Hospedaje Samanapata

I've been staying Hospedaje Samanapata for a wee while now. It's a brand new place, and I was one of the first people to stay. The hallway is open air (usual in this place) and it has several rooms, each with 1 to 3 beds. In my time there I slept in them all. When other guests came and went, Carlos kept moving me about to make optimum use of the rooms! Carlos, the owner, doesn't speak any English. Well, he knows his 6 words of English and I know my 6 words of Spanish, but that didn't stop us getting on.

One day I arrived back late morning (I, um, hadn't been to bed that night) and all I wanted to do was crash and sleep. Only I found all my stuff neatly packed into my rucksack laying in the hall way. "Err, Carlos. What's going on?" He explained that a group of people turned up last night but he was a bed short. He didn't think I'd be coming back, so he, err, moved me out! But he dragged out a sofa and brought down some blankets so I could sleep in the hall way instead! Everyone got to know me that day! Carlos was kind enough not to charge me for that night!

Then there was the incident with the electric shower. All hot showers in this country are a cold shower with an electric heating element fixed to the shower head. Sounds dangerous? It is! This one hadn't been properly grounded (or something) and when I used it, I got this tingling feeling all over! Then the tingling got stronger and stronger and... then stronger! I had to literally jump out of the shower to avoid being electrocuted! I re-enacted the episode to Carlos (with clothes on) and he replaced the shower the very next day.

In return Carlos kept introducing me to all the female occupants! He always got very overly excited when an English speaking girl stayed and would happily set us up! It got kinda embarrassing as I never had much to say to them! "Hi, I'm Steve! Nice to meet you and err, I'm not sure what to say but, um, Carlos here wanted me to speak to you." I would look behind to find Carlos nodding manically and gesturing with his hands for me to continue! I found it all very difficult but it seemed to please Carlos no end!

Posted by Steve Eynon