I haven't done much, but I have arranged some things

Being a four-hour-a-day student takes up more time than you'd think. You might think it would take fur hours a day, leaving twenty free. But somehow it's not like that. There's homework, of course [which I haven't been especially diligent at], but also when you're engaged from 11-3, it's hard to do much either before or after. So I haven't. I only made it into Quito Old Town for the first time today. I went to a church. There are lots of them here. And just now I tried to go to a Basilica, but it was closed. So I had an ice-cream instead. I bought it from a street vendor. I'm so confident of my stomach these days that I've started buying food from street vendors, which had been the last bastion of my nutrional virtue. Maybe it will all catch up with me soon.

Not before the 3rd of August though, please! I don't want to be ill in the Galapagos Islands. Get it [no question mark option on my keyboard, that's a new low these south american computers have sunk to]. I've booked an eight day tour on Darwin's fair isles! How jealous are all of you [ditto]. It was a very stressful day, as almost all f the spaces have gone for the next few weeks, and there was a lot of to-ing and fro-ing and yes, I'll have that space, but oh no, it's gone, and there is one but it costs a million pounds and means you'll only get to go to Colombia for three days and then finally one appeared and I got it. It took me a little while to remember this meant I was going to do something amazing which I could be happy and excited about, rather than I'd just managed to have the date of my hip replacement changed or something.

In other news, my exam results are out but I don't know what they are because the letter is sitting on a doormat in Ealing with no-one home. Julie, I may have you go round and break in on your way home from work. And, I may have a room in Balham from September with Hels Bels [of blog-suggesting fame] and Amy. Sorry to sully my blod with these non-holiday facts.

Now, the weather. Well, yesterday, the weather seemed to anticipate the city's mood when later Quito lost to the other side in the footie semis. I strolled out of an internet cafe and blow me if it isn't raining! With the mildness, it was exacty like being in Donegal, where I normally am at around this time of year.

Sport. The football. So, yeah, we lost. You can imagine how gutted I was. I watched the first half with Mr Hostel man, who plied with me whiskey [my least favourite drink since bad experiences in my mid-teens] and traditional food which was tasteless maize and fried pork fat. I escaped to join these friends of mine for half number two. More of them last night, a group of about 10, mainly girls, one English [just finished at Oxford, employed by McKinseys]. Look, Maria, I'm trying, but this is getting boring again.

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8 Comments - Add Public Comment or Send Private Message

July 22nd 2005 - Maria:

Ok, Thank you for your efforts. You can tell me when you get back and therefore isolate your boringness. 11-3 at school eh? What about lunch?

July 22nd 2005 - Dad: spelling

It's such a huge relief that, after so many instances of "hostal", we at last get "Mr Hostel man". (Fathers are allowed to be pedantic - and patronising to their offspring.) The content and style are brilliant but I must buy you a good dictionary. And I just can't go without saying "it's cemetery". I feel better now.

July 22nd 2005 - anonymous:

I can go if you like just let me know the address and i'll get there over the weekend. Donegal will always be waiting for your return liz, though i'm sure the similarities are not so strong. x

July 22nd 2005 - Author's Reply Beamish:

I know, it´s been getting a bit ridiculous with the spelling. I might actually start proof-reading. You weren´t the first to point out cemetery, and you´ll notice I´ve actually edited it. One day, when I´m waiting for a plane or something, I´m going to go through the whole thing for however many hours it takes and try and get as many words right as possible. Sorry for being a bad daughter.

July 22nd 2005 - Author's Reply Beamish:

Lunch is a pork sandwich, hastily scoffed on the street in twenty minutes max. Then back to it.

July 23rd 2005 - Mon: Spelling and the Intermarche

Hi - I have really enjoyed your blog, having been a passive reader of your adventures, but am now fired up to write in defense of bad spelling. As a renowned bad speller who has been persecuted for it since early childhood I would like to support the individuality expressed by a creative approach to spelling - do we really want to be cloned adherants of an outmoded system?? Also, on a separate subject, we are off to the Intermarche in a week or so - should we secure a writing pad for you? Orders taken. Lots of love, Mon

July 24th 2005 - Author's Reply Beamish: "Hostal" is Spanish for "hostel"

Yeah, thanks Mon, my sentiments exactly. And, what is more, all the signs round here say "hostal" so my father's contribution is just a demonstration of his unworldliness. I'm not standing for this patriarchal bullying anymore (though I have checked all the spellings I was unsure of in this email). I'll have two notebooks, a pack of ten plastic pencils with rubbers (black and neon not the other colours), and a tub of celeriac with mayonnaise, please. Enjoy the holiday...

July 25th 2005 - Mon: You're on!

Hello again - and you're on! Might have to wait for New Year's Eve's Eve for the cleriac, unuless you can make it up here earlier... have a great time, love, Mon

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