Sun 10th 1012 Didn't swim. Woke up 5am with a French couple (?) talking loudly just outside my room in street, maybe smoking? Woke up on 715 alarm feeling bit ropy and didn't force myself. Not ideal but also not so important as to get bent out of shape about.
No idea what I am going to do today. Really don't fancy trying El Peñol at the weekend. Had vague temptation to go to Casa Gardeliana again but even ignoring repetitiveness afaict from web (they are on Facebook and you need an account to see the page) they are closed Sun. There is nothing of interest (very little at all) on meetup today or tomorrow - there is a lang exchange tomorrow but it's online, so why bother?
I fancy a snack so I am going to go out and have some tinto and cake or something, bit lardy but whatever. I may just potter around today, or I may read guide book on phone once I'm out. No real pressure, it's fine.
I would like to do EP before I move on. Maybe - I need to read up how to get there and if I can do it solo or have to sign up with a tour (still quite a few offered along carrera 70 as in 2020) - do that Monday. I may well extend here a day or two, perhaps in a different hostel, we'll have to see. I am not hanging around just on offchance the Gringo Tuesday le is good. I am not in a massive rush but if Medellin is proving "nice-ish but also kind of boring" (I'm sure there are eg random museums I could go to and I suppose I could maybe look into one of those "dangerous" suburb graffiti tours - I have tbh been a bit slack so far but I also kind of fancied and fancy a rest) I should maybe move on to give myself a chance of finding something/somewhere cool/exciting/sociable/novel.
But anyway, let's just go out for now and make plans over coffee and cake. If I just potter round today that is fine, I *want* to feel at liberty to do that kind of thing and not dash round frantically just because I only have about two weeks left.
1137 OK, I went and had tinto and a lardy two pastries at place by Floresta. Quick poke at guidebook and web while there. El Penol is probably doable as a self tour, there's also prospect of a daytrip to Santa Fe de Antioquia and maybe (tho unlikely to do all this) Guwhatsit nearish EP. I also signed up for (tho no conf email yet) a tip-based (effectively 35k) walking tour of the graffiti in comuna 13 at 2pm. I wandered round a bit but it was hot, I forgot to put deodorant on and I figured I might as well come back and shave and maybe shower before heading out 1ish.
Feels good (assuming it goes through - tbh may just go anyway, as I doubt they're gonna turn a paying customer down) to have the graffiti tour booked, it is something I wanted to do and it means I have "done something" today.
I need to have a look - prob tonight, also need to do laundry really to give it chance to dry - re onward travel and form a rough itinerary for rest of trip. Depending on that, I may eg extend in Medellin for a few days and try to use it as a base for some daytrips as noted above, or if they fit into onward travel plans I may even try to spend a night or two in Guwhatsit or Santa Fe.
I do feel very slightly rough, probably more my imagination. I did get a vague "pain behind the eyes" feeling of "stressed outness" while having pastries+coffee but I think (it wasn't that intense) it was just feeling a bit hot and a bit worried about "wasting time" and deciding what to do etc.
In hindsight I wish I'd only had one pastry but whatever. I just might have a pizza tonight as it will probably fit conveniently with coming back on metro from approx 3h walking tour.
Depending on what plans I form tonight re extending and rest of my time, I think I might try to be up earlyish to do a self-tour to El Penol tomorrow. *If* I get back in time, I might try to swim 5pm-ish.
Feeling vaguely edgy re probable loss of general fitness and weight gain during trip. But I doubt it's that bad. In terms of actual weight I wouldn't be too surprised if I'm about flat, though exercise has definitely suffered, esp with the long dorm stretches in Panama.
1214 Tour confirmation was in spam. Have shaved and done some laundry, won't shower as I am not "due" til tonight and I'd then have to reapply all my sunblock.
Let's have a go at starting a draft itinerary - I'll write the night accom locations down:
Mon 11th Medellin
Santa Fe de Antioquia
Jardin
Armenia 2 nights - guide book suggests not much here, but some stuff, and it has good bus connections - just poss would only want to change buses here
Pereira - there is a three day hike to Laguna del Otun from here which sounds cool (the volcano hike is perhaps a bit advanced for me, esp at this stage of trip)
Salento - but prob need to go in and out via Armenia
Mon 25th Bogota 2 nights
Wed 27th fly home late this evening
Obviously this is not a plan yet. Nothing here is an absolute must do - I will probably be back in this region at some point in the future (eg heading SW-ish from Bogota to visit southern Colombia and maybe cross into Peru or something). Gut feeling is that after possibly extending here in M to see Santa Fe (which is not in the right direction to conveniently stay in), tho I may save it for another time, Jardin is probably a good next stop. Guide book says there are lots of buses taking 3h from southern terminal here in Medellin. To go on from Jardin unless I want (I may) a shuttle 6h to Manizales, I may have to get 3h bus to Riosucio and go from there. But looking at the map, Manizales is en route to Pereira and Armenia anyway.
It also looks like all these places are easily within 2 days of Bogota (probably far less - but this allows one day to get to a town with a direct bus, then another day for a 6h-ish probably bus) so while I want to keep a rough eye on the clock I don't have to get too paranoid about getting back to Bogota for my flight.
1853 My god PP are scummy. The guide got lost at the end of the tour so afaict no one could pay. Being honest I contacted tour and they said I could pay via PP. *I have a USD balance in my PP account*, and in fact have no GBP balance. The tour account wants to be paid in USD. I do not need buyer protection or anything, as this is a voluntary donation for a service I already received. Can I just send them x USD? Hahahahaha. PP insist on billing me in GBP (I have no idea if their shitty exchange rate cancels out when they convert my USD balance into GBP and then back), and want to charge me USD1.22 for the privilege of sending the payment. It's clear as mud but as far as I can tell the fee is because I have the audacity to want to pay someone from a different country.
Since it's this or not pay, I've got little choice. Call me an arse but since it's not my fault the guide got separated from us (and he could have taken the money earlier or whatever), I'm subtracting the fee from what I would have donated, ie the tour company can pay it in practice. I was going to donate the full recommended amount (subject to fact the amount is different for Spanish and English tours and I saw a different figure elsewhere) but meh.
The tour was actually pretty good. Got there way early as hadn't realised how close San Javier was. The walk through the more "town" bit was actually coolest, the actual steps up through the favela are *very* touristy and very busy, it is still a nice env (for some reason cannabis derivatives incl cannabis beer are sold there) and had I not been a bit worried about getting out and finding tour guide etc it would have been nice to have a beer or two (eg try some of the "micheladas" , which I don't think are the Mexican salsa inglesa type), but I didn't. Luckily the guide had told us where to get bus back to San Javier on the way up, and I got one no fuss. (It might well have been safe to walk, esp during day, but seemed best not to take chances.)
Dithered but got an econolitre of Colombiana at Vaquita supermarket to quench thirst, then did have pizza at People Pizza which was good if a bit lardy, then got some bananas (for tonight and/or tomorrow) at Vaquita and came back.
I am probably going to go to Jardin on Tuesday but I need to think about it some more. Plan for tomorrow remains to try to be up early and go to El Penol solo. TBH I have been getting myself a bit stressed out about onward plans and swimming and falling back and what a mare it's going to be to resume when I get back (which apart from anything else is likely an exaggeration; it may be a bit sucky but I doubt it will be terrible, even if my ability/stamina has fallen off) and I need to try to chill.
Gonna wash some uw and then watch a bit of YT before reading up further on Jardin (to check I do want to go there) and how to get to EP and maybe book Jardin accom.
While I am trying not to make a big deal of it, I *may* try to swim Tuesday morning - there would be loads of time before checkout - if (as seems vaguely unlikely) I don't have time to go tomorrow after EP.
1932 Had quick poke on web re EP. I probably want to leave at arse o'clock in the morning, eg ideally get up 6ish to leave as sun rises. Will try to have an early night.
2109 OK, going to bed. I think I have a rough idea how to get to EP. We'll see how it goes but I may not go into Guatape; it sounds OK but also not that amazing just for a day trip, and I suppose it's possible I might actually stay there a night or two on some future trip. OK, the boat trip prospect there sounds kind of interesting but I'm not going to go nuts. We'll just see how the time works. TBH I need to be careful not to let some vague prospect of a dutiful swim tomorrow evening in Medellin spoil things - I am far from certain the pool is open Monday (my memory has conflicting aspects) and even ignoring that, there are so many things that could go wrong (need to book and I haven't, ID, swimming costume material, swimming caps, etc) that it would be silly to spoil the day just because of this. (While getting up at 730 on Tue would suck a bit, the reality is that checkout here is at 11am according to confirmation e-mail which is no deadline at all wrt swimming (the sun is the limiting factor) and with Jardin about 3h away even leaving here 11 and getting on a bus at a pessimistic 1pm still sees me getting into Jardin well before dark (and it's not exactly huge either, so no massive walks or internal transport concerns), and if I am up 6ish tomorrow and given the lack of any social stuff here (and while I'm eating junk it is at least some time off alcohol, albeit yes I did have two pints yday and I may have one or two drinks as a reward for the exertion depending how tomorrow feels) going to bed earlyish and getting up 730 the day after may be no enormous hardship.
I know I still need to write up day 3 and 4 of the boat trip.
2117 But let's send this now and go to bed.
No idea what I am going to do today. Really don't fancy trying El Peñol at the weekend. Had vague temptation to go to Casa Gardeliana again but even ignoring repetitiveness afaict from web (they are on Facebook and you need an account to see the page) they are closed Sun. There is nothing of interest (very little at all) on meetup today or tomorrow - there is a lang exchange tomorrow but it's online, so why bother?
I fancy a snack so I am going to go out and have some tinto and cake or something, bit lardy but whatever. I may just potter around today, or I may read guide book on phone once I'm out. No real pressure, it's fine.
I would like to do EP before I move on. Maybe - I need to read up how to get there and if I can do it solo or have to sign up with a tour (still quite a few offered along carrera 70 as in 2020) - do that Monday. I may well extend here a day or two, perhaps in a different hostel, we'll have to see. I am not hanging around just on offchance the Gringo Tuesday le is good. I am not in a massive rush but if Medellin is proving "nice-ish but also kind of boring" (I'm sure there are eg random museums I could go to and I suppose I could maybe look into one of those "dangerous" suburb graffiti tours - I have tbh been a bit slack so far but I also kind of fancied and fancy a rest) I should maybe move on to give myself a chance of finding something/somewhere cool/exciting/sociable/novel.
But anyway, let's just go out for now and make plans over coffee and cake. If I just potter round today that is fine, I *want* to feel at liberty to do that kind of thing and not dash round frantically just because I only have about two weeks left.
1137 OK, I went and had tinto and a lardy two pastries at place by Floresta. Quick poke at guidebook and web while there. El Penol is probably doable as a self tour, there's also prospect of a daytrip to Santa Fe de Antioquia and maybe (tho unlikely to do all this) Guwhatsit nearish EP. I also signed up for (tho no conf email yet) a tip-based (effectively 35k) walking tour of the graffiti in comuna 13 at 2pm. I wandered round a bit but it was hot, I forgot to put deodorant on and I figured I might as well come back and shave and maybe shower before heading out 1ish.
Feels good (assuming it goes through - tbh may just go anyway, as I doubt they're gonna turn a paying customer down) to have the graffiti tour booked, it is something I wanted to do and it means I have "done something" today.
I need to have a look - prob tonight, also need to do laundry really to give it chance to dry - re onward travel and form a rough itinerary for rest of trip. Depending on that, I may eg extend in Medellin for a few days and try to use it as a base for some daytrips as noted above, or if they fit into onward travel plans I may even try to spend a night or two in Guwhatsit or Santa Fe.
I do feel very slightly rough, probably more my imagination. I did get a vague "pain behind the eyes" feeling of "stressed outness" while having pastries+coffee but I think (it wasn't that intense) it was just feeling a bit hot and a bit worried about "wasting time" and deciding what to do etc.
In hindsight I wish I'd only had one pastry but whatever. I just might have a pizza tonight as it will probably fit conveniently with coming back on metro from approx 3h walking tour.
Depending on what plans I form tonight re extending and rest of my time, I think I might try to be up earlyish to do a self-tour to El Penol tomorrow. *If* I get back in time, I might try to swim 5pm-ish.
Feeling vaguely edgy re probable loss of general fitness and weight gain during trip. But I doubt it's that bad. In terms of actual weight I wouldn't be too surprised if I'm about flat, though exercise has definitely suffered, esp with the long dorm stretches in Panama.
1214 Tour confirmation was in spam. Have shaved and done some laundry, won't shower as I am not "due" til tonight and I'd then have to reapply all my sunblock.
Let's have a go at starting a draft itinerary - I'll write the night accom locations down:
Mon 11th Medellin
Santa Fe de Antioquia
Jardin
Armenia 2 nights - guide book suggests not much here, but some stuff, and it has good bus connections - just poss would only want to change buses here
Pereira - there is a three day hike to Laguna del Otun from here which sounds cool (the volcano hike is perhaps a bit advanced for me, esp at this stage of trip)
Salento - but prob need to go in and out via Armenia
Mon 25th Bogota 2 nights
Wed 27th fly home late this evening
Obviously this is not a plan yet. Nothing here is an absolute must do - I will probably be back in this region at some point in the future (eg heading SW-ish from Bogota to visit southern Colombia and maybe cross into Peru or something). Gut feeling is that after possibly extending here in M to see Santa Fe (which is not in the right direction to conveniently stay in), tho I may save it for another time, Jardin is probably a good next stop. Guide book says there are lots of buses taking 3h from southern terminal here in Medellin. To go on from Jardin unless I want (I may) a shuttle 6h to Manizales, I may have to get 3h bus to Riosucio and go from there. But looking at the map, Manizales is en route to Pereira and Armenia anyway.
It also looks like all these places are easily within 2 days of Bogota (probably far less - but this allows one day to get to a town with a direct bus, then another day for a 6h-ish probably bus) so while I want to keep a rough eye on the clock I don't have to get too paranoid about getting back to Bogota for my flight.
1853 My god PP are scummy. The guide got lost at the end of the tour so afaict no one could pay. Being honest I contacted tour and they said I could pay via PP. *I have a USD balance in my PP account*, and in fact have no GBP balance. The tour account wants to be paid in USD. I do not need buyer protection or anything, as this is a voluntary donation for a service I already received. Can I just send them x USD? Hahahahaha. PP insist on billing me in GBP (I have no idea if their shitty exchange rate cancels out when they convert my USD balance into GBP and then back), and want to charge me USD1.22 for the privilege of sending the payment. It's clear as mud but as far as I can tell the fee is because I have the audacity to want to pay someone from a different country.
Since it's this or not pay, I've got little choice. Call me an arse but since it's not my fault the guide got separated from us (and he could have taken the money earlier or whatever), I'm subtracting the fee from what I would have donated, ie the tour company can pay it in practice. I was going to donate the full recommended amount (subject to fact the amount is different for Spanish and English tours and I saw a different figure elsewhere) but meh.
The tour was actually pretty good. Got there way early as hadn't realised how close San Javier was. The walk through the more "town" bit was actually coolest, the actual steps up through the favela are *very* touristy and very busy, it is still a nice env (for some reason cannabis derivatives incl cannabis beer are sold there) and had I not been a bit worried about getting out and finding tour guide etc it would have been nice to have a beer or two (eg try some of the "micheladas" , which I don't think are the Mexican salsa inglesa type), but I didn't. Luckily the guide had told us where to get bus back to San Javier on the way up, and I got one no fuss. (It might well have been safe to walk, esp during day, but seemed best not to take chances.)
Dithered but got an econolitre of Colombiana at Vaquita supermarket to quench thirst, then did have pizza at People Pizza which was good if a bit lardy, then got some bananas (for tonight and/or tomorrow) at Vaquita and came back.
I am probably going to go to Jardin on Tuesday but I need to think about it some more. Plan for tomorrow remains to try to be up early and go to El Penol solo. TBH I have been getting myself a bit stressed out about onward plans and swimming and falling back and what a mare it's going to be to resume when I get back (which apart from anything else is likely an exaggeration; it may be a bit sucky but I doubt it will be terrible, even if my ability/stamina has fallen off) and I need to try to chill.
Gonna wash some uw and then watch a bit of YT before reading up further on Jardin (to check I do want to go there) and how to get to EP and maybe book Jardin accom.
While I am trying not to make a big deal of it, I *may* try to swim Tuesday morning - there would be loads of time before checkout - if (as seems vaguely unlikely) I don't have time to go tomorrow after EP.
1932 Had quick poke on web re EP. I probably want to leave at arse o'clock in the morning, eg ideally get up 6ish to leave as sun rises. Will try to have an early night.
2109 OK, going to bed. I think I have a rough idea how to get to EP. We'll see how it goes but I may not go into Guatape; it sounds OK but also not that amazing just for a day trip, and I suppose it's possible I might actually stay there a night or two on some future trip. OK, the boat trip prospect there sounds kind of interesting but I'm not going to go nuts. We'll just see how the time works. TBH I need to be careful not to let some vague prospect of a dutiful swim tomorrow evening in Medellin spoil things - I am far from certain the pool is open Monday (my memory has conflicting aspects) and even ignoring that, there are so many things that could go wrong (need to book and I haven't, ID, swimming costume material, swimming caps, etc) that it would be silly to spoil the day just because of this. (While getting up at 730 on Tue would suck a bit, the reality is that checkout here is at 11am according to confirmation e-mail which is no deadline at all wrt swimming (the sun is the limiting factor) and with Jardin about 3h away even leaving here 11 and getting on a bus at a pessimistic 1pm still sees me getting into Jardin well before dark (and it's not exactly huge either, so no massive walks or internal transport concerns), and if I am up 6ish tomorrow and given the lack of any social stuff here (and while I'm eating junk it is at least some time off alcohol, albeit yes I did have two pints yday and I may have one or two drinks as a reward for the exertion depending how tomorrow feels) going to bed earlyish and getting up 730 the day after may be no enormous hardship.
I know I still need to write up day 3 and 4 of the boat trip.
2117 But let's send this now and go to bed.
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