Boat trip down the Amazon!!! plus Angel Falls Last Thursday afternoon, all hot and sweaty, I jumped into a natural pool deep in the Venezuelan jungle and took a swim. The air was full of mist and a deep rumble echoed off the rocks around. From three hundred stories above a thick ribbon of water poured off a rock wall and pounded into the stones below. These were Angel Falls, the absolute highest in the world, and it was a long trip to get there. First was the trip down the Amazon in a cargo boat, then the busses north across the equator into Venezuela, then a small charter plane to the village of Canaima, and lastly a four hour ride in a motorized canoe and a short hike. And also I stopped just north of ... read more

It's noon on a friday afternoon and out the window of my room I see about ten highrise apartments and three more being built. This is a growing city, as the population pushes higher than eight million people the growth pushes north and west away from the mountains. Small towns are absorbed into the metropolis and they become historic neighbourhoods with expensive restaraunts and trendy stores. In the centre there is alot to interest a person curious of Colombia's deep history; museums, galleries and historic buildings. Also there are six universites churning out a well educated generation of young Bogotans. In the past two weeks I think I've met more chemical, civil, and stuctural engineers than I have in the rest of my life not to mention the architects, dentists, and translators who speak four fluent ... read more

On monday the 16th of June we met the people we would share the boat with; 2 English, 2 Germans, 2 Australians, 2 Americans, us, and a French girl. Quite a mix, all with the same goal of getting down to Colombia and mostly sailing for the same reason, that being theres no road and its funner than flying and not that much more expensive. Some are backpacking like us, some are heading there to fly back home, 2 are on their way to visit a friends grave in Venezuela, and all of us are eager to set sail. Preparations take most of the day monday which means we get a late start and will sail through the night, taking turns in pairs at watch. After packing the boat full of what seems like an excessive ... read more

Well the last two weeks have passed quickly as we make our way further and further south. Before dropping Tiff off at the airport we spent some time on the pacific side of Costa Rica where we experienced a big tropical storm. We were confined to our beach cabana for most of three nights and two days as driving rains and hurricane force winds battered the coast. We passed the time by playing cards and reading, until the power went out at least then it was realy dark. We emerged unscathed but the community centre down the road did'nt do as well, the wind tore it's roof off! So after that me and Dane bussed it over to the carribean side to get away from the rain and ended up staying in the worst town I ... read more

So I met up with my brother and sister last tuesday in Liberia, I ended up getting in about 45 mins after them because I missed the early bus out of Managua, oops. Rather than double back across the border we spent a day in Costa Rica at Rincon de la Vieja park. Tiff and Dane were getting used to the hot and humid climate while I was enjoying the cool, dry weather. It's definetely not 'honduras hot' here. The park we went to was something different, there were cracks in the ground puking out boiling mud and geysers spewing out steam all due to volcanic activity. This might have been where doctor seus grew up! Theres a rig drilling holes there so they can use the heat out of the ground to make power, I ... read more