Mon 1502 on deserted terrace at La Palapa cometa in Mazunte. Vaguely dissatisfied. Was going to have a kombucha but they has not so getting white coffee.Solidish morning(ish) touristing but I think I have burned back of next (90pc sure I put sunblock on this morning but maybe I forgot or maybe my top collar rode low or something).
Slept okish, aircon and or cooler night temps did help. Got IP about 830-9. Felt hacked off with heat and wondered what the fuck to do with the day. Went and had half decent breakfast at Sol y Luna and that probably made me feel better.
Got truck over to mazunte and had a wandsr and hiked over punta cometa, which is pretty cool and while not deserted was nicely quiet while not feeling utterly scarily deserted.
Hiked length of mermejita beach and found a cool sort of folk sculpture vaguely animal looking wood construction in a little bay up at the end. Hiked back and had a quick look at playa rinconcito. Time is now hanging a smidge heavy.
I prefer mazunte to Zipolite, the resortness and the counterculture (ie petted and mainstream smug middle class mildly edgy culture) vibe has been dialled back about 50% but there is still something annoyingly smug and irritating about the place (eg posters advertising a course on how to tie people up or get tied up yourself, judgment-free women dance/twerking sessions). I would (subject to half decent accom) rather put in another night or two here in mazunte than in Zipolite but tbh I would kind of like to move on, maybe to somewhere higher up where it isn't so hot, I don't feel so weird wearing my usual travel gear (yes I could wear trunks as shorts etc but I don't really want to), where there isn't the irritating resort/"counter" culture vibe and so on it doesn't feel super congenial to be hanging round here "just chilling". Problem is I am really not sure where to go, especially without doubling back. I probably need to do some desperate poking at ado website and rome2rio later when I have net access. This all feels vaguely stressful and uncertain.
If didn't say I photoed a slightly scraggy (but maybe it had just got wet) dog with a red neckcloth yesterday at Beach and wondered if it was a stray, and the story was rather pleasingly closed out when I went to beach for sunset yesterday and was the same dog leaving with iirc a couple, so it presumably is owned.
I had a look at San agustinillo as we passed though on way to mazunte this morning. It looks quieter but still on the resort spectrum and I think I also has a V quick look this morning and the Accom there is super expensive. It isn't a tremendously tempting option.
Junior senior move your feet playing. Mixed memories of this.
I don't really want to end up back in San cristobal too soon. I think there isn't much point over speculating where to go until I can check out buses online. (At one point guidebook would have had - I only want to be with you cover in Spanish playing - bus routes in, but they don't seem to bother any more. And they also annoyed me by abbreviating "pizza" as "'za" in one of their smug arse where to eat recommendations.)
I don't feel bad. While hot as hell except for the odd welcome brreze, the hike round punta cometa was a solid bit of touristing. I just feel a bit at a loose end, slightly lonely and not fitting in or super comfortable and I am not sure what to do or where to go. I half anticipate some awkwardness with an onward trip, given I need to get an (admittedly probably easy) truck to pochutla and then go on from there. I don't know how well connected pochutla is. To be fair, I am pretty sure getting back to oaxaca city is not going to be hard and that wouldn't be a terrible option, albeit I would probably prefer not to back-track.
The end of the trip is also just close enough I need to bear it in mind and that feels like an extra conplicating factor. Ignoring the logiatics, I have mixed feelings about the end of the trip - it will be a shame to have to go home and I can hardly remember what it was like back home before the trip (albeit it is always a bit odd round christmas / new year anyway). On the other hand, it would be nice to relax in my own home and not to be feeling hot and so on.
1534 guy just asked if he could take my menu, not sure why he didn't ask if I wanted anything as been toying with getting a beer but fuck knows. Maybe it is just in my head but I don't feel super welcome. Even though I am the only customer and even if not super lucrative so far am hardly occupying space that a high spender could be using instead.
As per some reviews, hosfel has no toilet seats BTW. And about half of the toilet/shower cubicle doors are so badly fitting you can't actually shut them and thus can't throw the latch across. Hoatel is OK really for the money but not over keen to go back there, it may just be my head but doesn't feel super comfortable to hang around there.
Waifress who served me is nowhere to be seen there is a guy washing tables down but not clear if I can ask him for something or not.
1541 duck it, I am going to go down and ask for a beer and then I might have another coffee and then get the truck back "home".
1544 did that. Really didn't feel welcome or remotely valued as a customer. Maybe it is just in my head. Fuck it.
1549 feeling a bit down. I think not having a plan is the big issue.
If I didnt already say, mazunte feels a bit bigger than Zipolite and though it all feels (devuelveme a mi chica playing) quite touristy with no real non tourist shops or restaurants it feels a bit better, cheaper and more natural than the not that long main drag in Zipolite which is a little claustrophobically "all there seems to be". That is unfair as during my wanderings yesterday there is a little bit more to the town than the main drag, but it is heavily dominated by that.
1555 I think I might not bother with a coffee. maybe go get an overpriced ice cream and then get truck back to z (I have seen what I want here) and maybe have a beer or something on hoatel tetrace and start to poke at online routes etc.
Really though the lack of a plan is I think fucking with my head, the realistic worst case is I have to go back to Oaxaca tomorrow which is probably a truck then a single bus and 4ish hours travel. Hardly the end of the world, I can almost certainly semi enjoy myself for a couple of nights in oaxaca (and I might splurge on a private room or something) and from there I can probably get a bus to just about anywhere.
I would still rather not backtrack but we will see. That worst case is hardly terrible.
I think it may be whale watching season here but I am not (and wasn't before this minor depressive patch today/this afternoon either) massively in the mood. Something about the atmosphere of Puerto escondido and now zipolite and mazunte just puts me right off paying for a tour. The vaguely tourist ripoff atmosphere doesn't sit right. I am sure any kind of whale watching tour would be from somewhere with a similar vibe though. But no, not in the mood.
I am aware I haven't done much in the way of "energetic" stuff this trip - no hikes or treks etc. It just doesn't seem to have worked out that way. I would like to at least swim in a cenote (I think the splashing around on the tour in bacalar that gave me fever technically counts, but not really) but hopefully that will be easy as I return to Yucatán en route to flight because the whole place is riddled with them. And I didn't actively *not* swim in a cenote when I had the chance, I just seem not to have really come across any the route I happened to take.
1605 finished beer. Don't need a piss but will go anyway then pay up and head out.
1704 just got off ytuck in z. Vit annoyed as there was a chicken place in M which was 70 for quartet chicken with soup and rice and I dothered (I had gorged on a 30 peso pack of canela rolls) and didn't and now half wish I had. Oh well.
I went and had an ice cream on a stick and wandered down to beach before coming back. Just leaving that restaurant/baf helped somehow, and I think ice cream did too. Still feeling vaguely uncertain and hacked off and uncomfortable.
1721 back at hostel with coke zero. FWIW suddenly remember last night guy on corner as I went down to beach for sunset offered me weed. It is clearly everywhere here and you'd almost think it was legal given how common it is to smell the stuff - I assume the cops could be pinching people left right and centre if they wanted - but this was the first time anyone offered to sell me any.
1831 On beach voice typing, I'm actually wearing my swimming gear. Not that I'm going to swim, obviously. I brought my phone with me. But after I had a shower, I just couldn't bring myself to put those bloody trousers back on again. Maybe if I give them a bit of a break, they'll de-sweat or something.
So I had a look at the buses, it's a fuckfest. It would be really nice if the guidebook actually said, oh from here there are buses that run to places x, y and z, but of course it doesn't. In all seriousness, I probably should bring an old out of date guidebook with me. You can check the information online, but you cannot find it. So an old guidebook that says those destinations I could check. The current guidebook just says nothing and you can't search on the internet for where can I get a bus from place X to where are the possible destinations that are easy to get to. It doesn't seem to be possible.
Anyway, all the buses from Petootler run super early or incredibly late and they get in at shitty times. Basically, I felt a bit panicky even though obviously I know it's kind of possible. There is a bus, the only bus during the day. The last one, next one's about five o'clock at night. There is an OCC bus from Petootler to Puerto Escondido that nine, which would mean dicking around with a collectivo thing to get there. Petootler is pochutla.
Anyway, a bit of parking on Rome to Rio and blah blah. I went to the linear Tsunadass not far from the hostel. There'sa mini bus, it's for about 370 pesos. There's one just after eight, another one just after eleven, which goes direct to a hacker. I probably am going to have to aim for the eight o'clock one, which means shitty packing in the dark, in the dormitory, blah blah.
I haven't booked a ticket yet, I'm just assuming I can get one tomorrow and if I can't get one for the eight I'll have to wait till the eleven. It's about four hours which seems reasonable even though Rome to Rio insists it takes like six hours and I'm sure some websites also insist on stupid times. I guess the staff there ought to know. The woman seemed a bit bored with me but you know at least you answered the question.
Not super happy at having to go back to Oaxaca and I haven't looked in the accommodation yet. I'll have a look at doing that when I get back to the hotel, hostile. I've come down here to see the sunset, there's a lot of cloud, but I figured what the hell. I am feeling slightly sad to be leaving and also to be leaving in a bit of a rush. I could stay tomorrow night, E.G. in either here or Mazunt, what's it? But then this bus goes from Zippod Lite, so I don't really want to be in Mazuntay.
Of course, looking on the web, I found all stuff about how Warhacker is dangerous at night. You should always take a taxi after 9 o'clock and someone got mugged who live there for three years. Then this is a 2025 article in theory, although it looks a bit like it's been updated and who fucking knows. Anyway, can't be helped. I'm not sure exactly where I'd go from Warhacker, but, you know, I'm assuming there's options heading basically back towards Chiapas and Tabasco.
I've got a beer with me. I might even have another one back at the hospital. I'm feeling a little bit disconcerted and I also overpaid for some sort of chocolate pastry thing on the walk back from the bus terminal. I had like a hundred peso note in the pocket of my trunks and that's that. So anyway, it's fine. It's 45 for the pastry. I might eat that now.
1909 Still on the beach, the chocolatey pastry thing was nice, a bit overindulgent maybe and I had a beer drinking not too much like in necessary absolute terms but because I'm drinking nearly every day it's maybe not got the fun factor it could have anyway
I'm feeling a bit annoyed, a bit fed up. It's like I'm a bit sad to be leaving here, but absolutely nothing stops me staying another day. Especially if I stay here, but even if I really wanted to, I could go over to the M place. I don't really want to. I've been feeling hot all day. It doesn't feel like the hostel at least here is anywhere I'm going to get to chatting to people. I don't really like the beach atmosphere. It isn't so quiet that It's just super relaxing to sit around doing basically nothing like you know it was in Brazil a few years ago so I think it makes sense to leave it just I don't like rushing off and as always I suppose it's good to be a bit sad rather than happy
I'm sure I could probably get a bus to Watoco, but for personal reasons, I really don't want to go there. And even if we ignore the personal reasons, I think I'm not in the mood for any more beachiness, unless there was some sort of super quiet out-of-the-way beach, you know. But I don't think Watoco is going to be that. (Huatulco)
It is annoying to backtrack but it's only four hours and I only spent two nights in Oaxaca before and I'll do my best to try and find a different hostel, maybe one where I might get to chat to people. I mean, we're not even looking at an epic, it's just like in the first few hostels, I did at least chat to people a little bit, just a few casual words. But since, you know, the hostel in San Christaval, I've been in places and it's like, it doesn't even feel that I'm too old or too boring or too shy, it just hardly feels like there's anyone around, I don't know.
It's also a bit annoying because although the two nights is just a default and I could extend to three if things go well, this timing with Wohaka means that I will again miss the Thursday Night language exchange by one day but not the end of the world and of course I may choose to stay on any way depending on what I find to do and how much fun I'm having.
And of course it's a bit of a pisser to have a superish early start, but it's not absolutely insane and the bus stops just around the corner, it's only four hours and you know, at least I do know some nice places to eat in Wahaka now and you know, notwithstanding with new security worries it seemed a reasonable place.
No idea what the onbound bus is from whacker gonna be like, I'm not entirely sure where I want to go, whether you know, maybe Tabasco, Chiapas, but I'm sure there'll be something even if it means another overnight, or maybe I can reasonably get a day bus somewhere to a halfway point. I've still got three weeks as of tomorrow, so while I need to be careful, I'm not too tight for time yet.
If I didn't say there was a cruise ship slowly crossing the bay I'll call it when I was here on the beach last night probably if I have the directions right maybe bound or past Acapulco maybe even going to stop there well anyway I took a photo of it but I didn't if I remember rightly mention it in the blog.
Kind of don't want to go back to the hostel more because I don't want to have to deal with booking something in with a hacker than anything else. But I probably ought to go back. The sunset, by the way, I mean, you know, the sun doesn't set visibly. There's a lot of cloud. The sky's very dark now. There was some color effects, but it really wasn't anything like, for example, Puerto Escondido. So, here's what it is.
At least the beach is right around the corner from the hostel here. It wasn't a big fact to come down. Anyway, I guess I should go back. I don't really want a lot to drink or anything, but maybe after I've gone back, I'll pop out and buy another beer at the corner shop and take it back to the hospital or something. Obviously, it's an early-ish start. I might also try and pack my bag when the air conditioning comes on about nine, but hopefully before most people go to bed. And then everything's kind of set up. for tomorrow.
And I'm going to have to look what accommodations available. I don't think I'll stay at the same hostel if there's something half decent because it was still a dorm and it was also not terribly sociable. I mean, I think ideally a private room in a nice hostel, but I may or may not splurge on a private. We'll see how it goes. I always struggle. But anyway, I guess I just have to see what's available.
Anyway, look, I might as well go back. I'm not super enjoying it here. It's fine enough, but since I've got to leave tomorrow, I've got to make preparations and maybe going out and getting another snack or something for the bus. Although, of course, I could maybe go to that buffet tomorrow after I've checked in. Anyway, I think I'm just milking it here, so I'm probably going to head back to the hostel in a second. Voice typing this in the beach, because as you know, no one can hear me. Not that I'm saying anything terribly exciting anyway.
1925 back at hoatel with coke zero. There is something nice about the music from the nearby bars etc. Maybe change of cloithes helps. (But I am not walking around dressed like this in the sun.) But still probably best to clear out. Let me look at booking.com.
Dido no surrender playing blurrily in distance. (White flag?)
1936 poked on booking. There is a hostel about six blocks from zocalo (smidge out bit hardly insane) which will do me a double with a shared bathroom for I think less than 500 for two nights the 6 bed dorm has 5 beds free so it is probably hardly rammo. But then what guarantee is there anywhere else is?
I am probably going to book. I am 99.9pc certain I can get to Oaxaca tomorrow, even if things go wrong with the bus I intend to get there are lots of options even if it turns into a minor nightmare.
I just half wonder if I should stay here another night. But I think this is just vague what iffery. People round me are chatting in Spanish and I do mostly understand if I concentrate but no one seems massiveely inclined to talk to me. And of course you never know and maybe tomorrow might o will be changing with the one other guest at the hoatel in Oaxaca and delighted I have gone. And putting utterly hypothetical social stuff aside, nothing alters the fact that while I see some appeal to z now I am leaving, the reality is it is an annoyingly overpriced beachy resort half full of gringos and you can't even swim in the sea here. I could maybe move to mazute but based on what I saw today even if you can swim on the main beach if doesn't look super nice and I have no idea if I could get a hoatel near enough to let me swim early before UV gets up and it is still resorty even of not too bad and while I like punta cometa I struggle to imagine myself going there to watch the sunset (it is a bit of a trek) and I have swim on sea twice recently and so the value in doing it again (not that a single night stay would help much) is limited and what I really want is a swimming pool for safety or a cenote for novelty. And there is always whatiffery and maybe if I stay another night or two in this "region" I will have a brilliant time but equally maybe leaving for oaxaca tomorrow will somehow lead to a brilliant time.
Putting glasses on and looking up, there is an attractive ish woman on here own playing with phone and two possibly couples chatting. It is hardly as if this feels like there is a general social group chat vibe. And yes another hpstel might be different, but then so might oaxaca.
And Oaxaca might be more fun, even if I am AF least at first annoyifgly there mid-week, you never know. It also sets me up to move on somewhere with relatively minor fiss compared to here.
There is a borderline OK bua from here to Tehuantepec (well, from pochutla iirc) but I am far from clear I want to go there, it is in-likely to be a deathbed regret if I don't go and if I do following calmer research want to go it is highly likely I can get there from oaxaca anyway.
There may also be a chance of some tranquil obscure small town beach up on north coast of Tabasco if I get over there without wasting time.
Also I has no doubt about leaving here after two noghts until tonight when whatiffery and vague sadness at leaving came in. Excitement and adventure and really wild things can happen anywhere and I really don't see any strong reason to hang around here. While beaches can work for me, it isn't as if I feel I do or want to fit in much here andreally the slightly physically cooler and urban but not terrifyingly huge atmosphere of somewhere like Oaxaca is far more my kind of place.
1956 done bloody Duolingo. I think I'd be slightly annoyed if that private room has gone which is maybe a sign. There is no really wrong option here but I think getting on to Oaxaca is the right thing to do on balance.
2010 booked. This feels fairly right. I will go get some more cash from dorm (trousers are in locker) and get another beer and some emergency snacks for the bus at tbs ittle shop next to host, though I plan to try not to eat and go to either the buffet or Charlie's to eat, especially if I can get the 8amish bus.
FWIW attractiveish solo woman now has a female friend. I half suspect these are all people who are travelling together and there is no general random social mixing chat even ignoring age personality and language barriers.
2031 went up to dorm and did quick count up of clothes and got some clean out for tomofrow to reduce fuss in morning. Shop next door shut bit another one down street open. Perhaps stupidly got 2x473ml xans of 2.5pc mixed stiff (Vicky mango and a sol Clamato) but this AF worst will induce pissing in night and is not really more alcovol than one more regular best have a nasty feeling I have lost a 50 peso note out of trunk pocket but maybe I didn't and can't be helped and what goes around comes around etc.
Not feeling too bad generally. Glt some bimbo pan con pass which don't intend to eat bit good to have in reserve for bus if I really feel peckish.
2045 Some possibly Irish guy is singing next door. He's doing the times there are changing now. He's alright. He's not the best. But you know, it's live music and I'm not paying so kind of cool.
I didn't actually realise there was a bar on that side of the hostel, but presumably there is because it sounds like he's amplified rather than just some guy singing in the street.
This is mango chamoy beer and just did web search and chamoy is apparently a sauce made of fruit chillies lime and salt. I think I had a mango chamoy beer the other day actually. It is quite nice, both sweet and salty.
2055 oberheading a converstion the WiFi here is apparently starlink (it is in the name but wondered if it was a joke) and I have seen mention of this in other signs outside accom here. Hard to believe there is no cabled internet here maybe 60km from puerto Escondido but maybe there isn't.
On ransom note the weed selling guy yesterday (utterly non threatening and pushy) spoke to me in English and he called it "weed". I said no thanks of course.
2101 Bakc of neck feels a smidge sore but not too bad. I put some sunblock on it after showering in the hope it might soothe and lubricate (no UV to block at night of course) and apart from being slightly wasteful won't do any harm and I still have a second small bottle of sunblock with me I haven't cracked open yet.
Feeling mildly relaxed, bit bnm but it is is sort of nice sitting here. I finished the first beer, will have the other in a bit and hopefully be in bed before 10.
Last nights shave was terrible but it was something and while I'd sort of like to shave again I am not going to waste time and blade sharpness doing it again tonight, especially in equally poor light. It is not really itchy, just mildly annoying perhaps due to heat, and I can shave properly tomorrow. Not shaving every single day in general anyway, just every 2-3 days to stop it getting insanely long and annoying and hard to cut.
Fingernails need cutting (not to mention toenaols) but with luck I can do this in private room tomorrow or day after and avoid the otherwise usual furtive and perhaps scrotey act of doing it in shared bathroom and inevitably not finding most of the clippings so cant pick them up.
2126 some xhap going upstairs spoke to me in English a bit ago and owner/staff type chap spoke to me briefly in Spanish, said it is always quiet sun/Mon. Quite a lot of people sitting around chatting but mostly in Spanish and while a tiny bit bnm it also feels fairly broadly companionable sitting here with people around.
Closeish to finishing second beef and will probably move towards cleaning teeth and bed soon. Have set alarm for 7.
2139 mildly busting for piss. General vibe of people sitting round chatting quietly with friends or just looking at their phones. Dont feel too bnm or as if there is much I could have done to get into chat. Feel okish really. Nearly finished beer and heading up soon.
Occasionally someone will wander in off street as if to see if this is a bar and then leave. There is a bar but I haven't seen anyone including guests served at it.
It is warm but borderline tolerable/pleasant in swimming gear (which includes short sleeved tshirt). I still hope the aircon is working in dorm and it will be nice to be in *relatively* cool oaxaca. (Private room has a fan, no ac, but didn't even have fan at last oaxaca hostel and it was OK although fan probably nice.)
Free water here and I was also given a towel, credit where due. The water is hand pumped out of those big cooler type water bottles, rather than rechargeable electric pump of gravity feed as in other places. Not a problem, just a bit of a novelty.
2144 OK, bed.
2158 in bed. Bit warm. Mattress is on floor so nothing can tuck under the bed. Can hear some music from adjacent bar. Feelong broadly OK, I think having made plans to move on made me feel a lot more chilled.
Slept okish, aircon and or cooler night temps did help. Got IP about 830-9. Felt hacked off with heat and wondered what the fuck to do with the day. Went and had half decent breakfast at Sol y Luna and that probably made me feel better.
Got truck over to mazunte and had a wandsr and hiked over punta cometa, which is pretty cool and while not deserted was nicely quiet while not feeling utterly scarily deserted.
Hiked length of mermejita beach and found a cool sort of folk sculpture vaguely animal looking wood construction in a little bay up at the end. Hiked back and had a quick look at playa rinconcito. Time is now hanging a smidge heavy.
I prefer mazunte to Zipolite, the resortness and the counterculture (ie petted and mainstream smug middle class mildly edgy culture) vibe has been dialled back about 50% but there is still something annoyingly smug and irritating about the place (eg posters advertising a course on how to tie people up or get tied up yourself, judgment-free women dance/twerking sessions). I would (subject to half decent accom) rather put in another night or two here in mazunte than in Zipolite but tbh I would kind of like to move on, maybe to somewhere higher up where it isn't so hot, I don't feel so weird wearing my usual travel gear (yes I could wear trunks as shorts etc but I don't really want to), where there isn't the irritating resort/"counter" culture vibe and so on it doesn't feel super congenial to be hanging round here "just chilling". Problem is I am really not sure where to go, especially without doubling back. I probably need to do some desperate poking at ado website and rome2rio later when I have net access. This all feels vaguely stressful and uncertain.
If didn't say I photoed a slightly scraggy (but maybe it had just got wet) dog with a red neckcloth yesterday at Beach and wondered if it was a stray, and the story was rather pleasingly closed out when I went to beach for sunset yesterday and was the same dog leaving with iirc a couple, so it presumably is owned.
I had a look at San agustinillo as we passed though on way to mazunte this morning. It looks quieter but still on the resort spectrum and I think I also has a V quick look this morning and the Accom there is super expensive. It isn't a tremendously tempting option.
Junior senior move your feet playing. Mixed memories of this.
I don't really want to end up back in San cristobal too soon. I think there isn't much point over speculating where to go until I can check out buses online. (At one point guidebook would have had - I only want to be with you cover in Spanish playing - bus routes in, but they don't seem to bother any more. And they also annoyed me by abbreviating "pizza" as "'za" in one of their smug arse where to eat recommendations.)
I don't feel bad. While hot as hell except for the odd welcome brreze, the hike round punta cometa was a solid bit of touristing. I just feel a bit at a loose end, slightly lonely and not fitting in or super comfortable and I am not sure what to do or where to go. I half anticipate some awkwardness with an onward trip, given I need to get an (admittedly probably easy) truck to pochutla and then go on from there. I don't know how well connected pochutla is. To be fair, I am pretty sure getting back to oaxaca city is not going to be hard and that wouldn't be a terrible option, albeit I would probably prefer not to back-track.
The end of the trip is also just close enough I need to bear it in mind and that feels like an extra conplicating factor. Ignoring the logiatics, I have mixed feelings about the end of the trip - it will be a shame to have to go home and I can hardly remember what it was like back home before the trip (albeit it is always a bit odd round christmas / new year anyway). On the other hand, it would be nice to relax in my own home and not to be feeling hot and so on.
1534 guy just asked if he could take my menu, not sure why he didn't ask if I wanted anything as been toying with getting a beer but fuck knows. Maybe it is just in my head but I don't feel super welcome. Even though I am the only customer and even if not super lucrative so far am hardly occupying space that a high spender could be using instead.
As per some reviews, hosfel has no toilet seats BTW. And about half of the toilet/shower cubicle doors are so badly fitting you can't actually shut them and thus can't throw the latch across. Hoatel is OK really for the money but not over keen to go back there, it may just be my head but doesn't feel super comfortable to hang around there.
Waifress who served me is nowhere to be seen there is a guy washing tables down but not clear if I can ask him for something or not.
1541 duck it, I am going to go down and ask for a beer and then I might have another coffee and then get the truck back "home".
1544 did that. Really didn't feel welcome or remotely valued as a customer. Maybe it is just in my head. Fuck it.
1549 feeling a bit down. I think not having a plan is the big issue.
If I didnt already say, mazunte feels a bit bigger than Zipolite and though it all feels (devuelveme a mi chica playing) quite touristy with no real non tourist shops or restaurants it feels a bit better, cheaper and more natural than the not that long main drag in Zipolite which is a little claustrophobically "all there seems to be". That is unfair as during my wanderings yesterday there is a little bit more to the town than the main drag, but it is heavily dominated by that.
1555 I think I might not bother with a coffee. maybe go get an overpriced ice cream and then get truck back to z (I have seen what I want here) and maybe have a beer or something on hoatel tetrace and start to poke at online routes etc.
Really though the lack of a plan is I think fucking with my head, the realistic worst case is I have to go back to Oaxaca tomorrow which is probably a truck then a single bus and 4ish hours travel. Hardly the end of the world, I can almost certainly semi enjoy myself for a couple of nights in oaxaca (and I might splurge on a private room or something) and from there I can probably get a bus to just about anywhere.
I would still rather not backtrack but we will see. That worst case is hardly terrible.
I think it may be whale watching season here but I am not (and wasn't before this minor depressive patch today/this afternoon either) massively in the mood. Something about the atmosphere of Puerto escondido and now zipolite and mazunte just puts me right off paying for a tour. The vaguely tourist ripoff atmosphere doesn't sit right. I am sure any kind of whale watching tour would be from somewhere with a similar vibe though. But no, not in the mood.
I am aware I haven't done much in the way of "energetic" stuff this trip - no hikes or treks etc. It just doesn't seem to have worked out that way. I would like to at least swim in a cenote (I think the splashing around on the tour in bacalar that gave me fever technically counts, but not really) but hopefully that will be easy as I return to Yucatán en route to flight because the whole place is riddled with them. And I didn't actively *not* swim in a cenote when I had the chance, I just seem not to have really come across any the route I happened to take.
1605 finished beer. Don't need a piss but will go anyway then pay up and head out.
1704 just got off ytuck in z. Vit annoyed as there was a chicken place in M which was 70 for quartet chicken with soup and rice and I dothered (I had gorged on a 30 peso pack of canela rolls) and didn't and now half wish I had. Oh well.
I went and had an ice cream on a stick and wandered down to beach before coming back. Just leaving that restaurant/baf helped somehow, and I think ice cream did too. Still feeling vaguely uncertain and hacked off and uncomfortable.
1721 back at hostel with coke zero. FWIW suddenly remember last night guy on corner as I went down to beach for sunset offered me weed. It is clearly everywhere here and you'd almost think it was legal given how common it is to smell the stuff - I assume the cops could be pinching people left right and centre if they wanted - but this was the first time anyone offered to sell me any.
1831 On beach voice typing, I'm actually wearing my swimming gear. Not that I'm going to swim, obviously. I brought my phone with me. But after I had a shower, I just couldn't bring myself to put those bloody trousers back on again. Maybe if I give them a bit of a break, they'll de-sweat or something.
So I had a look at the buses, it's a fuckfest. It would be really nice if the guidebook actually said, oh from here there are buses that run to places x, y and z, but of course it doesn't. In all seriousness, I probably should bring an old out of date guidebook with me. You can check the information online, but you cannot find it. So an old guidebook that says those destinations I could check. The current guidebook just says nothing and you can't search on the internet for where can I get a bus from place X to where are the possible destinations that are easy to get to. It doesn't seem to be possible.
Anyway, all the buses from Petootler run super early or incredibly late and they get in at shitty times. Basically, I felt a bit panicky even though obviously I know it's kind of possible. There is a bus, the only bus during the day. The last one, next one's about five o'clock at night. There is an OCC bus from Petootler to Puerto Escondido that nine, which would mean dicking around with a collectivo thing to get there. Petootler is pochutla.
Anyway, a bit of parking on Rome to Rio and blah blah. I went to the linear Tsunadass not far from the hostel. There'sa mini bus, it's for about 370 pesos. There's one just after eight, another one just after eleven, which goes direct to a hacker. I probably am going to have to aim for the eight o'clock one, which means shitty packing in the dark, in the dormitory, blah blah.
I haven't booked a ticket yet, I'm just assuming I can get one tomorrow and if I can't get one for the eight I'll have to wait till the eleven. It's about four hours which seems reasonable even though Rome to Rio insists it takes like six hours and I'm sure some websites also insist on stupid times. I guess the staff there ought to know. The woman seemed a bit bored with me but you know at least you answered the question.
Not super happy at having to go back to Oaxaca and I haven't looked in the accommodation yet. I'll have a look at doing that when I get back to the hotel, hostile. I've come down here to see the sunset, there's a lot of cloud, but I figured what the hell. I am feeling slightly sad to be leaving and also to be leaving in a bit of a rush. I could stay tomorrow night, E.G. in either here or Mazunt, what's it? But then this bus goes from Zippod Lite, so I don't really want to be in Mazuntay.
Of course, looking on the web, I found all stuff about how Warhacker is dangerous at night. You should always take a taxi after 9 o'clock and someone got mugged who live there for three years. Then this is a 2025 article in theory, although it looks a bit like it's been updated and who fucking knows. Anyway, can't be helped. I'm not sure exactly where I'd go from Warhacker, but, you know, I'm assuming there's options heading basically back towards Chiapas and Tabasco.
I've got a beer with me. I might even have another one back at the hospital. I'm feeling a little bit disconcerted and I also overpaid for some sort of chocolate pastry thing on the walk back from the bus terminal. I had like a hundred peso note in the pocket of my trunks and that's that. So anyway, it's fine. It's 45 for the pastry. I might eat that now.
1909 Still on the beach, the chocolatey pastry thing was nice, a bit overindulgent maybe and I had a beer drinking not too much like in necessary absolute terms but because I'm drinking nearly every day it's maybe not got the fun factor it could have anyway
I'm feeling a bit annoyed, a bit fed up. It's like I'm a bit sad to be leaving here, but absolutely nothing stops me staying another day. Especially if I stay here, but even if I really wanted to, I could go over to the M place. I don't really want to. I've been feeling hot all day. It doesn't feel like the hostel at least here is anywhere I'm going to get to chatting to people. I don't really like the beach atmosphere. It isn't so quiet that It's just super relaxing to sit around doing basically nothing like you know it was in Brazil a few years ago so I think it makes sense to leave it just I don't like rushing off and as always I suppose it's good to be a bit sad rather than happy
I'm sure I could probably get a bus to Watoco, but for personal reasons, I really don't want to go there. And even if we ignore the personal reasons, I think I'm not in the mood for any more beachiness, unless there was some sort of super quiet out-of-the-way beach, you know. But I don't think Watoco is going to be that. (Huatulco)
It is annoying to backtrack but it's only four hours and I only spent two nights in Oaxaca before and I'll do my best to try and find a different hostel, maybe one where I might get to chat to people. I mean, we're not even looking at an epic, it's just like in the first few hostels, I did at least chat to people a little bit, just a few casual words. But since, you know, the hostel in San Christaval, I've been in places and it's like, it doesn't even feel that I'm too old or too boring or too shy, it just hardly feels like there's anyone around, I don't know.
It's also a bit annoying because although the two nights is just a default and I could extend to three if things go well, this timing with Wohaka means that I will again miss the Thursday Night language exchange by one day but not the end of the world and of course I may choose to stay on any way depending on what I find to do and how much fun I'm having.
And of course it's a bit of a pisser to have a superish early start, but it's not absolutely insane and the bus stops just around the corner, it's only four hours and you know, at least I do know some nice places to eat in Wahaka now and you know, notwithstanding with new security worries it seemed a reasonable place.
No idea what the onbound bus is from whacker gonna be like, I'm not entirely sure where I want to go, whether you know, maybe Tabasco, Chiapas, but I'm sure there'll be something even if it means another overnight, or maybe I can reasonably get a day bus somewhere to a halfway point. I've still got three weeks as of tomorrow, so while I need to be careful, I'm not too tight for time yet.
If I didn't say there was a cruise ship slowly crossing the bay I'll call it when I was here on the beach last night probably if I have the directions right maybe bound or past Acapulco maybe even going to stop there well anyway I took a photo of it but I didn't if I remember rightly mention it in the blog.
Kind of don't want to go back to the hostel more because I don't want to have to deal with booking something in with a hacker than anything else. But I probably ought to go back. The sunset, by the way, I mean, you know, the sun doesn't set visibly. There's a lot of cloud. The sky's very dark now. There was some color effects, but it really wasn't anything like, for example, Puerto Escondido. So, here's what it is.
At least the beach is right around the corner from the hostel here. It wasn't a big fact to come down. Anyway, I guess I should go back. I don't really want a lot to drink or anything, but maybe after I've gone back, I'll pop out and buy another beer at the corner shop and take it back to the hospital or something. Obviously, it's an early-ish start. I might also try and pack my bag when the air conditioning comes on about nine, but hopefully before most people go to bed. And then everything's kind of set up. for tomorrow.
And I'm going to have to look what accommodations available. I don't think I'll stay at the same hostel if there's something half decent because it was still a dorm and it was also not terribly sociable. I mean, I think ideally a private room in a nice hostel, but I may or may not splurge on a private. We'll see how it goes. I always struggle. But anyway, I guess I just have to see what's available.
Anyway, look, I might as well go back. I'm not super enjoying it here. It's fine enough, but since I've got to leave tomorrow, I've got to make preparations and maybe going out and getting another snack or something for the bus. Although, of course, I could maybe go to that buffet tomorrow after I've checked in. Anyway, I think I'm just milking it here, so I'm probably going to head back to the hostel in a second. Voice typing this in the beach, because as you know, no one can hear me. Not that I'm saying anything terribly exciting anyway.
1925 back at hoatel with coke zero. There is something nice about the music from the nearby bars etc. Maybe change of cloithes helps. (But I am not walking around dressed like this in the sun.) But still probably best to clear out. Let me look at booking.com.
Dido no surrender playing blurrily in distance. (White flag?)
1936 poked on booking. There is a hostel about six blocks from zocalo (smidge out bit hardly insane) which will do me a double with a shared bathroom for I think less than 500 for two nights the 6 bed dorm has 5 beds free so it is probably hardly rammo. But then what guarantee is there anywhere else is?
I am probably going to book. I am 99.9pc certain I can get to Oaxaca tomorrow, even if things go wrong with the bus I intend to get there are lots of options even if it turns into a minor nightmare.
I just half wonder if I should stay here another night. But I think this is just vague what iffery. People round me are chatting in Spanish and I do mostly understand if I concentrate but no one seems massiveely inclined to talk to me. And of course you never know and maybe tomorrow might o will be changing with the one other guest at the hoatel in Oaxaca and delighted I have gone. And putting utterly hypothetical social stuff aside, nothing alters the fact that while I see some appeal to z now I am leaving, the reality is it is an annoyingly overpriced beachy resort half full of gringos and you can't even swim in the sea here. I could maybe move to mazute but based on what I saw today even if you can swim on the main beach if doesn't look super nice and I have no idea if I could get a hoatel near enough to let me swim early before UV gets up and it is still resorty even of not too bad and while I like punta cometa I struggle to imagine myself going there to watch the sunset (it is a bit of a trek) and I have swim on sea twice recently and so the value in doing it again (not that a single night stay would help much) is limited and what I really want is a swimming pool for safety or a cenote for novelty. And there is always whatiffery and maybe if I stay another night or two in this "region" I will have a brilliant time but equally maybe leaving for oaxaca tomorrow will somehow lead to a brilliant time.
Putting glasses on and looking up, there is an attractive ish woman on here own playing with phone and two possibly couples chatting. It is hardly as if this feels like there is a general social group chat vibe. And yes another hpstel might be different, but then so might oaxaca.
And Oaxaca might be more fun, even if I am AF least at first annoyifgly there mid-week, you never know. It also sets me up to move on somewhere with relatively minor fiss compared to here.
There is a borderline OK bua from here to Tehuantepec (well, from pochutla iirc) but I am far from clear I want to go there, it is in-likely to be a deathbed regret if I don't go and if I do following calmer research want to go it is highly likely I can get there from oaxaca anyway.
There may also be a chance of some tranquil obscure small town beach up on north coast of Tabasco if I get over there without wasting time.
Also I has no doubt about leaving here after two noghts until tonight when whatiffery and vague sadness at leaving came in. Excitement and adventure and really wild things can happen anywhere and I really don't see any strong reason to hang around here. While beaches can work for me, it isn't as if I feel I do or want to fit in much here andreally the slightly physically cooler and urban but not terrifyingly huge atmosphere of somewhere like Oaxaca is far more my kind of place.
1956 done bloody Duolingo. I think I'd be slightly annoyed if that private room has gone which is maybe a sign. There is no really wrong option here but I think getting on to Oaxaca is the right thing to do on balance.
2010 booked. This feels fairly right. I will go get some more cash from dorm (trousers are in locker) and get another beer and some emergency snacks for the bus at tbs ittle shop next to host, though I plan to try not to eat and go to either the buffet or Charlie's to eat, especially if I can get the 8amish bus.
FWIW attractiveish solo woman now has a female friend. I half suspect these are all people who are travelling together and there is no general random social mixing chat even ignoring age personality and language barriers.
2031 went up to dorm and did quick count up of clothes and got some clean out for tomofrow to reduce fuss in morning. Shop next door shut bit another one down street open. Perhaps stupidly got 2x473ml xans of 2.5pc mixed stiff (Vicky mango and a sol Clamato) but this AF worst will induce pissing in night and is not really more alcovol than one more regular best have a nasty feeling I have lost a 50 peso note out of trunk pocket but maybe I didn't and can't be helped and what goes around comes around etc.
Not feeling too bad generally. Glt some bimbo pan con pass which don't intend to eat bit good to have in reserve for bus if I really feel peckish.
2045 Some possibly Irish guy is singing next door. He's doing the times there are changing now. He's alright. He's not the best. But you know, it's live music and I'm not paying so kind of cool.
I didn't actually realise there was a bar on that side of the hostel, but presumably there is because it sounds like he's amplified rather than just some guy singing in the street.
This is mango chamoy beer and just did web search and chamoy is apparently a sauce made of fruit chillies lime and salt. I think I had a mango chamoy beer the other day actually. It is quite nice, both sweet and salty.
2055 oberheading a converstion the WiFi here is apparently starlink (it is in the name but wondered if it was a joke) and I have seen mention of this in other signs outside accom here. Hard to believe there is no cabled internet here maybe 60km from puerto Escondido but maybe there isn't.
On ransom note the weed selling guy yesterday (utterly non threatening and pushy) spoke to me in English and he called it "weed". I said no thanks of course.
2101 Bakc of neck feels a smidge sore but not too bad. I put some sunblock on it after showering in the hope it might soothe and lubricate (no UV to block at night of course) and apart from being slightly wasteful won't do any harm and I still have a second small bottle of sunblock with me I haven't cracked open yet.
Feeling mildly relaxed, bit bnm but it is is sort of nice sitting here. I finished the first beer, will have the other in a bit and hopefully be in bed before 10.
Last nights shave was terrible but it was something and while I'd sort of like to shave again I am not going to waste time and blade sharpness doing it again tonight, especially in equally poor light. It is not really itchy, just mildly annoying perhaps due to heat, and I can shave properly tomorrow. Not shaving every single day in general anyway, just every 2-3 days to stop it getting insanely long and annoying and hard to cut.
Fingernails need cutting (not to mention toenaols) but with luck I can do this in private room tomorrow or day after and avoid the otherwise usual furtive and perhaps scrotey act of doing it in shared bathroom and inevitably not finding most of the clippings so cant pick them up.
2126 some xhap going upstairs spoke to me in English a bit ago and owner/staff type chap spoke to me briefly in Spanish, said it is always quiet sun/Mon. Quite a lot of people sitting around chatting but mostly in Spanish and while a tiny bit bnm it also feels fairly broadly companionable sitting here with people around.
Closeish to finishing second beef and will probably move towards cleaning teeth and bed soon. Have set alarm for 7.
2139 mildly busting for piss. General vibe of people sitting round chatting quietly with friends or just looking at their phones. Dont feel too bnm or as if there is much I could have done to get into chat. Feel okish really. Nearly finished beer and heading up soon.
Occasionally someone will wander in off street as if to see if this is a bar and then leave. There is a bar but I haven't seen anyone including guests served at it.
It is warm but borderline tolerable/pleasant in swimming gear (which includes short sleeved tshirt). I still hope the aircon is working in dorm and it will be nice to be in *relatively* cool oaxaca. (Private room has a fan, no ac, but didn't even have fan at last oaxaca hostel and it was OK although fan probably nice.)
Free water here and I was also given a towel, credit where due. The water is hand pumped out of those big cooler type water bottles, rather than rechargeable electric pump of gravity feed as in other places. Not a problem, just a bit of a novelty.
2144 OK, bed.
2158 in bed. Bit warm. Mattress is on floor so nothing can tuck under the bed. Can hear some music from adjacent bar. Feelong broadly OK, I think having made plans to move on made me feel a lot more chilled.
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