Thewesternprovinceblog

Hola todos. Today I will tell you about why I have been so late to get the next round of blogs out the door. Entonces vamos a empezar! To pick things up I get up Friday morning in my new nicely bearable semi sweatbox and they also do a nice traditional breakfast in the morning. Lovellyyyyy! 

I eat up then ask Mrs Lady can I extend my stay by 2 nights? She says no. Por qué?? Because they are getting fumigators in on Saturday through to Monday so they are kicking everyone out Saturday morning. No drama I think. Plenty of places about and within the budget and today was an admin day anyway so up I get to the chores of the day. First up was laundry. I ask if they do laundry service and they say yes so hand it over to them and they tell me to pick it up mañana. 

Next order of business was finding a new gaff. I think let’s stay somewhere a little nicer before the Push to Panama so see a nice looking place with a pool £20 a night. This’ll do hit the button confirmed. This dear reader is where the day goes downhill muy rápido. 

From a closer look it turns out this place is on the edge of a real dodgy hood and my mum whatapps me saying this looks bad cancel. I have a look at the reviews and yes. I WhatsApp them saying I may need to cancel and ask more about the area. They tell me nothing happened to the guests but telling me what I want to hear? They say if I want I can cancel but confirm. I’m in full decision paralysis here and decide an in person reccie is needed.

Take a walk down there and it looked mostly ok except one last ropey looking stretch. No problem can always spend 2 bucks on a taxi back. So message the hotel say yes I’ll stay. I tell mama back at moonbase alpha I’m going to stay there and proceed to the next task – haircut. Find a place and am seen to quickly even though I got charged gringo price my new best friend tells me but more on him on the next blog. Mum is still bombarding my WhatsApp about this place and I’m getting bad vibes. I even go to the local market and pick up a burner phone for $35 US anticipating a possible mugging situation. 

After some thought I cave. Message hotel tell them plans changed need to cancel. Luckily they still let me and don’t hit my card with a charge. Regardless another one for the LFE log! Now then let’s find somewhere else. Searching booking.com, Airbnb, Hostelworld and a few others I find another place. Looks good but something feels off. In person reccie again in the midday sun. Walk down a long market strip and the place is nonexistent on Google maps and looks boarded up almost. Off that, my folks recommended me 2 other decent places close to old gaff but have to hike back to my hostel to look because internet crapping out again. Walking back up this strip I am harassed by street vendors including this one guy sat down gesturing me to buy a bracelet. I say “no, Gracias” and he starts SHRIEKING at me! Not saying anything just Shrieking At me in a high pitched squeak with his mouth open like his balls have been given a wallop in an old school comedy film But this wasn’t comedic at all a bit sad and slightly creepy. Ya. Me voy!

Get back to the gaff and see the reccos and settle on this one good looking place 2 blocks from me. Little bit on the pricey end bit still in the budget so book it up and confirmed. Happy days! I can chill a bit and do just that. Then I head out for a well deserved drink and meet a new best friend, but this has been a long read so we’ll get to him on the next one.

What a stressful day and hours lost over such a stupid thing. Hence this blog’s name – to quote that certain playwright who makes countless kids’ lives hell in English GCSE class every year:  “Much ado about nothing!!”