New hostel in Máncora
Although I have no particular problem with my lodging at Sol y Mar, I have been persuaded to change the hostel that I'm staying at, for tonight (my final night) here in Máncora. The ever-indecisive Einat can't stand the unreliable water and the crowded little dorm of Sol y Mar any longer; and she's convinced a Canadian girl called Erin, and myself, to come with her to the HI down the road. Personally, I really couldn't be bothered moving for one night; but then again, I couldn't be bothered arguing with Einat either. This place is much nicer, but it's a bit more expensive as well.
I've only known Einat for two days, but she's already starting to get on my nerves. The girl simply cannot make up her mind about anything! I had breakfast and lunch with her today, and it took her about an hour each time, just to decide where to go and eat. For heaven's sake, who cares if one place is s/2 more expensive than another, or if one place is more of a dump than another: can we please just sit down, and frikken' eat! She also changed her mind about when she's leaving Máncora: she refunded her bus ticket for this evening, and she's going to leave tomorrow evening instead. She wants to travel up to Ecuador with me: we'll have to see how that goes.
Fairly quiet night over at the HI tonight. There were a big bunch of Israelis staying there, and the guys invited me to play a friendly game of poker with them. I ain't a gambling man, but it was only s/5 ($USD1.50) to get in and to buy your chips; and from there, it was a game to the death, winner takes all. I held in for a fair while, and I had a winning streak for quite a few rounds. I got very good at saying "od chamesh" (lit: "raise five") at this point, and my stockpile of chips just kept getting bigger. But, of course, the luck ran out eventually, and before long I was all in for my last round, and then I was out of the game.
After that, the night ended rather abruptly, and most pathetically — about as pathetic a Saturday night in Máncora as ever there was. Einat and Erin had already gone to sleep, and I went and had a lie down as well. We were all just planning to have a nap, and to then go out and hit the bars and the clubs (all just down the road) later on, at about 11pm or 12am. But it didn't happen. Next thing we knew, it was 8am the next morning, and a night of partying had passed us by. Gawd-daym!