Coconutty

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So for those of you following along, we had just left Taganga to make our way to Parque Nacional Tayrona!
The entry was surprisingly gruelling, after two bus rides we arrived at the gate. The guide book said it was about a 3km walk to get in so we decided to skip the taxi and walk it ourselves. The first 3km was quite easy, just walking along a smooth flat road, although slightly uphill. It was hot though and our packs were heavy but we stayed perky because we knew it wasnt much further.
However, it would seem that it is about 3km to reach another entrance where cars can no longer get through, then it is a further 3 or 4 kms to the campsite! The walk was quite difficult, really narrow muddy tracks through the jungle, clambering over rocks and trying to avoid donkey poo (the only form of transport that can get through). Our faces started dripping and our backs started aching from our packs, and it was made worse by seeing sunny cool locals passing calmly the other way. But eventually we dragged ourselves, panting and heaving into Don Pedro, the closest camping area.
It is green and lovely and calm there, with ducks and chickens and donkeys running around, palm trees liberally dotting the lawns and people playing an animated game of soccer in the corner.
We stayed again in hammocks, in the open air with a thatch roof over the top, its been quite some time since i slept in an actual bed, but i dont mind at all! im getting quite skilled at getting in and out of them without it swinging crazily and smacking into the people sleeping next to me. The only danger here is falling coconuts, that plummet heavily to the ground with absolutely no warning. i would like to know the statistics for how many people die from a falling coconut to the head!

So we spent our mornings swinging in the hammocks, listening to donkeys braying alarmingly (they sound like the most tortured animal on earth) and eating hot little buns cooked with chocolate in a wood fire oven.
After we roll out of bed, we liberally apply sunscreen and mosquito repellent and go to the beach! After a brief walk through jungle we reach the first beach which is so much like the beaches in Australia! But this beach was very dangerous, lots of people drown each year so we avoided it entirely. The next bay was a tiny curved little place, with deep cool blue water and pebbly sand. It was amazing to soak off the days heat. That beach filled up quickly however so we found a great little passage where you climb all over a path carved in these huge boulders. This beach is long and thin and lovely. We spent the day swimming, sleeping on the beach and watching all the tiny little sand crabs.
We were shockingly relaxed, after spending the day doing that we spent the nights eating huge meals, drinking a little bit of rum which Rafael the owner kept pushing on us, and playing card games with all different groups. Its amazing how many versions of the game Shithead there are!

After a few days we decided to keep moving, we are now in the incredibly hot little city of Riohacha, which is quite lovely actually. Tomorrow we try our best to make our way to Cabo de la Vela, an even tinier town up further north, although we have heard it can be quite tricky to get there. Hopefully our shocking Spanish can get us there. Hasta Luego!

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