So, yeah

Thursday, 9:30pm. Last post was written about two hours ago on my phone, but the power conked out and so I only just sent it.

The bar started to pick up maybe an hour or so ago. Stayed a couple of beers (but small ones, 330ml Cusquena) longer than I intended. Wasn't great but OK, there was no way I was going to talk to anyone (nor was desperately looking for it, would be nothing worse than starting to chat to someone and having to clear off due to my early start or fucking myself up for tomorrow by staying out late) but it was still fairly pleasant.

Feeling a bit so-so right now. Was tempted to stay out as really was feeling OK if a bit isolated, but I was strong as I knew I had an early start tomorrow.

Wi-fi playing up rather, fuck knows why, but I got a connection in the end and am making the most of it.

I hate the way I seem to be racing the clock lately. If I didn't have pre-booked flights I think I could be pretty cool about getting around. Even with the Easter Island flight in one week six days from now I think I could plan and keep my cool but since there is all the earthquake uncertainty (yes, I am a selfish bastard) I find myself a little bit in a hole. Can I even get to Santiago and if I can can I get my flight? And on top of that I am trying to use the time between now and then productively but am worried about getting stuck too far away with too little time. I think I could be in Nazca by Sunday, fly over the lines on Monday (if I pre book, although at this time of year I'd hope it wasn't necessary, but my guide book suggests it's advisable) and that would give me a week and 1-2 days to get down to Santiago, which should be super easy, even if I had to go hell for leather and do a couple of mammoth bus journeys. But as it is I am so dubious.

I want to see Easter Island, like I wanted to see Macchu Picchu, but if the former had just been killed outright like the latter I could handle it. But I've paid for the flights and I've paid for the hotel and it may well be possible and the uncertainty is just getting right on my wick.

I guess I need to try to live in "day-tight compartments", to misquote Dale Carnegie. Despite a certain amount of shit I had a good day today overall, both at the ruins and in the bar tonight. I am doing the floating islands tomorrow and if I can not let other stuff get me down that should be good. My guide book ("Shoestring Guide to South America", I saw so many other people with copies while waiting for the bus this morning in Copacabana it wasn't funny, clearly it is the only guide available) says the tours round the floating islands are found by many to be "exploitative". Of course, in the language of politically correct eco-friendly guide books such as that one, that could mean they either exploit the locals/environment or that they exploit the tourists. I care more about the latter, sue me. The guide advises you to "DIY" and hook up with a guide in some ill-defined manner, screw that. The tour today was OK so I can vaguely assume the guys who run this hostel recommend fairly decent tours and if it sucks then it sucks, at least I tried. Of about three people I met in La Paz, two said not to even bother with the Peruvian side of the lake.

I would sort of like to say more but this kind of inconclusive "sort of having a good time but things are bugging me" atmosphere is the way it is, so what else can I say? May reply to a few e-mails and perhaps upload some of the photos from today, I should move towards bed but I doubt I will.

Dum spiro spero.

Rushing around like a blue-arsed fly in Puno

Thursday, 1:30pm. Wrote a post from the bus earlier but I can't get a GPRS connection to post it.

Anyway, got here about 11am/11:30am local time. Fought my way through the touts at the bus terminal (I have an aversion to taking a touted cab, rightly or wrongly), the first cab driver I managed to accost on the street had not heard of my hostel or the street it was on. The second one did, I have to heave my suitcase onto the back seat because, well, he didn't want to or wasn't allowed to stop the car to get out and open the boot. But I got here. Owner very friendly and helpful, I have booked up on a trip at 2pm today and tomorrow at 6:30am (FFS). By the time I had sorted all that out with the owner it was about midday and I legged it out to try to withdraw some cash (I had changed a token amount at the border, just so I'd have something for the cab) and grab something to eat.

Had a very average steak and chips (33 soles with tip, I paid with a 100 note and got my change in 5 sol coins, sigh) then legged it back to the hostel to pay. Now been back in my room for about 20 minutes to have a quick wash and what have you. Got to go out again in 25 minutes for that tour. At the least the wi-fi appears to work here!

Feeling absolutely off balance, although I got to sit on the bus for a couple of hours, I seem to have been rushing around all day. These few minutes have helped but I still feel a bit lost. I have this horrible feeling I am running out of time desperately and still deeply worried about getting back down to Santiago and the whole Easter Island thing. If I just decide to forget trying to go to Nazca that would be one thing less to worry about, but if I don't go I may find myself killing time somewhere else.

Oh, the owner gave me a map and helpfully pointed out that I should only use the two or three streets near the hostel highlighted in green marker at night. Joy. Not that I will be out much at night if I have a 6:30am start tomorrow, no idea what the situation will be like tomorrow night as I don't know where I am going next or at what time I will be leaving here on Saturday.

Anyway. Maybe more waffle later if I can pull myself together...