South America here I come!

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Hi Guys!

This is my first attempt at a Blog, and this system all seems pretty confusing and I'm not sure how to update my status, profile etc. at this point. Maybe I'm too old, but anyway, if I get the hang of this:

Wow - here I am in Hammersmith, packed and all raring to start my trip - tomorrow I head South and West, to the continent of South America for the second time! Thought I'd keep a blog this time, not only to keep a nice record of my travels, but also to let anyone out there know I'm safe as I travel (as well as hopefully regaling some exciting adventures as I go...!)

And the amazing thing is that if I figure this whole thing out, I'll be able to upload pictures as I travel. Am attaching a few photos to this message as a test, but also to show I'm all ready for my trip!

The plan is: leave Hammersmith tomorrow at 4am, stopping in Heathrow and Madrid along the way, before finally arriving in Caracas, Venezuela later that day. Couple of days there, not too long as it supposedly is the current murder capital of the world (!), and then head up to the Caribbean coast around historic Coro, surrounded by tropical jungles, mountains, Caribbean coast and desert! Then head West over the border into Colombia (if Mr Chavez will let me, given current international relations situation out there) towards Santa Marta and the Parque Nacional Tayrona, and then on to Cartagena. Night bus from here up the Andes towards Bogota, then cross back again to Venezuela via some Andean towns and villages, towards Merida, "adventure capital of Venezuela" and home to the world's longest and highest cable car system towards Venezuela's highest peak, Pico Bolivar. After this, back to Caracas for again as little time as possible, before finally heading east for one or two tours of Venezuela's natural beauties: the Angel Falls, and if time, Orinoco Delta! After all of this, and 4 weeks later, I head home back to Hammersmith, via Madrid.

So, hold on to your hats y'all: South America, here I come!

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