As I said if we could find a place that doesn't eat us we will be laughing - well we are rolling around laughing. Liz did not get bit last night, the place is spotless, crisp sheets, steaming hot showers TV and for less money than the place last night.

Liz looks like a happy bunny again as we sat down to the first breakfast in ages. Here was the litmus test for Columbia and it has passed - we are going to like Columbia hopefully very much.

We went to the square and sat in the brilliant sunshine. A few Columbians in their ponchos were doing the same. It can get a bit nippy here at night due to the altitude but the days are at a perfect temperature and it is nice to be able to wear trousers and woolly jumper.

We went down to get some laundry done and took the opportunity of having my hair cut. This is always an interesting experience in third world countries and here was no exception. The lady cutting the hair was wearing a nurse outfit complete with breathing mask. All she needed was surgical gloves and she could easily get into an operating theatre.

I didn't expect to get my hair cut so was unprepared with the Spanish I might need. I decided to wing it and see what happened. The previous strategy in Equador was to point at a type of haircut in a magazine. There I had to settle for Ricky Martin but that is another story. There were no pictures this time so I counted on the hairdresser saying "do you want a trim". This plan failed to some extent as our phrase book didn't have the word for trim. I sat down and when she said something in Spanish I just said "Si" (yes). It wasn't a place specialising in mohecans so I thought I couldn't go wrong. To prevent being shaved bold I asked for number three trimers back and sides and thankfully she anticipated that I wanted a sissor cut on top.

So off she went doing a proper job that included my ears - oh dear I must be getting old. At the point where most hairdressers would say "jobs a good un" out came the cut throat razor. I thanked my lucky stars that I didn't have a cough and froze whilst she went around my ears and neck.

Relieved at comming out of this unscaved with a decent haircut I tipped her and we went to do some shopping for lunch. By this time my back which had been giving me some gib decided to get worse. I waited patiently whilst Liz did her complete tour of a well stocked supermarket, on a par with a convenience shop back home.

Getting horizontal and comfortable on the bed seemed like a good idea. Having got up very early this turned into an afternoon siesta. By the time I woke up I was stiff as a board and having trouble sitting up.

Liz suggested some exercises, then we tried some anti-inflamitory cream we had left over from Liz's toe. I normally don't do massages but the thought of being painfree on a couch being pampered by a young Columbian lady was quite appealing. I was lucky Liz offered to have a go with the aid of a hot T shirt heated by the super hot shower.

It seemed to have helped (or was it the rum I had), we are now enjoying the delights of Columbian TV. Liz is transfixed by a program showing you how to make a hideous candle holder. There has been some really novell Christmas decorations so far, you get used to seeing them so I forget to detail them in these blogs. First prize goes to empty soft drink bottles tied around a light that surprisingly looked OK. Other ones can be quite elaborate but normally has some element that makes you cringe and laugh at the same time.