dave reynolds

Looking back at my blogs, and my thoughts of travelling through Colombia my pre-conceived knowledge of this vast country has changed forever. Furthermore my mindset has changed. My view on my life choices since retirement reinforced. Facing my 3rd winter in Ibiza I recognised in myself what one might call 'cabin fever,' or what my brother calls 'island blues'. It was the strangest of feelings. Having been at the bottom once before, I recognised I had opportunity to do something about it. I negotiated time off work and bought a plane ticket. I seized the moment. I live on a relatively small island. It's paradise, but as it was described to me a few days before I left, also a paradise prison. I needed to step off, look back and reconfirm the decisions I've made. Where ... read more

Stefan, a 7yr old boy runs to his bedroom when I arrive with Jose at his house for lunch. One of ten children he returns moments later with his exercise book and a broad cheeky smile on his face. I'm at Queenie's. The home of Jose in barrio Los Fondadores on the outskirts of Santa Marta. Unmade roads, ramshackle block houses with tin roofs packed into every square meter of land. Kids playing football in bare feet. Old men sat at tables playing dominoes. Dogs roaming the streets. Corner shops displaying their wares. Women holding their children sat in the shade of their stoop. This is the other side of Colombia. The real side. Queenie is busy preparing dinner and from the smells coming from the pot on the stove it's going to taste delicious. Jose ... read more

I've been recommended a hostel called La Brisa Loca in Santa Marta by Jamie, a Colombian now living in Miami. The town, he told me, is a great place to explore from. He further explained that if La Brisa Loca is full there's another place across the road called 'Hostel California.' Now it was my turn to raise a eyebrow. "I've stayed there once" he said. "But don't worry. I checked out. There were no issues" La Brisa Loca hostel is up there with the best I've stayed in (the best bring Erratic Rock in Peurto Natales). I checked in for a couple of nights but ended up staying for six. Over a beer and football I started speaking to a 72yr old scouser called Les. An amazing character, full of stories of his travels. In ... read more

Colombia. A country rich in biodiversity. The highlands of the Andes in the east down to the pacific coast. The lowlands of the Caribbean in the north, the jungles of the south and west. Over 51,200 different plant and tree species, 359 different species of mammals, 700 unique bird species,1,100 different species of reptiles and 318 different species of fish. A human species population of around 44 million, 8 million of which live in Bogota. However, Not once do I ever recall reading that there's a volcano in Colombia. As I sat on a hot, sticky bus with my fellow volcanologists expectations were high. Patch and his parter Ellen from Toronto. Erin, a gangly woman also from Canada and Anita a quite beautiful agricultural engineering student from Valencia, currently studying in Bogota. All of us intrigued ... read more

In the United Kingdom it's traditional for the Christmas lights to be taken down by Twelfth night. There are two exceptions that I know of. Me, as I never put any up in the first place and Colombia, where they stretch the Christmas holidays well into the middle of January and beyond. Christmas isn't huge here. It's Massive. Every city, town and village pushes the boat out with lights to celebrate the birth of Christ. It was just after dusk on a balmy Sunday's evening that I met up with Adriana again. She wanted to visit Pueblito Pais (a typical Medellin village) which was festively festooned with lights. I'd spent the day taking in a bit of culture, visiting museums, churches and the like. Since my mum died in 2013 I find an inner peace and ... read more