La Libertad: 17th - 21st September 2025
17the September – Wednesday
I went to sleep thinking about Jay and I woke thinking about Jay, but I have not cried today. The more I think about it the more I am sure that on more than one occasion he had told me that he was gong to die soon, or didn’t have long to live – I brushed it off. But Glenn is convinced that he knew he was terminally ill and would not tell us, and he is right when he says that he was not the same after his visit to Thailand, when he ended up in hospital. And when I look at the picture from when we first went out together to the last ones, he aged really quickly – too quickly. He was continually bruising and a little bump would cut, I’ve researched – I wonder if he had Von Willes disease type 3, and was diagnosed with it in Thailand? The problem is I’ll never know the answer to that one, but I have a gut feeling I am on the right track. So sorry Jay, I should have listened and taken you more seriously.
I moved today to La Libertad. I got a taxi to the bus terminal only to then have to walk 15 minutes to the correct bus stop – I may well have walked to stop near to where I was staying. By the time I got to the stop my back and bra were drenched in sweat, but the bus was only 69 cents, so worth it 
I took up two seats as there was nowhere to put my rucksack and felt so guilty when the bus was full and people were standing, so I kept my eyes averted, that was until a woman carrying a baby got on – I gave her my seat. When she stood to get off, I reclaimed it, but she didn’t get off, because, when I got off ten minutes later, she was standing at the exit doors holding her baby, and for the life of me she wouldn’t move so I had to push past her with my rucksack hanging off my left shoulder. Anyway, I got off at the exact right stop and found a place to sit while I waited 20 minutes for a 4-minute taxi ride. I could have walked; my hotel was only 13 minutes away but it was too hot and I actually enjoyed sitting and chilling for a while.
Uhm, the apartment owner said he sent me instructions to get – no he bloody didn’t. It took a while to find his number, but that I did and he gave me all of the pass numbers via the phone then sent me the message he should have done yesterday with all the needed info. The place is a little drab and outdated, but so is most of Latin America, however it is spacious and comfortable and clean, which is the main thing. The pool is smaller than I was expecting and the place is virtually empty, I’m kind of wishing I had booked the placed in town, I am sure there would be more guests there than here. But here I am so I will make the most of it.
After dropping my bags and paying my rent I took a slow stroll back into town and the supermarket. FFS, the road is so dusty and extremely busy, mainly with construction trucks. It is also lined with quite a few street food stalls, but what with all the dust I think I will give them a miss. So, I bought dinner and breakfast for a few days, suntan cream, toothpaste and a shit load
of booze – lol. I got a taxi back and the lady driver informed me that they are digging all the roads up to lay the electric cables underground, hence the traffic jams and dust.
By the time I had eaten it was dark so I am staying in for the evening. I contacted Walter to see if he wanted a video conversation, but he is working, so we’ll have one in the morning. I must go back on that conversation platform and respond to some of the others that replied to me. I could be having conversations everyday if I put my mind to it. And what with Jay now dead I cannot see me returning to Cambodia – sorry Glenn – so I really do need to get my Spanish up to speed. I did some research the other night and there is a need for English teachers here in El Salvador, but only ones that have good conversational Spanish. I expect that will be the same across Latin America, and at the moment it is looking like somewhere in Latin America will become my next country of residence – it’s here or the UK, and the UK is not looking pretty right now, it’s becoming a very far right fascist country and I am not liking what I see.
19th September – Friday
The night before last I woke at 2am and spent two hours messaging Justine and Glenn. Justine is very concerned I am not getting enough sleep. Anyway, I woke in the morning with an upset stomach – it was either the juice I saved, from the cheap meal I bought, and drank or the lettuce I ate with my dinner – I’m verging on the drink as it froze in the fridge, then defrosted, got hot and then got cold again, and I think it may have contained milk. It was very delicious but I think may have been very off. I had the shits in the morning, then seemed ok during the day. I managed a walk to supermarket for coffee and deodorant, which I forgot to purchase the day before, I even had a swim for half an hour. But the moment I turned off the light and rolled over to sleep it all started again – worse than in the morning 
I had three rather nasty trips to the loo before I slept. On Justine’s advice I took one of the melatonin she gave me, so I did eventually sleep very well.
I’ve been fine today, but I fear I have turned into a hotel hermit. I had to message the owner, both of the coffee pots are out of order and I need a blanket, one sheet is just not cosy enough. He responded immediately and dealt with my requests I had a lovely swim earlier and that has been it. I cannot even tell you what I have done to pass the time bar have breakfast, pluck my eyebrows and have dinner – lol. Luckily tomorrow is another day and Marco, Dina and her son are coming over for a day of swimming, the beach and a trip into town. I think the company and being forced into being sociable will do me the world of good.
I need to decide where to go to next – I’m finding this one really difficult and have reached out on the family WhatsApp group for help. Do I go to Nicaragua or straight to Costa Rica? If I go straight to Costa Rica I will have more time in S America, but Nicaragua looks amazing. I really just wish I had someone to tell me what to do. It’s not often you will hear me say that, but I am so unmotivated at the moment and so undecided. If I had longer out here Nicaragua would be a no brainer. S America is so vast, should I cut Central America short for it? It’s not like I actually even planned to come to Central America, it just kind of happened, I had originally planned a year in South America – lol. Someone please, tell me what to do – PLEASE.
I sent Sheila the link to my website today – she absolutely loved it and said it came up perfectly well on her iPad – so now to distribute the link to everyone I know – feeling nervous about this but I think it should be done – lol.
20th September – Saturday
It has been such a lovely positive day – the first for a long time and my spirits feel lifted. And it’s so needed, especially after last night when Bela, in her not so nice joking way, revealed to me that I do not have a room at Nenad’s for Defected next year. She has given all the rooms to her new ‘randoms’ as she calls them. I can have the balcony or kitchen floor! I spent the evening researching as Rita was convinced there was no where left to book. I messaged Rita this morning with my findings from last night and before I knew it … she booked me and her accommodation. It is a little walk from the site but not too far, it is just after the fish restaurant, Provo’s, where we me and Bela got serious food poisoning from one year. I actually remember seeing the block half built, it has one bedroom but a sofa bed in the living room, a full kitchen and a balcony overlooking the bay, and no hill or stairs to climb. All I need now is a defected ticket and return flights – Rita and I are so excited – I’m grinning just typing this
Marco, Dina and her 2 boys came this morning. They simply couldn’t wait to get in the pool. It was such a delight to see the excitement on their faces. It really proved that the smallest and easiest of gestures go such a long way. And having their company was more than what the doctor ordered. They came ladened with food, which I asked them to and said I’d pay, but Marco refused to take any money from me. After a good frolic in the pool Marco made huge cheese, ham and salad rolls for lunch, Dina told him all about the Ratatouille film and we just laughed. It was so nice. We then went to the beach for a little while, but it’s surfing waves, so although they tried, they didn’t go in far, I didn’t even try! After showers we went to the sunset village in La Libertad town. It was such a lovely little promenade along the pier, and only recently built, and we were just in time to catch the fishermen selling their catch for the day – and wow what a catch, such beautiful and delicious looking fish. I bought everyone ice creams and then they dropped me back off home. I must admit, I was a little disappointed because I had planned, in my head, that I would take them all for a pizza dinner, but they had already booked a pizza joint back in San Salvador for 7pm, for the 4 of them. But by the time it was time for them to leave I had put the thought out of my head and was glad not to be witnessing to any more of their flirting.
I have decided on my next country, thanks to mum and dad’s input. Marilyn cannot meet me in Panama, mum confirmed and explained. Dad said to work my way backwards to determine how long I need in S America, which I had kind of already done. It seemed quite obvious in the end;
cut Panama out, it is expensive and Americanized and I think I will get more from Nicaragua. So, the plan is Nicaragua – Costa Rica – Columbia and then probably Brazil. Manu is planning a trip out here, so I think we will meet in Brazil in the new year, but regardless, I want to be in South America by the 1st of December at the latest. 5 months in C America and 7 in S America – feels like the perfect split
I’ve just freed myself from my apartment. I locked myself in only to find a little fly locked in with me. For the life of me I couldn’t unlock the door to free either of us. I tried and tried to the point where I messaged the apartment owner and asked him to send someone to let me out – lol – it is a combination lock, with the combination on the outside and a twisty knob on the inside. Just before he replied to my message, which was a good 45 minutes later, I tried once more and it unlocked – sods law, as my dear departed dad would say. The fly came and said it’s goodbye while I was brushing my teeth and then swiftly left. Myself, on the other hand, am still inside the apartment but extremely happy that I can get out again – god knows what the apartment owner must think – lol – a customer from the looney bin?
Dina has left all of her and her boy’s swimming gear here – silly moo. Luckily I will be passing through San Salvador on Monday, so she will not have to drive all the way back here.