "closing handshake" before I got out of car jic. Paid 40k for a ticket on 1200 bus to Jardin, asked and it will prob get there 1530-1600. Tempted to wait but I guess I will message accom asking for the code now.
OK, done that. Fingers crossed they are not gonna piss and whine about the prepayment, the place in Monteria didn't and it does smack of boilerplate but this is a bit of an "unattended" homestay type place not a proper ho(s)tel so who knows. I need to remain calm whatever happens - *absolute* worst case is I get shafted by booking.com despite complaining and they take a charge on my credit card then I have to pay for some other accom, which would be a pisser but we're looking at maybe thirty quid down the drain so no point getting worked up esp when we're nowhere near arriving at that point yet. I suppose absolute worst case is there is *no* other accom in Jardin and I'm left sleeping in the street or desperately hopping on an overnight bus if there is one just to have somewhere to stay, but this feels extremely improbable.
Tempted to snack or get coffee but probably not prudent on toilet grounds plus I am not remotely hungry after this morning's snacking at that cafe-bakery type place.
It's annoying to pay 22k for the taxi here when the ticket all the way to Jardin only cost 40k but can't be helped - it's not a lot in absolute terms and given the lack of metro connection and my unwillingness to experiment with bus routes here semi-against the clock and lugging my main bag it is what it is.
1134 Moved seat as was getting intermittent smell of dogshit. I really hope it's not me but given I can't smell it now and I don't think I've trodden in any and my shoes are dirty from all the mud weeks ago but not obviously having anything in the tread fingers crossed it isn't.
1151 On bus. Really don't need a piss and I asked driver before getting on and he said there will be a break halfway, so that should be fine (fingers crossed). Not much but rather not pay 1100 just to dribble out a tiny bit of piss here.
Brought main bag on, *just* managed to squash it into overhead rack. Have daypack with water (just for emergenices) and headphones at feet. Will prob listen to music en route unless anything diverting turns up. I asked for and got an aisle seat when buying ticket btw.
1623 In room, WAed from street and got details. Waiting to hear when they are going to come and collect payment before I go out. Still, all mostly OK and no apparent bad blood between us.
Was hot as hell for part of way on bus (just after rest stop), I suspect engine heat or misconfiguration or something on aircon. It feels warmish but not insane. Some v cool views from bus, earlier on there was an almost perfectly triangular mountain silhouette.
Seems quite a nice but maybe touristy place. Feeling some self-generated pressure to "do a lot" . I may try to extend a night or two if all goes well but don't need to get worked up.
2013 Back at hostel. Had a few beers at El Ganadero (not "El Ganador" as I at first read it) on square, also a white coffee to start (3k large coffee, 5k beer).
On initial wandering I was feeling a bit down and paradoxically hacked off at only having two full days here but also kind of hating it. Genuinely unsure what to do re food and beer or no beer etc. In the end I went and had a pizza (personal, smallish but nice) de la granja at Pizza Gwhatsit (have photo - Geraldino?) which maybe helped, then went and bought some beers and coke (minor and prob genuine addition error in shop's favour which I caught) and dropped them off in fridge and came back out (struggling and whining out loud to get electronic lock to lock) and went down to spot on OM just south of town (which had checked out during initial wander) to see sunset but v cloudy so didn't stay. Wandered round square (as had done before going back to accom briefly) and picked El Ganadero as looking unpretentious and having tables outside and I asked price of white coffee and then beer and they were fine so had coffee and then three beers - was gonna have two, but for first time in what feels like years the guy handed out bowls of free popcorn so I had a third.
Dark out here - sign says not to turn light on - and there's only this one table with three chairs but it's fine. Is prob one other poss Eng speaking couple here but have only seen the woman briefly in kitchen.
During first wander found D1 supermarket as recommended by Diana staff woman who turned up to collect the money (no fuss, luckily I had 137k to pay the 136k and a bit bill as she had no change) - the worst chain in Colombia, probably, and they sold no cold beer and only two brands I hadn't heard of. Apparently tap water here is drinkable (Diana said so, and a quick web search seems to agree that water in Colombia often is) so didn't buy any water - not that D1 had any, of course (I think).
I did spot a smallish local but walk round supermarket down by the sunset view place so that's good, if I need it.
Felt better after food and while meeting ppl etc would be nice I did try with some success to appreciate sitting outside EG looking at the square (church v impressive at night, also shoved my head in briefly during day wander) etc and having a few beers and listening to the Spanishish ranchera??ish music etc.
Plan for tomorrow is to try to be up earlyish, maybe go over to the one tour company allowed to do hikes to nearby cave and talk to them (if there's availability and no spelunking I may book) and then maybe hike up to Christ statue and/or do some other local hikes. I *may* extend here a night or two - here or in other hostel - depending how things go, just cos coming up to end of trip it's silly to rush off if I am enjoying myself.
Fingers hurting so break.
2025 Hearing noise reminds me that there was at least one and poss multiple guys (at different times) practicing some sort of dressage (? horse walking with a very tight sort of tap-dancing gait) in the street in town.
Let me waffle about day 3 of boat trip.
As I think I already said, felt much better at breakfast on day 3. Water not terribly rough but no trouble anyway. Think this day I ended up at far left of boat (2nd row from reary where there is a lot of spray (I think left way more spray than right, due to direction of travel and currents etc), but I half sheltered behind a life vest and it was fine and sort of fun.
Day island was Atidub (Ati's Island iirc - a Kuna guy who apparently bought it for USD50 a while ago) which was quietly touristic-ish but nice. As I think I already mentioned there was "easy" snorkelling here but I ditched the group snorkel after lunch sharpish as I just couldn't keep up with everyone else and then I started to get leakage and this was the day Severin mentioned the bandanna ruining the seal. Bit hacked off at my continued failure but the fact is I *didn't* do this as a kid or teenager and I can only keep trying.
I mostly lay around a bit but did I think have a beer or two and also watched the beach volleyball (some people got quite into this during the trip) a bit and didn't feel too BNM.
We were told on leaving island we were going to go on cayucos (Kuna canoe type things) to Caledonia (about 3 mins away in motorboat) - it turned out (contrary to my assumption) we were rowing ourselves (two to a canoe, except one - not mine - with three). They told us to sit on floor to reduce chances of tipping and we put *all* our stuff on main boat to go over. I deliberately hung back and got in last canoe with an Irish guy who I'm ashamed to say I didn't know the name of - not having any special "friend(s)" I didn't want to force myself on anyone. It was hard but kind of fun and I think I did OKish - we did make it, and despite setting off last we weren't last in. And - luckily given we didn't have lifejackets (which I kind of liked in a free-and-easy no H&S type way) - we didn't overturn, unlike the last boat in (Poz and Leyla (sp)) - I was genuinely impressed how unpanicked they were at ending up in the water. I asked Lane how deep it was and she said "not very" and Poz (who was however a pretty tall guy) did say he could touch the bottom when I asked (tho I didn't get to really probe this so we may have been at cross purposes), but this was near-ish the dock and who knows what it was like midway.
Some neighbour has turned ther light off and it is nearly pitch black out here except for phone screen.
We got small numbers of beds per room here - I think I ended up sharing with the guy from my boat (who didn't speak to much, not in awkward way, it just happened as he went to bed way before me) and third bed free. Had a beer or two and G/J showed us their seaview room and Noa pointed out the drop toilets over the sea near their rooms (more "concealed" pipe into sea toilets near my room - I didn't use the over sea ones) and then we went for a walk round the town. Intrigued - and to jump ahead I asked a drunkish Kuna guy in Spanish that evening about this - to see that practically all signage in town in Spanish and that cigs were openly on sale (signs on side of shops would show price for packet and carton in Spanish) despite cigs and booze apparently not being allowed, and the Kuna guy told me that they all primarily spoke Spanish there (iirc) and that while you weren't supposed to smoke as such (paraphrasing here) it wasn't exactly forbidden if you did it in your own home without anyone seeing. (Beer was not iirc openly sold in town; I think based on asking Lane and general vibe that the Kunas more involved with the tourists and maybe their friends can and do semi-openly come for beers and even at a push rum in the tourist "compound" but most Kunas would not be allowed/would not want to, and I kind of infer that it's maybe a kind of open secret that the tourist-associated ones do have beer etc there. I am probably getting the details wildly wrong here but this is the vibe I got.)
At end of tour we could stay to play (Duck Duck Goose, I think) with some of the (adorable) local kids - who were on last day of their 3ish month "summer" holiday - but partly as I didn't know how to play and partly as I wanted to shower and partly as most people were also leaving I didn't, which was maybe a bit of a shame but not a huge deal. Joanie did say and told me about it later, sounded fun but also like it kind of degenerated into a bit of a nice-but-chaotic free for all.
Fingers hurting so break and may not write more of day 3 tonight. Feels weird sitting out here in dark but will prob finish beer then go back to room for YT and hopefully an earlyish night.
2044 Considering it was cold when I bought it and it's been in the fridge and it's borderline pleasantly warm out but I haven't been out that long this beer is not really very cold and it's slightly unenjoyable as a result.
I am having to shine my phone screen on table to see beer can and glass. There is a sofa inside and the other couple are afaict watching TV in room, I am out here a) so as not to just be hiding away in room b) as I thought it would be nice to be out in open air (the "garden" is a walled in but large courtyard, frankly more tables would be nice but maybe they don't really want it used given don't turn light on sign), so I am not not using the sofa because I'd feel in the way etc.
2051 I do feel slightly drunk. Which reminds me - I don't think it was beer related (only had 3x330ml out, and prob 2 of those at this point - and then this 473ml can back at hostel) - I looked round the square with glasses off at one point and it was actually kind of cool, esp the church being a blurry massy of lights. But interestingly I noticed my brain/eyes doing something a bit like when a camera autofocuses - I'd be staring at something (the church or the clusters of four globes at the top of the streetlamps) and the focus would intermittently shift and slightly improve briefly before reverting back (presumably given my eyesight defects it cannot focus perfectly, tho it is odd it didn't seem to stick at the best focus possible). I did try closing each eye alternately and tho that has a weird inhibiting quality on my ocular comfort, I don't think that completely killed the effect.
I don't feel drunk drunk now or anything, just sort of very slightly unpleasantly aware I've had a bit to drink. It's also not entirely unpleasant, maybe sitting here in this very dark high-walled courtyard and staring at phone screen just slightly makes it uncomfortable.
I got 2 small packs of some sort of (as it turned out) sweet-ish bread with a kind of fruit jam in them on for 5k on bus post toilet break (700 pesos, btw - first time not free on bus iirc, but at least cheap) - one for 2.5k - as I'd been feeling slightly stomach achey (poss also stress re accom etc), doubtless due to eating junk a lot lately eg this monring - and they were surprisingly nice. Still have one pack left as I showed some restraint and may try to save it for hiking tomorrow.
There is a place nearbt which does tikka masala and pad thai and I may indulge in one of those tomorrow - prices in the 30k iirc, not terrible. Did also see a few "menu del dia" at 20kish places, so while I'm sure you can pay through the nose here it isn't *that* bad - it may be oriented more to local tourists than foreigners. The not huge (which worked well given I had snacked this morning etc) but nice enough pizza tonight was only 17k, plus 6k for a jugo de lulo en leche and I tipped approx 2.7k (2k note plus some misc change as I didn't have enough to make it 3k).
When I stop looking at phone screen eyes adjust rapidly and there is just enough light to see my beer glass and can on table and the bottom of the courtyard.
2329 OK, bed. Will set an alarm for 8 and see how it goes. All else being equal it will be cooler to eg hike up to statue earlier, but I also do want a half decent night's sleep. I hope - whatever the cause - I sleep better here than I did in the Medellin hostel.
Didn't sleep very well again, prob not swimming nerves but who knows. Couple of guys presumably from hostel chatting in street outside room at 3am, dunno if they woke me or I just heard them while I was awake.
Did get up 720ish to go swimming. Had fucking messages from Jardin accom demanding 50% payment to a Colombian bank account. Naturally booking.com emails vague as fuck - there is a 50% prepayment mentioned but it is far from clear if this is taken by credit card or whatever. They also demanded my ID details and similar wank. All this in Spanish. Flipped out a bit, replied in Spanish just saying sorry I'm a foreigner so can't pay Colombian account and not offering any other suggestions or alternatives or anything. I did comply with the ID demands so hopefully this gives an appearance of non-stroppiness. Fingers crossed. Push comes to shove I can probably get alternate accom without too much fuss judging from plenty of availability last night and then argue the toss via booking.com/ccard chargebacks at a push if the accom is stroppy. Or, you know, they could just wait less than twelve hours and get their money in cold hard cash no fuss.
Phone GPS decided it wasn't going to lock just cos I was hurrying over to swimming pool and that got me chuntering to myself as well.
When I got to the pool it was surrounded by and full of 60ish yo women (all in hats or bathing caps) who - hard to tell, and I felt vaguely pervy peering in through wire mesh and equally didn't take photo - might have been having swimming lessons (I saw some noodles) or perhaps were playing a beginner level version of some water sport - the pool *might* have been divided in two, hard to say. There is a second pool which looked unused but judging from the giant swan waterfall-ish thing I suspect it was a shallow kids pool. Given all this I didn't go in and speak to anyone at the booth - the pool was so full and even if it wasn't reserved for something specific at best i'd have felt extremely uncomfortable and struggled for space to swim and been worried these old women would get arsey about my not complying to the letter with the dress code etc. I *didn't* flip out about this - perhaps it was a slight relief (tho seeing all these people there and it being daylight etc made it seem much less intimidating) but more to the point I'd made an effort and I couldn't have done more.
I wandered round and had quite a lot of coffee (tinto and with milk), ham and cheese croissant, some sweet pastry thing and a freshly fried rice and meat empanada at a place nearby (have photos - corner calle 87 iirc, but may not) and quite enjoyed being up early and watching traffic and passersby. For second time in Medellin (first time at masapan?, not sure - yes, think it was) I got far too much change back and was honest and reported it (maybe I'm a sap, but my position is (inner OvB :-) ) if people play fair with me I play fair with them, and when people don't play fair with me I kick up a stink and/or may consider screwing them in return if I can).
Then came back to hostel and have 95% packed and am going to head out soon but letting water filter through me. Had big dump on getting up so feel fairly sure I won't need to go again today.
Fairly sure I need terminal de sur and it's 2km+ walk from nearest metro. Bus line 1 goes there but I am far from clear where I could get it. Given I have backpack I am going to get a taxi. I think - esp as *will* have K1 with me to receive texts on UK num at a push - I may experimentally try to book an Uber via web on O6 and if that fails I will ask reception if they can call me a taxi.
Slightly edgy I won't be able to get a bus but in reality it should be fine. r2r says there is an hourly service, it says north terminal but given my subsequent poking around while it's utterly unclear I am fairly sure gb is right and it will be south terminal for Jardin.
1035 Last piss. Kind of don't want to go but no point hanging around and the sooner I get to the bus terminal the sooner I get on a bus and the sooner I'm there and can deal with any accommodation shit with more daylight on my hands. Prob end up paying for piss at terminal anyway just to be safe but we'll see.
Gonna hand key in then book Uber from reception.
1117 At terminal sur. I was gonna book Uber but then it popped up with the fucking "lease" shit so I cancelled and booked a taxi via Uber instead - only a smidge more expensive and I paid cash (22k, within price range quoted) and no fuss, made sure we did the "closing handshake" before I got out of car jic. Paid 40k for a ticket on 1200 bus to Jardin, asked and it will prob get there 1530-1600. Tempted to wait but I guess I will message accom asking for the code now.
OK, done that. Fingers crossed they are not gonna piss and whine about the prepayment, the place in Monteria didn't and it does smack of boilerplate but this is a bit of an "unattended" homestay type place not a proper ho(s)tel so who knows. I need to remain calm whatever happens - *absolute* worst case is I get shafted by booking.com despite complaining and they take a charge on my credit card then I have to pay for some other accom, which would be a pisser but we're looking at maybe thirty quid down the drain so no point getting worked up esp when we're nowhere near arriving at that point yet. I suppose absolute worst case is there is *no* other accom in Jardin and I'm left sleeping in the street or desperately hopping on an overnight bus if there is one just to have somewhere to stay, but this feels extremely improbable.
Tempted to snack or get coffee but probably not prudent on toilet grounds plus I am not remotely hungry after this morning's snacking at that cafe-bakery type place.
It's annoying to pay 22k for the taxi here when the ticket all the way to Jardin only cost 40k but can't be helped - it's not a lot in absolute terms and given the lack of metro connection and my unwillingness to experiment with bus routes here semi-against the clock and lugging my main bag it is what it is.
1134 Moved seat as was getting intermittent smell of dogshit. I really hope it's not me but given I can't smell it now and I don't think I've trodden in any and my shoes are dirty from all the mud weeks ago but not obviously having anything in the tread fingers crossed it isn't.
1151 On bus. Really don't need a piss and I asked driver before getting on and he said there will be a break halfway, so that should be fine (fingers crossed). Not much but rather not pay 1100 just to dribble out a tiny bit of piss here.
Brought main bag on, *just* managed to squash it into overhead rack. Have daypack with water (just for emergenices) and headphones at feet. Will prob listen to music en route unless anything diverting turns up. I asked for and got an aisle seat when buying ticket btw.
1623 In room, WAed from street and got details. Waiting to hear when they are going to come and collect payment before I go out. Still, all mostly OK and no apparent bad blood between us.
Was hot as hell for part of way on bus (just after rest stop), I suspect engine heat or misconfiguration or something on aircon. It feels warmish but not insane. Some v cool views from bus, earlier on there was an almost perfectly triangular mountain silhouette.
Seems quite a nice but maybe touristy place. Feeling some self-generated pressure to "do a lot" . I may try to extend a night or two if all goes well but don't need to get worked up.
2013 Back at hostel. Had a few beers at El Ganadero (not "El Ganador" as I at first read it) on square, also a white coffee to start (3k large coffee, 5k beer).
On initial wandering I was feeling a bit down and paradoxically hacked off at only having two full days here but also kind of hating it. Genuinely unsure what to do re food and beer or no beer etc. In the end I went and had a pizza (personal, smallish but nice) de la granja at Pizza Gwhatsit (have photo - Geraldino?) which maybe helped, then went and bought some beers and coke (minor and prob genuine addition error in shop's favour which I caught) and dropped them off in fridge and came back out (struggling and whining out loud to get electronic lock to lock) and went down to spot on OM just south of town (which had checked out during initial wander) to see sunset but v cloudy so didn't stay. Wandered round square (as had done before going back to accom briefly) and picked El Ganadero as looking unpretentious and having tables outside and I asked price of white coffee and then beer and they were fine so had coffee and then three beers - was gonna have two, but for first time in what feels like years the guy handed out bowls of free popcorn so I had a third.
Dark out here - sign says not to turn light on - and there's only this one table with three chairs but it's fine. Is prob one other poss Eng speaking couple here but have only seen the woman briefly in kitchen.
During first wander found D1 supermarket as recommended by Diana staff woman who turned up to collect the money (no fuss, luckily I had 137k to pay the 136k and a bit bill as she had no change) - the worst chain in Colombia, probably, and they sold no cold beer and only two brands I hadn't heard of. Apparently tap water here is drinkable (Diana said so, and a quick web search seems to agree that water in Colombia often is) so didn't buy any water - not that D1 had any, of course (I think).
I did spot a smallish local but walk round supermarket down by the sunset view place so that's good, if I need it.
Felt better after food and while meeting ppl etc would be nice I did try with some success to appreciate sitting outside EG looking at the square (church v impressive at night, also shoved my head in briefly during day wander) etc and having a few beers and listening to the Spanishish ranchera??ish music etc.
Plan for tomorrow is to try to be up earlyish, maybe go over to the one tour company allowed to do hikes to nearby cave and talk to them (if there's availability and no spelunking I may book) and then maybe hike up to Christ statue and/or do some other local hikes. I *may* extend here a night or two - here or in other hostel - depending how things go, just cos coming up to end of trip it's silly to rush off if I am enjoying myself.
Fingers hurting so break.
2025 Hearing noise reminds me that there was at least one and poss multiple guys (at different times) practicing some sort of dressage (? horse walking with a very tight sort of tap-dancing gait) in the street in town.
Let me waffle about day 3 of boat trip.
As I think I already said, felt much better at breakfast on day 3. Water not terribly rough but no trouble anyway. Think this day I ended up at far left of boat (2nd row from reary where there is a lot of spray (I think left way more spray than right, due to direction of travel and currents etc), but I half sheltered behind a life vest and it was fine and sort of fun.
Day island was Atidub (Ati's Island iirc - a Kuna guy who apparently bought it for USD50 a while ago) which was quietly touristic-ish but nice. As I think I already mentioned there was "easy" snorkelling here but I ditched the group snorkel after lunch sharpish as I just couldn't keep up with everyone else and then I started to get leakage and this was the day Severin mentioned the bandanna ruining the seal. Bit hacked off at my continued failure but the fact is I *didn't* do this as a kid or teenager and I can only keep trying.
I mostly lay around a bit but did I think have a beer or two and also watched the beach volleyball (some people got quite into this during the trip) a bit and didn't feel too BNM.
We were told on leaving island we were going to go on cayucos (Kuna canoe type things) to Caledonia (about 3 mins away in motorboat) - it turned out (contrary to my assumption) we were rowing ourselves (two to a canoe, except one - not mine - with three). They told us to sit on floor to reduce chances of tipping and we put *all* our stuff on main boat to go over. I deliberately hung back and got in last canoe with an Irish guy who I'm ashamed to say I didn't know the name of - not having any special "friend(s)" I didn't want to force myself on anyone. It was hard but kind of fun and I think I did OKish - we did make it, and despite setting off last we weren't last in. And - luckily given we didn't have lifejackets (which I kind of liked in a free-and-easy no H&S type way) - we didn't overturn, unlike the last boat in (Poz and Leyla (sp)) - I was genuinely impressed how unpanicked they were at ending up in the water. I asked Lane how deep it was and she said "not very" and Poz (who was however a pretty tall guy) did say he could touch the bottom when I asked (tho I didn't get to really probe this so we may have been at cross purposes), but this was near-ish the dock and who knows what it was like midway.
Some neighbour has turned ther light off and it is nearly pitch black out here except for phone screen.
We got small numbers of beds per room here - I think I ended up sharing with the guy from my boat (who didn't speak to much, not in awkward way, it just happened as he went to bed way before me) and third bed free. Had a beer or two and G/J showed us their seaview room and Noa pointed out the drop toilets over the sea near their rooms (more "concealed" pipe into sea toilets near my room - I didn't use the over sea ones) and then we went for a walk round the town. Intrigued - and to jump ahead I asked a drunkish Kuna guy in Spanish that evening about this - to see that practically all signage in town in Spanish and that cigs were openly on sale (signs on side of shops would show price for packet and carton in Spanish) despite cigs and booze apparently not being allowed, and the Kuna guy told me that they all primarily spoke Spanish there (iirc) and that while you weren't supposed to smoke as such (paraphrasing here) it wasn't exactly forbidden if you did it in your own home without anyone seeing. (Beer was not iirc openly sold in town; I think based on asking Lane and general vibe that the Kunas more involved with the tourists and maybe their friends can and do semi-openly come for beers and even at a push rum in the tourist "compound" but most Kunas would not be allowed/would not want to, and I kind of infer that it's maybe a kind of open secret that the tourist-associated ones do have beer etc there. I am probably getting the details wildly wrong here but this is the vibe I got.)
At end of tour we could stay to play (Duck Duck Goose, I think) with some of the (adorable) local kids - who were on last day of their 3ish month "summer" holiday - but partly as I didn't know how to play and partly as I wanted to shower and partly as most people were also leaving I didn't, which was maybe a bit of a shame but not a huge deal. Joanie did say and told me about it later, sounded fun but also like it kind of degenerated into a bit of a nice-but-chaotic free for all.
Fingers hurting so break and may not write more of day 3 tonight. Feels weird sitting out here in dark but will prob finish beer then go back to room for YT and hopefully an earlyish night.
2044 Considering it was cold when I bought it and it's been in the fridge and it's borderline pleasantly warm out but I haven't been out that long this beer is not really very cold and it's slightly unenjoyable as a result.
I am having to shine my phone screen on table to see beer can and glass. There is a sofa inside and the other couple are afaict watching TV in room, I am out here a) so as not to just be hiding away in room b) as I thought it would be nice to be out in open air (the "garden" is a walled in but large courtyard, frankly more tables would be nice but maybe they don't really want it used given don't turn light on sign), so I am not not using the sofa because I'd feel in the way etc.
2051 I do feel slightly drunk. Which reminds me - I don't think it was beer related (only had 3x330ml out, and prob 2 of those at this point - and then this 473ml can back at hostel) - I looked round the square with glasses off at one point and it was actually kind of cool, esp the church being a blurry massy of lights. But interestingly I noticed my brain/eyes doing something a bit like when a camera autofocuses - I'd be staring at something (the church or the clusters of four globes at the top of the streetlamps) and the focus would intermittently shift and slightly improve briefly before reverting back (presumably given my eyesight defects it cannot focus perfectly, tho it is odd it didn't seem to stick at the best focus possible). I did try closing each eye alternately and tho that has a weird inhibiting quality on my ocular comfort, I don't think that completely killed the effect.
I don't feel drunk drunk now or anything, just sort of very slightly unpleasantly aware I've had a bit to drink. It's also not entirely unpleasant, maybe sitting here in this very dark high-walled courtyard and staring at phone screen just slightly makes it uncomfortable.
I got 2 small packs of some sort of (as it turned out) sweet-ish bread with a kind of fruit jam in them on for 5k on bus post toilet break (700 pesos, btw - first time not free on bus iirc, but at least cheap) - one for 2.5k - as I'd been feeling slightly stomach achey (poss also stress re accom etc), doubtless due to eating junk a lot lately eg this monring - and they were surprisingly nice. Still have one pack left as I showed some restraint and may try to save it for hiking tomorrow.
There is a place nearbt which does tikka masala and pad thai and I may indulge in one of those tomorrow - prices in the 30k iirc, not terrible. Did also see a few "menu del dia" at 20kish places, so while I'm sure you can pay through the nose here it isn't *that* bad - it may be oriented more to local tourists than foreigners. The not huge (which worked well given I had snacked this morning etc) but nice enough pizza tonight was only 17k, plus 6k for a jugo de lulo en leche and I tipped approx 2.7k (2k note plus some misc change as I didn't have enough to make it 3k).
When I stop looking at phone screen eyes adjust rapidly and there is just enough light to see my beer glass and can on table and the bottom of the courtyard.
2329 OK, bed. Will set an alarm for 8 and see how it goes. All else being equal it will be cooler to eg hike up to statue earlier, but I also do want a half decent night's sleep. I hope - whatever the cause - I sleep better here than I did in the Medellin hostel.
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