Tue 1413 at Kukulpan for coffee. Came over to see street art on Belisarios (sp) which may or may not really be a thing but it's all} assing the time pleasantly enough.
Woke up surprisingly early, long breakfast with coffees and then went out to museo Los Altos at Convento Santo Domingo which was quietly cool, also went into the convent itself. Has astonishingly rich and welcome chocolate and vaguely custard cake thing at a Dona Isabel and then back to hostel for a piss and a quick beer (wtf) and now back out. Had been intending to go into museo San Cristobal but I think it may be shut, I could not see any sign of entrance.
Toying vaguely with knward travel. I don't necessarily need to rush off and can maybe stay for a few more days no fuss, but a quick poke on rome2rio suggests that I'd I so want to go to Flores paleenque is theplace to go from and that a naturalish not too long journey at a time route would be via tuxtla Gutierrez and Villahermosa, so I guess that is my pencilled in route.
1620 kwhatsit coffee rather nice and not too bad at 35 with a little Danish pastry thing, may go back. Back on hoatel roof with free black coffee and a banana. Had very nice bistec a LA plancha with bread, tortillas, chips, rice and big undreaaed salad at Maya something (have photo - Maya Pakal) and then another of those very rich "emparedados de chocolate" at dona Isabel which of course wasn't as nice as this mornings but still nice. May have a shower in a bit before it gets dark and feels colder but let us just have thos coffee and banana first.
Wed 1150 not a bad if quietish night. Went out about 7 with some people to Jules and then on to revolucion with just Jim, we had a nice chat (he owns the US school bus parked outside!) And he told me about a freedom conference in Acapulco in about two weeks which is both tempting and not, given the possible expense and how bloody far it is.
Looking at guise book as I hang round hostel, I am thinking it is nearly time to go. I may book for the canyon tour say tomorrow and then think about moving soon after. The hostel has the physical edition of my giode book and is it much nicer.
I am half thinking about going to comitan and seeing some stuff round there, then maybe slightly doubling back to tuxtla for a few nights - web ans guise book suggests it may be mildly interesting. Villahermosa doesn't sound that great but it may be a valuable stop on way to comalcalco or something. I could maybe then move on from there back to palenque and into Guatemala but I also half wonder if that is going to be annoying, insofar as I would probably have to loop back to palenque and then I am stuck retracing my steps if I want to head west into Mexico or have to start going east towards Cancun and apart from maybe Campeche city (which the German/Austrian couple from Xpujil trip were down on but which guide book says is nice) there is not that much stuff in Yucatán k am desperate to see.
I am half wondering if I should stop worrying about trying to make a circular tour as such and just wing it and accept I might need some mildly rushed long bus rides or a flight towards the end of the trip, which is still far enough off that I probably shouldn't be overly worrying about it. But the circular loop stuff with guatemala and running over the same routes in the palenqueish region of Mexico is maybe a real concern. Unless I do that nearer the end of the trip and try not to worry about making it out with plenty of time, or wait to see how I feel until I have had a couple more weeks around Chiapas and tabasco.
1213 hmm, the canyon is really near tuxtla. Paper guide book says there are tours from there as well as here. I am toying with going to comitan, spending some time there and then maybe from there to tuxtla and see how things go.
1427 was chatting with people a not. Went out for xhicken and chips ans an emparedado de chocolate and a sort of horn of plenty filled with yellowish cream paatry. Getting a sore throat I think.
Back at host milling around slightly aimlessly. Tryong to think. Almost certainly leaving tomorrow. C tempted by Acapulco but half wondering if I will get there and it will suck. I might go to comitan tomorrow anyway as that is the only thing right here that I might otherwise feel I misses out on, I could then go via tuxtla (visiting canyon from there) and on a few mildly stiffish buses to axapulco and then on the way back I could take in that town near Villahermosa etc. This may not give time for the guatemala loop via palenque but then that was also just a bit of a whim partly prompted by chatting to that guy in Bacalar and there may be time for it plus of course it is always the case there is an opportunity cost to doing anything. And while Acapulco and this confetence may suck or I may not be able to find the action, so to speak, I may like somewhere I visit en route etc. And to some extent I may work better to aee northern Guatemala during another trip when I head down towards el Salvador or something.
I do think I might go for comitan first, it is a short hop from here and as I say it is otherwise a little bit of this corner of mexico it might not be too convenient to come baxk after.
Conference starts 15th or 16th, I would not be intending to get an actual ticket but to sort of hang around at the fringe meetup type stuff. I have swapped contact details with Jim anyway.
I also got the name of a small very quiet seaside place vaguely near Puerto Escondido from Corinne so that is an option, time permitting etc.
1652 right have spoken to a few people and half milled and I have booked a tour to canyon from here tomorrow and I may (though not booked yet and may wing it a bit) take a night bus to Oaxaca tomorrow and have booked a free cancellation form for Fri and Sat nights (a place someone here recommended) in Oaxaca. I don't "need"to do the full tourist thing there as I have visited before but it is en route to Acapulco and people here don't speak amazingly highly of tuxtla. I am thinking I will not be doing comitan although it is possible I will be back here on return leg with time in hand. The conference, even if it pans our, will be done and dusted in about two weeks (and of course I will be touristing it up on my route over to Acapulco) and at that point I will still have nearly three weeks left which with maybe a tiny bit of rushing at points leaves a fair amount of time in hand. In some sense getting over to Acapulco in the most fun and unhurried way possible is more important than trying to squeeze every last life attraction out here - I may well be back in these parts in the future and eg could do comitan then. It is also vaguely possible (prob not on this trip) that I might be here in San Cristobal and enter guatemala in the south and leave in the north to palenque or vice versa, rather than doing a circular tour going both in and out via palenque.
Tomorrow feels a bit edgy wrt having to pack before tour (picked up 9-920) and leave bag and maybe rush off to terminal for bus but it will probably be OK and is maybe good for me to make an effort in this direction. It also seems most people I know will be leaving soon - C/M are packing now, Jim may be leaving tomorrow (he has suggested I could join him if he goes down to see a friend of his nearby but I probably wont, though obviously I would hope to meet him in Acapulco)
2249 about to go to bed. Went out for steak at Maya pakal (?) Then got some snacks for trip tomorrow and there was music in bandstand in square so went up there for a bit then back for quite beer and went out to el paliacate and Jim came over and joined me later. Was a little bit stereotypically leftist open mic but not bad, Scottish woman did nice acapella cover of Billie holiday "loving is easy lovinf you" (that is not right). I would have stayed longer but had about 2 litres of indio and while I don't feel drunk I do feel bloated as fuck. But edgy re tomorrow but in practice not a huge deal and this one overnight run to oaxaca should mean I xna be fairly relaxed there and in say piebla for 4ish nights each and get down to Acapulco without feeling too stresses or doing top many over long buses. And there just may be ak e party atmosphere in hostel or out of it fri and sat nights.
Thu 0838 spent a lot of the night puking and squirting stuff out the other end. I have just spoken to someone to see if there is any chance of rescheduling tour or a partial refund - not hopeful but at least I asked. I just don't think it is smart to force myself to go. I am due to check out today, I will probably extend but I just might see if I can go somewhere with a private room. However, it may be as well to stay here. This may throw allmy plans out but it it can't be helped. Not making myself worse over thirty quid tour and a day or two of accom.
Maybe it was just overindulgence in beer but didn't really feel like that.
0911 been second guessing myself. Was/am I just well enough to do the tour if I extended here instead of rushing off for night bus when I get back? But it is 9-5 tour and I don't feel great.
No idea if I will still try for Acapulco. Difficult to make plans when feeling under weather.
Need to keep a sense of proportion. None of this is a disaster etc.
0921 no, I can't reschedule etc so the money is lost. I did momentarily dither about going anyway and the woman who has helped by asking said it was 31C there, not quite sure what to make of that. But I just went through the toilet and while not puking etc I am feeling a bit rough and I am probably massively dehydrated. If I just fucked this up for myself by drinking last night I am annoyed but it doesn't quite feel like that. I also feel kind of pissed off that I now maybe have to spend a day or two recuperating and regaining confidence in my body and its ability not to expel disgusting fluids at very short notice.
But none of this can be helped. I may go have a couple of slices of toast and see what happens, if that makes me feel bad that is at least more evidence for not struggling to go being smart.
1253 on roof with banana and a cup of rehdyration fluid salt stuff (which tastes mildly foul). Jim gave me some possibly antibiotics but holding onto these as a reserve. Throat is sore but I had that before though dehydration may not help. Banana not going down super well.
I clearly feel better than I did at say 1am (I do think the first "session" in the bog may have lasted an hour, *if* I happened to see tines correctly) but also rough. No idea what to do about food. While it is probably nothing, I feel reluctant to trust my regular eating places just in case. Plus I am not that hungry and even I'd guaranteed safe the idea of eating ateak and chips and rice and veg appals.
I may go out and get a pint of milk and some stuff like that at supermarket. I have extended for tonight and I am going to try to hold off making any major decisions until tomorrow. I could do Comitan (and maybe have a private room with a double bed cheapish), I could (I think things have changed from previous cobclusion given illnesls) to to Tuxtla for a couple of nights by way of at least heading in direction of Acapulco (I blow hot and cold on this event, based on talking to Jim some of it may be a bit far out, but it might be cool) and I could then get a night bus to Oaxaca from there and perhaps do the canyon tour from Tuxtla instead of trying to redo it from here.
Right ear is whining a bit, this had a lot of the time gone or been unnoticeable, I suspect some illness/dehydrationy connection.
I had as I think I said about 2 litres Indio last night and on a very full stomach. I was iirc and it is prob in these notes feeling bloated even while drinking it. My current inclination is that while alcohol may not have helped, I probably did have something else wrong.
The activity schedule here has been rearranged and tonight is the trivia. I will probably go and maybe have a couple of cocktails if they so happy hour or a kombucha or something but I probably won't go out even if anyone else does.
I feel kind of bad about probably (not done it yet) cancelling Oaxaca hostel as they seem kind of nice (probably a silly projection on my part) but I will probably go there, just a day or two later.
Wrt the tour, putting aside money, it just doesnt feel smart to try it again tomorrow as I have no idea how I might feel - I am kind of glad I didn't force myself to go today. And that maybe argues for giving it a miss this time round or going from Tuxtla, as that at least let's me get moving towards Acapulco and moving jn general but with a shortish bus hop. If I do the tour from here it would have to be after at least a day or two, though I could come back from comitan to here or Tucker to do the tour when I hopefully feel more solid.
Fwiw just checked and the actual event starts on Mon 17th, so still 11 days away and I assume the fringe type stuff is similar dates. I could totally see myself turning up and never managing to attend any events given I am not paying for the event proper, but it could also be cool.
Lewis is playing silent night on the guitar.
Ftr not taken any diarrhea inhibiting medication, touch wood I haven't had it today (or there is just nothing in there right now) but it's that it is better to just let it purge when you can, and last night (as I was trying to tell myself was a good thing) had the luxury of a toilet - it would have been so much worse had this kicked in during the tour or on the night bus tonight.
1319 in bed
FWIW was shivering in bed a bit during night.
2233 about to go to bed. Quiz not bad and some chat, in a way this is what is nice about being here even if I am here because I am sick. Just had an apple, declined alcohol like a champ during quiz, did have an alcohol free Jamaica kombucha. Felt a tiny bit rough at times and feeling a bit shivery. Has a shower and changed clothes inc trousers earlier which also probably helped. Will play it by ear in terms of moving on tomorrow it wouldn't hurt to stay here depending on people (a lot seem to be leaving but there are new ones I just don't know so well) although I do also want to move towards Acapulco but you know if I feel rough in the morning I am not so short of time that it is a problem to stay here. Need to remember to cancel accom if I don't need it.
Had brief chat with Nico (Italian?) before quiz and also a bit during it. He is leaving tomorrow.
2236 soinds like bit of parry still going on in bar but it is done, as I say I am shivering a bit and be good to go to bed. Bought suero and throat chews and ibuprofen (in half decent Spanish) at Farmacia simi earlier when went out for apples and coke.
Fri 1318 on terrace. Didn't sleep too badly. Had 8 slices toast for breakfast which is an improvement. Chatted with a few people. Nearly everyone isn't leaving today after all - standard for this hostel - including me. Mason pointed out there is a luxury "GL" nightbus at 1k from here to Oaxaca tomorrow night and I may book that. I have cancelled my booking for Oaxaca for tonight.
I feel a bit ropy wandering round having had the couple of cups of suero. I did eat an apple and a going to have a sugary coke in a minute I have extended for tonight. There is some half decent Acapulco accom on ajrbnb, bit expensive for buf for a few nights tolerable and maybe I can share or if not it is a day or two of luxury. I got some paper and sketches out a very rough otinerary and I think there is plenty of time to get to Acapulco via oaxaca and Puebla and if I decide not to go to A in end or it sucks there is little downside. I think it would be natural to come back to Chipaa/Tabasco, I could probably do canyon from tuxtla and also while there are bus options there was one (perhaps suspiciously cheap) flight from Tuxtla to Cancun a few days before I fly home.
It all sucks a little but it's all experiences and in some ways nicer to be "mucking about" like this than desperately trying to grind through an itinerary and tick off specific tourist sites.
If I didn't say I felt sad to be leaving the other night (el paliacate nifht) and there wasmuaicbon bandstand and I went up there a bit and all very nice and slightly melancholy but ar same time as I always say better to feel sad about leaving than glad to get out.
Have read a bif of ff3w on illness and while it doesn't say too much psychologically there is some stuff and it does make me feel a bit better. Also as I think I said eg last night was kind of fun even if it would have been nice to have a drink and jbwouldnt have has that has I not been ill.
I don't feel great but i clearlyfeel better than I did yesterday morning. I also had one watery and one small but solidish shot, which given how little I have eaten is not too bad.
I do feel a bit chilly but have come up onto mildly sunny terrace. I also did a water only wash of clothes including black trousers (which were kind of due for wash and has been knelt in and sropped on toilet dloor during illness etc as well).
"Family dinner" at hostel tonight which Ibdexlined, might have been tempted but apart from my usual worries about pickinesa and causing offence, I do feel my stomach is not solid enough given the way even now if feels a bit wobbly.
1413 drinking coke. Some vague aches and pains, just had a couple of ibuprofen (from Dr Simi, in some slightly odd chewy gelatine form) on off-chance. Feeling bit chilly, there is a not of a breeze up here but also a bit of sun.
Readjng ff3w on general enterainmnt and inspiration grounds. The general slow travel vibe (even if you only have a few weeks, go slow)is encouraging and the talk of rest stops etc helps make me feel a bit better. TBH I am not doing so badly, even being here sick is vaguely homely, Acapulco feels like a vague "interesting but not terrible if it fails" goal which adds some shape to the trip and I think I'm doing OK for time even if I do half wish (but apart from anything else, while it does feel silly the swimming leason angle isn't negligible) I had pushed for a three month trip, but never mind.
Jacks flight club sent out a flights to Cancun direct from £300-320 earlier. Obviously no use to me now. But not withstanding the fact I sort of like being in the UK even in aurumn, those are the kind of prices which would make a not too disruptive one month ish trip feasible if J wanted. K should probably make a bit of a habit of checking Google Flights or setting up some alerts or something.
The fact I still) feel a bit rough today does I think add some evidence that this is not just a hangover type situation, although I can't rule it out completely and the beer may have tipped me over the brink or something.
I am a tiny bit worried about when or how I will eat significant amounts of solid food again, but in practice I guess it will take care of itself. I am probably losing some muacle (also due to lack of privacy for exercise anyway) but it can't be helped and probably won't be too bad over this shortish trip.
My hands for example feel a tiny bit crampy from holding phone.
As I probably already said here and have remarked to a few people, while I "remember" being cheerful anhealthy a few days ago - I was even feeling quite pleased with myself for being in mezixo on walk back from el paliacate - and I know in a few days I will be fine again and I already feel better than yesterday, emotionally this doesn't quite work and it feels hard to believe I will ever feel good or want to eat a pizza or drink a beer or (to a lesser extent, given I am) contemplate a long bus trip without more than a "meh, this might be a bit uncomfortable" level of concern.
I may not book the bus tickst today, but we will see. It is a gamble. If mah go up tomorrow, but otog given I am ill if likely on the mend and already not too bad, even if I have to pay more tomorrow it may be a wkn compared to buying a couple of hundred pesos cheaper today but having to write the whole ticket off.
I may go out and buy some bread and ham in a bit and maybe anothercoke. Since I expect to spend tkmorrow hanging around the hostel, I should easily be able to finish most of it off the two days.
I am incidentally getting some use out of all six clothes pegs drying my stuff on the line here.
I half wish I had a sweater or something with me despite wearing fleece - or maybe this lightweight fleece is just a smidge thin - but I am ill and I could be in bed if I wanted and generally it is fine.
1440 just for atom-sphere several other people sitting around up here solo. I lightly know all of them, I think. Often there are people up here chatting/drinking/smoking and if there were I think Id feel free to join them, but right now I really like the quiet and if people were talking up here I might go loiter on midterrace bar or in rscepgion depending where was quieter.
1446 fwiw and not just because of reading ff3w I have been thinking vaguely about optimising packinf further. Tbh I think my actual pack weight is fine (less is nice, but really weight is not my problem), but reducing bulk and also distributing stuff differently so I can get to frequentlyish access things like BT headphones easily while (something I still haven't done) stashing things like the headphone jack asapter (needed only on flights) somewhere out of the way so it won't get lost or xlutter up "frequent access". I haven't used bt keyboard that much but a bit and I think it is useful, but if I had it stashed away somewhere easilyish accessible but moderately damage proof as a little package with my reading glasses it would be more tempting to "just pull it out and uae it" instead of muddling through with the onscreen keyboard. (Of course, putting this stuff in a "package" might add weight and bulk, but maybe I should just accept a tiny risk of stuff getting snapped and put them together in a plastic bag or something.)
1540 back from little trip to super mas for another coke and some bread and ham. Stomach grumbling a bit. I suspect eating will help but I don't want to. I am definitely glad, even if I had no fussiness worries, I didn't sign up for the family dinner. At least I can take the sandwiches slowly and use the packa of bread and ham up slowly too.
I will say that some of the "bamboo" socks - probably the ones which showed a bit of wear even when I examined them back home and brought out of semi necessity anyway - are showing signs of wear already. Fairly sure I will be OK but in future it would probably be good to start a trip with all new social, at least for these lightweight cheapish synthesics. (The thicker quechua socks aren't getting that much use but are also probably way more durable due to their construction, and subject to not being obviously kbackered are probably fine for use on subsequent trips.)
I am reminded by ff3w that if I really wanted I could wear my short aleeved t shift as an extra layer against the chilly feeling earlier. Thought right now - slowly eating sandwiches in mid terrace - I am not cold anyaay.
Can't help feeling some phrases on ff3w are the same as on onebag.com - not enough to be outright plagiarism but if they really do appear on both I wonder which way the influence went.
1628 just finished sandwiches. Stomach making some grumbling noises but dont feel actually sick (touch wood). Back aches slightly from bending over. I don't feel bad but just may go lie down anyway, since I can.
1824 been lying on bunk. Shoulders etc hurting a bit. Farting like a bastard. Got another two ham sandwiches, half fancy them and half don't but I figure I need to eat and this is all maybe part of rebooting digestive system after wed night. I feel a bit of a sad git not socialising but I have reasonably good reasons of course.
1846 definitely stomach churnjbgs but those two sandwiches probably went down faster and easier than the first two earlier on. Max did cone past and suggest I join then in the top roof for a drink but I politely declined kn grounds of illness. I may make an effort to socialise (but not alcohol) after (everyone else's) dinner.
Don't super reloah the prospect of being kn a night bus tomorrow but it doesn't feel top horrifying provided (toich wood) my digestive system doesn't slide back. I do probably have time to spend another night here if I really want to and given I would just be hanging around here all day anyway as I said earlier I an going to sleep on it and see how I feel in the morning.
1850 was actually going to go upstairs but after coming down to waah sandwich plate I am still farting a bit and stomach feeling a bit off so sod if, back on bunk for a lie down.
I seem to have lost my hanky (I do have a spare) probably from when I changed my trousers yesterday. It may be in the pockst of the ones upstairs drying or lurking somewhere in my dorm cubicle. Would be a minor pisser to lose it but not end of world and I still think it may turn up.
2007 still on bed. Feel okish but also a tiny bit fed up. Farting a bit but stomach actually OK.
Ftr the photo from 5th (Corrine/Marion's last night) taken at Jules (by Aziz) has (left to right) C, M, Lewis, Jim, Max(ime), Nico (I think) and then me.
2058 the family donner mist be at someone's (owners?) House as super quiet. A new guest turned up, Mary? Let her in and I showed her round a tiny bit while looking for staff but no l e here.
Having third lot of sandwiched. Had a watery shit bit not "urgent". Not desperate for food but it may help and siz sandwiches plus I think an apple earlier plus a sugary coke isn't a terrible calorie intake.
2206 had a bit of chat with Mason. I am gassy as fuck, not exactly bad but not great. few people up on roof but not going up, I am having a kombucha and then going to clean teeth and go to bed. It would be good to get on tomorrow (and it isn't impossible od come back here on return leg, not that I cna stay forever etc) but I do have time to stay tomorrow night if I really feel id be happier.
2231 in bed. Going to send this now. Somewhat gassy shit and stomach gurgljng a bit. Not terrible. Plau tomorrow by ear. To some extent if I am just going to hole up a bit while I recover in Oaxaca I might as well stay here where it is cheap and relatively comfortable. Need to be carwful not to push it over much. No need to worry about this til morning anyway.
Woke up surprisingly early, long breakfast with coffees and then went out to museo Los Altos at Convento Santo Domingo which was quietly cool, also went into the convent itself. Has astonishingly rich and welcome chocolate and vaguely custard cake thing at a Dona Isabel and then back to hostel for a piss and a quick beer (wtf) and now back out. Had been intending to go into museo San Cristobal but I think it may be shut, I could not see any sign of entrance.
Toying vaguely with knward travel. I don't necessarily need to rush off and can maybe stay for a few more days no fuss, but a quick poke on rome2rio suggests that I'd I so want to go to Flores paleenque is theplace to go from and that a naturalish not too long journey at a time route would be via tuxtla Gutierrez and Villahermosa, so I guess that is my pencilled in route.
1620 kwhatsit coffee rather nice and not too bad at 35 with a little Danish pastry thing, may go back. Back on hoatel roof with free black coffee and a banana. Had very nice bistec a LA plancha with bread, tortillas, chips, rice and big undreaaed salad at Maya something (have photo - Maya Pakal) and then another of those very rich "emparedados de chocolate" at dona Isabel which of course wasn't as nice as this mornings but still nice. May have a shower in a bit before it gets dark and feels colder but let us just have thos coffee and banana first.
Wed 1150 not a bad if quietish night. Went out about 7 with some people to Jules and then on to revolucion with just Jim, we had a nice chat (he owns the US school bus parked outside!) And he told me about a freedom conference in Acapulco in about two weeks which is both tempting and not, given the possible expense and how bloody far it is.
Looking at guise book as I hang round hostel, I am thinking it is nearly time to go. I may book for the canyon tour say tomorrow and then think about moving soon after. The hostel has the physical edition of my giode book and is it much nicer.
I am half thinking about going to comitan and seeing some stuff round there, then maybe slightly doubling back to tuxtla for a few nights - web ans guise book suggests it may be mildly interesting. Villahermosa doesn't sound that great but it may be a valuable stop on way to comalcalco or something. I could maybe then move on from there back to palenque and into Guatemala but I also half wonder if that is going to be annoying, insofar as I would probably have to loop back to palenque and then I am stuck retracing my steps if I want to head west into Mexico or have to start going east towards Cancun and apart from maybe Campeche city (which the German/Austrian couple from Xpujil trip were down on but which guide book says is nice) there is not that much stuff in Yucatán k am desperate to see.
I am half wondering if I should stop worrying about trying to make a circular tour as such and just wing it and accept I might need some mildly rushed long bus rides or a flight towards the end of the trip, which is still far enough off that I probably shouldn't be overly worrying about it. But the circular loop stuff with guatemala and running over the same routes in the palenqueish region of Mexico is maybe a real concern. Unless I do that nearer the end of the trip and try not to worry about making it out with plenty of time, or wait to see how I feel until I have had a couple more weeks around Chiapas and tabasco.
1213 hmm, the canyon is really near tuxtla. Paper guide book says there are tours from there as well as here. I am toying with going to comitan, spending some time there and then maybe from there to tuxtla and see how things go.
1427 was chatting with people a not. Went out for xhicken and chips ans an emparedado de chocolate and a sort of horn of plenty filled with yellowish cream paatry. Getting a sore throat I think.
Back at host milling around slightly aimlessly. Tryong to think. Almost certainly leaving tomorrow. C tempted by Acapulco but half wondering if I will get there and it will suck. I might go to comitan tomorrow anyway as that is the only thing right here that I might otherwise feel I misses out on, I could then go via tuxtla (visiting canyon from there) and on a few mildly stiffish buses to axapulco and then on the way back I could take in that town near Villahermosa etc. This may not give time for the guatemala loop via palenque but then that was also just a bit of a whim partly prompted by chatting to that guy in Bacalar and there may be time for it plus of course it is always the case there is an opportunity cost to doing anything. And while Acapulco and this confetence may suck or I may not be able to find the action, so to speak, I may like somewhere I visit en route etc. And to some extent I may work better to aee northern Guatemala during another trip when I head down towards el Salvador or something.
I do think I might go for comitan first, it is a short hop from here and as I say it is otherwise a little bit of this corner of mexico it might not be too convenient to come baxk after.
Conference starts 15th or 16th, I would not be intending to get an actual ticket but to sort of hang around at the fringe meetup type stuff. I have swapped contact details with Jim anyway.
I also got the name of a small very quiet seaside place vaguely near Puerto Escondido from Corinne so that is an option, time permitting etc.
1652 right have spoken to a few people and half milled and I have booked a tour to canyon from here tomorrow and I may (though not booked yet and may wing it a bit) take a night bus to Oaxaca tomorrow and have booked a free cancellation form for Fri and Sat nights (a place someone here recommended) in Oaxaca. I don't "need"to do the full tourist thing there as I have visited before but it is en route to Acapulco and people here don't speak amazingly highly of tuxtla. I am thinking I will not be doing comitan although it is possible I will be back here on return leg with time in hand. The conference, even if it pans our, will be done and dusted in about two weeks (and of course I will be touristing it up on my route over to Acapulco) and at that point I will still have nearly three weeks left which with maybe a tiny bit of rushing at points leaves a fair amount of time in hand. In some sense getting over to Acapulco in the most fun and unhurried way possible is more important than trying to squeeze every last life attraction out here - I may well be back in these parts in the future and eg could do comitan then. It is also vaguely possible (prob not on this trip) that I might be here in San Cristobal and enter guatemala in the south and leave in the north to palenque or vice versa, rather than doing a circular tour going both in and out via palenque.
Tomorrow feels a bit edgy wrt having to pack before tour (picked up 9-920) and leave bag and maybe rush off to terminal for bus but it will probably be OK and is maybe good for me to make an effort in this direction. It also seems most people I know will be leaving soon - C/M are packing now, Jim may be leaving tomorrow (he has suggested I could join him if he goes down to see a friend of his nearby but I probably wont, though obviously I would hope to meet him in Acapulco)
2249 about to go to bed. Went out for steak at Maya pakal (?) Then got some snacks for trip tomorrow and there was music in bandstand in square so went up there for a bit then back for quite beer and went out to el paliacate and Jim came over and joined me later. Was a little bit stereotypically leftist open mic but not bad, Scottish woman did nice acapella cover of Billie holiday "loving is easy lovinf you" (that is not right). I would have stayed longer but had about 2 litres of indio and while I don't feel drunk I do feel bloated as fuck. But edgy re tomorrow but in practice not a huge deal and this one overnight run to oaxaca should mean I xna be fairly relaxed there and in say piebla for 4ish nights each and get down to Acapulco without feeling too stresses or doing top many over long buses. And there just may be ak e party atmosphere in hostel or out of it fri and sat nights.
Thu 0838 spent a lot of the night puking and squirting stuff out the other end. I have just spoken to someone to see if there is any chance of rescheduling tour or a partial refund - not hopeful but at least I asked. I just don't think it is smart to force myself to go. I am due to check out today, I will probably extend but I just might see if I can go somewhere with a private room. However, it may be as well to stay here. This may throw allmy plans out but it it can't be helped. Not making myself worse over thirty quid tour and a day or two of accom.
Maybe it was just overindulgence in beer but didn't really feel like that.
0911 been second guessing myself. Was/am I just well enough to do the tour if I extended here instead of rushing off for night bus when I get back? But it is 9-5 tour and I don't feel great.
No idea if I will still try for Acapulco. Difficult to make plans when feeling under weather.
Need to keep a sense of proportion. None of this is a disaster etc.
0921 no, I can't reschedule etc so the money is lost. I did momentarily dither about going anyway and the woman who has helped by asking said it was 31C there, not quite sure what to make of that. But I just went through the toilet and while not puking etc I am feeling a bit rough and I am probably massively dehydrated. If I just fucked this up for myself by drinking last night I am annoyed but it doesn't quite feel like that. I also feel kind of pissed off that I now maybe have to spend a day or two recuperating and regaining confidence in my body and its ability not to expel disgusting fluids at very short notice.
But none of this can be helped. I may go have a couple of slices of toast and see what happens, if that makes me feel bad that is at least more evidence for not struggling to go being smart.
1253 on roof with banana and a cup of rehdyration fluid salt stuff (which tastes mildly foul). Jim gave me some possibly antibiotics but holding onto these as a reserve. Throat is sore but I had that before though dehydration may not help. Banana not going down super well.
I clearly feel better than I did at say 1am (I do think the first "session" in the bog may have lasted an hour, *if* I happened to see tines correctly) but also rough. No idea what to do about food. While it is probably nothing, I feel reluctant to trust my regular eating places just in case. Plus I am not that hungry and even I'd guaranteed safe the idea of eating ateak and chips and rice and veg appals.
I may go out and get a pint of milk and some stuff like that at supermarket. I have extended for tonight and I am going to try to hold off making any major decisions until tomorrow. I could do Comitan (and maybe have a private room with a double bed cheapish), I could (I think things have changed from previous cobclusion given illnesls) to to Tuxtla for a couple of nights by way of at least heading in direction of Acapulco (I blow hot and cold on this event, based on talking to Jim some of it may be a bit far out, but it might be cool) and I could then get a night bus to Oaxaca from there and perhaps do the canyon tour from Tuxtla instead of trying to redo it from here.
Right ear is whining a bit, this had a lot of the time gone or been unnoticeable, I suspect some illness/dehydrationy connection.
I had as I think I said about 2 litres Indio last night and on a very full stomach. I was iirc and it is prob in these notes feeling bloated even while drinking it. My current inclination is that while alcohol may not have helped, I probably did have something else wrong.
The activity schedule here has been rearranged and tonight is the trivia. I will probably go and maybe have a couple of cocktails if they so happy hour or a kombucha or something but I probably won't go out even if anyone else does.
I feel kind of bad about probably (not done it yet) cancelling Oaxaca hostel as they seem kind of nice (probably a silly projection on my part) but I will probably go there, just a day or two later.
Wrt the tour, putting aside money, it just doesnt feel smart to try it again tomorrow as I have no idea how I might feel - I am kind of glad I didn't force myself to go today. And that maybe argues for giving it a miss this time round or going from Tuxtla, as that at least let's me get moving towards Acapulco and moving jn general but with a shortish bus hop. If I do the tour from here it would have to be after at least a day or two, though I could come back from comitan to here or Tucker to do the tour when I hopefully feel more solid.
Fwiw just checked and the actual event starts on Mon 17th, so still 11 days away and I assume the fringe type stuff is similar dates. I could totally see myself turning up and never managing to attend any events given I am not paying for the event proper, but it could also be cool.
Lewis is playing silent night on the guitar.
Ftr not taken any diarrhea inhibiting medication, touch wood I haven't had it today (or there is just nothing in there right now) but it's that it is better to just let it purge when you can, and last night (as I was trying to tell myself was a good thing) had the luxury of a toilet - it would have been so much worse had this kicked in during the tour or on the night bus tonight.
1319 in bed
FWIW was shivering in bed a bit during night.
2233 about to go to bed. Quiz not bad and some chat, in a way this is what is nice about being here even if I am here because I am sick. Just had an apple, declined alcohol like a champ during quiz, did have an alcohol free Jamaica kombucha. Felt a tiny bit rough at times and feeling a bit shivery. Has a shower and changed clothes inc trousers earlier which also probably helped. Will play it by ear in terms of moving on tomorrow it wouldn't hurt to stay here depending on people (a lot seem to be leaving but there are new ones I just don't know so well) although I do also want to move towards Acapulco but you know if I feel rough in the morning I am not so short of time that it is a problem to stay here. Need to remember to cancel accom if I don't need it.
Had brief chat with Nico (Italian?) before quiz and also a bit during it. He is leaving tomorrow.
2236 soinds like bit of parry still going on in bar but it is done, as I say I am shivering a bit and be good to go to bed. Bought suero and throat chews and ibuprofen (in half decent Spanish) at Farmacia simi earlier when went out for apples and coke.
Fri 1318 on terrace. Didn't sleep too badly. Had 8 slices toast for breakfast which is an improvement. Chatted with a few people. Nearly everyone isn't leaving today after all - standard for this hostel - including me. Mason pointed out there is a luxury "GL" nightbus at 1k from here to Oaxaca tomorrow night and I may book that. I have cancelled my booking for Oaxaca for tonight.
I feel a bit ropy wandering round having had the couple of cups of suero. I did eat an apple and a going to have a sugary coke in a minute I have extended for tonight. There is some half decent Acapulco accom on ajrbnb, bit expensive for buf for a few nights tolerable and maybe I can share or if not it is a day or two of luxury. I got some paper and sketches out a very rough otinerary and I think there is plenty of time to get to Acapulco via oaxaca and Puebla and if I decide not to go to A in end or it sucks there is little downside. I think it would be natural to come back to Chipaa/Tabasco, I could probably do canyon from tuxtla and also while there are bus options there was one (perhaps suspiciously cheap) flight from Tuxtla to Cancun a few days before I fly home.
It all sucks a little but it's all experiences and in some ways nicer to be "mucking about" like this than desperately trying to grind through an itinerary and tick off specific tourist sites.
If I didn't say I felt sad to be leaving the other night (el paliacate nifht) and there wasmuaicbon bandstand and I went up there a bit and all very nice and slightly melancholy but ar same time as I always say better to feel sad about leaving than glad to get out.
Have read a bif of ff3w on illness and while it doesn't say too much psychologically there is some stuff and it does make me feel a bit better. Also as I think I said eg last night was kind of fun even if it would have been nice to have a drink and jbwouldnt have has that has I not been ill.
I don't feel great but i clearlyfeel better than I did yesterday morning. I also had one watery and one small but solidish shot, which given how little I have eaten is not too bad.
I do feel a bit chilly but have come up onto mildly sunny terrace. I also did a water only wash of clothes including black trousers (which were kind of due for wash and has been knelt in and sropped on toilet dloor during illness etc as well).
"Family dinner" at hostel tonight which Ibdexlined, might have been tempted but apart from my usual worries about pickinesa and causing offence, I do feel my stomach is not solid enough given the way even now if feels a bit wobbly.
1413 drinking coke. Some vague aches and pains, just had a couple of ibuprofen (from Dr Simi, in some slightly odd chewy gelatine form) on off-chance. Feeling bit chilly, there is a not of a breeze up here but also a bit of sun.
Readjng ff3w on general enterainmnt and inspiration grounds. The general slow travel vibe (even if you only have a few weeks, go slow)is encouraging and the talk of rest stops etc helps make me feel a bit better. TBH I am not doing so badly, even being here sick is vaguely homely, Acapulco feels like a vague "interesting but not terrible if it fails" goal which adds some shape to the trip and I think I'm doing OK for time even if I do half wish (but apart from anything else, while it does feel silly the swimming leason angle isn't negligible) I had pushed for a three month trip, but never mind.
Jacks flight club sent out a flights to Cancun direct from £300-320 earlier. Obviously no use to me now. But not withstanding the fact I sort of like being in the UK even in aurumn, those are the kind of prices which would make a not too disruptive one month ish trip feasible if J wanted. K should probably make a bit of a habit of checking Google Flights or setting up some alerts or something.
The fact I still) feel a bit rough today does I think add some evidence that this is not just a hangover type situation, although I can't rule it out completely and the beer may have tipped me over the brink or something.
I am a tiny bit worried about when or how I will eat significant amounts of solid food again, but in practice I guess it will take care of itself. I am probably losing some muacle (also due to lack of privacy for exercise anyway) but it can't be helped and probably won't be too bad over this shortish trip.
My hands for example feel a tiny bit crampy from holding phone.
As I probably already said here and have remarked to a few people, while I "remember" being cheerful anhealthy a few days ago - I was even feeling quite pleased with myself for being in mezixo on walk back from el paliacate - and I know in a few days I will be fine again and I already feel better than yesterday, emotionally this doesn't quite work and it feels hard to believe I will ever feel good or want to eat a pizza or drink a beer or (to a lesser extent, given I am) contemplate a long bus trip without more than a "meh, this might be a bit uncomfortable" level of concern.
I may not book the bus tickst today, but we will see. It is a gamble. If mah go up tomorrow, but otog given I am ill if likely on the mend and already not too bad, even if I have to pay more tomorrow it may be a wkn compared to buying a couple of hundred pesos cheaper today but having to write the whole ticket off.
I may go out and buy some bread and ham in a bit and maybe anothercoke. Since I expect to spend tkmorrow hanging around the hostel, I should easily be able to finish most of it off the two days.
I am incidentally getting some use out of all six clothes pegs drying my stuff on the line here.
I half wish I had a sweater or something with me despite wearing fleece - or maybe this lightweight fleece is just a smidge thin - but I am ill and I could be in bed if I wanted and generally it is fine.
1440 just for atom-sphere several other people sitting around up here solo. I lightly know all of them, I think. Often there are people up here chatting/drinking/smoking and if there were I think Id feel free to join them, but right now I really like the quiet and if people were talking up here I might go loiter on midterrace bar or in rscepgion depending where was quieter.
1446 fwiw and not just because of reading ff3w I have been thinking vaguely about optimising packinf further. Tbh I think my actual pack weight is fine (less is nice, but really weight is not my problem), but reducing bulk and also distributing stuff differently so I can get to frequentlyish access things like BT headphones easily while (something I still haven't done) stashing things like the headphone jack asapter (needed only on flights) somewhere out of the way so it won't get lost or xlutter up "frequent access". I haven't used bt keyboard that much but a bit and I think it is useful, but if I had it stashed away somewhere easilyish accessible but moderately damage proof as a little package with my reading glasses it would be more tempting to "just pull it out and uae it" instead of muddling through with the onscreen keyboard. (Of course, putting this stuff in a "package" might add weight and bulk, but maybe I should just accept a tiny risk of stuff getting snapped and put them together in a plastic bag or something.)
1540 back from little trip to super mas for another coke and some bread and ham. Stomach grumbling a bit. I suspect eating will help but I don't want to. I am definitely glad, even if I had no fussiness worries, I didn't sign up for the family dinner. At least I can take the sandwiches slowly and use the packa of bread and ham up slowly too.
I will say that some of the "bamboo" socks - probably the ones which showed a bit of wear even when I examined them back home and brought out of semi necessity anyway - are showing signs of wear already. Fairly sure I will be OK but in future it would probably be good to start a trip with all new social, at least for these lightweight cheapish synthesics. (The thicker quechua socks aren't getting that much use but are also probably way more durable due to their construction, and subject to not being obviously kbackered are probably fine for use on subsequent trips.)
I am reminded by ff3w that if I really wanted I could wear my short aleeved t shift as an extra layer against the chilly feeling earlier. Thought right now - slowly eating sandwiches in mid terrace - I am not cold anyaay.
Can't help feeling some phrases on ff3w are the same as on onebag.com - not enough to be outright plagiarism but if they really do appear on both I wonder which way the influence went.
1628 just finished sandwiches. Stomach making some grumbling noises but dont feel actually sick (touch wood). Back aches slightly from bending over. I don't feel bad but just may go lie down anyway, since I can.
1824 been lying on bunk. Shoulders etc hurting a bit. Farting like a bastard. Got another two ham sandwiches, half fancy them and half don't but I figure I need to eat and this is all maybe part of rebooting digestive system after wed night. I feel a bit of a sad git not socialising but I have reasonably good reasons of course.
1846 definitely stomach churnjbgs but those two sandwiches probably went down faster and easier than the first two earlier on. Max did cone past and suggest I join then in the top roof for a drink but I politely declined kn grounds of illness. I may make an effort to socialise (but not alcohol) after (everyone else's) dinner.
Don't super reloah the prospect of being kn a night bus tomorrow but it doesn't feel top horrifying provided (toich wood) my digestive system doesn't slide back. I do probably have time to spend another night here if I really want to and given I would just be hanging around here all day anyway as I said earlier I an going to sleep on it and see how I feel in the morning.
1850 was actually going to go upstairs but after coming down to waah sandwich plate I am still farting a bit and stomach feeling a bit off so sod if, back on bunk for a lie down.
I seem to have lost my hanky (I do have a spare) probably from when I changed my trousers yesterday. It may be in the pockst of the ones upstairs drying or lurking somewhere in my dorm cubicle. Would be a minor pisser to lose it but not end of world and I still think it may turn up.
2007 still on bed. Feel okish but also a tiny bit fed up. Farting a bit but stomach actually OK.
Ftr the photo from 5th (Corrine/Marion's last night) taken at Jules (by Aziz) has (left to right) C, M, Lewis, Jim, Max(ime), Nico (I think) and then me.
2058 the family donner mist be at someone's (owners?) House as super quiet. A new guest turned up, Mary? Let her in and I showed her round a tiny bit while looking for staff but no l e here.
Having third lot of sandwiched. Had a watery shit bit not "urgent". Not desperate for food but it may help and siz sandwiches plus I think an apple earlier plus a sugary coke isn't a terrible calorie intake.
2206 had a bit of chat with Mason. I am gassy as fuck, not exactly bad but not great. few people up on roof but not going up, I am having a kombucha and then going to clean teeth and go to bed. It would be good to get on tomorrow (and it isn't impossible od come back here on return leg, not that I cna stay forever etc) but I do have time to stay tomorrow night if I really feel id be happier.
2231 in bed. Going to send this now. Somewhat gassy shit and stomach gurgljng a bit. Not terrible. Plau tomorrow by ear. To some extent if I am just going to hole up a bit while I recover in Oaxaca I might as well stay here where it is cheap and relatively comfortable. Need to be carwful not to push it over much. No need to worry about this til morning anyway.
No comments:
Post a Comment