Awful leaving Colombia, have never hated leaving anything so damn much.. However, the bus ride we were about to embark on was the one of the highlights of this trip!!! It was mental there were about 25 people on the bus and by the end of it we were like one big familia!! It was a bloody long trip though, it took us from 10am until 10pm the same day (after travelling through Brazil this feels like nothing) to get to Maracaibo (which should only take 6 hours). It wasn't a big company it was just one bus driver and one [View Full Entry]

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We were so frustrated with Cartagena by this point that we left on a Friday night. In the mist of the festive Christmas period, when the some of the best DJ´s in the world (Roger Sanchez, Paul (or Bob) van Dyke, Tiesco (hadn´t heard of him before but now it is non stop) were in town, and 4 different dance festivals were about to start!!! We spend one night in Barranquilla to break up the trip. This is home to the gigantic Shakira, Shakira.. and was therefore worth a visit. She is absolutely huge in Latin America, I think this is [View Full Entry]

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Congratulations Kuk and Pinkybhai, wicked a girl, she will get spoilt to death!!! Tambien to Dipa for getting the damn marriage legalised!!! Take your time gal!! Ok then, where to start!!! 1st Dec 2006, we flew from Panama City to directly to Cartagena. Easy flight, no hitches. First Country in South America, was extremely excited!! Cartagena is a magnificent city, full of history and culture, but a tourist hot spot and one of the four main cities in the country.. therefore bloody expensive!! Amit, you should take Nish, I know that you can afford it!! It is the perfect choice f [View Full Entry]

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I am so glad the Costa Rica was so expensive, Panama really was saving the best for last!! Last country in Centro America and on par with the first.. It took as about 4 hours in total from leaving Puerto Viejo in Costa Rica to arriving ion Bocas del Toro in Panama. Wicked, the place was my favourite time in Centro America.. This is a brilliant holiday destination, as the Americans seem to have already found, but despite the tourism, the local cultura and beautiful bright town make it fantastic!! The boat from the port took us about and hour, bumpy [View Full Entry]

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Costa Rica will take one page I promise!! Was very excited to be entering Costa Rica, as you know Sara, but I think the route we took across country just did not do it justice.. We missed all the parks and reseveres on our way to the Costa Rican capital San Jose. The funniest things seem to happen to us at border crossings!! It just seems to be the most confusing time!! We haqve paid more for a bicycle across at 15 metre bridge than we have on an over night bus.. this time we, somehow, got talked into talking a [View Full Entry]

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Pretty disappointed with Nica, although have had a wonderful time, is not what it was build up to be. Granada was pretty much the same as Leon, I don't really enjoy big towns and Cities, must be getting old!!! The buildings were beautiful, really well maintained, very striking. I think the locals thought that the place would be booming with tourists, so they built a complex "Centro Turistica", with them in mind. Unfortunately, it would appear that they did not arrive in quite the force the locals believed that they would. The complex looks dilapidated, although you still have to pay [View Full Entry]

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I was so happy to leave Leon, not only did I get some kind of bug that lasted a full 24 hours, Jo got sick aswell, which meant that we had to stay there 2 extra days!! Felt trapped!! Immediately headed for the beach, and after being in a hostel with other travellers, we chose a beach for the Nicas not the Gringos!! Nicaragua has some of the most beautiful beaches on the pacific coast, completely undiscovered and therefore bloody cheap!! Mesmerised upon arrival!! Got there about 5pm and sat by the ocean until 10pm. Our hotel/room thing was on the [View Full Entry]

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¿Que Pasa Ustedes? If you haven´t seen any pictures yet go back to the last entries as I have put them on now!! I know if it was me I probably would only look at the pictures!! After leaving Pana, we only made it as far as Xela, or Quetzaltenango as is its official name, the second largest city in the country. Upon arrival, we immediately got a bus out of town that took us to a small Volcano town called Zunil. From there we got on the back of a pick up truck (very cheap in Centro America and always [View Full Entry]

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Check Jo and Gem´s sites for pictures and another side to the story: Jo www.travelblog.org/bloggers/jo-giles Gem www.offexploring.com/patellsall La Escuela (The School) The excuse to stay in Pana!! No really, it was the perfect start to 9 months in Latino America. We are by no means fluent but life would be very difficult without what we have. We sat in a tropical garden every day, can´t say that I didn´t get bitten (am one large mosi bite), but was the most idealic setting!! My maestra was Veronica, 30 with 3 kids (quite reserved) and separated as she had found her husband with [View Full Entry]

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Sooooooo, the travel trek from Heathrow Thursday 7th Sept was absoluety no problem, went without a hitch which is just as well we have some dodgy bus, trains etc ahead of us as yet!! Mexico City was magically, a city that has over 25 million inhabitants, the history tells of the strength of the people. Originally built over a lake by the Aztecs - who came from the north in search of a capital city (we were told this a thousand times by our tour guide as she could say it perfectly in English)- was then in invaded by the Spaniards. [View Full Entry]

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