The hostel virgin

Wow, this has been a very long day! I’ve been up since before 5 am and haven’t had a lag in energy yet (it’s 10:15pm here now), which is somewhat disconcerting. Oh, the crash to come. Anyway, the hostel situation here is pretty good, though given the fact that I’m sharing a room with 6 girls it’s hard to figure out what to take with me, what to leave in the room, what to lock up, what to leave sitting out, etc. I find myself locking my bag up then realizing I’ve left my key card in there…getting it back out only to lock up something else I need. I’ve definitely spent the better part of this day opening and closing that damn locker.

I was however, very productive this morning and into the afternoon. I got into the city at 7:50 am, got a cell phone up and working, opened a bank account, got my visa in order, “laid out” at the rooftop pool (which is basically a puddle with a what might be the most uncomfortable bench ever created plopped next to it), and got myself oriented with the city by making every wrong turn humanely possible. Seriously, I’m surprised I didn’t accidentally fly to London given the current state of my directional sense. Even if I turn the map so that I’m walking in the direction it’s facing, somehow, I still manage to get it wrong 95% of the time. What can I say, it’s a gift.

So, I have no idea what to do with myself tonight, though I’ll be perfectly content to have some working wireless connection so I can play online for a while and book some tours for this week. I’m thinking about doing a 4 hour bridge climb tomorrow…that sounds appropriately painful for my 2nd day here. Though it may rain :( No rest for the weary. I’m thinking I’ll start getting really tired in abut an hour or so, then I’ll want to go to sleep and the door to our room will open and close 10 or 15 times between then and 1am. Could this be another ambien-aided evening? All signs point to yes.

In other news, the people I’ve met so far have been very nice, though it does seem to be help matters if I open up to them first (though I’m only speaking for the couple of people I’ve met in passing at the hostel today). And initiating conversation is fine by me…I need to start letting go of my New York aloofness anyway. Here’s a good a place to start as any. I am meeting up with some friends of friends in the coming weeks, but for now, I’m on my own. It’s kinda cool. Kinda surreal. Yep, I’m getting tired now.