What a Night!! I think I managed to get a few hours sleep but it was certainly interrupted with every corner I had to grab for a seat and hope to stay put. At about 1am the bus also broke down and took over an hour to fix. We also passed through a few more police checks but as I had my head down the police didn't notice I was a foreigner and walked past me. Around 3am a woman got off the bus and have me her seat before the other passengers getting on could steal it (this made me smile) - the seat even though hard and with loose bolts was truly wonderful on my backside and I thanked The Lord for this small blessing. Around 4am we stopped for breakfast (the bus seemed to stop every hour) and my friends explained all the different breakfast foods at the resteraunt - not to take a big risk on the meat I went for a simple arepa that cost me a whooping 20 cents and was easily the best arepa I have ever ever eaten. I managed to nods on and off for next 4 hours and we arrived in Ciudad Bolivar at around 8am (lucky I didn't book my flight to angel falls for this morning). I thanked my new friends for the info they had given me and then exchanged contact details and said goodbye. I then spent the next 30 minutes trying to find a tour agent at bus station but unfortunately had no luck. From here I headed out onto the street and managed to flag down a big van that I guessed was heading to the centre (the ride costing me 10 cents). I arrived in the centre and headed straight for the main plaza to locate a posada; the first posada was full but the second was almost empty. On arrival in the second I was met by the owner a very abrupt and arrogant guy that I immediately didn't like and after taking a bunk on his terrace told me that the kitchen wasn't working because there is no gas in Venezuela - Bulls*** I thought. Up on the terrace I dumped my things, brushed my teeth and chatted with a young Brazilian guy before grabbing a quick coffee and setting off in search of a tour to Angel Falls. The first company I found the guy was really cool, gave me a coffee and told me everything I needed to know - but the price was slightly more then I had expected. Next I decided I would head to the airport where an agent I had been in contact with over last few days was located. Amazingly the tour agent I had just been talking with drove past in his car as I was trying to flag a taxi bus down and gave me a lift to the airport. On the way he explained a bit of the situation here in Venezuela and why it is such a dangerous place and how I really had to be careful. At the airport I found my friend the travel agent Walter and he went through various tours and prices with me - I was still quite unsure what to do and whilst we were discussing we got the bad news that all flights to the park tommorow had been canceled - Venezuela bureaucracy strikes again. I got talking with a couple from Houston who were also wanting to do a tour and somehow we got caught up in this huge argument between two locals (one being and Israeli born Venezuelan). Basically the Israeli was saying what a dangerous county Venezuela is and how sad it is that now there are no tourists and how last year 26,000 people were murdered over something as small as a mobile phone - this made me very nervous. The woman was trying to say Venezuela is the most beautiful country in the world and that the guy hated Venezuela - which he obviously did but I appreciated his honesty. Really he just wanted to make me aware that people including many tourists are murdered here everyday so the need for caution is of utmost importance - Dont walk at night, don't flash valuables, catch a taxi everywhere (something I never do) the conversation/argument left me feeling scared and worried but also now informed: from here on our I will be super careful and pay the extra dollar for my safety and stay away from the dangerous cities. I thanked Walter and left it with him to inform me when I could do my Angel Falls tour and headed out on the street to find a taxi to take me back to centre. It took me a little while to get a taxi but when i did i found the taxi driver was really kind and gave me his name and number and told me if I need to go anywhere then I should call him. I was dropped off infront of a small supermarket and got my first look at a real Venezuelan supermarket (one with a lot of empty shelf space and missing the basic foods like milk, flour etc). Prices were really cheap but they didn't have many things for lunch so I figured I would go in search of a resteraunt instead. I walked into this resteraunt that was full of people and selling roast chicken and corn cakes and who should I see? My Japanese friends from Roraima - I couldn't believe it. We all got some lunch: incredible quarter chicken, huge salad and boiled yukka for $1. My friends had already booked their tour and had found a nice hostel and when they told me the price I almost fell over as it was far better then I had been offered. I followed them back to the hostel and was met by Carlos and his lovely wife; they explained the tour which included an extra night in the lodge (3 nights and 4 days) plus 3 nights free in their hostel. I couldn't believe it was so much cheaper and even if the service at the falls wasn't the best it wouldn't matter atleast I would be with my Japanese friends again. I raced back to the posada I had booked into and explained to the owner the situation and then offered to pay him for the bed which luckily he declined and told me it was no problem and he couldn't beat the price - I could tell he was pissed off but I left before he had a chance to vocalist his thoughts. Back to my new hostel I signed up with the tour and accommodation package and unloaded my things. The hostel has a really nice atmosphere as Carlos and his whole family live here and they are all very kind and happy people. In the afternoon I went in search of some groceries before the 6pm curfew (this is the time we are recommended not to go out after). I didn't find much but met some interesting characters - one who told me how to eat avocado (with tomato, onion, mayonnaise and spicy sause) and a girl who had been living in New York but had returned to Venezuela and had her passport stolen. I am not going to lie I feel very nervous walking around here and I draw far more attention then anywhere else I have ever been and after hearing the scary fact that 36,000 people were murdered last year in this country during robberies. In the evening Carlos's wife cooked for the Japanese but I had brought things so I decided not to join them but Carlos's wife was so kind and gave me avocados and cassavee to go with my very simple boiled eggs. I can't explain how nice the owners here are and how comfortable I feel in this hostel. There are loads of mini biting fleas in the hostel and for some reason they like me so it may be a long night.

OBSERVATIONS:
- Crazy night on bus
- Arrive in Ciudad Bolivar - feel the danger in the air
- Originally stay at Don Carlos Posada - change to Conexion tours hostel with Japanese friends
- Wonder into resteraunt and find my Japanese friends
- No tourists walking around at all
- Hostel fantastic, tour great price - very happy