Blogs from Colombia, South America - page 296

River Trip From Puerta Masusa, a port near Iquitos, river boats leave each evening down the Amazon River. I got a motor-taxi to take me to Puerto Masusa . Half way there the ¨taxi¨sputtered its last drop of gas but as if the driver had planned it, the taxi coasted into the one and only gas station between town and port. He got 30 cents worth. My fare was 65 cents. I was the only gringo in sight and the bums in the area saw this so I got a little bit of hasselling as they tried to gather around me to ostensibly suggest which boat to take as they looked for a way to steal something. Nothing happened. Get on the boat then watch your stuff carefully until the boat leaves. You must get on ... read more

Colombia was one big surprise. After hearing all the terrible, horrifying stories about Colombia from the Venezuelans and Brazilians, we prepared ourselves to drive through Colombia in as little time as possible. We were pretty excited to leave Venezuela and Chavez behind, but were also worried about what would happen to us in this country that has such a bad name, and which is so full of criminals, drugs and guerillas. Well, as we should know by now, not everything you see on the TV news, or hear from the mouths of people who have never left their own country, is always true. Colombia surprised us first with its excellent roads, then with its unspoilt, super-clean beaches, beautiful mountains and lakes, colonial towns, and its intriguing history of pre-hispanic civilizations and profound wealth of ancient, breath-taking, ... read more

I watched as the 8 year boy ran lithely down the slope with my bag. His mud covered feet deftly moving whilst I slipped and slid my way towards the bottom. I began to wonder if I was going to see it again. Months on the road had lodged a fair chunk of wariness and distrust in my psyche. Sadly I had heard too many stories of being ripped off, held up and taken advantage of. But there he was, patiently waiting and no doubt wondering why I was taking so long. He reached for my hand, my bag still securely in his and lead me to the lake. Countless locals were already submerged in the water, scrubbing the volcanic mud from every orifice and laughing at the sight. I relaxed as my bathers were deftly ... read more

Colombia was never really on the map in terms of my journey to South America but having heard such good things, being here felt somehow just right. Sitting in a little outdoor bar in the quiet town of Carpugana, there is a trickling of street folk milling around chatting whilst the famous Vallenato music seeps through the tepid swarmy night and heats the veins. I could not help but feel like a helpless moth being slowly drawn towards the fire somehow knowing but having no control over its desire to feel, to see and simply burn. My friend Claudio somehow acknowledges my reverie, raises his glass of Aguila beer, smiles and says "Welcome to Colombia!" That was over two months ago, now im about 700KM north in a city called Barranquilla. Its big, noisy and ... read more

We arrived In Letitia airport Thursday 12th July in the morning and we were shocked by the heat, as we were coming out of the plane. We were ushered into the arrival area and were welcomed with singing and keyboard playing y two Policemen. It was a really neat welcome. The security was very tight, with all baggage checked, drug dogs sniffing around and you could not leave the arrival area without paying the arrival tax and your baggage tickets checked by a policeman. It felt really good to be in such a secure and welcoming place. Leticia is Colombia, Tabitinga is Brazil and Santa Rosa is Peru, all places you can go freely without boarder stamps. The locals call it the frontier, and it is really like a country of its own. There are not ... read more