Mon 0021 in bed again.
0425 i'm in the toilet, not doing anything just because it's one of the few places with light. I did get back to sleep but not until about one or half past I went when I went to the toilet again I think but then I did kind of not feel too bad and I went to bed about two and I did fall asleep and then I woke up when it was about 3.58 so I turned the alarms off and I sort of snoozed in bed for about five minutes but I realized I was playing a dangerous game and I wasn't gonna get back to sleep so I packed up all the stuff which I got mostly as packed as possible in the dorm and I've come out and now I'm gonna clean my teeth. In hindsight it was a fucking stupid idea to be here on the very last night but I wanted to be here on site for Saturday night. I mean the big problem is it's not gonna be sunrise completely pitch black and fingers crossed it's gonna be alright walking out but you know if nothing else I could have had 20 minutes more in bed by being at rain dance or something but I did want to be here for the pizza night last night and I did sort of want to be at rain dance on Friday night and it did work out well because I met those people that I haven't written it up yet. Anyway it is what it is fingers crossed it will be okay I hope the taxi driver turns up if he doesn't well obviously I'll just have to cope I probably will have missed the public bus at that point this is about the tiny uncertainties results so fingers crossed it hasn't happened but I think worst case I'm probably going to be able to get the nine o'clock ferry which just pushes the timeline out by about two hours fingers crossed it's not going to happen I'm going to be on the seven o'clock or earlier and then I can hopefully be in Leon not too not too late obviously I wish I was in the solo in Leon I also wish I had air con but I couldn't go there anyway it's fine it's fine I had no idea what was going to happen to be honest it will be good fingers crossed not counting my chickens it will be good if I can get to Leon and just sleep as much as I want tomorrow and then I can make further plans from there to be honest what with everything that's happened I'm starting to wonder if I might not do the la union volcano but I mean you know that could be three four days away even if I am going to do it so let's not let's not prejudge things too much I don't feel too bad I mean if I can just get it would be so good to get to the port and even better to be on the ferry from there it's daylight and it's mainland and anyway the sort of green leafy kind of insects wandering around and a stick insect I took some picture of my I'm gonna go do my teeth I'm not exactly short of time but I've also not got loads
0506 okay, so I set off from the toilet about 5.25am, pretty much. No, can't be 5.25am, can it? No, 4.55am, I think, and I'm standing here outside rainedown, so there are a few staff wandering around, I assume they're staff. Pretty sure they are, they're talking Spanish. I can't have done it in 10 minutes, can I? Maybe it was 45pm in the GPS track, which shows, as far as it matters, I can't believe it took 20pm. Although I was a tiny bit worried about dogs, obviously, in practice, it was absolutely fine. Yeah, so I'm now waiting here. I had asked the guy for the taxi at 5.30pm, which incidentally is what the woman at rainedowns recommended when I said I wanted to get the 7.30pm ferry. She originally started at 5.45pm, and I said, oh, well, 5.30pm, we'll give a bit of extra margin, would it? And she said, yeah, sorry, so she didn't suggest 5.30pm, but pretty much. When I asked the taxi driver, this guy that the guy I met from the Pot Springs tour, which I haven't written up yet, he said, can I do 5.30pm, and he said, yeah, I'll be there at 5.20pm, and I didn't query it, I didn't want to fuss, I don't know whether he's picking someone else up, or he was just saying, oh, I'll be there waiting for you, but anyway, I figured I'd try to turn up for 5.20pm. So fingers crossed, of course, what's going to be galling, although the bus apparently takes an hour out, the woman I had the phone top-up problem with during our initial conversation, she said it takes about an hour, and I think it's about half an hour by taxi, so it is going to be a bit annoying to see the public bus go past, especially if the taxi driver doesn't turn up, but fingers crossed it will be okay, and the taxi will get me there quicker, and I hope it is going to be $18, but I'll make it $20, of course. I just didn't like the, even if the drivers themselves didn't do it, I just didn't like the bait and switch, oh no, it's $25 at that time in the morning, business, I'm not saying they're totally unreasonable, but it's not what I've been led to believe by raindance, and blah blah blah, anyhow, I'll make it $20 for this driver, of course, because, anyway, fingers crossed I might write something else, if I think of something that, basically, with a little bit of luck, I've got about 12 minutes waiting here, by the side of the road, and then the taxi will turn up, and Although I'm a bit worried about buying the ferry ticket and stuff, in practice that's just a formality, and just a faff, and where do I go and stuff, so yeah, fingers crossed, at least anyway, that's the first step in the journey done, I probably shouldn't have stayed at Zappilotti, I should have stayed at Raindance, or Maria's or something, she had a room, she was, someone seemed to ask for it off the street the other night, last night when I was in there, so, well, I don't think that's written up yet either, of course, but anyway, so. Anyway, it is what it is, and I seem to have got away with it, but yeah, of course, it would have meant changing hostel again this morning on the morning of my last night, and it wouldn't have been quite as, so, you just, it was all a compromise every stage, wasn't it, but anyway, alright, alright, so let me stop talking and let this finish, alright, come on Stess, there's a little dog here, but it seems to be alright, come on Stess, come on Stess!
Come on stess is me saying Como estas to the dog.
Someone cycled past while the boys typing was transcribing all that, and as I say, although it is dark and the whole situation feels vaguely unpromising. I mean, obviously, yeah, there's the Jaffa situation on top, which doesn't help, but I haven't been feeling too bad about that, mostly, maybe because of the uncertainty. But, anyway, I mean, I've been building this journey up into something way more complex and difficult and stressful than it is. I think, at worst, in reality, it should just be a bit of a grind. But, if I can get this taxi and get to the port, then that would be a huge start, because afterwards, it's just buses. And, well, there's a taxi across Managua, but, you know, it's like, anyway, anyway, it is, it is what it is. I've ordered a bit, but I did get some sleep, but on the one hand, I did want, and I still do want, despite everything else, to do some socializing. I was leaving the low-key way and thinking, like, your taco night, if I get there early, but let's not count our chickens, it would also be really good. I mean, assuming the Jaffa situation permits, and if I'm tired, maybe it will, and I haven't been too bad so far, then it would be really good to just go to bed. Not necessarily early, but I'm not ruling it out, and just basically not have an alarm, or set an alarm for, like, midday as a backup or something. I mean, I need to sort out onward plans and probably reserve this boat and decide whether I'm extending an extra night in Leon, or whatever. Maybe talk to the Lion-Yawn volcano people, La La Union, or anyhow, I just, I know what I mean, don't I? Hopefully a future me will know. But, basically, tomorrow is mostly, there's a guy coming along on a horse. Basically, tomorrow is just hanging around, going out for dinner, maybe some sandwiches, and making a bit of onward planning, but I'm not doing a lot tomorrow. Anyway, anyway, this is what it is.
0813 on bus from Rivas to manage. Went wnlandeting to try to find toilet in market got lost not toilet. Spoke to chap at bus and he took me into a nearby half closed bar for a piss only 10 cordblibas and bus will be 90. Shit would be nice but not really desperate, was more destroyer tactics, did go a lit this morning. I have been an accidentla if polite arse shifting seats on this bus as I ended up sitting next to smartly dressed young chap in seta over wheel arch and spotted a seat with ordinary legroom and moved and had been tossing my day-pack and headphones onto seat over beside home and had to go back and get the headphones etc but all ok managed to squash bag in overhead rack above his seat.
Lancha at 630, so ahead of schedule. Quite a cool breeze on bus now. 50 for a shared taxi to Rivas bus terminal, probably about 20 overcharged judging from what to sa either people getting off nearby pay but not worth making a fuss over and I may be wrong
Met Canadian chap and then a Dutch woman while waiting outside raindance, they were indepdently on the same volcano hike nominally picking up 520 too. No problems with my taxi turned up maybe 530, driver pleasant enough, tiny bit of chat, he is an ometepe native, has been up
Both volcano's walking, one of them is difficult as it is muddy. There used to be flights to the island (as on way out we drove across the runway) but a small local war and then covid stopped them.
I was at least very apologetic to the chap I messed about with the seat.
Canadian chap has been at treehouse and said sunset and day views cool but the technology was elevator music and he was Canadian so that was really saying something, I guess he means they don't have food technology in canada. Both of them doing wet wed. He did a long haul from somewhere, maybe granada yesterday, also was impressed and said so that he is doing the solvable hike next day. He is kn a 3 week trip.
I can't believe there was no paid toilet anywhere near the bus terminal, maybe there is and I just couldn't find it and this bus was on verge of leaving (I had seen it pull in before my wander for toilets) so the conduxtoriah chap who took me to that bar didn't want to send me further afield.
Organic maps says 1h36m driving to managua, so probably have about 1h30-2h. Still, all in this is going quite well.
Bit of roll on the la cha once out from shelter of island but not too bad, I kept eyes on horizon. Very noisy and a hot greasy diesel engone kind of fumes.
Had some Mani garapinado just 75g from my stash. I should have use the toilet at san jorge port on reflection, I feel fine now, I just couldn't imagine the bus terminal would not have even a paid toilet.
Dutch woman outside raindance said very self effectively she had done 10 volcano hikes and some had stalls at top or bottom and others didn't. She said Acatengano has stalls along the route! Maybe it did when I was there but I don't think so. Kind of glad I did it when I did if so.
1057 at coffee place (instant) in Mercado Roberto Huembes. There is a toilet place next to it so having a coffee (cinnamon, milk, sugar, yolo) and then will see if I do want a dump (not busting at all and prob don't but it is a trog on to leon and I already suspect uca is not super nice to hang around in) before getting a taxi, have already seen the rank
Been given a 5 Cordoba note in change, I am fairly sure this is the first time I have seen one all the time I have been in Nicaragua.
Ok om says 1h30 driving to Leon, so maybe it is not tat far.
Was feeling bit sweaty but also falling asleep (and my bag was in fact by old seat further back and so many people standing mostly couldn't see it), was feeling sleepy on Derry too. This may be transport thing or sue to lack of sleep. Was feeling 10% edgy on boat re Jaffa and homesickness but rightly or wrongly was feeling much better on that bus to here.
1114 just some with mum, Jaffa has been sighted alive. This is still not exactly great as we don't have him back and he is diabetic and there is the question of why he wandered off of not to toe, but still, it is hope. I am having a second coffee (next die up, first was 25, this is 35) by wya of small celebration and as it is semi nice here and I also want to give the bowel loosening effects time to kick in since I no longer feel in quite such a hurry given it is approx prob 2h by bus to leon (maybe I am being over optimistic). In some sense I left needlessly early in the morning but that huge boat gap from 7 to 9 means I sort of didn't, plus I suspect but not sure the la cha (which is passenger ony) does the crossing in 1h vs 1h30 for the ferry. Point really is that a slightly less stress 6h30 departure an hour later would have seen me at the port at about 7 just in time to likely miss the 7am boat and have to wait 2h for the 9.
1209 sitting on minibus at UCA for leon. Got a single seat as this one just pulled up after another left. Couldn't find the taxi dank I saw on way in to huembes despite hardly moving hut found another taxi, nice enough chap callef hector-ish, quoted me 150 which I accepted and tbh given length of journey didn't feel insane. Tony bit of slightly awkward intermittent chap. I should have tememebre dhos name better when he introduced himself and used it when I paid him at end and thanked him but small steps. I was sitting right behind him which didn't help. He did ask me to put my bag in boot and I was worried about him driving g off and effectively stealing it, made sure I got it and got bag at end before paying him, no reason to suspect thials would happen but paranoia.song with rather soaring chorus "tu pueblo te espera" playing during the ride at one point and I think he liked it as he turned it up and in a way I found it quite catchy. Part of the lyrics also had something about el rey and making taking possession of kingdom (in Spanish, but I don't remember the phrase perfectly so don't want to quote something misremembered)
Also while I remember at fire show wed which I still need to write up Vams just identified the song one of the fire artists performs a rouintw to and which I had heard drifting over from raindance on Wet Wednesday when I was at hospital as lindsey someone (I forgot, maybe Buckingham, but he knew) underworld.
I feel ok and I have water and as I liked the chance to get on this bus and pick a seat rather than being shoved in somewhere (to be fair there are fold down seats which make rows of 4 so this isn't a pure single seat) I decided not to wander and get a coke.
No idea what this costs but it is what it is and since everyone will be paying together when we go I can be sure I am not getting massively ripped off.
I will probably get to leon about xheck in time and juat
May be early enough to help me get a lower bunk, but I will survive without one of course.
Even without the semi good new s about Jaffa, I have been feeling much better than I expected since I got off the boat.
Have bag between knees but it isn't too bad and it is reassuring to have it right in front of me.
So with luck this is the final stage and I can mostly relax and if I fall asleep on this leg that is fine.
1225 emergency break glass hammer just detached and fell on my head. Put cap back on as people seem to think it will fall again but an alarm goes off when it is not fitted. Can feel it on head a bit but don't think it broke skin.
We are en route now. 4 per row as expected but not too bad and a cool breeze when moving.
1333 at stop in san roque I remember from way out. Got out fo r piss mostly as excuse to stretch my legs. Got a 355ml sugar coke for 30 and had a brief chat with ticket collector chap who I paid the 78 fo who seemed a bit rude at first but I think I misinterpreted him as just trying to switch from Spanish to English and chat to me, his teacher was/is English.
OM says about 38 mins drive to Leon so we are actually well over halfway I suspect. Have been semi asleep. Don't desperately want coke but also welcome, will not over drink it just in case. Being cold is nice though.
In a big brain moment I turned my bag sideways between my legs to increase foot space and movement.
1519 at hostel, all ok, got top bunk but not end of world. Signed up for taco night at 730. Bit of a whiny sweaty but on walk over considering got mesdage and had brief call on bus to Leon and Jaffa has turned up possibly safe and sound. Going to go out for sweaty coffee and so on and then come back and have a shower near sunset.
1839 toasted Jaffa with first beer since Saturday.
Just borrowed scissors from reception and have cut a crude circle with a hole in middle and a slit from a disused plastic xup and hopefully fixed up the front right hole for the flip flops.
Thinking I might need to get boat on Wednesday as there is non boat Thursday and Friday is pushing a bit. A shame but I would like time to consider the volcano in la union and I also don't have anything specific to do here, just Want to rest a bit and one day while not ideal is still something. I am probably going to sleep on this and look to book tomorrow.
Feel a bit BNM - no nice sitting spot really available so at kitchen table - but fuck it. In for taco night so maybe chat and at least all you can eat (and make yourself so I am probably fine re ingredients) and if no chat it is food and an early night. Not mega tired.
Went out after check in and had a granizado with milk at cafe central (nice but pricey) and the cheaper more xhocokately frape capuchino at jugoso (nice go revisit a former favorite place) and wandered a bit and called mum again - Jaffa seems ok at moment - from there and came back and had a shower and changed all except trousers. Since prob leaving 7am wed i can't get laundry done here but did a water only wash of one set uw (no socks) and two tops in extremely sribbly low water pressure shower.
I have with the dregs of my shaving oil, rubbing my hands over the bottle. It has cracked and if had all leaked out, adaics things are not too greasy or smelly (it is a nice ish smell anyway) but there may be a small mess lurking in bag somewhere, can only hope it isn't a big deal. I will have to try shaving with toilet soap next time or buy something. Fingers crossed my souvenirs from conf and volcano boarding t shirt are ok, they are not watertight but they are in carrier bags and sort of wrapped round. I guess if it got on eg fleece - and it may have been small enough amount it just went in other stuff and is hardly noticeable - it will probably wash out back home.
Beer here is self serve on hobby system (but sheet and fridge are right by rception) and you pay everything when you leave. Apparently it is 60 a bottle, which isn't too bad.
So I think that is mostly caught up except for Wednesday night.
Btw the reason there is a wed-sun or whatever post and a wed only list is I did this in dorm kate the other night at zopilote when couldn't sleep and it seemed not to be processing the long one and I wondered if it was the length so tried xutting it up but not really smart when I should have been aleepig but was feeling sgressed etc and anyway it turns out it was just a delay so there is the extra wed partial duplicate. Not a big deal.
I have replaces my plater on Left thumb after it came off in short, it hurts less to flex the joint now, not acabbed up yet but definitely on the mend. Ditto the shallowe but larger scrape on back of right wrist.
I got 2l cokezero at supermarket before coming back and put it in fridge (lhxury;!) For maybe later or tomorrow. I also withdrew about 1500 cordobas fee free before getting coffee to top up my reserve of local cash, I will be fine if I have to take a bit back tbh although in hindsight I'd I hadknown I would likely be going to el Salvador Wednesday I might not, but it is a tiny amount really and I did at the time before looking boat axhdule think I would extend here for Wednesday night if I slept ok tonight.
In dorm B by the way. The actual number of people around seems vaguely plausible for social stuff though a bit fragmented and the smaller possible number of people for taco night may help chat. It would be nice but at the same time I am also not desperate, feeling slightly tired etc.
Wearing mended flip flops tonight, this is something I am often.
1910 just had chat with ditch guy from kite surfing who I didn't recognise at first but picked up on conversational clues
Ftr the flip flops thing is more comfortable round hostle and also reduces burning through clean socks.
So briefly wed night I went to pizza and mets came by semi coincidence (I had fold him about it but we hadn't arranged to meet) and a German guy and woman and some american woman they had grouped up with who I had metat top of mirador tower an hour or two rarlier came and sat freely at our table and we all chatted a bit and the fire show was good but a bit different (overhear dlatwr the guy who does the fire bar, who didn't perform today, sya he had had a tattoo done so couldn't do the show) but there were some new acts I hadn't seen. I also tripped over in the same half with phone out but torch not on when the lights went our and we moved from our remote table to the alesge of performance area hence the nasty-ish but normal cuts on my left thumb and back of right wrist.
The american woman climbed a free early on and later came had a go and I photoed him with his phone and he took a picture of me looking up which he watsapped me today. I didn't try to climb, partly out of general caution and partly as already injured.
Later on after vams had left I danced a bit and the Irish guy (who I called declam and he didn't correct me but not sure this is right) from the hot springs trip came over and said hi and I charged with hin and his gf. They gave me the number if maybe the taxi driver who picked me up this morning so that all worked out really nicely.
I think although some subtle details may have slipped through the cracks this brings us up to date. I should prob put santa Cruz wed night in this poata titles but may not, not a huge deal, main thing is it has been written up.
Dutch guy chatted with some other poss German guy and this I got to chat a tiny bit with him tho mildly ignored as they are both going to el tunco on 3am shuttle via honduras but German guy is doing taco night so I do kinda half know someone who will be doing it (Dutch guy is not) anyway. As I say, social is nice but not having and tbh just having the chat with the dutch guy is already a win, would be a cleaner one if I had a better memory for faces (I never knew this name and still don't iirc) and is something to work on.
1924 looking at some photos before uploading and one day at zopilote there was a hummingbird sitting in an outside sink and I wondered if it was injured and then if flew off into a tree.
2054 ok some actually half decent chat during taco night, a small win. Had 6 tacos the meat ran out for last 2 but not too bad for USD 7 and the social aspect well worth it.
Going to bed soon but third beer first. Most people on water including me for most of meal and chat. I am going to sleep on it but will likely look to try to book boat for wed and volcano for thu ish tomorrow, if I miss out I will deal with it, not eg booking boat now while tired, if date decrees I go Friday so be it.
Could have had coke but will save it for when ha ging round hostel tomorrow.
In all seriousness even the first beer was not as great as I'd have liked after a day off yesterday and a fairly successful bit sweaty day on the buses but still.
Shuttle is nominally 5h san jorge to leon and it would be direct to hostel. If we say I got to Rivas 730 and got to hostel 1500 that is 7.5h but shuttle would have been usd35 I think, I did also spend eg half an hour or more having coffees in managua which was kind of cool and broke the journey and we might also factor out some time for the attempted piss and getting lost in Rivas. And I did kind of see a bit more of stuff in a kind of cool way and built a little confidence and (remember this starts from san jorge) it probably cost about 450 cordobas very roughly eyeballing the numbers whic is about 13 dollars. Plus some people say their shuttle took 7h. Anyway, I think it worked out well and (as I half expected) was nowhere near the terrifying horrific ordeal I had been literally dreading for days.
I have given Maykels phone number to a woman tonight who is going to ometep, so minor reward to hom. He didn't offer me change from the 20 I gave him despite it nominally being 18 but j was going to give it to him anyway and he is still cheaper and less arsey than the ones who wanted 25.
There is a vague social group at the other big table but I have no real idea if I could horn in and I really don't want to. Other people at my table have mostly gone to bed and I do feel a bit tired. Plan is to sr an alarm for 11 as breakfast (not free, but two dollars sounds ok) fobises at 12. I may well be up earlier but that is the sort of backstop. And a day of mostly hanging round hostel organising stuff and relaxing, maybe wandering out to see if I can send a postcard and having a frape capuchino or whatever and maybe going to comedor pa mi gente which I lied and which someone recommended to me independently tonight.
I am pleased - tohx wood - with my flip flop repair.
I half wish I hadn't had this third beer but really no huge loss.
2105 neatly finished this beer already. Not forced it down. Maybe have sort of enjoyed it but not super physically nice place to be sitting but nowhere obviously better was free. Still, no real complaints.
Dorm has really high ceolong and bink has a fan and I suspect it will be warm but no worse than what I am used to after the last few weeks. And I am tired. And I am mostly free (albeit no certainty) of lingering worry/sadness about Jaffa as I had last night, which is nice and feels like a minor miracle, fingers crossed it holds up. But at least we got the minor miracle for one night whatever.
2107 ok moving to bed, fill water bottle and teeth. Alight BNM feeling bit really after the earlier social modest success and genuinely feeling tired and being new I am not complaining.
2111 quite nice atmosphere with people around. Not everyone chatting, some peacefully soko Snapped photo of hostel book collection, there is something curiously samey about the appearance of books at hostels, the bizarre selection of languages and random books mixed with old travel guides.
It is also nice and a tiny bit sad to be somewhere o really don't expect to see a tarantula at random and without miscellaneous smaller creepy crawlies all over the place. Not that I saw any at zopilote the last stay, although did see some on road including one which I took a bad photo of which had captured some sort of big flying ibsext and was struggling with it.
2125 bed. Am tired. Had something else to say but can't remember.
I think I kept writing about wed night above for the pizza night at zopilote, but of course it was Tuesday. (It isn't wed, that would xlash with wet Wednesday.)
0425 i'm in the toilet, not doing anything just because it's one of the few places with light. I did get back to sleep but not until about one or half past I went when I went to the toilet again I think but then I did kind of not feel too bad and I went to bed about two and I did fall asleep and then I woke up when it was about 3.58 so I turned the alarms off and I sort of snoozed in bed for about five minutes but I realized I was playing a dangerous game and I wasn't gonna get back to sleep so I packed up all the stuff which I got mostly as packed as possible in the dorm and I've come out and now I'm gonna clean my teeth. In hindsight it was a fucking stupid idea to be here on the very last night but I wanted to be here on site for Saturday night. I mean the big problem is it's not gonna be sunrise completely pitch black and fingers crossed it's gonna be alright walking out but you know if nothing else I could have had 20 minutes more in bed by being at rain dance or something but I did want to be here for the pizza night last night and I did sort of want to be at rain dance on Friday night and it did work out well because I met those people that I haven't written it up yet. Anyway it is what it is fingers crossed it will be okay I hope the taxi driver turns up if he doesn't well obviously I'll just have to cope I probably will have missed the public bus at that point this is about the tiny uncertainties results so fingers crossed it hasn't happened but I think worst case I'm probably going to be able to get the nine o'clock ferry which just pushes the timeline out by about two hours fingers crossed it's not going to happen I'm going to be on the seven o'clock or earlier and then I can hopefully be in Leon not too not too late obviously I wish I was in the solo in Leon I also wish I had air con but I couldn't go there anyway it's fine it's fine I had no idea what was going to happen to be honest it will be good fingers crossed not counting my chickens it will be good if I can get to Leon and just sleep as much as I want tomorrow and then I can make further plans from there to be honest what with everything that's happened I'm starting to wonder if I might not do the la union volcano but I mean you know that could be three four days away even if I am going to do it so let's not let's not prejudge things too much I don't feel too bad I mean if I can just get it would be so good to get to the port and even better to be on the ferry from there it's daylight and it's mainland and anyway the sort of green leafy kind of insects wandering around and a stick insect I took some picture of my I'm gonna go do my teeth I'm not exactly short of time but I've also not got loads
0506 okay, so I set off from the toilet about 5.25am, pretty much. No, can't be 5.25am, can it? No, 4.55am, I think, and I'm standing here outside rainedown, so there are a few staff wandering around, I assume they're staff. Pretty sure they are, they're talking Spanish. I can't have done it in 10 minutes, can I? Maybe it was 45pm in the GPS track, which shows, as far as it matters, I can't believe it took 20pm. Although I was a tiny bit worried about dogs, obviously, in practice, it was absolutely fine. Yeah, so I'm now waiting here. I had asked the guy for the taxi at 5.30pm, which incidentally is what the woman at rainedowns recommended when I said I wanted to get the 7.30pm ferry. She originally started at 5.45pm, and I said, oh, well, 5.30pm, we'll give a bit of extra margin, would it? And she said, yeah, sorry, so she didn't suggest 5.30pm, but pretty much. When I asked the taxi driver, this guy that the guy I met from the Pot Springs tour, which I haven't written up yet, he said, can I do 5.30pm, and he said, yeah, I'll be there at 5.20pm, and I didn't query it, I didn't want to fuss, I don't know whether he's picking someone else up, or he was just saying, oh, I'll be there waiting for you, but anyway, I figured I'd try to turn up for 5.20pm. So fingers crossed, of course, what's going to be galling, although the bus apparently takes an hour out, the woman I had the phone top-up problem with during our initial conversation, she said it takes about an hour, and I think it's about half an hour by taxi, so it is going to be a bit annoying to see the public bus go past, especially if the taxi driver doesn't turn up, but fingers crossed it will be okay, and the taxi will get me there quicker, and I hope it is going to be $18, but I'll make it $20, of course. I just didn't like the, even if the drivers themselves didn't do it, I just didn't like the bait and switch, oh no, it's $25 at that time in the morning, business, I'm not saying they're totally unreasonable, but it's not what I've been led to believe by raindance, and blah blah blah, anyhow, I'll make it $20 for this driver, of course, because, anyway, fingers crossed I might write something else, if I think of something that, basically, with a little bit of luck, I've got about 12 minutes waiting here, by the side of the road, and then the taxi will turn up, and Although I'm a bit worried about buying the ferry ticket and stuff, in practice that's just a formality, and just a faff, and where do I go and stuff, so yeah, fingers crossed, at least anyway, that's the first step in the journey done, I probably shouldn't have stayed at Zappilotti, I should have stayed at Raindance, or Maria's or something, she had a room, she was, someone seemed to ask for it off the street the other night, last night when I was in there, so, well, I don't think that's written up yet either, of course, but anyway, so. Anyway, it is what it is, and I seem to have got away with it, but yeah, of course, it would have meant changing hostel again this morning on the morning of my last night, and it wouldn't have been quite as, so, you just, it was all a compromise every stage, wasn't it, but anyway, alright, alright, so let me stop talking and let this finish, alright, come on Stess, there's a little dog here, but it seems to be alright, come on Stess, come on Stess!
Come on stess is me saying Como estas to the dog.
Someone cycled past while the boys typing was transcribing all that, and as I say, although it is dark and the whole situation feels vaguely unpromising. I mean, obviously, yeah, there's the Jaffa situation on top, which doesn't help, but I haven't been feeling too bad about that, mostly, maybe because of the uncertainty. But, anyway, I mean, I've been building this journey up into something way more complex and difficult and stressful than it is. I think, at worst, in reality, it should just be a bit of a grind. But, if I can get this taxi and get to the port, then that would be a huge start, because afterwards, it's just buses. And, well, there's a taxi across Managua, but, you know, it's like, anyway, anyway, it is, it is what it is. I've ordered a bit, but I did get some sleep, but on the one hand, I did want, and I still do want, despite everything else, to do some socializing. I was leaving the low-key way and thinking, like, your taco night, if I get there early, but let's not count our chickens, it would also be really good. I mean, assuming the Jaffa situation permits, and if I'm tired, maybe it will, and I haven't been too bad so far, then it would be really good to just go to bed. Not necessarily early, but I'm not ruling it out, and just basically not have an alarm, or set an alarm for, like, midday as a backup or something. I mean, I need to sort out onward plans and probably reserve this boat and decide whether I'm extending an extra night in Leon, or whatever. Maybe talk to the Lion-Yawn volcano people, La La Union, or anyhow, I just, I know what I mean, don't I? Hopefully a future me will know. But, basically, tomorrow is mostly, there's a guy coming along on a horse. Basically, tomorrow is just hanging around, going out for dinner, maybe some sandwiches, and making a bit of onward planning, but I'm not doing a lot tomorrow. Anyway, anyway, this is what it is.
0813 on bus from Rivas to manage. Went wnlandeting to try to find toilet in market got lost not toilet. Spoke to chap at bus and he took me into a nearby half closed bar for a piss only 10 cordblibas and bus will be 90. Shit would be nice but not really desperate, was more destroyer tactics, did go a lit this morning. I have been an accidentla if polite arse shifting seats on this bus as I ended up sitting next to smartly dressed young chap in seta over wheel arch and spotted a seat with ordinary legroom and moved and had been tossing my day-pack and headphones onto seat over beside home and had to go back and get the headphones etc but all ok managed to squash bag in overhead rack above his seat.
Lancha at 630, so ahead of schedule. Quite a cool breeze on bus now. 50 for a shared taxi to Rivas bus terminal, probably about 20 overcharged judging from what to sa either people getting off nearby pay but not worth making a fuss over and I may be wrong
Met Canadian chap and then a Dutch woman while waiting outside raindance, they were indepdently on the same volcano hike nominally picking up 520 too. No problems with my taxi turned up maybe 530, driver pleasant enough, tiny bit of chat, he is an ometepe native, has been up
Both volcano's walking, one of them is difficult as it is muddy. There used to be flights to the island (as on way out we drove across the runway) but a small local war and then covid stopped them.
I was at least very apologetic to the chap I messed about with the seat.
Canadian chap has been at treehouse and said sunset and day views cool but the technology was elevator music and he was Canadian so that was really saying something, I guess he means they don't have food technology in canada. Both of them doing wet wed. He did a long haul from somewhere, maybe granada yesterday, also was impressed and said so that he is doing the solvable hike next day. He is kn a 3 week trip.
I can't believe there was no paid toilet anywhere near the bus terminal, maybe there is and I just couldn't find it and this bus was on verge of leaving (I had seen it pull in before my wander for toilets) so the conduxtoriah chap who took me to that bar didn't want to send me further afield.
Organic maps says 1h36m driving to managua, so probably have about 1h30-2h. Still, all in this is going quite well.
Bit of roll on the la cha once out from shelter of island but not too bad, I kept eyes on horizon. Very noisy and a hot greasy diesel engone kind of fumes.
Had some Mani garapinado just 75g from my stash. I should have use the toilet at san jorge port on reflection, I feel fine now, I just couldn't imagine the bus terminal would not have even a paid toilet.
Dutch woman outside raindance said very self effectively she had done 10 volcano hikes and some had stalls at top or bottom and others didn't. She said Acatengano has stalls along the route! Maybe it did when I was there but I don't think so. Kind of glad I did it when I did if so.
1057 at coffee place (instant) in Mercado Roberto Huembes. There is a toilet place next to it so having a coffee (cinnamon, milk, sugar, yolo) and then will see if I do want a dump (not busting at all and prob don't but it is a trog on to leon and I already suspect uca is not super nice to hang around in) before getting a taxi, have already seen the rank
Been given a 5 Cordoba note in change, I am fairly sure this is the first time I have seen one all the time I have been in Nicaragua.
Ok om says 1h30 driving to Leon, so maybe it is not tat far.
Was feeling bit sweaty but also falling asleep (and my bag was in fact by old seat further back and so many people standing mostly couldn't see it), was feeling sleepy on Derry too. This may be transport thing or sue to lack of sleep. Was feeling 10% edgy on boat re Jaffa and homesickness but rightly or wrongly was feeling much better on that bus to here.
1114 just some with mum, Jaffa has been sighted alive. This is still not exactly great as we don't have him back and he is diabetic and there is the question of why he wandered off of not to toe, but still, it is hope. I am having a second coffee (next die up, first was 25, this is 35) by wya of small celebration and as it is semi nice here and I also want to give the bowel loosening effects time to kick in since I no longer feel in quite such a hurry given it is approx prob 2h by bus to leon (maybe I am being over optimistic). In some sense I left needlessly early in the morning but that huge boat gap from 7 to 9 means I sort of didn't, plus I suspect but not sure the la cha (which is passenger ony) does the crossing in 1h vs 1h30 for the ferry. Point really is that a slightly less stress 6h30 departure an hour later would have seen me at the port at about 7 just in time to likely miss the 7am boat and have to wait 2h for the 9.
1209 sitting on minibus at UCA for leon. Got a single seat as this one just pulled up after another left. Couldn't find the taxi dank I saw on way in to huembes despite hardly moving hut found another taxi, nice enough chap callef hector-ish, quoted me 150 which I accepted and tbh given length of journey didn't feel insane. Tony bit of slightly awkward intermittent chap. I should have tememebre dhos name better when he introduced himself and used it when I paid him at end and thanked him but small steps. I was sitting right behind him which didn't help. He did ask me to put my bag in boot and I was worried about him driving g off and effectively stealing it, made sure I got it and got bag at end before paying him, no reason to suspect thials would happen but paranoia.song with rather soaring chorus "tu pueblo te espera" playing during the ride at one point and I think he liked it as he turned it up and in a way I found it quite catchy. Part of the lyrics also had something about el rey and making taking possession of kingdom (in Spanish, but I don't remember the phrase perfectly so don't want to quote something misremembered)
Also while I remember at fire show wed which I still need to write up Vams just identified the song one of the fire artists performs a rouintw to and which I had heard drifting over from raindance on Wet Wednesday when I was at hospital as lindsey someone (I forgot, maybe Buckingham, but he knew) underworld.
I feel ok and I have water and as I liked the chance to get on this bus and pick a seat rather than being shoved in somewhere (to be fair there are fold down seats which make rows of 4 so this isn't a pure single seat) I decided not to wander and get a coke.
No idea what this costs but it is what it is and since everyone will be paying together when we go I can be sure I am not getting massively ripped off.
I will probably get to leon about xheck in time and juat
May be early enough to help me get a lower bunk, but I will survive without one of course.
Even without the semi good new s about Jaffa, I have been feeling much better than I expected since I got off the boat.
Have bag between knees but it isn't too bad and it is reassuring to have it right in front of me.
So with luck this is the final stage and I can mostly relax and if I fall asleep on this leg that is fine.
1225 emergency break glass hammer just detached and fell on my head. Put cap back on as people seem to think it will fall again but an alarm goes off when it is not fitted. Can feel it on head a bit but don't think it broke skin.
We are en route now. 4 per row as expected but not too bad and a cool breeze when moving.
1333 at stop in san roque I remember from way out. Got out fo r piss mostly as excuse to stretch my legs. Got a 355ml sugar coke for 30 and had a brief chat with ticket collector chap who I paid the 78 fo who seemed a bit rude at first but I think I misinterpreted him as just trying to switch from Spanish to English and chat to me, his teacher was/is English.
OM says about 38 mins drive to Leon so we are actually well over halfway I suspect. Have been semi asleep. Don't desperately want coke but also welcome, will not over drink it just in case. Being cold is nice though.
In a big brain moment I turned my bag sideways between my legs to increase foot space and movement.
1519 at hostel, all ok, got top bunk but not end of world. Signed up for taco night at 730. Bit of a whiny sweaty but on walk over considering got mesdage and had brief call on bus to Leon and Jaffa has turned up possibly safe and sound. Going to go out for sweaty coffee and so on and then come back and have a shower near sunset.
1839 toasted Jaffa with first beer since Saturday.
Just borrowed scissors from reception and have cut a crude circle with a hole in middle and a slit from a disused plastic xup and hopefully fixed up the front right hole for the flip flops.
Thinking I might need to get boat on Wednesday as there is non boat Thursday and Friday is pushing a bit. A shame but I would like time to consider the volcano in la union and I also don't have anything specific to do here, just Want to rest a bit and one day while not ideal is still something. I am probably going to sleep on this and look to book tomorrow.
Feel a bit BNM - no nice sitting spot really available so at kitchen table - but fuck it. In for taco night so maybe chat and at least all you can eat (and make yourself so I am probably fine re ingredients) and if no chat it is food and an early night. Not mega tired.
Went out after check in and had a granizado with milk at cafe central (nice but pricey) and the cheaper more xhocokately frape capuchino at jugoso (nice go revisit a former favorite place) and wandered a bit and called mum again - Jaffa seems ok at moment - from there and came back and had a shower and changed all except trousers. Since prob leaving 7am wed i can't get laundry done here but did a water only wash of one set uw (no socks) and two tops in extremely sribbly low water pressure shower.
I have with the dregs of my shaving oil, rubbing my hands over the bottle. It has cracked and if had all leaked out, adaics things are not too greasy or smelly (it is a nice ish smell anyway) but there may be a small mess lurking in bag somewhere, can only hope it isn't a big deal. I will have to try shaving with toilet soap next time or buy something. Fingers crossed my souvenirs from conf and volcano boarding t shirt are ok, they are not watertight but they are in carrier bags and sort of wrapped round. I guess if it got on eg fleece - and it may have been small enough amount it just went in other stuff and is hardly noticeable - it will probably wash out back home.
Beer here is self serve on hobby system (but sheet and fridge are right by rception) and you pay everything when you leave. Apparently it is 60 a bottle, which isn't too bad.
So I think that is mostly caught up except for Wednesday night.
Btw the reason there is a wed-sun or whatever post and a wed only list is I did this in dorm kate the other night at zopilote when couldn't sleep and it seemed not to be processing the long one and I wondered if it was the length so tried xutting it up but not really smart when I should have been aleepig but was feeling sgressed etc and anyway it turns out it was just a delay so there is the extra wed partial duplicate. Not a big deal.
I have replaces my plater on Left thumb after it came off in short, it hurts less to flex the joint now, not acabbed up yet but definitely on the mend. Ditto the shallowe but larger scrape on back of right wrist.
I got 2l cokezero at supermarket before coming back and put it in fridge (lhxury;!) For maybe later or tomorrow. I also withdrew about 1500 cordobas fee free before getting coffee to top up my reserve of local cash, I will be fine if I have to take a bit back tbh although in hindsight I'd I hadknown I would likely be going to el Salvador Wednesday I might not, but it is a tiny amount really and I did at the time before looking boat axhdule think I would extend here for Wednesday night if I slept ok tonight.
In dorm B by the way. The actual number of people around seems vaguely plausible for social stuff though a bit fragmented and the smaller possible number of people for taco night may help chat. It would be nice but at the same time I am also not desperate, feeling slightly tired etc.
Wearing mended flip flops tonight, this is something I am often.
1910 just had chat with ditch guy from kite surfing who I didn't recognise at first but picked up on conversational clues
Ftr the flip flops thing is more comfortable round hostle and also reduces burning through clean socks.
So briefly wed night I went to pizza and mets came by semi coincidence (I had fold him about it but we hadn't arranged to meet) and a German guy and woman and some american woman they had grouped up with who I had metat top of mirador tower an hour or two rarlier came and sat freely at our table and we all chatted a bit and the fire show was good but a bit different (overhear dlatwr the guy who does the fire bar, who didn't perform today, sya he had had a tattoo done so couldn't do the show) but there were some new acts I hadn't seen. I also tripped over in the same half with phone out but torch not on when the lights went our and we moved from our remote table to the alesge of performance area hence the nasty-ish but normal cuts on my left thumb and back of right wrist.
The american woman climbed a free early on and later came had a go and I photoed him with his phone and he took a picture of me looking up which he watsapped me today. I didn't try to climb, partly out of general caution and partly as already injured.
Later on after vams had left I danced a bit and the Irish guy (who I called declam and he didn't correct me but not sure this is right) from the hot springs trip came over and said hi and I charged with hin and his gf. They gave me the number if maybe the taxi driver who picked me up this morning so that all worked out really nicely.
I think although some subtle details may have slipped through the cracks this brings us up to date. I should prob put santa Cruz wed night in this poata titles but may not, not a huge deal, main thing is it has been written up.
Dutch guy chatted with some other poss German guy and this I got to chat a tiny bit with him tho mildly ignored as they are both going to el tunco on 3am shuttle via honduras but German guy is doing taco night so I do kinda half know someone who will be doing it (Dutch guy is not) anyway. As I say, social is nice but not having and tbh just having the chat with the dutch guy is already a win, would be a cleaner one if I had a better memory for faces (I never knew this name and still don't iirc) and is something to work on.
1924 looking at some photos before uploading and one day at zopilote there was a hummingbird sitting in an outside sink and I wondered if it was injured and then if flew off into a tree.
2054 ok some actually half decent chat during taco night, a small win. Had 6 tacos the meat ran out for last 2 but not too bad for USD 7 and the social aspect well worth it.
Going to bed soon but third beer first. Most people on water including me for most of meal and chat. I am going to sleep on it but will likely look to try to book boat for wed and volcano for thu ish tomorrow, if I miss out I will deal with it, not eg booking boat now while tired, if date decrees I go Friday so be it.
Could have had coke but will save it for when ha ging round hostel tomorrow.
In all seriousness even the first beer was not as great as I'd have liked after a day off yesterday and a fairly successful bit sweaty day on the buses but still.
Shuttle is nominally 5h san jorge to leon and it would be direct to hostel. If we say I got to Rivas 730 and got to hostel 1500 that is 7.5h but shuttle would have been usd35 I think, I did also spend eg half an hour or more having coffees in managua which was kind of cool and broke the journey and we might also factor out some time for the attempted piss and getting lost in Rivas. And I did kind of see a bit more of stuff in a kind of cool way and built a little confidence and (remember this starts from san jorge) it probably cost about 450 cordobas very roughly eyeballing the numbers whic is about 13 dollars. Plus some people say their shuttle took 7h. Anyway, I think it worked out well and (as I half expected) was nowhere near the terrifying horrific ordeal I had been literally dreading for days.
I have given Maykels phone number to a woman tonight who is going to ometep, so minor reward to hom. He didn't offer me change from the 20 I gave him despite it nominally being 18 but j was going to give it to him anyway and he is still cheaper and less arsey than the ones who wanted 25.
There is a vague social group at the other big table but I have no real idea if I could horn in and I really don't want to. Other people at my table have mostly gone to bed and I do feel a bit tired. Plan is to sr an alarm for 11 as breakfast (not free, but two dollars sounds ok) fobises at 12. I may well be up earlier but that is the sort of backstop. And a day of mostly hanging round hostel organising stuff and relaxing, maybe wandering out to see if I can send a postcard and having a frape capuchino or whatever and maybe going to comedor pa mi gente which I lied and which someone recommended to me independently tonight.
I am pleased - tohx wood - with my flip flop repair.
I half wish I hadn't had this third beer but really no huge loss.
2105 neatly finished this beer already. Not forced it down. Maybe have sort of enjoyed it but not super physically nice place to be sitting but nowhere obviously better was free. Still, no real complaints.
Dorm has really high ceolong and bink has a fan and I suspect it will be warm but no worse than what I am used to after the last few weeks. And I am tired. And I am mostly free (albeit no certainty) of lingering worry/sadness about Jaffa as I had last night, which is nice and feels like a minor miracle, fingers crossed it holds up. But at least we got the minor miracle for one night whatever.
2107 ok moving to bed, fill water bottle and teeth. Alight BNM feeling bit really after the earlier social modest success and genuinely feeling tired and being new I am not complaining.
2111 quite nice atmosphere with people around. Not everyone chatting, some peacefully soko Snapped photo of hostel book collection, there is something curiously samey about the appearance of books at hostels, the bizarre selection of languages and random books mixed with old travel guides.
It is also nice and a tiny bit sad to be somewhere o really don't expect to see a tarantula at random and without miscellaneous smaller creepy crawlies all over the place. Not that I saw any at zopilote the last stay, although did see some on road including one which I took a bad photo of which had captured some sort of big flying ibsext and was struggling with it.
2125 bed. Am tired. Had something else to say but can't remember.
I think I kept writing about wed night above for the pizza night at zopilote, but of course it was Tuesday. (It isn't wed, that would xlash with wet Wednesday.)
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