Mossy's Backpackers #24

“How do you spell recommend?” Tim asked as he stretched his long arms above his head while balancing Cate’s journal on his lap.

“I think there’s a ‘q’ in there somewhere,” Max replied, barely managing to stifle a yawn.

“Oh shut up,” Cindy giggled. “Oh bloody hell, I’m getting the giggles again. What time is it?”

“Three-thirty in the am,” Diego said from his spot on the floor beside the couch. “Maybe we should do this after we get some sleep – I know my notes would be a lot more coherent that way.”

“What fun would that be?” Max asked as he stared at the blank page in Greg’s journal before him. Or was it Cindy’s? “Wait, who’s book do I have now?”

“Mine,” Tobias said sleepily. “I hope you haven’t written a love note to Caitlin in there.”

“I have, actually,” Max said with a half-crazed laugh. “But it’s okay, I’ll just cross out her name and put yours in and it should work the same.” At this Cindy started laughing uncontrollably and Greg had to latch onto her to prevent her from falling off the couch.

“I think I’m starting to sober up,” Cate slurred into Max’s shoulder. She had started out slowly with a small glass of wine at dinner but when Mossy had shown up with a keg on his shoulder things degenerated quickly. Max had kept pace with her for a while but gave up once he realized he was twice as drunk as she was after only five drinks.

She drank your butt under the table.

Well, two things to consider. One: tomorrow morning is going to be much more pleasant for me. And two: she probably won’t remember anything past dinner tonight.

Then it’s a good thing Jay and Tim have most of the night on video between them.

“What time are you lunatics planning on leaving tomorrow?” Jay asked, looking very relieved he could spend the day in bed.

“I’m aiming to wake up at noon,” Greg said. “We’re pretty much all packed up already so I reckon a quick shower and some breakfast and we’ll be out the door by one.”

“Noon seems a lot closer than it ought to be,” Cindy said while failing to keep a straight face. Greg sighed at her before tussling her hair fondly.

“I’ve got a bus to catch in the morning so I guess I’ll be first off,” Tim said with an uncomfortable glance at the time. “Nine am is definitely closer than it has any business being.”

“Nine?” Max groaned. “Why not catch a later bus?”

“Why you busing? Why no hitchin’?” Cate mumbled.

“Sorry, what was that?” Tim asked, looking to Max for help.

“How far do you have to go tomorrow?” he asked, taking a stab at the reason for the Texan’s mode of transportation.

“Oh, I’m heading for Stone Creek, it’s almost 8 hours by bus and only one bus can get me there in one day,” Tim said. “So it’s either nine tomorrow or nine the day after. And if I stay an extra day it’ll be a week later before I know it.”

“Fair enough,” Max said as he returned his gaze to the journal in front of him. “We’d give you a ride but we’re headed straight south. This is Greg’s book, right?”

“It’s Tobias’,” Greg, Jay and Tim said together, sending Cindy into another laughing fit.

“You should probably get her to bed,” Diego observed.

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” Cindy told him as she took several deep, steadying breaths. “I just need to put a note in Max’s journal and I’ll have done everyone’s.”

“I can’t wait to read that one,” Max laughed. “If I’m able to read it at all.”

“Don’t make me come over there,” she said menacingly before totally destroying the effect by breaking out in hiccups. Greg shook his head in a long suffering way then got up to get her some water.

“I can’t keep my eyes open,” Tobias said with his chin buried in his chest. “But I don’t want to be the first to go to bed. This is too much fun and tomorrow will be too sad.”

“We had a helluva good run here,” Max said. “And I think it’s safe to say that we’ve celebrated it in fine fashion but it has to end at some point.”

“Fine,” Greg said as he returned with two glasses of water, handing one to Cate and the other to Cindy. “You go to bed first.”

“Not a chance,” Max replied without hesitation. “Although technically Kisho and Haya went to sleep first, they just didn’t go to bed.”

“I’m not sure passing out in the lounge counts as going to sleep,” Jay laughed. “But I guess we’re stalemated and there’s only one thing to do: pull an all nighter.”

“Oh bloody hell, screw that! I’m going to bed,” Cindy announced. “Good night to you all, I’ll see you all tomorrow before we take off. Including you Tim, you wake us up if we’re still in bed when your bus comes.”

“If? We’ll be sleeping mate, but definitely give us a nudge, alright?” Greg said as he stood up then hauled Cindy off the couch.

“Get a good rest you two,” Max said with a sad smile. “We’ll join you for your noon breakfast.” The Brits, after several more good nights, left the room arm in arm to go collapse into their bed and in so doing gave everyone else the excuse to do the same.

“You almost done Max?” Tobias called as he dragged himself to his feet.

“Yeah mate, give me two secs to finish it up,” he replied as he added one final line to his goodbye note. He then printed his email address and handed it back to Tobias.

“Thanks,” Tobias said as he read it then laughed loudly as he reached the end. “Perfect, man. Totally perfect. Good night.”

“Night night,” Cate said much more clearly than she had said anything in hours. Turning to Max she asked, “What was so funny?”

“Oh, I just wrote ‘We’ll always have the Christmas tree’,” Max said with an impish grin.

“What in the world does that mean?”

“Ah, I think I’ll save that story for the road,” Max laughed. “Right now we both need some sleep.”

“Okie dokie,” she said and promptly fell asleep on his shoulder. Max looked around for help but everyone had already disappeared to their rooms.

Don’t look at me, I’m all tucked in. See ya in the morning!

Too tired to come up with an alternative plan, Max rested his head on Cate’s, whispered a final ‘good night’ to the hostel and soon joined her in slumber.