Fingerprinting your mail

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I received a little miffed comment from a Colombian blog reader about the “drug cartels, bandits & kidnappers” description in a previous blog…..so apologies to all Colombians who are in denial about their history, their current state of affairs & their potential future. No offence was intended. There are no terrorists; no one I know in this particular hostel has been robbed on the way to Playa Grande (twice) & kidnappings never happen…….here….ever……honest! Oh

Fingerprinting your mail: Following on from how settled this country truly is & coupled with the fact that the weight involved in carrying a kilt, sporran & big heavy Scottish leather belt across Central America (where the reality is I’d never get to wear it - as it’s just too feckin damn hot) & the length of an Amazonian blowdart gun is prohibitive, from a carry-on luggage perspective….just in case you spear the Pilot or god forbid the Hostess! I decided that it was time to go to another South American Post Office & post Alice & John (Mi Madre & Padre) their 3rd parcel (& another 100s US$ postal bollocks delivery rip-off).

This may sound like an easy task but let me tell you, without Julz - the translator & any idea where it was I ventured forth to Santa Marta with a backpack full of precious stuff (the Blessed Kilt) to dump into the mail system never to be seen again. I was pleasantly surprised after much fumbling, gesticulating & wrapping to find out that not only was it unsafe to send it “shipping mail” - the cheapest, see you sometime in the next 3 months if ever? Which I obviously chose, but they required a copy of my Passport & my fingerprints to prove it was me who was indeed standing in front of them & I guess just in case there was a sneaky 5 Ks of Colombian Marching Dust stashed in the Blessed sporran….obviously they’d be able to trace WHO sent it!

Anyway mum if you do find what looks like toilet cleaner? It’s not Vim so don’t flush it! I’ll be happy to clean the toilet for the next 3 years on the proceeds from the open market in Scotland!!!!

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