Sat 1658 voice typing this at the side of the road. I heard talk about it the other day at the school and this morning instructor mentioned it to me again and it suddenly clicked why there were all these people running along the beach and stuff and I'd seen on the way into school. It's the marathon today as they seem to call it locally. I think it's the Agwe Fuego thing. There's different distances but like the longest is some hundred kilometer thing where you go up and down each volcano on the island twice and run between them or something. So not having much else to do. I'm standing at the side of the road watching for the very intermittent people come past like, you know, not everyone's doing the same events. It's quite interesting because some of the people look like vaguely fit, but not amazingly fit. You don't know what distance they're doing and it's the sort of thing. I'm sort of thinking, oh, could I do that? Would it be sort of interesting? I'm sure it would also be kind of hellish and it's not exactly my bag but it is sparking some limited kind of interest, probably not for 100k obviously. But then I can't keep doing that with everything I think about, but you know just noting the thoughts
So I was getting quite worked up about the lesson this morning. I also not mostly to do without otherwise maybe a bit distracted getting ready Managed to be about 10 minutes late. I did text them to warn them, but that obviously wasn't great from my point of view I was really getting a bit worked up after all the baller kings yesterday I did have a work with the instructor in perhaps a mix of assertiveness and patheticness I don't know. He said he didn't really feel he'd been aggressive But I don't know and he said he had told me some of the stuff I'm sure he hadn't but maybe it's just a question of exactly how he meant he'd meant it and anyway The lesson was a lot better today to be honest I think also because I said that we did sort of discuss this we kept away from the shore So there was no need to panic so much about the kite control after falling off and in general It was quite good fun, and I did manage to ride a bit I mean it kept fucking up in different ways, but basically at the end I did get up completely on my own and ride I don't know five meters, so not exactly progress compared to the other day But I've now done that several times, and it does feel like the slow progress And I think I wasn't panicking and he said that and he very nicely given that I'd turn about ten minutes later And we had about 10-15 minute chat He did basically just without saying anything extend the lesson about half an hour And I did make sure to thank him for that so anyway that was a lot better fingers crossed it will go better tomorrow I honestly don't know how long I'm going to go on with it I mean, you know the money is not negligible, but it's also not a killer if things are going really Well, I suppose I could push it and you know push the budget and push the time and stay on longer anyway We don't have to decide now. I've probably got at least another two days, and then we'll take it from there
Afterwards via a circuitous route where I wanted to go into town to top up my phone first and no one else, no one would top up or, even though I know the price is 90 because it's printed on the posters including outside some shops, people kept wanting more or they wouldn't change a 500 or even though they have a top your claro sim sign up outside, you wander into what basically looks like a house and ask if they do top ups and they go no, as though you just walked into their random house and asked them something and they didn't have a sign outside saying it. And like the mini supermarket near the first hostel I stayed in is once 98, even though I'm sure it was 90 the first time and I know it's 90, they have at least updated the price list on the wall. The ones I asked today, the first one wanted a 100 where I thought fuck it, I wanted to not walk too far and then they wouldn't change a 500, the next place I asked wouldn't do it at all. I tried a little phone shop and they politely said they only did a Tigo, same with Ocean Mark, I tried another place and they wanted 101, which is an absolute mistake so I said thanks and walked off. So I finally went to the mini supermarket outside the first hostel and paid 98 and got it done and I then trogged back to the cafe mallo, what's it, hoping to get coffee there because it's relatively cheap, white coffee and also maybe see the kitten and they were closed even though I'm fairly sure the menu says they're open 7 days a week. So I then trogged back into town and eventually I had a juice at some, I also went into Ocean Mark again and got 500 dollars out and I went and had a slightly overpriced juice somewhere and this weird guy comes up and sits down semi opposite me without asking, not talking to me, obviously a local semi weirdo. And then when I had finished my drink and when I go up I said ciao because he looked at me a bit funny like anyway. So...
I went and got my bag back from Rain Damson, went over to Maria's and checked in, no trouble. Everything was fine except she was on the phone to, I think her daughter, non-stop the entire time she was checking me in. She initially showed me a double room en suite and I said, sorry, no, no, no, this is too good, it's not what I booked. And then she took me to another room, which does look a bit alarmingly like it's off some sort of family room with beds in, but what can you do, it's one night. And she showed me another room which has a double bed, I only paid for a single, it's a single room. No, with the shared bathroom, so I didn't argue, the price was right, that means she came back a few minutes later and knocked on the door. And I'm not sure she asked me anything, she was talking on the phone to a daughter and there was mention of 300 and I said, oh, but I've paid 300 and she sort of waved at me as if, no, no, no, I'm talking to her on the phone. I think it's all right, but anyway, I assume I'll be able to get out to go to the pizza thing at Zopp tonight. I don't expect the pizza thing to be social, but you never know. I'll go back about six-ish, have a shower, just maybe someone will chat to me at Maria's, although I'm not particularly optimistic, you know, it's not that much different just in there for an hour than me going in for a meal. I won't eat tonight, I may have breakfast there tomorrow. Oh, I was like cramming my breakfast down this morning, but that's my fault for being late, although there is the element of edginess making me get up late and dinner and stuff. So I'm going to go to the Zopp thing tonight and then come back. I still need to book flight seats, but I'd have to get that done soon, probably not tonight, but I do need to get it done. I don't know what time the lesson is, I haven't got the phone. Anyways, as I say, after checking in, that was fine. I came out and I got some snacks and coke at Ocean Mart and I sat on the beach and I stood by the roads and I've been watching this very intermittent stream of people doing the marathon come past, like sometimes they're going to be 20, 30, 40 minutes there anyway. But hey, it's sort of interesting and I'm doing a bit of walking up and down the road. Anyway, as I say, the plan for tonight is the pizza thing and just enjoy having the private room and then I'm back at raindowns tomorrow. So, although I feel a bit shitty about the lesson, maybe it was reasonable of me to mention it, or maybe I'm just an oversensitive arse, I don't really know. But anyway, the lesson was a lot better and fingers crossed it carries on and we'll see how we're looking in a couple of days, but I think that's basically bashed out where we are now, even if it's really bad voice typing, there's going to be some weird mis pseudo typos.
2200 okay, everything's okay. I got shown the secret way into Maria's, not that I needed it because people were still here and the door was open when I got back. I popped back to the junction and had a quick look, see if there were any marathoners running past, but I didn't see anyone and not a big deal, but I thought I'd have a look. The walk into and out of Zop was a little bit tiny bit scary, but not really scary and I didn't see any tarantulas for better or worse. It was like I was actually kind of lucky to see those, those two, one in the bar and one on the path the other night and at least to be in the present scene and didn't see it if that weren't the first pizza night. Didn't chat to any other pizza night, but didn't really expect to and it was actually quite a nice vibe, fire show very similar but not quite the same. I think the best bit and maybe that's why it's last was the guy doing the bar of fire, but really very nice and like even the girls doing the mildly tamed stuff to that las ketchup song with semiunova in, you know, it's quite impressive to be honest that that song is still cool enough to do that too because it must have been around when I was younger. But anyway, and I had the pizza, I didn't ask to share anyone's table (tbh two people at a table already felt a push), didn't feel appropriate, but by sheer chance I did get a table in time to eat the pizza and I was oddly heartened, I was sitting on the side of the dance floor with my second litre and watching people dance and it actually felt kind of alright, to be honest, like I wish I was more involved, but it was okay. When I was desperately heartened when I was pouring like a glass of beer out towards the end of that second litre and some random guy held his litre up that he must have been drinking from directly and I was like oh he wants to do a toast so I chinked his glass and said salud, his bottle and saloon and stuff, that made me feel surprisingly included in a bizarre way. So yeah, it was a much better night, I went with different expectations but yeah, so here we are, so I need to be up early, I'm a bit short on laundry to be honest but we'll see what happens, there may be a service here, if not I may be able to get something else tomorrow, although it being Sunday makes it difficult. I am quite looking forward to the lesson, I also want to enjoy the private room a bit before I go to bed, I want to be up early but it's not too bad. I was asking about checking out earlier after we did the leaving, after the stuff about the door and getting back in late, she said I could leave my bag here so I may have breakfast here tomorrow, we'll see how it goes, I don't want to jeopardise things, I need to try and sort the laundry out in the morning but I think things are fairly healthy basically, God I hope this transcribes after talking all this time straight but let's fingers crossed.
I also had a chat in Spanish. I do wonder if they were native English speakers, but I just said a la and then they asked me questions in Spanish. So we rolled with it. There was a couple on a moped or scooter at the bottom of the zapillotti track when I got to the main road. And they asked me if they could ride up and I said, oh yeah, I think you can go up that little path there, because I'd seen signs and stuff on their website about if you're an experienced rider, you can get up there. And I said, see, you probably can and good luck. And that was oddly heartening too. Actually, before I, when I walked past Maria's on the way, on my way up to the junction, just have a quick look in case I could see someone on the main road doing the marathon. People called out at me, maybe Maria, like I had something to do with the dog. And I said, oh no, I'll be back in a few minutes in bad Spanish. And they were like, oh no, no, it's not you. But when you're not who we thought you were. And even that was quite cool. Yeah. Anyway, so overall things, not too bad to say. Not an absolute mates and beer and chat fest, but I went in with different expectations. Maybe the relatively good lesson today helped and stuff. And anyway, fingers crossed. Oh, I did have a quick look at rain dams, which seemed very lit up when I emerged from the zapillotti trail. And it's like I didn't go in, but I sort of peered down the path from the road and it's like, I'm sure stuff's happening, but it does not look like there's a major party there or even sound like there's a major party. I'm genuinely surprised it was so booked up on the Saturday night. It's clearly, even if it's supposed to be developing, nothing like Wednesday. And I'm genuinely surprised that I could not get in Saturday night, but it's fine. I could obviously stay at the zapillotti, but I think to be honest, so far, at least fingers crossed, this gamble of staying at Maria's and having a private room and trying what it's like has kind of paid off. Anyway, I'll stop rambling.
Sun 1551 just fucking paid for the seat selection on Bogotá to london. Fickfest of course because phone browsers plus shitty wifi plus airline website. I am 99% sure it is fine though. I still need to book a train ticket but not going that now.
Fwiw last night was thinking it seemed expensive at 260 for the pizza but really it is a pretty cheap night. 260 for pizza vs 300 for margheria or 350 for pepperoni at raindance, admittedly vegetarian but not bad and done in properish pizza oven, two litres of beer at 140 each, a 5pish tip to the fire show and I think at 50 to the pound you are looking at 12 quid for the night out with a fire show and do and maybe (not last night) a free tarantula sighting thrown in.
Fell asleep on bed after writing the above and didn't do teeth, I think. Got up about 0630. I was semi looking forward to the lesson but the whole getting up early and moving hostel shit not great. I was am low on clean clothes but luckily it turns out Maria does it at 10 an item so I left clothes with her as it is Sunday and dubious about getting in anywhere else due to not being open etc. I forgot to leave key but no one asked and I left it when I picked bag up (she had said I could leave it there last night when I clarified I'd need to check out earlier) with youngish girl and then Maria called up street after me and I shouted back I had left tit with firl and she seemed to speak to girl and I think it's fine but fingers xed when I gl back for dinner and to pick up laundry.
Activity at hostel tonight is just movie night so not doing that and I will try to have a quiet night and go to end early.
Lesson was good and I managed to ride a bit including one (which was totally slolo, I body dragged out) where is did come together and I got about 1pm, which was pretty satisfhijng.
Cafe with kitten shut again but had coffee and a palate milkshakes at cocos and a taramind michelada kn beach with some spicy tortilla chips and a litre of coke zero then over to Maria's to pick up bag and check in at raindance, which was no problem and I got into a different dorm (didn't get corner bes this time but did get a bottom) with same style a bit early. The guy checking me in asked if I had stayed before. Also chatted with the really picking it up fast Dutch student at school before and after lesson a bit and he recognised me from raindance. He said there wa no real party lad ynight hut he was in bed by 9.
So I then had a capuchino sachet and then did the flight seat reservation which has honestly left me feeling vaguely shattered. I also felt very tired but not in a bad way after lesson. I didn't panic during lesson but a) fighting the kite as I was holding it at 12 a lot was giving me a sort of tight rib crushing feeling b) at one point I should have noddy dragged out to recover board but I took a few because I was getting vague drowning feelings form never being able to get breath with the wave splashing but instructor was cool about it and it wasn't terrible and all part of the learning experience.
I am taking it very easy as I say and I am having a lesson tonorrow but honestly that fucking flight seat booking has me far more worked up than it ought to. I am doing this on shared common terrace and I find myself irrationally resent people checking in and so on for being near me.
Did it on A06 btw. Using brave which sucks as I can't find a way to turn brave shields off globally and so every little sub site had to have them turned off individually but I don't think that was the major source eof stress/problems.
Come up to lie in hammock on top floor bit, first time I have been up here or the intermediate level with the pool table. May be able to relax a bit but also proving a point. I don't pan to swim today, maybe tomorrow, but I want to conserve my energy and rexocer after the lesson which felt physically quite taxing.
1620 i've always typed in this because I'm up on this little bit on the top of my own. So I'm going to check in a bit ago. I did mention Sunday Funday to one of his friends. I've seen people wearing shirts about this. I'm not obviously going to go. I feel knackered, not bad, but knackered and I'd probably have to be up early tomorrow. I'm just saying, I've no idea where it is. I'm sure I could Google it, but it's not here. And I'm not sure where else it might be, but you know, anyway, someone did mention it. I'd started to wonder if it was somewhere else and people just wore shirts for it to show they'd been. Like the volcano boarding. Anyway, it doesn't matter. I'm just making a note. I'm struggling to relax a little bit, but I think it's fine. Anyway, just saying.
Okay, so fourth time the Phantom touches on the screen are invoking a button I didn't even know existed that sort of throws the voice typing away halfway through I got confused about the date of the flight it was correct on the calendar it doesn't really matter but in my head I had it down as Thursday but it's Wednesday so I have a day less than I thought I don't think that's a huge deal but you know it is a thing it's going to be a bit of a wrench leaving the island, I don't absolutely love it, the social situation's a bit weird, you know, with the way and the hostels I got to choose from with being tied to the beach, the surf lessons have also been giving some kind of structure, like when I have Spanish lessons in other places in the past, and obviously I'm either going to go out on a high and wish I stayed longer, or the last lesson's going to be a bad lesson, I'm going to feel bad about that, but I've just got to be strict with myself. I'm having a lesson tomorrow, I'll probably have one, two, three more, play it by ear, but I can't push it forever. Getting off the island feels like a minor logistical nightmare, with the shared taxi and ferry and then a shuttle that I'd probably have to pre-book and might miss to go on to say Leon, but I'm sure it will be fine. Just have to get through it. It's not as big a deal as I suspect. Anyway, that's just what I've been trying to say four times in a row.
1642 it is and was raining earlier when I was doing the flight booking. It's quite pleasant to be honest. Up here there's a bit of a breeze, I'm feeling the occasional light spray. I mean I hope it's not too major but it's quite refreshing, the sky's pretty grey. I've not been feeling too hot lately to be honest. Maybe I'm getting used to it, maybe it's a bit cooler here, maybe the weather's just got a bit cooler. It's certainly warm sometimes in bed and have the fan on and stuff but it really isn't like it was earlier. I do suspect this is more genuine difference than just me acclimatising but you know just a note.
1833 been to Maria's for dinner. Getting juice of day (hibiscus again) at hostel. Not an alcohol free day given michelada at beach but no point overdoing it. I popped up to treehouse to are view on way out, will have another look tomorrow in day. Clothes were not fully dry at marias, the offers to give them to me but ibsaidbid pick then up tomorrow. No point spiking the wash with bad drying and nuetineaa.
Movie night aeem popular tonight but not trying it, don't fancy an arbitrary film, I would probably ly fall asslep,. Some chap did say hi tome in dorm when I was getting ready to go out for dinner. Sitting here with this juice by way of being open to contact but I do feel genuinely tired (maybe old age but I suspect not, didn't sleep super much and the kitsurfing probably was genuinely unusually tiring) and I was in v|the of nodding off in hammock earlier (tried a hanging chair briefly after btw) and I am basically intending to try to hang on til 8ish and then have a shower and go to bes. I don't have a lesson time yet, I can deal with 830 especially with a super early night but maybe I will draw a later one.
I do feel ok. A tiny bit lonely but not over agitates and there has been minor social contact today and I am genuinely tired and the lesson while hard was genuinely satisfying (especially that 10m ish ride). So don't read tired as "fed up" etc.
I didn't actually see Maria tonight but presumably we are all fine and no big issues about me keeping the key too long I suspect the room was not let again and if it was I night guess she has a spare key and so I merely temporarily reduced to having no spare by keeping it too long, I didn't lose it.
It is a shame I am not feeling super energetic and up for socialising but then it isn't all that clear what I'd do given I don't fancy movie night anyway. There are a lot of people about but it feels quietly cliquey and in a way quite a nice relaxed vibe. I do plan to do the killer pool tonorrow if it is on.
I don't think I will finish lessons that early and nor do I fancy the stagger back (though Maria's might work, zopilote no as I would really rather not have a phone with me and that path is kind of brutal in a way), but *if* Wednesday happened to be my last lesson I could maybe do wet Wednesday as an external guest as a kind of final blowout, even if I didn't socialise well, treat it a bit more like pizza night last night with some games to maybe break the ice a bit. But then of course I would need Thursday to rexover and I could therefore have had a lesson thu. Except that there is the issue of choosing a natural stopping point for the lessons so I am not necessarily working on "if I am on the island I could have a lesson" and there is also of course the cost of lessons. No need to decide now. Just a note about a possibility.
The main pool has been drained for its weekly clean btw. No real loss as it happens.
While it may wear a bit thin, in the absence of any strongly tempting alternative I will probably do zop pizza night on tuesday if (as is likely) I am here. It may wear a bit thin but it is something to so and is kind of cool. I may even stay at zop after I leave here but depends, Maria's or santa Cruz may be tempting too.
And if I do finish lessons on Wednesday or am just generally here then, that does not automatically mean I am going to try wet wed. It is just an option. Time being what it is I may decide it is better to get off the island an explore other hostel and social options and seeing other places etc a day earlier.
It is at least conceivable I would come back here next year roe the year after if only to do kitsurfing and I doubt a year or two makes a serious difference in terms of being too old. Not doing wet wed is not going to be a deathbed regret and in theory I could do it in easy mode with a bed on site if I came back with a tiny bit more prep and booked a week or two ahead.
They have not covered the pool over so you could just fall in and get hurt. I quite like this in that not wearing a seatbelt or having safety railings all over the ancient pyramids way.
I didn't have an afternoon shower or change clothes today, due to low supplies and also because I wasnt really interacting with anyone indoors and I suspect sitting around a bit in the xoolia breeE during rain etc helped dry my sweatiness out etc.
I have been on the island two weeks now btw.
1903 just ftr and I have thought this before tonight and sure as fuck am not doing it now but in theory I could walk up to people playing piok and ask if I can join in, play the winner, whatever. I an not really sure that would be on (like they got there first and nay be two friends having a game) but it might be technically. Of course it would be better I'd I wwre better at pool, although I don't think I am so awful it would be utterly insane.
I do feel a bit BNM but really I am just tired and making observations like this to kill time before bed. It is not particularly obvious that in general there is much I could so to semi naturally chat with anyone. I haven't looked closely but I haven't seen Dutch guy from school around anyway even if I wanted to try to push that angle. And my energy is genuinely low in a not bad but honest way.
Cool verging on cold breeze intermittently.
Obviously movie night would offer theoretical rpsopect if a tiny bit of chat but as said already I am not doing it tonight and it would likely be a bit tenuous, especially if the eight or so people signed up are all one group of existing friends, but yes there night be a few words exchanged and seeds sowed etc. But sure as hell not tonight.
There was a scorpion behind the toilet door earlier. Took some photos suspect the colors are oddly more intense in the photo but not sure
I am sure I have already said this but apart from being tiring and (fingers crosses not any more) emotionally wearing, they do for better and worse and struture to the trip while they are on, like Spanish classes. I can't just go out of get arbitrarily drunk because I have a regular and often early morning commitment. And then they mean I have "done something" and have less energy and less need to do anything else, whereas without them I would (pros and cons to this) be looking for stuff to do in the form or tours or hikes or kayaking (solo or tour) or that project included with to cycle over to san Ramon and hike the volcano every day. This isn't bad or good, it is just a different pattern etc.
And I have been doing the lessons long enoug h it feels ages since I was in general uncommitted tourist mode making up stuff to do day by day and having that freedom and will feel weird when I do have that freedom again.
1921 there do seem to be weird intermittent surges of people turning up. I honestly don't feel terrible in the BNM or tiredness sense, but it feels like there is literally nothing to stay up for except waiting for the message to come through telling me lesson time tonorrow. I am probably going for shower and going to bed when that comes through and kf that means I am in bed by 8 then that is absolutely fucking sweet
1947 ok Dutch guy from school just turned up and said hi and we had a five minute or maybe 10 chat, which was nice.
2005 ok, class 8h30. To be fair given I am going to bed now this is not necessarily stupidly early. I am going to send this now and then shower etc.
I am looking forward to class but it is also hard and there is some kind of background "am I going to get this/get better on any half decent timescale" anxiety.
So I was getting quite worked up about the lesson this morning. I also not mostly to do without otherwise maybe a bit distracted getting ready Managed to be about 10 minutes late. I did text them to warn them, but that obviously wasn't great from my point of view I was really getting a bit worked up after all the baller kings yesterday I did have a work with the instructor in perhaps a mix of assertiveness and patheticness I don't know. He said he didn't really feel he'd been aggressive But I don't know and he said he had told me some of the stuff I'm sure he hadn't but maybe it's just a question of exactly how he meant he'd meant it and anyway The lesson was a lot better today to be honest I think also because I said that we did sort of discuss this we kept away from the shore So there was no need to panic so much about the kite control after falling off and in general It was quite good fun, and I did manage to ride a bit I mean it kept fucking up in different ways, but basically at the end I did get up completely on my own and ride I don't know five meters, so not exactly progress compared to the other day But I've now done that several times, and it does feel like the slow progress And I think I wasn't panicking and he said that and he very nicely given that I'd turn about ten minutes later And we had about 10-15 minute chat He did basically just without saying anything extend the lesson about half an hour And I did make sure to thank him for that so anyway that was a lot better fingers crossed it will go better tomorrow I honestly don't know how long I'm going to go on with it I mean, you know the money is not negligible, but it's also not a killer if things are going really Well, I suppose I could push it and you know push the budget and push the time and stay on longer anyway We don't have to decide now. I've probably got at least another two days, and then we'll take it from there
Afterwards via a circuitous route where I wanted to go into town to top up my phone first and no one else, no one would top up or, even though I know the price is 90 because it's printed on the posters including outside some shops, people kept wanting more or they wouldn't change a 500 or even though they have a top your claro sim sign up outside, you wander into what basically looks like a house and ask if they do top ups and they go no, as though you just walked into their random house and asked them something and they didn't have a sign outside saying it. And like the mini supermarket near the first hostel I stayed in is once 98, even though I'm sure it was 90 the first time and I know it's 90, they have at least updated the price list on the wall. The ones I asked today, the first one wanted a 100 where I thought fuck it, I wanted to not walk too far and then they wouldn't change a 500, the next place I asked wouldn't do it at all. I tried a little phone shop and they politely said they only did a Tigo, same with Ocean Mark, I tried another place and they wanted 101, which is an absolute mistake so I said thanks and walked off. So I finally went to the mini supermarket outside the first hostel and paid 98 and got it done and I then trogged back to the cafe mallo, what's it, hoping to get coffee there because it's relatively cheap, white coffee and also maybe see the kitten and they were closed even though I'm fairly sure the menu says they're open 7 days a week. So I then trogged back into town and eventually I had a juice at some, I also went into Ocean Mark again and got 500 dollars out and I went and had a slightly overpriced juice somewhere and this weird guy comes up and sits down semi opposite me without asking, not talking to me, obviously a local semi weirdo. And then when I had finished my drink and when I go up I said ciao because he looked at me a bit funny like anyway. So...
I went and got my bag back from Rain Damson, went over to Maria's and checked in, no trouble. Everything was fine except she was on the phone to, I think her daughter, non-stop the entire time she was checking me in. She initially showed me a double room en suite and I said, sorry, no, no, no, this is too good, it's not what I booked. And then she took me to another room, which does look a bit alarmingly like it's off some sort of family room with beds in, but what can you do, it's one night. And she showed me another room which has a double bed, I only paid for a single, it's a single room. No, with the shared bathroom, so I didn't argue, the price was right, that means she came back a few minutes later and knocked on the door. And I'm not sure she asked me anything, she was talking on the phone to a daughter and there was mention of 300 and I said, oh, but I've paid 300 and she sort of waved at me as if, no, no, no, I'm talking to her on the phone. I think it's all right, but anyway, I assume I'll be able to get out to go to the pizza thing at Zopp tonight. I don't expect the pizza thing to be social, but you never know. I'll go back about six-ish, have a shower, just maybe someone will chat to me at Maria's, although I'm not particularly optimistic, you know, it's not that much different just in there for an hour than me going in for a meal. I won't eat tonight, I may have breakfast there tomorrow. Oh, I was like cramming my breakfast down this morning, but that's my fault for being late, although there is the element of edginess making me get up late and dinner and stuff. So I'm going to go to the Zopp thing tonight and then come back. I still need to book flight seats, but I'd have to get that done soon, probably not tonight, but I do need to get it done. I don't know what time the lesson is, I haven't got the phone. Anyways, as I say, after checking in, that was fine. I came out and I got some snacks and coke at Ocean Mart and I sat on the beach and I stood by the roads and I've been watching this very intermittent stream of people doing the marathon come past, like sometimes they're going to be 20, 30, 40 minutes there anyway. But hey, it's sort of interesting and I'm doing a bit of walking up and down the road. Anyway, as I say, the plan for tonight is the pizza thing and just enjoy having the private room and then I'm back at raindowns tomorrow. So, although I feel a bit shitty about the lesson, maybe it was reasonable of me to mention it, or maybe I'm just an oversensitive arse, I don't really know. But anyway, the lesson was a lot better and fingers crossed it carries on and we'll see how we're looking in a couple of days, but I think that's basically bashed out where we are now, even if it's really bad voice typing, there's going to be some weird mis pseudo typos.
2200 okay, everything's okay. I got shown the secret way into Maria's, not that I needed it because people were still here and the door was open when I got back. I popped back to the junction and had a quick look, see if there were any marathoners running past, but I didn't see anyone and not a big deal, but I thought I'd have a look. The walk into and out of Zop was a little bit tiny bit scary, but not really scary and I didn't see any tarantulas for better or worse. It was like I was actually kind of lucky to see those, those two, one in the bar and one on the path the other night and at least to be in the present scene and didn't see it if that weren't the first pizza night. Didn't chat to any other pizza night, but didn't really expect to and it was actually quite a nice vibe, fire show very similar but not quite the same. I think the best bit and maybe that's why it's last was the guy doing the bar of fire, but really very nice and like even the girls doing the mildly tamed stuff to that las ketchup song with semiunova in, you know, it's quite impressive to be honest that that song is still cool enough to do that too because it must have been around when I was younger. But anyway, and I had the pizza, I didn't ask to share anyone's table (tbh two people at a table already felt a push), didn't feel appropriate, but by sheer chance I did get a table in time to eat the pizza and I was oddly heartened, I was sitting on the side of the dance floor with my second litre and watching people dance and it actually felt kind of alright, to be honest, like I wish I was more involved, but it was okay. When I was desperately heartened when I was pouring like a glass of beer out towards the end of that second litre and some random guy held his litre up that he must have been drinking from directly and I was like oh he wants to do a toast so I chinked his glass and said salud, his bottle and saloon and stuff, that made me feel surprisingly included in a bizarre way. So yeah, it was a much better night, I went with different expectations but yeah, so here we are, so I need to be up early, I'm a bit short on laundry to be honest but we'll see what happens, there may be a service here, if not I may be able to get something else tomorrow, although it being Sunday makes it difficult. I am quite looking forward to the lesson, I also want to enjoy the private room a bit before I go to bed, I want to be up early but it's not too bad. I was asking about checking out earlier after we did the leaving, after the stuff about the door and getting back in late, she said I could leave my bag here so I may have breakfast here tomorrow, we'll see how it goes, I don't want to jeopardise things, I need to try and sort the laundry out in the morning but I think things are fairly healthy basically, God I hope this transcribes after talking all this time straight but let's fingers crossed.
I also had a chat in Spanish. I do wonder if they were native English speakers, but I just said a la and then they asked me questions in Spanish. So we rolled with it. There was a couple on a moped or scooter at the bottom of the zapillotti track when I got to the main road. And they asked me if they could ride up and I said, oh yeah, I think you can go up that little path there, because I'd seen signs and stuff on their website about if you're an experienced rider, you can get up there. And I said, see, you probably can and good luck. And that was oddly heartening too. Actually, before I, when I walked past Maria's on the way, on my way up to the junction, just have a quick look in case I could see someone on the main road doing the marathon. People called out at me, maybe Maria, like I had something to do with the dog. And I said, oh no, I'll be back in a few minutes in bad Spanish. And they were like, oh no, no, it's not you. But when you're not who we thought you were. And even that was quite cool. Yeah. Anyway, so overall things, not too bad to say. Not an absolute mates and beer and chat fest, but I went in with different expectations. Maybe the relatively good lesson today helped and stuff. And anyway, fingers crossed. Oh, I did have a quick look at rain dams, which seemed very lit up when I emerged from the zapillotti trail. And it's like I didn't go in, but I sort of peered down the path from the road and it's like, I'm sure stuff's happening, but it does not look like there's a major party there or even sound like there's a major party. I'm genuinely surprised it was so booked up on the Saturday night. It's clearly, even if it's supposed to be developing, nothing like Wednesday. And I'm genuinely surprised that I could not get in Saturday night, but it's fine. I could obviously stay at the zapillotti, but I think to be honest, so far, at least fingers crossed, this gamble of staying at Maria's and having a private room and trying what it's like has kind of paid off. Anyway, I'll stop rambling.
Sun 1551 just fucking paid for the seat selection on Bogotá to london. Fickfest of course because phone browsers plus shitty wifi plus airline website. I am 99% sure it is fine though. I still need to book a train ticket but not going that now.
Fwiw last night was thinking it seemed expensive at 260 for the pizza but really it is a pretty cheap night. 260 for pizza vs 300 for margheria or 350 for pepperoni at raindance, admittedly vegetarian but not bad and done in properish pizza oven, two litres of beer at 140 each, a 5pish tip to the fire show and I think at 50 to the pound you are looking at 12 quid for the night out with a fire show and do and maybe (not last night) a free tarantula sighting thrown in.
Fell asleep on bed after writing the above and didn't do teeth, I think. Got up about 0630. I was semi looking forward to the lesson but the whole getting up early and moving hostel shit not great. I was am low on clean clothes but luckily it turns out Maria does it at 10 an item so I left clothes with her as it is Sunday and dubious about getting in anywhere else due to not being open etc. I forgot to leave key but no one asked and I left it when I picked bag up (she had said I could leave it there last night when I clarified I'd need to check out earlier) with youngish girl and then Maria called up street after me and I shouted back I had left tit with firl and she seemed to speak to girl and I think it's fine but fingers xed when I gl back for dinner and to pick up laundry.
Activity at hostel tonight is just movie night so not doing that and I will try to have a quiet night and go to end early.
Lesson was good and I managed to ride a bit including one (which was totally slolo, I body dragged out) where is did come together and I got about 1pm, which was pretty satisfhijng.
Cafe with kitten shut again but had coffee and a palate milkshakes at cocos and a taramind michelada kn beach with some spicy tortilla chips and a litre of coke zero then over to Maria's to pick up bag and check in at raindance, which was no problem and I got into a different dorm (didn't get corner bes this time but did get a bottom) with same style a bit early. The guy checking me in asked if I had stayed before. Also chatted with the really picking it up fast Dutch student at school before and after lesson a bit and he recognised me from raindance. He said there wa no real party lad ynight hut he was in bed by 9.
So I then had a capuchino sachet and then did the flight seat reservation which has honestly left me feeling vaguely shattered. I also felt very tired but not in a bad way after lesson. I didn't panic during lesson but a) fighting the kite as I was holding it at 12 a lot was giving me a sort of tight rib crushing feeling b) at one point I should have noddy dragged out to recover board but I took a few because I was getting vague drowning feelings form never being able to get breath with the wave splashing but instructor was cool about it and it wasn't terrible and all part of the learning experience.
I am taking it very easy as I say and I am having a lesson tonorrow but honestly that fucking flight seat booking has me far more worked up than it ought to. I am doing this on shared common terrace and I find myself irrationally resent people checking in and so on for being near me.
Did it on A06 btw. Using brave which sucks as I can't find a way to turn brave shields off globally and so every little sub site had to have them turned off individually but I don't think that was the major source eof stress/problems.
Come up to lie in hammock on top floor bit, first time I have been up here or the intermediate level with the pool table. May be able to relax a bit but also proving a point. I don't pan to swim today, maybe tomorrow, but I want to conserve my energy and rexocer after the lesson which felt physically quite taxing.
1620 i've always typed in this because I'm up on this little bit on the top of my own. So I'm going to check in a bit ago. I did mention Sunday Funday to one of his friends. I've seen people wearing shirts about this. I'm not obviously going to go. I feel knackered, not bad, but knackered and I'd probably have to be up early tomorrow. I'm just saying, I've no idea where it is. I'm sure I could Google it, but it's not here. And I'm not sure where else it might be, but you know, anyway, someone did mention it. I'd started to wonder if it was somewhere else and people just wore shirts for it to show they'd been. Like the volcano boarding. Anyway, it doesn't matter. I'm just making a note. I'm struggling to relax a little bit, but I think it's fine. Anyway, just saying.
Okay, so fourth time the Phantom touches on the screen are invoking a button I didn't even know existed that sort of throws the voice typing away halfway through I got confused about the date of the flight it was correct on the calendar it doesn't really matter but in my head I had it down as Thursday but it's Wednesday so I have a day less than I thought I don't think that's a huge deal but you know it is a thing it's going to be a bit of a wrench leaving the island, I don't absolutely love it, the social situation's a bit weird, you know, with the way and the hostels I got to choose from with being tied to the beach, the surf lessons have also been giving some kind of structure, like when I have Spanish lessons in other places in the past, and obviously I'm either going to go out on a high and wish I stayed longer, or the last lesson's going to be a bad lesson, I'm going to feel bad about that, but I've just got to be strict with myself. I'm having a lesson tomorrow, I'll probably have one, two, three more, play it by ear, but I can't push it forever. Getting off the island feels like a minor logistical nightmare, with the shared taxi and ferry and then a shuttle that I'd probably have to pre-book and might miss to go on to say Leon, but I'm sure it will be fine. Just have to get through it. It's not as big a deal as I suspect. Anyway, that's just what I've been trying to say four times in a row.
1642 it is and was raining earlier when I was doing the flight booking. It's quite pleasant to be honest. Up here there's a bit of a breeze, I'm feeling the occasional light spray. I mean I hope it's not too major but it's quite refreshing, the sky's pretty grey. I've not been feeling too hot lately to be honest. Maybe I'm getting used to it, maybe it's a bit cooler here, maybe the weather's just got a bit cooler. It's certainly warm sometimes in bed and have the fan on and stuff but it really isn't like it was earlier. I do suspect this is more genuine difference than just me acclimatising but you know just a note.
1833 been to Maria's for dinner. Getting juice of day (hibiscus again) at hostel. Not an alcohol free day given michelada at beach but no point overdoing it. I popped up to treehouse to are view on way out, will have another look tomorrow in day. Clothes were not fully dry at marias, the offers to give them to me but ibsaidbid pick then up tomorrow. No point spiking the wash with bad drying and nuetineaa.
Movie night aeem popular tonight but not trying it, don't fancy an arbitrary film, I would probably ly fall asslep,. Some chap did say hi tome in dorm when I was getting ready to go out for dinner. Sitting here with this juice by way of being open to contact but I do feel genuinely tired (maybe old age but I suspect not, didn't sleep super much and the kitsurfing probably was genuinely unusually tiring) and I was in v|the of nodding off in hammock earlier (tried a hanging chair briefly after btw) and I am basically intending to try to hang on til 8ish and then have a shower and go to bes. I don't have a lesson time yet, I can deal with 830 especially with a super early night but maybe I will draw a later one.
I do feel ok. A tiny bit lonely but not over agitates and there has been minor social contact today and I am genuinely tired and the lesson while hard was genuinely satisfying (especially that 10m ish ride). So don't read tired as "fed up" etc.
I didn't actually see Maria tonight but presumably we are all fine and no big issues about me keeping the key too long I suspect the room was not let again and if it was I night guess she has a spare key and so I merely temporarily reduced to having no spare by keeping it too long, I didn't lose it.
It is a shame I am not feeling super energetic and up for socialising but then it isn't all that clear what I'd do given I don't fancy movie night anyway. There are a lot of people about but it feels quietly cliquey and in a way quite a nice relaxed vibe. I do plan to do the killer pool tonorrow if it is on.
I don't think I will finish lessons that early and nor do I fancy the stagger back (though Maria's might work, zopilote no as I would really rather not have a phone with me and that path is kind of brutal in a way), but *if* Wednesday happened to be my last lesson I could maybe do wet Wednesday as an external guest as a kind of final blowout, even if I didn't socialise well, treat it a bit more like pizza night last night with some games to maybe break the ice a bit. But then of course I would need Thursday to rexover and I could therefore have had a lesson thu. Except that there is the issue of choosing a natural stopping point for the lessons so I am not necessarily working on "if I am on the island I could have a lesson" and there is also of course the cost of lessons. No need to decide now. Just a note about a possibility.
The main pool has been drained for its weekly clean btw. No real loss as it happens.
While it may wear a bit thin, in the absence of any strongly tempting alternative I will probably do zop pizza night on tuesday if (as is likely) I am here. It may wear a bit thin but it is something to so and is kind of cool. I may even stay at zop after I leave here but depends, Maria's or santa Cruz may be tempting too.
And if I do finish lessons on Wednesday or am just generally here then, that does not automatically mean I am going to try wet wed. It is just an option. Time being what it is I may decide it is better to get off the island an explore other hostel and social options and seeing other places etc a day earlier.
It is at least conceivable I would come back here next year roe the year after if only to do kitsurfing and I doubt a year or two makes a serious difference in terms of being too old. Not doing wet wed is not going to be a deathbed regret and in theory I could do it in easy mode with a bed on site if I came back with a tiny bit more prep and booked a week or two ahead.
They have not covered the pool over so you could just fall in and get hurt. I quite like this in that not wearing a seatbelt or having safety railings all over the ancient pyramids way.
I didn't have an afternoon shower or change clothes today, due to low supplies and also because I wasnt really interacting with anyone indoors and I suspect sitting around a bit in the xoolia breeE during rain etc helped dry my sweatiness out etc.
I have been on the island two weeks now btw.
1903 just ftr and I have thought this before tonight and sure as fuck am not doing it now but in theory I could walk up to people playing piok and ask if I can join in, play the winner, whatever. I an not really sure that would be on (like they got there first and nay be two friends having a game) but it might be technically. Of course it would be better I'd I wwre better at pool, although I don't think I am so awful it would be utterly insane.
I do feel a bit BNM but really I am just tired and making observations like this to kill time before bed. It is not particularly obvious that in general there is much I could so to semi naturally chat with anyone. I haven't looked closely but I haven't seen Dutch guy from school around anyway even if I wanted to try to push that angle. And my energy is genuinely low in a not bad but honest way.
Cool verging on cold breeze intermittently.
Obviously movie night would offer theoretical rpsopect if a tiny bit of chat but as said already I am not doing it tonight and it would likely be a bit tenuous, especially if the eight or so people signed up are all one group of existing friends, but yes there night be a few words exchanged and seeds sowed etc. But sure as hell not tonight.
There was a scorpion behind the toilet door earlier. Took some photos suspect the colors are oddly more intense in the photo but not sure
I am sure I have already said this but apart from being tiring and (fingers crosses not any more) emotionally wearing, they do for better and worse and struture to the trip while they are on, like Spanish classes. I can't just go out of get arbitrarily drunk because I have a regular and often early morning commitment. And then they mean I have "done something" and have less energy and less need to do anything else, whereas without them I would (pros and cons to this) be looking for stuff to do in the form or tours or hikes or kayaking (solo or tour) or that project included with to cycle over to san Ramon and hike the volcano every day. This isn't bad or good, it is just a different pattern etc.
And I have been doing the lessons long enoug h it feels ages since I was in general uncommitted tourist mode making up stuff to do day by day and having that freedom and will feel weird when I do have that freedom again.
1921 there do seem to be weird intermittent surges of people turning up. I honestly don't feel terrible in the BNM or tiredness sense, but it feels like there is literally nothing to stay up for except waiting for the message to come through telling me lesson time tonorrow. I am probably going for shower and going to bed when that comes through and kf that means I am in bed by 8 then that is absolutely fucking sweet
1947 ok Dutch guy from school just turned up and said hi and we had a five minute or maybe 10 chat, which was nice.
2005 ok, class 8h30. To be fair given I am going to bed now this is not necessarily stupidly early. I am going to send this now and then shower etc.
I am looking forward to class but it is also hard and there is some kind of background "am I going to get this/get better on any half decent timescale" anxiety.
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