Dec 5 New attempt. Did not complete the previous.

 And... I'm ok with that.  right???

New world.  Found hoglin stables straight south of portal.  Traded a bit already, got two fire res.  I just was killed there, in front of the middle rampart, by hoglins.  Should be able to recover well.

Did it.  Exploring the bastion.  Cant find middle staircase.  And dead again.  in the bottom middle, i think.

Can't get it back.  Resetting.

Dec 5 Effort #2.

Lots of desert near spawn.  Two desert temples, and a village near a lava pool beside a shipwreck.  Not far from a buried treasure.

If I fail now...

portal is at 25,,-287.  

fortress at 172,79,-372.  pos/neg

I'll look in next quad:  pos/pos..........nope, its a fortress.

I'm seeing a fortress at -144,,-344 , west of me.

How about neg/pos:..............  I tried getting to a good neg/pos position but it's kind of blocked up with netherrack in high banks and walls to the roof.  I guess I could dig through, but it's probably a waste of time.  Plus I keep dying.

Ok.  I'll gear up and look farther for a bastion.  I still have good supplies back at base.

I'll try to go straight east from portal, aiming for 600,,-250.  I should pass the fortress on the way.

Long story short:  I went about 2000 blocks east.  Found a treasure bastion and looting it, I forgot a piglin might be above me.  got killed.  Respawned back at base, determined to follow my footsteps all the way.  Got off track a bit.  Gave up on the treasure.  Found a bridge bastion!  I have got the chalice in hand.  Now I parked myself until such a time as I can safely make a trading zone.  Looks like I just need to avoid getting killed by the hoglin that remains.  Also it would be handy to have chests and get some iron.

Ok I did that before going to bed.  I have traded all the gold.  Got everything but enough pearls.  I can just boat a bunch of endermen in this area though.  

I don't want to jinx it, but I'm still under 6 hours.  If I find a fortress quickly, maybe sub seven?  Hours, that is...

Jinxed.

I must have looked at an enderman in the bastion.  And in 1.16.1, a single block in a corner over my head isn't enough to block his attack.  Then I geared up again to come rescue my loot, and when I stepped on a lava-level bridge made of soul sand, I burned!  I think your feet sink into it a bit, and then you touch lava if you're close to the edge.  I think I might make one more careful run for it.  If I have enough supplies stored at base.

I had enough.  Then got killed twice within 300 blocks of the portal.  

Time to try again fresh.