19/12/09 - day 10.

up at 8, ready to be on the move again. shared a taxi with 2 others who were also leaving the hostel for the bus station. got there about 9, taxi driver kindly pointed out which bus i needed to get on for Boquete. got on (without paying or buying a ticket - turns out you pay when you get off) and 10 or so mins later, we set off. was a pretty bumpy bus ride up there and i got very squashed as so many people were on it. mainly kids. i was glad the journey was only an hour long.

boquete is a highland town up in the mountains so the air was fresh and none of that stifling heat of the cities. the cool air was really welcome change. when i got off the bus i saw a sign pointing to the hostel i would be staying at, hostal nomba, and after walking straight past it, i checked in. very small hostel but cosy and i liked it there. met some good people there too.

i booked myself in for a coffee plantation tour straight away at cafe ruiz for 1pm, then went for food. had an omelete. wasn´t great.

went for the coffee tour and saw 3 others i recognised from my hostel, an american (conner) and an oz/scottish couple (louise and stu). we started the tour at the coffee farm where the fruit (yes, the coffee bean is a fruit) is grown and picked. then onto where its washed, dried and finally roasted. i had a nasty experience when we were at the farm in the form of an involuntary bowel movement. i had to interrupt carlos (the guide) to ask if there was a toilet. it was pretty embarrassing but less so than the alternative which would have been me soiling myself infront of everyone on the tour including my new friends. we went back to the factory afterwards and tasted 2 types of coffee. all were good and we were given a bag to take away with us at the end.

went for food after with the 3 from my stu, louise and conner. then went online to find arsenal had beaten hull 3-0, mark hughes had been sacked and man utd had lost to villa. later, got a few beers in a chilled at the hostel with the others. got to bed around 1am.