Blogs from Santa Marta, Colombia, South America - page 29

Geetings from the mad country. Sorry all, I know I was off the grid for a while like the Chinese guy in the Matrix. I took a pretty madcap trip over Semana Santa/Holy Week. I have determined that you very much miss the best parts of the country by flying over it rather than driving Colombia’s wild roadways. The car treated us well, despite two flat tires, the two tows and several hours in a mechanic place. It finally rained, and man did it. In my little hamlet alone, there were a number of sweeping out to sea drownings. You know what was awesome, the church trip to the Holidome on the first secular Friday of Al’s social calendar. Friday I left straight from school for Bogotá, a 20 hour drive due largely to the ... read more

Close to Tatanga is Tayrona National Park, which has some beautiful beaches on a jungle covered coast. It was hassle to get their as we had to get a local bus to the park and then walk for a further 2 hours to Cabo a place on the beach we wanted to stay, which is most popular with travelers and we could see why. looking back it might of been easier to get a boat direct to the beach as there must be someone willing to take you. The main attraction is a Cabaña with hammocks sat on a hill over looking the beach and ocean. Beautiful scenery and would of been a great place to sleep, unfortunately they were fully booked and we had to settle for a tent close by to the beach. It ... read more

Bussimatkan Santa Martaan piti kestää kolme ja puoli tuntia, mutta jotenkin se venyi taas melkein viiteen tuntiin. Tuttu juttu, ei haittaa menoa. Perille päästyämme tarkoitus oli suunnata suoraan läheiseen kalastajakylään Tagangaan. Taksikuski yritti tiukasti saada meitä kyytiinsä, mutta ei suostuttu, vaan kyseltiin mistä lähtisivät kollektiivibussit. Ne lähti ihan vierestä, joten jäätiin venailemaan. Taksikuski tuli kohta sanomaan, että meitä ei otettaisi kyytiin, koska meillä oli liian isot reput. Ollaan aikaisemminkin samoilla hiaceilla menty, eikä silloinkaan ole ollut ongelmia, joten annettiin ahneen taksikuskin sanomisten olla. Parin ohi ajaneiden hiaceiden jälkeen alettiin kuitenkin jo miettiä, oltiinko me ei-toivottuja asiakkaita, mutta seuraava sitten jo ottikin kyytiin. Tagangaan saavuttuamme lähdettiin etsimään hostellia. Parin huonon paikan jälkeen tavattiin kadulla eräs ... read more

Hola, kom just tillbaka fran 5 dagars djungelvandring, vadmusklerna totalt sjuka och en oforglomlig upplevelse rikare! Vi blev sen ocksa 12 i gruppen, vilket ar ett aningen stort gang att fara pa vandring. Gruppen bestod av mig och tyska Angela, tre israeliska killar supertranade efter 3 ar i armen, ett gang mindre tranade amerikaner och en ratt stor kanadensisk man. Vi vandrade pa 3 dagar pa en smal stig, tidvis mycket jobbig, med over 1000 meters hojdskillnad till ruinerna va en indianstad fran ca ar 1000 e.K. Omradet ar ett av de viktigaste kokaodlingsomraden i Colombia, med paramilitarier utspridda i djungeln for att skydda fran guerillatrupperna som 1997 kidnappade fem europeiska turister. Inga oroligheter forekom trots allt under tiden vi var dar. Dramat borjade nar en bokhandlare fran New York fick ett allvarligt astmaanfall forsta dagen ... read more

Nothing like lying back in your hammock reading your book while overlooking the night lights of the small fishing village Taganga, and then a complete electricity blackout. The four of us just rocked back and forth, helped by the strong winds and had some sporadic conversation, everything is understated in Techos Azures (where we are staying), nothing too stressful, our main worry is getting a nice hammock or space on the beach to see the sunset! I fell asleep in my hammock but as wake up was nearly falling out I decided to hit my bed instead. Taganga is beautiful and worth the 20 hour plus bus journey from Bogota, even though they claim it's only 16! The bus was fabulous, we were so well impressed. That was until the air con came on so strong ... read more