Tue 0634 in bed, haven't slept super well so far.
0707 down on terrace with water. I figured I might as well get up, though I have utterly nothing to do.
My right nostril was dripping gently in bed but I didn't like to blow it as I had no tissue handy, not just a question of noise.
About midnight I woke up, went to toilet and came back and some guy asked me - not exactly unpleasantly but a tint bit (my bed is at the front by the window, but upstairs remember) "didn't you hear me knocking?" He had been out and unable to remember the code or the lock thing hadn't worked. I said sorry no I had been sleeping but it felt a bit fucking accusatory, although I don't think I showed this (tact and self preservation combined).
I kept drifting in and out of sleep, it wasn't terrible but not great. Slightly headaches for some reason and although it is very minor and unless (which I doubt) the bandanna is uv transparent there is no reason for it, top of my head feels very slightly sunburned. Just taken a photo and it does look a bit fed, could be something else but we might assume sunburn. I am not automatically writing the bandanna off as the cause, it night be from swimming the other day etc etc, plus if it was the bandanna I was wearing it relatively high up so maybe more uv etc etc. Just making the observation at this point.
Fwiw I half wonder if (it is explicitly allowed, especially as it is a chargeable event, even though i didn't pay when I did it through accidentally joining last minute) the majority of attendees at the cooking class last night were from other hostels. I don't know, it just doesn't feel like the hostel is *that* full.
Despite vague "not really up for it" feelings, I will prob do the walking tour at iirc 9 or the food walking tour at 930. The latter is sort of less my bag but it may expose me to local foods/things from stalls I would actually eat (like yuca frita which I only tried because it was mentioned in Spanish class here a week or two ago) and may be a bit more sociable.
0715 just asked a rather sleepy looking Douglas if I can buy an Americano (1.50 - have sorted out a load of change to pay - this feels a bit pricey but not insane and don't want to to go out ans compared with the 1.50 fancy instant in square other day it isnt too bad). Fuck me I hate on screen keyboards, I took four attempts to type yuca because every fucking time I typed it correct and it auto corrected and I didn't press backspace immediately so it permanently corrected and I had to retype the whole thing. Ans four autocorrected to dour, but "this am" (aka physical) keyboards are just so out of fashion and plain not as good as onscreen, right.
0724 tweaked keyboard settings. Also just asked Douglas about the food tour, USD 5ish at start and they buy all the food and there is lots of variety including sweets and drinks and then a tip at the end (maybe USD 7 total) and it leaves from kiosk (bandstand as I would call it) in main square 930 (regular walking tour there also at 9) and Douglas can wa the guys to confirm my place so to speak and it lasts about three hours. So I might do this, if it is social (which I would not be optimistic about on my own past form) that is a bonus but it would be an experience and a chance to try some stuff I otherwise might not and that might also pay off later in the trip in terms of having time to enjoy stuff while I am here etc.
I an getting vague "trip is almost over" thoughts at times, which is illogical. Three months probably would have been nice but there is the thorny swimming issue as last year plus I dithered for other non-swimming reasons and did want to be back for Easter. But just a note for next year that maybe three months would be good if I can swing it not to be fair that a whisker under 9 weeks is necessarily awful. It is just that rationally or otherwise (and I think this is orthogonal to my current social qualms) it feels like I have mentally clicked over from 2.5 weeks in to 3 weeks in and the difference feels huge. And this is getting ahead of myself as it isnt three weeks until Friday and today is Tuesday and I was feeling this yesterday too.
0814 I am leaning towards the food tour. Worst case it is dull and I feel out of it for three hours. But it is cheap and may be educational and it is an actual experience and something "real" attempted with the extra day I have ended up spending here. I could in theory swim at sapopa early but the water is likely to be colder and all in all it is likely better to go 2pmish, which fits confortably with the tour probably finishing 1230ish. Yes I will inevitably feel edgy about swimming (mainly the fucking shitty dynamics of trying to guard against losing stuff) but going this morning would compromise the tour for no other benefit and despite just writing this making me feel edgy, it isnt like it is that much of a nightmare going over for a solo swim with minimalish stuff.
The coffee seems to have kicked my guts up a notch (incidentally my stomach etc feels fairly good this morning, maybe a touch empty but that is not unusual) so let's go deal with that then come back here and carry on reading/thinking/planning and maybe ask Douglas to sign me up for the food tour. If nothing else I might get to see how small stalls really work or get to ask some questions like how to know the price.
1821 so the tour wasn't too bad. Guide was a bit theatrical at times but not bad. Food a bit odd but it wasn't too bad. There wa some forced social interaction early on as guide made us talk to people and whole not super matey and I did feel a bit of a third wheel it wasn't too bad.
We finished at the coffee shop right next to the hostel and had coffee and guide and staff talked about gangs and stuff. We had to chip in 6 early for food and having no idea what to give him I have him 8 fee/tip.
It was getting on for 2 at this point (longer than I expected) so I did all my swimming prep and went over to soapapa (sp) and as I arrived I bumped into some (four) people from my hostel who were on the tour and semi joined them - they had come over by car (prob Uber) and I felt a bit third wheel but it was sort of social. Didnt swim much but did a lot of standing around with them and later sitting on edge letting fish nivble at my feet. Hope I didn't get burned.
walled back, swapped to normal gear, haven't showered given swimming and travel dau tomorrow. Popped out and had after dithering a chicken breast in street at Don pollo and got some nasal spray from a pharmacy for my bunged up feeling nose (it isn't that bad and having tried the spray once it maybe worse, but I figured the lake hostel may be isolated and if only for psychological reasons it would be good to have some medication. (I don't think this has anything to so with the medicine I brought from home which I stopped using on schedule two weeks into the trip, this I think is just a sort of cold feeling) Andrea just spoke to me, we pip-pipped briefly, I don't know if I can do the spanish class again. I am sitting with some minimal chat when I sat down with the soapapa group today and they said no to Spanish class. I do not particularly want to force myself on them (they, or perhaps the three blokes as the Australian woman is leaving tomorrow and is not generally going out at night according to our chat), they discuss going to chicken bus earlier when we were at the pool. I will maybe play it by ear but also didn't like on those grounds to ask Andrea if I could do the class a second time (free drinks, chance to maybe ask a question or two, maybe a chance to mingle depending who is here).
1839 that group is heading out and didn't invite me to join them which feels just a touch rude tbh based on how I see people generally comport themselves in these situations, after I had chatted with them a bit in a friendly enough way. Albeit they are certainly within their rights etc and they are going to eat and I dont want to eat.
Utterly confused about how to get to hostel tomorrow. I have asked here and been told to take bus 242 but far from convinced. I have WAed the lake hostel on the offchance they can tell me something.
A random website gives the dynamite tip to take bus 201 to El Congo then "another bus" from there. Helpful.
I had a vague poke about onward travel. I was thinking Berlin or Alegria but even with dates in future they seem to have only 40ish USD hotels. I am thinking I might go to San Miguel, which has some cheapish privates and (although not on booking.com, at least for my actual dates, I had to look at hostelworld) some 10 USD-ish dorms. I haven't booked yet. If I do want to go to Alegria or Berlin (which I probably won't on this leg, I may consider them on the return stretch after Nicaragua) I can do that from there of course, and if not it is a reasonable spot to break travel since it is mildly tedious getting from here to san Salvador and across and on.
Fwiw now withstanding this rather annoying rebuff tonight, I do feel on the whole the day was not really wasted. The food and walking tour was an experience, I did get to go to Soapapa (just checked OM so probably right spelling) and although a bit weird and tainted now there was a hint of social aspect and even putting that to one side I did go and swim a bit and experience the fish and see it etc, and I have now been to all three of the pools I know about here in Santa Ana. I think there is still a hot waterfall somewhere near here I haven't seen but you can't do everything etc etc, and there is a slim chance I will be back here towards end of trip, or I could of course easily do hot falls on a future trip.
And - perhaps the bigger meta concern - I don't think I was rude or wrong to talk to that group when they happened to turn up at soapapa at the same time as me, I think it would have been weird for me to pretend to ignore them, whether they like or dislike me or not. And likewise I don't feel sitting at the table and saying hi here tonight was an inappropriate thing to do either. I am not quite so confident about that but fairly confident.
It feels very very quiet here. An amazing contrast to last night, I have to assume although it may be that people just are not interested in the Spanish class, a lot of the crowd last night were from other hostels.
I did have a avafue thought there might be a group going to chicken bus after the spaniah lesson but at this point I doubt it. I could go on my own but although it is a bit annoying I wasn't desperate to go and it would now I think be awkward as fuck if I ended up talking to the group of people from today there, like I was forcing myself on them, and I don't really want to risk going and that happening by accident/lack of alternatives.
I might have got myself a beer to drink at hostel but I don't really want to go to super selectos after the 50 dollar bill incident (not that technically I couldn't) and if gmaps is to be believed despensa familiar shuts at 7.
Ok the lake hostel responded saying bus 242 as well. So just have to keep my fingers crossed.
2304 bed. Will finish write up tomorrow.
Wed 0752 didn't sleep very well. Nose intenittent runny and had to blow it once or twice. Not really a normal cold feeling. In general been awake in bed on and off for maybe an hour or more before getting up, eyes feeling bleary. I am a bit apprehensive about today, the lake, onward travel and stuff in general and perhaps excessively discombobulated about the social shit yesterday despite things turning roind a bit.
Got a latte here, I managed to get a table to myself so if anyone else wants to sit they have to risk social incompetence with me. I night have gone to coffee place next door where we ended the tour yesterday and did popinto the street but it is shut, yesterday is the first time I remember seeing it open.
Last night I was sitting at table reading and medidating and about maybe 2100 some guy came out of the lounge/pool room and asked I'd anyone wanted to play pool. Some other guy jumped in first but I asked if I could (frankly deeply hesitatant about whether that was OK. And we ended up playing doubles and while I was hardly good tbh I was not notably terrible either. I didn't ultra bond with these guys and later on one of them left and we got two more very us college type guys in (one of the guys had been there all along was, Miles, but he seemed pretty cool and I liked his taste in music, playing some weird but cool bluegrass pink Floyd covers) and j sat out and then it all sort of fizzled. No beer and rightly or wrongly I was feeling super apprehensive about watching myself to not be an arse which sucks but you know it wasn't too bad and there was an oldish american guy who kept chipping in. At one point there was some suggestion of going to chicken bus and I was dithering a bit internally over whether to go, whether I could manage to sustain chat with these guys in walk over of if wes bump into that other group and it would be weird. In the end I don't know if they went, I went to bed when we finished as I said and casually said goodnigr, with the two new us college type guys who might well have been perfectly cool had I got to know them I really didn't feel the dynamic was right for me to walk over with the adjusted group anyway.
Some guys chatting in adjacent dorm when I want to bed which was mildly offpitting but not a huge deal.
Fwiw I have found myself not saying good morning to people this morning eg when oscillating round sink/toilet, which is perhaps not good but also probably not wrong.
Moving on from all this shot, I am a bit apprehensive about the bus journey on from lake to san Miguel or wherever. J am also feeling a bit harried about just one night at the lake and about "having" to swimt oday (which I want to but also feels like a massive amount of logistics effort, even probably when I am actually staying at the lakeside hostel) @nd then maybe tomorrow morning before checkout and will I be tempted or feel weird not swimming when I get there but will there be too much uv. I just don't think based on talking to people and alexandras information that there is a lot there and !maybe no supermarket or cheap restaurants so I may be at their mercy (price and style of food) which all made alexandras advice to not stay two nights feel smart, but still it feels a bit shit. And based on booking. Com calendar they have no availability for tomorrow night if I want to extend
I unexpectedly got a message on wa from Declan from the big night out in santa ana about two weeks ago last night and we chatted, which should perhaps be reassuring after the social wobbles yesterday. There is some chance we will be in nicaragua at same time not specifically to do with meeting him I am starting to wonder if if I will get what to want to do done comfortably in the time available but I guess I just have to keep doing what feels right.
In terms of today specifically, I am a bit worried about getting the bus and finding the place ebut it will probably my be ok. Even ignoring that, it is likely 2hish there, I probably can't check in ultra early, yes I could eg sit around on terrace and try to meditate or plan or just maybe chat to someone, but since my mental model is that in practice it is the hostel and nothing else within reasonable distance (alex said they rent pedal bikes and she loves cycling iirc but it's just the dustiest dirtiest road ever and nothing to really do or see etc) it also feels a bit claustrophobic. If the hostel ia nice or has a bar and a nice vibe that could be cost but that wasn't the vibe she gave me.
I guess si will probably try to hang on here til 9-10 and then go. checkout is 11 and I could go preemptively have some roast chicken or something in town before I leave in case food situation is shit.
It will be nice to have a private room, even though really all very minor the social wobbles from yesterday made me feel a bit edgy about being on dorm here.
If I forgot to say you are explicitly not allowed to walk round the crater at the volcano. You can wander around a modest stretch of it and people peep whistles if you go too far. I took photos but the crater lake is a quite attractive but very chemical looking turquoise and has weird low clouds (normal cloud? Or something chemical?) Over it. It is easy to imagine you would just dissolve if you jumped in. The volcano is active but last eruption was 2005 or something like that. The crater lake is a fair way down and looks smallish in a strange way.
0903 ok so I was sitting here playing with phone and Emil (French Canadian guy from pool game last night) sat down at next table and said hi and we chatted a bit, all very amicable and reassuring. He is getting a scooter to lake so I just may see him there. Unlikely to overlap otherwise as he is heading north, but I got some more tips from him on Nicaragua.
I feel some temptation to linger here but also vaguely aware that I might encounter big delays waiting for a bus or get confused and end up taking hours extra to get there. If ileft now and it all went super well, I'd probably be at the lake hostel about 11. Check in is at 3, but of course I could leave my bag or if I am just sitting on the terrace or something that would be fine. I think I might go for a probably coffee induced toilet visit, pop out and have a bit of fried chicken (I am not starving but could eat and it would hedge my bets) and then come back and check out fairly early.
1028 just got on 242 at bus terminal. Something under a dollar. Asked "lago coatepeque?" And guy tapped next us then I said "captain Morgan?" And he indicated this one. So fingers crossed.
I chatted a bit more with Emil who was having trouble getting a scooter, offered to go together on bus if he couldn't get one, popped into town and despite initial intention to get fried chicken it is t feel right so I went and got some ham and hot dog rolls at despensa familiar and had those back at hostel before chexking out. Luna played with me a bit.
1222 at small shop about 15 mins walk down extremely dusty road from hostel. Bus interminable but not difficult and (that is to woman next to me guessing I was going to cm) I got off more or less outside. I am not chexked in but have left bag and room may be ready early.
Had broef wander found, it seems nice enough but it is very restaurant/resort-y and despite technically being a guest it doesn't feel very comfortable at the moment. I half wish I had booked for two nights to take the pressure off despite this. Since I cannot really swim until 2 at the earlier (and that is more of a compromise with 4pm closing other places, 3pm swim is better) I have come out and I must admit a big cold coke is helping my mood. That said I am far from clear where I could really enter the water or where this bloody jump off point is. I have this irrational feeling you're not supposed to do "stupid" stuff like enjoy yourself in that kind of way despite it being the whole fucking point of the place. There were a few people sitting around but not the hordes of day trippers I expected, so no one to obviously observe and see how things work.
1238 two dogs had a bit of a go on way back but not too big a deal. Fwiw although there are points where there is construction and you can see the lake from the road, most places you can't - it is not quite as bad as Bacalar, but not far off.
1242 Back, sitting at table on now (but not when I first arrived) terrace in the perhaps more hostel-y bit (but not sure). Nice enough views. Continuing
1245 in room (5), which is nice enough and has a lake view. Guy showed me where to get into the lake and where you can do this bloody jump. Bar shuts at 10. He very decently said you can get pupusas outside at night and it is a bit cheaper, one of the places I just walked past which would have been closed at this point. And some of the showers have hot water!
The bloody swimming and jumping is both intriguing and scary, the water is apparently just deep which should technically be fine but I don't know, might feel a bit freaky. But that is something for a couple of hours from now
And I asked and I have apparently paid for the room already via booking.xom, which (surprise surprise) was a bit unclear.
1259 going to sit on the terrace just outside room and read for a bit anyway.
1845 sitting at hostel bar, no free tables. Out of order but after Emile left I was sitting on toilet and stood up while still leaning forward and bashed my cap-clad head against the toilet paper dispenser. And it appears to have ripped a patch of skin off completely bloodlessly. I am speculating this is lightly sunburned dead skin given how it hurts a bit. Bit absolute no blood. Fingers crossed it won't scar. Put some germole on on kffcbance it will help (kffcbance is a real word, it means offchance).
Got a 4.50 chola of regia which isn't great but better than regular size at 2.50 a bottle. Stone cold aober and fuck me I hate typing on this fucking on screen keyboard.
So I dithered around reading a bit and went into the water just before 3. Emile had said he was coming over and he net me in the water. I was a bit edgy as by the dock it is deep. Oh it really started to get buya from 230 onwards, no idea if others think about uv like me or if this is related to checking in at 3 of what.
I spent not quite 30 mins (Emile asked to borrow my goggles as we were talking about how deep it was, it was probably like 28 mins when I stopped to go to ladder to take them off) treading water as a sort of confidence boosting thing. Later on I did a tiny bit of swimming parallel to the docks.
I also jumped in off the 4mish lower platform, Emile did the higher one and I might have done had it just been me but although I am glad he was there we got out and chatted a bit etc and went for dinner at hotel next door (he looked on google maps and it was cheaper). He did video me jumping in at my request and I have no idea how to fix it but ny legs are going forward as I fall, as if I am bending at the waist.
I had toyed with extending before be got here and knew it would be dorm only but after I had actually been in water and realised it didn't utterly terrify me I nipped over to reception and extended. Reception guy switch to English at this point but whatever.
We went for dinner well I just had a licuado and he ate, I went to nearby pupusa place after which was pretty decent actually and quite interesting being by the getting dark dusty roadside.
When we went in the 50ish woman who owned it asked where was from from and he said Canada and she asked if I was his dad. I mean age-wise yea, but he is like 6 foot something with blonde hair.
Also when I odered the licuado (3 USD on menu, 3 25 plus service charge when billl came btw) I asked for sandia with Leche and she pulled a face like "milk with watermelon?" And maybe said that to some extent. I asked for strawberry and she pulled the same face. Because strawberry and milk, how fucking weird is that? Maybe they just didn't have it but 95% sure this wasn't the issue, she seemed to offer it with water instead. In the end the other younger woman suggested papaya so I went with that.
They had some nice old dogs (one 21, I asked, the weird old woman told me in Spanish and English, I really do wonder if she took an instinctive dislike to me for some reason, she didn't seem to speak English but seemed oddly difficult). We chatted quite nicely and Emile came back to hostel for a slash and left - he had hired a motorbike from hostel.
So I went to bog, hurt my head and then to pupusa place and now back here. And I still have no glass despite asking twice and bartender woman telling me something about bringing one from upstairs. She is not here now so maybe she has gone for one - I am not drinking from a fucking chola size bottle - and if she doesn't bring one back I will go upstairs and ask for one myself.
A few people around but no one is talking.
Not ideal to be in dorm tomorrow but not terrible and I can use the midday high uv period to do a bit of planing etc, and it is cheapish (11 USD) and it will mean I get to see what the dorms are like. Not 100% ruling out a third night, esp if I could get a private, but not rushing, and it would be a Friday so might be expensive.
Ok went up and same woman at upstairs bar and I asked for a glass and she said she had forgotten and apologised and I said it was fine. Still sitting at bar, there are tables free but eg they have backpacks against them.
1913 fwiw I had this out with Grok and watermelon milkshake is a bit odd given how watery the watermelon is, and while probably not unpleasant it certainly isn't a standard combo. So it says I likely did interpret her reaction correctly but her advice was semi sound. And to be fair I just thought "etc, why not?" Without thinking it through. But fresa con leche is super normal here and although Grok suggests she may have been sort of thrown off by the watermelon request and this reacted like that to strawberry, that makes less sense. Maybe I was discombobulated at this point and she was saying they had no strawberry rather than objecting to fresa con leche and I didn't twig that with the modest stress.
A bit of a breeze is getting up off the lake but it is warmish and broadly refreshing, not the rather unpleasant environment I pictured from alexandra's stories.
They have a (based on reading a poster afterwards) a floating tikil bar here. I was deeply bemused early in my treading water to note what I had taken to be an adjacent bar start motoring out into the lake. (It is sort of octagonal, not a conventional boat hull with tiki stuff on top but bascially still looking like a boat.)
I was dithering earlier about extending, I think it was definitely smart to wait until I had been in water before doing it. I think I leaned into the ff3w advice here - I was having vague "maybe I could come back later" thoughts and maybe I could have and still could, but since I am here and wanted to stay (and - not that I am complaining - this afternoon /evening was more social but less swimmy because of Emile being here) and it would be at least a nild time consuming faff to come back, it seems smarter to lean into it now. I do have time, the trip is still young and if it isnt I want to enjoy things as I find them not race round for anticipated maybes, which I can always do on a future trip.
Ther eis a beer pump on the bar but I asked and they don't do cerveza de Barril.
I just emptied the last of the chola into the glass and looked at the bottle and in micro print it says it is 750ml.
Wow, I think Chris Guida is here! Maybe it is just someone who looks like him. He is with some friends anyway so I certainly won't go over and say anything.
Nose still feels somewhat bunged up (sinusy) but perhaps better than it was. Not taken any of the medicine today. Just wanted to have something in hanfor psychological reasons given the relative isolation here.
1950 bar shuts 10, I will have another and then go enjoy my private room while I have it. Oh no,barmaid just left bat to clean tables, but will ask when she comes back. 2x750ml is not insane or morning swim ruining.
I could run a tab here but am paying cash as I go. And I haven't paid for the dorm bed yet the guy said I can pay tomorrow morning. I was in swkmming gear when I actually booked it of course.
Wind is getting up a bit but not over unpleasant I think there is an elderly ish English couple here,the woman spoke to me and Emile about the ladder up to the 8m platform looking rickety when he went to jump.
Bar was getting physically uncomfortable and moved to an apparently vacant table near the unfenced deck edge (this is where roughly you can jump off for 4m, albeit I did it a bit further left). Quite nice looking at lights across lake and vague memories of Atitlan eg sitting with that woman whose name temporarily escapes me after the fancy dress party.
2017 fwiw less convinced it is Chris Guida.
The paper tissue sticking out of the dispenser looks like it is sort of dancing to the music.
If I didn't say with respect to the confidence building treading water earlier, I am 95% sure this is the first time I have been in "so deep it might as well be infinite" water like this. The cenote in mexico last year would have counted and technically does given that phrasing, but a lifejacket was mandatory so I was safe from drowning and didn't have to make a decision as to whether I needed or wanted one.
2035 wind is getting up but obv sitting here somewhat invites it and it is a warn (if strong) wind. Worrying a bit about cap coming off and I need a piss (mildly) but reluctant to leave beer here unattended (more from clearing up sense than spiking or theft! Very quiet guests only quality and tbh I find it hard to believe dorm is full of nearly full but who knows, and j an not that desperate) and while this is not quite what I'd normally call milking it, it has some overlap - a lot of the joy has gone and I am keeniah to finish beer (not remotely drunk) and go for piss and go relax in room.
2227 failing to transfer a 60 megabyte file between phones via Bluetooth. Do I expect the moon on a stick? 60 *megabytes*? these file sizes are beyond human comprehension.
It sounds alike there is a fucking storm outside. It is actually the fountain on I think the fish pind and a real wind alexandras description feels a touch more accurate now. One of the two actually nice sofa barked a bit but didn't really make a fuss when j went up to try to have a hot shower, but on two attempts the door was locked. Another shower I thought had hot didn't. It is perceptually cold but I went out barefoot and shirtless with a towel round my shoulders and it is windy but fine. No shower :-( cleaned teeth.
There are, of course, absolutely no clothes hooks or hangers in the room.
My head has a sharp red burn line across it. I wore the bandanna today and despite Emile point out it was coming off at one point, it didn't. I suspect this comes from sitting at the soapapa pool yesterday. Not ideal but not terrible and wanted to note it.
2248 fuck it, let's go to bed. Actually not a bad day but although it isnt mega painful a bit annoyed about head burn and (even though I just did it via usb in the end) the Bluetooth stupidity and so on. Vague hope is to be up and swim 8-9 ish while I still have my private room and before uv gets up.
I also hate lookinglike an illiteratemoron because I have to type on a fucking stupid on screen keyboard.
0707 down on terrace with water. I figured I might as well get up, though I have utterly nothing to do.
My right nostril was dripping gently in bed but I didn't like to blow it as I had no tissue handy, not just a question of noise.
About midnight I woke up, went to toilet and came back and some guy asked me - not exactly unpleasantly but a tint bit (my bed is at the front by the window, but upstairs remember) "didn't you hear me knocking?" He had been out and unable to remember the code or the lock thing hadn't worked. I said sorry no I had been sleeping but it felt a bit fucking accusatory, although I don't think I showed this (tact and self preservation combined).
I kept drifting in and out of sleep, it wasn't terrible but not great. Slightly headaches for some reason and although it is very minor and unless (which I doubt) the bandanna is uv transparent there is no reason for it, top of my head feels very slightly sunburned. Just taken a photo and it does look a bit fed, could be something else but we might assume sunburn. I am not automatically writing the bandanna off as the cause, it night be from swimming the other day etc etc, plus if it was the bandanna I was wearing it relatively high up so maybe more uv etc etc. Just making the observation at this point.
Fwiw I half wonder if (it is explicitly allowed, especially as it is a chargeable event, even though i didn't pay when I did it through accidentally joining last minute) the majority of attendees at the cooking class last night were from other hostels. I don't know, it just doesn't feel like the hostel is *that* full.
Despite vague "not really up for it" feelings, I will prob do the walking tour at iirc 9 or the food walking tour at 930. The latter is sort of less my bag but it may expose me to local foods/things from stalls I would actually eat (like yuca frita which I only tried because it was mentioned in Spanish class here a week or two ago) and may be a bit more sociable.
0715 just asked a rather sleepy looking Douglas if I can buy an Americano (1.50 - have sorted out a load of change to pay - this feels a bit pricey but not insane and don't want to to go out ans compared with the 1.50 fancy instant in square other day it isnt too bad). Fuck me I hate on screen keyboards, I took four attempts to type yuca because every fucking time I typed it correct and it auto corrected and I didn't press backspace immediately so it permanently corrected and I had to retype the whole thing. Ans four autocorrected to dour, but "this am" (aka physical) keyboards are just so out of fashion and plain not as good as onscreen, right.
0724 tweaked keyboard settings. Also just asked Douglas about the food tour, USD 5ish at start and they buy all the food and there is lots of variety including sweets and drinks and then a tip at the end (maybe USD 7 total) and it leaves from kiosk (bandstand as I would call it) in main square 930 (regular walking tour there also at 9) and Douglas can wa the guys to confirm my place so to speak and it lasts about three hours. So I might do this, if it is social (which I would not be optimistic about on my own past form) that is a bonus but it would be an experience and a chance to try some stuff I otherwise might not and that might also pay off later in the trip in terms of having time to enjoy stuff while I am here etc.
I an getting vague "trip is almost over" thoughts at times, which is illogical. Three months probably would have been nice but there is the thorny swimming issue as last year plus I dithered for other non-swimming reasons and did want to be back for Easter. But just a note for next year that maybe three months would be good if I can swing it not to be fair that a whisker under 9 weeks is necessarily awful. It is just that rationally or otherwise (and I think this is orthogonal to my current social qualms) it feels like I have mentally clicked over from 2.5 weeks in to 3 weeks in and the difference feels huge. And this is getting ahead of myself as it isnt three weeks until Friday and today is Tuesday and I was feeling this yesterday too.
0814 I am leaning towards the food tour. Worst case it is dull and I feel out of it for three hours. But it is cheap and may be educational and it is an actual experience and something "real" attempted with the extra day I have ended up spending here. I could in theory swim at sapopa early but the water is likely to be colder and all in all it is likely better to go 2pmish, which fits confortably with the tour probably finishing 1230ish. Yes I will inevitably feel edgy about swimming (mainly the fucking shitty dynamics of trying to guard against losing stuff) but going this morning would compromise the tour for no other benefit and despite just writing this making me feel edgy, it isnt like it is that much of a nightmare going over for a solo swim with minimalish stuff.
The coffee seems to have kicked my guts up a notch (incidentally my stomach etc feels fairly good this morning, maybe a touch empty but that is not unusual) so let's go deal with that then come back here and carry on reading/thinking/planning and maybe ask Douglas to sign me up for the food tour. If nothing else I might get to see how small stalls really work or get to ask some questions like how to know the price.
1821 so the tour wasn't too bad. Guide was a bit theatrical at times but not bad. Food a bit odd but it wasn't too bad. There wa some forced social interaction early on as guide made us talk to people and whole not super matey and I did feel a bit of a third wheel it wasn't too bad.
We finished at the coffee shop right next to the hostel and had coffee and guide and staff talked about gangs and stuff. We had to chip in 6 early for food and having no idea what to give him I have him 8 fee/tip.
It was getting on for 2 at this point (longer than I expected) so I did all my swimming prep and went over to soapapa (sp) and as I arrived I bumped into some (four) people from my hostel who were on the tour and semi joined them - they had come over by car (prob Uber) and I felt a bit third wheel but it was sort of social. Didnt swim much but did a lot of standing around with them and later sitting on edge letting fish nivble at my feet. Hope I didn't get burned.
walled back, swapped to normal gear, haven't showered given swimming and travel dau tomorrow. Popped out and had after dithering a chicken breast in street at Don pollo and got some nasal spray from a pharmacy for my bunged up feeling nose (it isn't that bad and having tried the spray once it maybe worse, but I figured the lake hostel may be isolated and if only for psychological reasons it would be good to have some medication. (I don't think this has anything to so with the medicine I brought from home which I stopped using on schedule two weeks into the trip, this I think is just a sort of cold feeling) Andrea just spoke to me, we pip-pipped briefly, I don't know if I can do the spanish class again. I am sitting with some minimal chat when I sat down with the soapapa group today and they said no to Spanish class. I do not particularly want to force myself on them (they, or perhaps the three blokes as the Australian woman is leaving tomorrow and is not generally going out at night according to our chat), they discuss going to chicken bus earlier when we were at the pool. I will maybe play it by ear but also didn't like on those grounds to ask Andrea if I could do the class a second time (free drinks, chance to maybe ask a question or two, maybe a chance to mingle depending who is here).
1839 that group is heading out and didn't invite me to join them which feels just a touch rude tbh based on how I see people generally comport themselves in these situations, after I had chatted with them a bit in a friendly enough way. Albeit they are certainly within their rights etc and they are going to eat and I dont want to eat.
Utterly confused about how to get to hostel tomorrow. I have asked here and been told to take bus 242 but far from convinced. I have WAed the lake hostel on the offchance they can tell me something.
A random website gives the dynamite tip to take bus 201 to El Congo then "another bus" from there. Helpful.
I had a vague poke about onward travel. I was thinking Berlin or Alegria but even with dates in future they seem to have only 40ish USD hotels. I am thinking I might go to San Miguel, which has some cheapish privates and (although not on booking.com, at least for my actual dates, I had to look at hostelworld) some 10 USD-ish dorms. I haven't booked yet. If I do want to go to Alegria or Berlin (which I probably won't on this leg, I may consider them on the return stretch after Nicaragua) I can do that from there of course, and if not it is a reasonable spot to break travel since it is mildly tedious getting from here to san Salvador and across and on.
Fwiw now withstanding this rather annoying rebuff tonight, I do feel on the whole the day was not really wasted. The food and walking tour was an experience, I did get to go to Soapapa (just checked OM so probably right spelling) and although a bit weird and tainted now there was a hint of social aspect and even putting that to one side I did go and swim a bit and experience the fish and see it etc, and I have now been to all three of the pools I know about here in Santa Ana. I think there is still a hot waterfall somewhere near here I haven't seen but you can't do everything etc etc, and there is a slim chance I will be back here towards end of trip, or I could of course easily do hot falls on a future trip.
And - perhaps the bigger meta concern - I don't think I was rude or wrong to talk to that group when they happened to turn up at soapapa at the same time as me, I think it would have been weird for me to pretend to ignore them, whether they like or dislike me or not. And likewise I don't feel sitting at the table and saying hi here tonight was an inappropriate thing to do either. I am not quite so confident about that but fairly confident.
It feels very very quiet here. An amazing contrast to last night, I have to assume although it may be that people just are not interested in the Spanish class, a lot of the crowd last night were from other hostels.
I did have a avafue thought there might be a group going to chicken bus after the spaniah lesson but at this point I doubt it. I could go on my own but although it is a bit annoying I wasn't desperate to go and it would now I think be awkward as fuck if I ended up talking to the group of people from today there, like I was forcing myself on them, and I don't really want to risk going and that happening by accident/lack of alternatives.
I might have got myself a beer to drink at hostel but I don't really want to go to super selectos after the 50 dollar bill incident (not that technically I couldn't) and if gmaps is to be believed despensa familiar shuts at 7.
Ok the lake hostel responded saying bus 242 as well. So just have to keep my fingers crossed.
2304 bed. Will finish write up tomorrow.
Wed 0752 didn't sleep very well. Nose intenittent runny and had to blow it once or twice. Not really a normal cold feeling. In general been awake in bed on and off for maybe an hour or more before getting up, eyes feeling bleary. I am a bit apprehensive about today, the lake, onward travel and stuff in general and perhaps excessively discombobulated about the social shit yesterday despite things turning roind a bit.
Got a latte here, I managed to get a table to myself so if anyone else wants to sit they have to risk social incompetence with me. I night have gone to coffee place next door where we ended the tour yesterday and did popinto the street but it is shut, yesterday is the first time I remember seeing it open.
Last night I was sitting at table reading and medidating and about maybe 2100 some guy came out of the lounge/pool room and asked I'd anyone wanted to play pool. Some other guy jumped in first but I asked if I could (frankly deeply hesitatant about whether that was OK. And we ended up playing doubles and while I was hardly good tbh I was not notably terrible either. I didn't ultra bond with these guys and later on one of them left and we got two more very us college type guys in (one of the guys had been there all along was, Miles, but he seemed pretty cool and I liked his taste in music, playing some weird but cool bluegrass pink Floyd covers) and j sat out and then it all sort of fizzled. No beer and rightly or wrongly I was feeling super apprehensive about watching myself to not be an arse which sucks but you know it wasn't too bad and there was an oldish american guy who kept chipping in. At one point there was some suggestion of going to chicken bus and I was dithering a bit internally over whether to go, whether I could manage to sustain chat with these guys in walk over of if wes bump into that other group and it would be weird. In the end I don't know if they went, I went to bed when we finished as I said and casually said goodnigr, with the two new us college type guys who might well have been perfectly cool had I got to know them I really didn't feel the dynamic was right for me to walk over with the adjusted group anyway.
Some guys chatting in adjacent dorm when I want to bed which was mildly offpitting but not a huge deal.
Fwiw I have found myself not saying good morning to people this morning eg when oscillating round sink/toilet, which is perhaps not good but also probably not wrong.
Moving on from all this shot, I am a bit apprehensive about the bus journey on from lake to san Miguel or wherever. J am also feeling a bit harried about just one night at the lake and about "having" to swimt oday (which I want to but also feels like a massive amount of logistics effort, even probably when I am actually staying at the lakeside hostel) @nd then maybe tomorrow morning before checkout and will I be tempted or feel weird not swimming when I get there but will there be too much uv. I just don't think based on talking to people and alexandras information that there is a lot there and !maybe no supermarket or cheap restaurants so I may be at their mercy (price and style of food) which all made alexandras advice to not stay two nights feel smart, but still it feels a bit shit. And based on booking. Com calendar they have no availability for tomorrow night if I want to extend
I unexpectedly got a message on wa from Declan from the big night out in santa ana about two weeks ago last night and we chatted, which should perhaps be reassuring after the social wobbles yesterday. There is some chance we will be in nicaragua at same time not specifically to do with meeting him I am starting to wonder if if I will get what to want to do done comfortably in the time available but I guess I just have to keep doing what feels right.
In terms of today specifically, I am a bit worried about getting the bus and finding the place ebut it will probably my be ok. Even ignoring that, it is likely 2hish there, I probably can't check in ultra early, yes I could eg sit around on terrace and try to meditate or plan or just maybe chat to someone, but since my mental model is that in practice it is the hostel and nothing else within reasonable distance (alex said they rent pedal bikes and she loves cycling iirc but it's just the dustiest dirtiest road ever and nothing to really do or see etc) it also feels a bit claustrophobic. If the hostel ia nice or has a bar and a nice vibe that could be cost but that wasn't the vibe she gave me.
I guess si will probably try to hang on here til 9-10 and then go. checkout is 11 and I could go preemptively have some roast chicken or something in town before I leave in case food situation is shit.
It will be nice to have a private room, even though really all very minor the social wobbles from yesterday made me feel a bit edgy about being on dorm here.
If I forgot to say you are explicitly not allowed to walk round the crater at the volcano. You can wander around a modest stretch of it and people peep whistles if you go too far. I took photos but the crater lake is a quite attractive but very chemical looking turquoise and has weird low clouds (normal cloud? Or something chemical?) Over it. It is easy to imagine you would just dissolve if you jumped in. The volcano is active but last eruption was 2005 or something like that. The crater lake is a fair way down and looks smallish in a strange way.
0903 ok so I was sitting here playing with phone and Emil (French Canadian guy from pool game last night) sat down at next table and said hi and we chatted a bit, all very amicable and reassuring. He is getting a scooter to lake so I just may see him there. Unlikely to overlap otherwise as he is heading north, but I got some more tips from him on Nicaragua.
I feel some temptation to linger here but also vaguely aware that I might encounter big delays waiting for a bus or get confused and end up taking hours extra to get there. If ileft now and it all went super well, I'd probably be at the lake hostel about 11. Check in is at 3, but of course I could leave my bag or if I am just sitting on the terrace or something that would be fine. I think I might go for a probably coffee induced toilet visit, pop out and have a bit of fried chicken (I am not starving but could eat and it would hedge my bets) and then come back and check out fairly early.
1028 just got on 242 at bus terminal. Something under a dollar. Asked "lago coatepeque?" And guy tapped next us then I said "captain Morgan?" And he indicated this one. So fingers crossed.
I chatted a bit more with Emil who was having trouble getting a scooter, offered to go together on bus if he couldn't get one, popped into town and despite initial intention to get fried chicken it is t feel right so I went and got some ham and hot dog rolls at despensa familiar and had those back at hostel before chexking out. Luna played with me a bit.
1222 at small shop about 15 mins walk down extremely dusty road from hostel. Bus interminable but not difficult and (that is to woman next to me guessing I was going to cm) I got off more or less outside. I am not chexked in but have left bag and room may be ready early.
Had broef wander found, it seems nice enough but it is very restaurant/resort-y and despite technically being a guest it doesn't feel very comfortable at the moment. I half wish I had booked for two nights to take the pressure off despite this. Since I cannot really swim until 2 at the earlier (and that is more of a compromise with 4pm closing other places, 3pm swim is better) I have come out and I must admit a big cold coke is helping my mood. That said I am far from clear where I could really enter the water or where this bloody jump off point is. I have this irrational feeling you're not supposed to do "stupid" stuff like enjoy yourself in that kind of way despite it being the whole fucking point of the place. There were a few people sitting around but not the hordes of day trippers I expected, so no one to obviously observe and see how things work.
1238 two dogs had a bit of a go on way back but not too big a deal. Fwiw although there are points where there is construction and you can see the lake from the road, most places you can't - it is not quite as bad as Bacalar, but not far off.
1242 Back, sitting at table on now (but not when I first arrived) terrace in the perhaps more hostel-y bit (but not sure). Nice enough views. Continuing
1245 in room (5), which is nice enough and has a lake view. Guy showed me where to get into the lake and where you can do this bloody jump. Bar shuts at 10. He very decently said you can get pupusas outside at night and it is a bit cheaper, one of the places I just walked past which would have been closed at this point. And some of the showers have hot water!
The bloody swimming and jumping is both intriguing and scary, the water is apparently just deep which should technically be fine but I don't know, might feel a bit freaky. But that is something for a couple of hours from now
And I asked and I have apparently paid for the room already via booking.xom, which (surprise surprise) was a bit unclear.
1259 going to sit on the terrace just outside room and read for a bit anyway.
1845 sitting at hostel bar, no free tables. Out of order but after Emile left I was sitting on toilet and stood up while still leaning forward and bashed my cap-clad head against the toilet paper dispenser. And it appears to have ripped a patch of skin off completely bloodlessly. I am speculating this is lightly sunburned dead skin given how it hurts a bit. Bit absolute no blood. Fingers crossed it won't scar. Put some germole on on kffcbance it will help (kffcbance is a real word, it means offchance).
Got a 4.50 chola of regia which isn't great but better than regular size at 2.50 a bottle. Stone cold aober and fuck me I hate typing on this fucking on screen keyboard.
So I dithered around reading a bit and went into the water just before 3. Emile had said he was coming over and he net me in the water. I was a bit edgy as by the dock it is deep. Oh it really started to get buya from 230 onwards, no idea if others think about uv like me or if this is related to checking in at 3 of what.
I spent not quite 30 mins (Emile asked to borrow my goggles as we were talking about how deep it was, it was probably like 28 mins when I stopped to go to ladder to take them off) treading water as a sort of confidence boosting thing. Later on I did a tiny bit of swimming parallel to the docks.
I also jumped in off the 4mish lower platform, Emile did the higher one and I might have done had it just been me but although I am glad he was there we got out and chatted a bit etc and went for dinner at hotel next door (he looked on google maps and it was cheaper). He did video me jumping in at my request and I have no idea how to fix it but ny legs are going forward as I fall, as if I am bending at the waist.
I had toyed with extending before be got here and knew it would be dorm only but after I had actually been in water and realised it didn't utterly terrify me I nipped over to reception and extended. Reception guy switch to English at this point but whatever.
We went for dinner well I just had a licuado and he ate, I went to nearby pupusa place after which was pretty decent actually and quite interesting being by the getting dark dusty roadside.
When we went in the 50ish woman who owned it asked where was from from and he said Canada and she asked if I was his dad. I mean age-wise yea, but he is like 6 foot something with blonde hair.
Also when I odered the licuado (3 USD on menu, 3 25 plus service charge when billl came btw) I asked for sandia with Leche and she pulled a face like "milk with watermelon?" And maybe said that to some extent. I asked for strawberry and she pulled the same face. Because strawberry and milk, how fucking weird is that? Maybe they just didn't have it but 95% sure this wasn't the issue, she seemed to offer it with water instead. In the end the other younger woman suggested papaya so I went with that.
They had some nice old dogs (one 21, I asked, the weird old woman told me in Spanish and English, I really do wonder if she took an instinctive dislike to me for some reason, she didn't seem to speak English but seemed oddly difficult). We chatted quite nicely and Emile came back to hostel for a slash and left - he had hired a motorbike from hostel.
So I went to bog, hurt my head and then to pupusa place and now back here. And I still have no glass despite asking twice and bartender woman telling me something about bringing one from upstairs. She is not here now so maybe she has gone for one - I am not drinking from a fucking chola size bottle - and if she doesn't bring one back I will go upstairs and ask for one myself.
A few people around but no one is talking.
Not ideal to be in dorm tomorrow but not terrible and I can use the midday high uv period to do a bit of planing etc, and it is cheapish (11 USD) and it will mean I get to see what the dorms are like. Not 100% ruling out a third night, esp if I could get a private, but not rushing, and it would be a Friday so might be expensive.
Ok went up and same woman at upstairs bar and I asked for a glass and she said she had forgotten and apologised and I said it was fine. Still sitting at bar, there are tables free but eg they have backpacks against them.
1913 fwiw I had this out with Grok and watermelon milkshake is a bit odd given how watery the watermelon is, and while probably not unpleasant it certainly isn't a standard combo. So it says I likely did interpret her reaction correctly but her advice was semi sound. And to be fair I just thought "etc, why not?" Without thinking it through. But fresa con leche is super normal here and although Grok suggests she may have been sort of thrown off by the watermelon request and this reacted like that to strawberry, that makes less sense. Maybe I was discombobulated at this point and she was saying they had no strawberry rather than objecting to fresa con leche and I didn't twig that with the modest stress.
A bit of a breeze is getting up off the lake but it is warmish and broadly refreshing, not the rather unpleasant environment I pictured from alexandra's stories.
They have a (based on reading a poster afterwards) a floating tikil bar here. I was deeply bemused early in my treading water to note what I had taken to be an adjacent bar start motoring out into the lake. (It is sort of octagonal, not a conventional boat hull with tiki stuff on top but bascially still looking like a boat.)
I was dithering earlier about extending, I think it was definitely smart to wait until I had been in water before doing it. I think I leaned into the ff3w advice here - I was having vague "maybe I could come back later" thoughts and maybe I could have and still could, but since I am here and wanted to stay (and - not that I am complaining - this afternoon /evening was more social but less swimmy because of Emile being here) and it would be at least a nild time consuming faff to come back, it seems smarter to lean into it now. I do have time, the trip is still young and if it isnt I want to enjoy things as I find them not race round for anticipated maybes, which I can always do on a future trip.
Ther eis a beer pump on the bar but I asked and they don't do cerveza de Barril.
I just emptied the last of the chola into the glass and looked at the bottle and in micro print it says it is 750ml.
Wow, I think Chris Guida is here! Maybe it is just someone who looks like him. He is with some friends anyway so I certainly won't go over and say anything.
Nose still feels somewhat bunged up (sinusy) but perhaps better than it was. Not taken any of the medicine today. Just wanted to have something in hanfor psychological reasons given the relative isolation here.
1950 bar shuts 10, I will have another and then go enjoy my private room while I have it. Oh no,barmaid just left bat to clean tables, but will ask when she comes back. 2x750ml is not insane or morning swim ruining.
I could run a tab here but am paying cash as I go. And I haven't paid for the dorm bed yet the guy said I can pay tomorrow morning. I was in swkmming gear when I actually booked it of course.
Wind is getting up a bit but not over unpleasant I think there is an elderly ish English couple here,the woman spoke to me and Emile about the ladder up to the 8m platform looking rickety when he went to jump.
Bar was getting physically uncomfortable and moved to an apparently vacant table near the unfenced deck edge (this is where roughly you can jump off for 4m, albeit I did it a bit further left). Quite nice looking at lights across lake and vague memories of Atitlan eg sitting with that woman whose name temporarily escapes me after the fancy dress party.
2017 fwiw less convinced it is Chris Guida.
The paper tissue sticking out of the dispenser looks like it is sort of dancing to the music.
If I didn't say with respect to the confidence building treading water earlier, I am 95% sure this is the first time I have been in "so deep it might as well be infinite" water like this. The cenote in mexico last year would have counted and technically does given that phrasing, but a lifejacket was mandatory so I was safe from drowning and didn't have to make a decision as to whether I needed or wanted one.
2035 wind is getting up but obv sitting here somewhat invites it and it is a warn (if strong) wind. Worrying a bit about cap coming off and I need a piss (mildly) but reluctant to leave beer here unattended (more from clearing up sense than spiking or theft! Very quiet guests only quality and tbh I find it hard to believe dorm is full of nearly full but who knows, and j an not that desperate) and while this is not quite what I'd normally call milking it, it has some overlap - a lot of the joy has gone and I am keeniah to finish beer (not remotely drunk) and go for piss and go relax in room.
2227 failing to transfer a 60 megabyte file between phones via Bluetooth. Do I expect the moon on a stick? 60 *megabytes*? these file sizes are beyond human comprehension.
It sounds alike there is a fucking storm outside. It is actually the fountain on I think the fish pind and a real wind alexandras description feels a touch more accurate now. One of the two actually nice sofa barked a bit but didn't really make a fuss when j went up to try to have a hot shower, but on two attempts the door was locked. Another shower I thought had hot didn't. It is perceptually cold but I went out barefoot and shirtless with a towel round my shoulders and it is windy but fine. No shower :-( cleaned teeth.
There are, of course, absolutely no clothes hooks or hangers in the room.
My head has a sharp red burn line across it. I wore the bandanna today and despite Emile point out it was coming off at one point, it didn't. I suspect this comes from sitting at the soapapa pool yesterday. Not ideal but not terrible and wanted to note it.
2248 fuck it, let's go to bed. Actually not a bad day but although it isnt mega painful a bit annoyed about head burn and (even though I just did it via usb in the end) the Bluetooth stupidity and so on. Vague hope is to be up and swim 8-9 ish while I still have my private room and before uv gets up.
I also hate lookinglike an illiteratemoron because I have to type on a fucking stupid on screen keyboard.
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