6/1/10 - day 28.

the previous night at dinner, a guide had come round asking if people wanted to climb volcan maderas the following day. i said i wanted to go up as far as the cloud line (about 750 metres of the 1400 metres) and had to meet him at half 7. so i got up at about half 6 after a very windy night sleep (my bed was by the window, i didnt have flatulence), had all you can eat breakfast buffet of porridge, eggs, bread, all kinds of fruit and coffee and set off wth my guide, simione, just after half 7.

you have to take a guide up there with you by law as far too many people have gone up, got lost and never returned or if they have returned, it´s been just as a corpse. i didnt much fancy that. it was a good hike, with an awesome view of the other volcano on the island as well as the surrounding lake and beaches. i was exhausted at the 750 metre mark so would really have struggled to go any further. besides, after about another 50 metres visibility is awful so i didnt see the point. the whole hike there and back took about 4 hours.

when i got back i had lunch of fish, which took forever to come as they went out to catch it! i caught up with phil and randy over a hard earned beer and and coconut ice cream. went for a nap later and got up in time for the dinner buffet. got chatting to a romanian girl and 2 greek guys over dinner who it turned out were heading out the same way as me the following day so agreed to share a taxi with them to the ferry port, meaning i wouldnt have to get a really slow, awkwardly timed bus which was handy.

went to bed at 10pm.