Tales from an intrepid viajero in Latin America

The End of Road (4/4) - Top Adventures

amil_patel — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 03:36:00 GMT

Over my trip I`ve had many adventures but there were always some that were going to stand out. Whether it be the people you go with, the danger associated with them or just the raw beauty of the place - some adventures are just better than others. Here`s my top 5 from the last eight months in Colombia and Guatemala.

1. The Crater of Volcan Santiaguito (Guatemala). As soon as I did it I knew I`d probably never see or experience anything quite like it again in my life*. It is the natural world at its most raw and a landscape like no other. Watching the sunrise from the crater of one of the most active volcanos in the world is an incomparable experience - you are standing on the crater of Santiaguito watching steam come out of it, with the intimidating Volcan Santa Maria and a chain of other volcanos behind and looking out onto the Pared of Guatemala and the lunar landscape opposite. And that´s not even the half of it. From the wait for the volcano to erupt to the crazy climb up the cone of the crater in 100km/hr winds there is no adventure quite as extreme. The crater itself has "burnt" its way over a km in the last 90 years or so leaving a lunar landscape and series of complexes behind it. If you want to know what being on the moon is like then you should go there...but be warned, it is probably the hardest 8 hr trek you will do when you come back from the crater. You need to be in top condition to do it - maybe 100 try it every year and only 20 or so get to the crater. I should probably add that all volcanologists, the bomberos and the municipalidad in Xela recommend that you don´t go within 2km of the crater as it is too dangerous. Twenty years ago 4 volcanologists went to the crater and did not return. You go at your own risk. If you survive, it`s one hell of a story and the people of Xela will hold you in awe or just call you crazy - it even got me an interview on the radio...

2. Las Amazonas (Colombia/Brazil) - the three day "survival" traverse through the jungle with return by Kayak is probably the most extreme "survival" I`ve done. Fishing, eating the trunks of some strange trees and drinking the milk from white rubber trees is probably about as basic as living gets. From the cacophony of noise in the jungle through to the alligators and jaguar footprints you can`t find quite so much diversity of flora and fauna anywhere else on the planet. It`s also hard work walking 30km in 2.5 days in the heat of the amazon. The kayak ride back is spectacular and I´ve never been quite so scared as rowing with my hands when the motor of the boat Valera and I were in broke down. Who knows what´s in that water...

3. La Cuidad Perdida (Colombia). I`ve never had quite so much fun on a long hike. The best group of people I´ve done a long hike with - a bizarre mix of Colombians, lawyers and teachers. Six days of pure comedy. Oh, and the Cuidad Perdida and countryside aren`t bad either. The ruins are spectacularly set high up with jungle and waterfalls all around. The days are spent walking and cooling off in the numerous streams and rivers along the way. And then there was the tree jump...10m jump into the river after climbing a tree in the middle of the jungle. Bacano.

4. La Laguna Brava (Guatemala). There is nothing quite like knowing you are a pioneer. When Marvin told Don Eduardo that there`s this place near his home town that is a combination of Lake Atitlan and Semuc Champey but there aren´t any tourists he immediately organised a trip out there to see if it was worth opening up to tourism. So a few weeks later, Don Eduardo, his guides and I went to check it out. And it lived up to expectations. The Laguna Brava is about 2 hrs by car followed by a three hour hike through rolling green hills from a town in the middle of nowhere called Nenton. It is so tranquil and beautiful that it is amazing that there is no tourism there. And it is all the better for it. The waters are of emerald greens, turqoises and different shades of blue surrounded by jungle. You can only navigate your way around the lake on "balsas" (basically tree trunks) as there are no paths yet. If you are in Guatemala and want to go there contact Kaqchiquel tours and Don Eduardo should be able to take you. In a country as well touristed as Guatemala there aren´t really any "best kept secrets" but this is one of the few.

5. El Parque Cocuy (Colombia). This should probably be higher but I got unlucky with the weather and my hiking group. For six days we endured heavy rain, snow, sleet and fog but for the hour a day that it was clear the landscapes were stunning. The laguna de la plaza is incredible as is the Pan de Azucar (5,100m). The general landscapes and bizarre vegetation make Cocuy a potential gem. I`m resolved to going back to see it at its best. You can never predict the weather in the mountains, that`s part of the joy of them.

Honourable mentions to to:

a) Volcan Tajamulco (Gua) - the highest point in central america. Surise with the chain of volcanos opposite, some erupting is incredible

b) Volcan Santa Maria (Gua) - Saniagtuito`s mother and the one that most people climb if they are in decent shape. Great views of Xela, other volcanos and a safe place from which to watch the eruptions of Santiagtuito

c)El desierto Tatacoa (Col) - a bit out of the way but a landscape like no other I´ve seen. It looks a bit like a miniature version of Monument Valley.

d) Nebaj to Todos Santos (Gua) - six days through the Cuchamatanes. Great views beautiful scenery in Guatemala´s most famous mountains.

So that`s it for my blog. I travel tomorrow to Bogota and from there get a plane to Mexico City ready for another flight back home on Monday evening. I hope it has been entertaining and informative and also given some ideas of places to go and things to do in Guatemala and Colombia. Now back to my normal, routine life in England. Why can`t some things just last forever?

* Ok, I actually went there twice. The second time was for my "farewell" from Xela. One Friday I was drinking with Mario to plan my farwell and he suggested that we go to La Muela and do a barbecue up there. La Muela is a little, extinct volcano of about 2,600m. In my slightly drunken stupor I suggested that we go to Santiaguito instead as after Santiaguito there is "no hay nada que ver con La Muela". Mario was so drunk he agreed. So a week later Mario, Juan, Bili and I went there. I was actually pretty worried that Mario and Juan wouldn`t come back - they are in no condition to be doing Santiaguito. I was quite happy when they said they didn`t want to climb the cone as it looked a bit difficult. However, Mario´s face was a treat when we got to the final climb. He wasn´t sure how we were going to get up there as everything looked like it was a climb straight up a cliff. I pointed straight up the cliff and told him, "you remember the bit when I told you that there is a part that if you fall you`re going to die, it´s certain. Well, this is it". We had to wait five minutes for him to finish with expletives.

As it happens, for my last day in Xela Mario, a few others and I were a little bit the worse for wear again and we made a pact with Don Eduardo that the next time I am in Xela (in 2011) we are going to climb the crater by night...there`s stupid and then there`s downright foolish. But as Mario says, "somos borrachos pero hombres de palabra".

The End of the Road (3/4) - Top Cities and Chill Out Spots

amil_patel — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:05:00 GMT

Both Colombia and Guatemala have some great cities and tranquil chill out spots. Here`s my top 5...

Cities

1. Xela (Guatemala)- I used to laugh when my Guatemalan friends told me that Xela was ¨la tierra prometida¨. I don´t anymore. For me it really is. Some gringo´s complain that it is becoming like Antigua and that their are too many foreigners there. I prefer to call it cosmopolitan - and let´s face it, if you want to hang out all the time with other gringo´s that what´s you´re going to but if you don´t there´s not better place to learn spanish and get involved in everything that Xela has to offer. It´s a city with a great colonial centre, friendly people, vibrant social life and within half an hour you are out climbing volcanos and relaxing in stunningly located hot springs. If I walk down the main street during the day, the odds are that I´m going to bump into somebody I know. Heck, you can even get a good latte there. If I could choose anywhere in the world to live, it´d be Xela.

2. Mompox (Colombia) - ís a small, wonderfully preserved colonial town that it hard to reach. It takes several buses and changes in the middle of nowhere to get there. There isn´t even much to do there. But it has an atmosphere and authenticity that you can´t find anywhere else. When you are in Mompox you are transported to another era of people sitting outside their houses on rocking chairs, groups of men playing draughts by the river and people eating churrasco in the many plazas. It´s even got the best fruit juices I´ve ever tasted.

3. Bogotá (Colombia) - a captial city on the up. It´s got great museums, a youthful vibe, good cafes and people who speak the best Spanish I´ve ever heard. It can get a little bit cold but then again you can´t expect everything.

4. Manizales (Colombia) - stunning location in a valley surrounded by green hills. The city has a university feel to it and the people are super friendly. There are lots of great day trips from the city, including hikes, fincas and nature sanctuaries.

5. Medellin (Colombia) - they say that "there are no ugly Colombia women, just poor ones". Meaning - there is nothing that plastic surgery cannot enhance or correct. Medellin epitomises this and paisas love to party. Sometimes you´ve just got to join in...

Chill Out Spots

1. Lago de Atitlan (Guatemala) - probably the most beautiful lake in the world. Formed in the inverted cone of a volcano and surrounded by three others and beautiful greenery nowhere I´ve been to comes close to Atitlan in terms of raw overpowering beauty. Don´t go to the hippie hang outs of San Pedro or Panajachel. There are plenty of smaller, more tranquil places where you can swim in the lake and take a walk around it. The walk from San Juan de la Laguna to San Marcos is simply stunning. Ok, Lonely Planet says that it is dangerous, but if I listened to Lonley Planet I´d probably never leave the hostel.

2. Mompox (Colombia)

3. Finca Villa Maria (Colombia) - the odds are that you´ll probably have the finca to yourself if you go there. This working coffee farm is near the city of Pereira in the middle of Colombia´s coffee region. It has a swimming pool, horse riding and walks into the surrounding coffee plantations. It is located at the top of a series of fincas meaning that the views from the Villa Maria are unparelled in the coffee region.

4. Parque Tayrona (Colombia) - picture perfect, sandy beaches with turuqoise/blue sea. Rent a hammock, enjoy some seafood and relax. There´s really nothing else to do.

5. Salento (Colombia) - great place to enjoy some of Colombia´s most beautiful scenery. The was palm trees of the Valle Cocora are one of a number of walks that you can do in this area. The town itself is fairly tranquil and laid back with good trout eating opportunities. But the jewell in the crown is a tour around Don Elias´ finca. He is the Clint Eastwood of coffee farmers.

The End of the Road (2/4) - Things that are overrated...

amil_patel — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 05:38:00 GMT

In no particular order, here are the five things or places that I have found most overrated on my travels.

1. Taganga (colombia). Lonely planet describes it as a "fishermen´s village" and I`ve lost count of the number of backpackers who say they went to Taganga and ended up staying for a month or more because they loved the laid back, authentic feel to the place. It is nothing of the sort. Taganga is a dirty, grimy, ugly beach side "settlement" full of Gringo´s looking to do drugs and the beach is horrible as well. Go to Parque Tayrona, it is much nicer...

2. Cocaine. When your average Colombia thinks of cocaine they think of blood, civil war and a drug that has ruined their country`s reputation abroad. In Guatemala it fuels a gang culture that results in at least 14 murders a day in the capital, leaves narcos in charge of many key institutiosn in the country and results in many ordinary Guatemalans wanting an authoritarian army figures in power to improve security in the country. Needless to say, the people of these countries generally hate what the drugs trade means for their countries. Yet somehow, a surprising number of "travellers" seem to think doing cocaine in these countries is somehow cool and don´t seem to make much effort to hide the fact. Sometimes, I wish people would think a little bit before doing cocaine - the downstream impact of the cocaine trade is truly horrific and destroying many countries. Luckily, Colombia seems to be overcoming some of these problems and I can only see tourism growing here in the coming years.

3. "Chicken buses". Westerners seem to love chicken bus rides in Guatemala and I have to admit it is quite an experience the first few times. However, after five months of squeezing 3 or 4 people on a two person seat, having babies crying or throwing up next to you or watching kids eat their Pollo Campero (Guatemala´s KFC) the novelty soon fades.

4. Colombian rum. Colombians are very proud of their rum. Guatemalan rum is much nicer - a good bottle of Barcelo añejo or Botran beats colombian rum all the time and is cheaper. And then there is Ron Zacapa - the winner of "best rum in the world" four years in a row in the early part of the decade it is as my mate Mario says "the best rum in the world". Colombia does many things very well, but rum isn´t one of them.

5. Doing South America in four months. A lot of people try to do to much of S. America in too little time and end up coming away a little disappointed or complain that they´ve spent the whole time hanging out with other Gringos. I´ve been in Colombia for three months and don`t feel that I´ve missed anything by not trying to go to Peru, Bolivia and Argentina in the time I´ve had. A place like Colombia merits three months and I would have come away disappointed if I´d only been to the big cities and Carribean Coast. Sometimes, travelling less and doing more in one country is better than doing the whistlestop tour of S. America...

The End of the Road (1/4) - Comedy moments on my travels

amil_patel — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 04:41:00 GMT

So, it looks like my 8 month trip is coming to an end as it is my last week in Latin America so over the next few days I will be penning some of the highlights, lowlights and comedy moments from my trip. It has been a truly memorable time - I`ve learnt to speak Spanish very well, been on the radio & tv, survived in the Amazon jungle, been to the crater of one of the most active volcanos in the world, climbed peaks of 5,000m, been to some of the world`s most beautiful colonial cities, discovered some of Guatemala`s best kept secrets (trust me, in a country as well touristed as Guatemala that`s hard)and chilled on some amazing lakes and beaches....oh, and I`ve only actually been to two countries. Sometimes, if you pick your countries well, less is more.

Below are some of the things that have made me laugh over the last 8 months...

Top 5 "Most Amateur Moments"

1. The "What language do they speak in England" question - I was chatting to a woman who sells insurance in Guatemala one day when she asked me "what language do you speak in England?". After checking that I`d heard the question correctly I replied in a very matter of fact way "English". This grand revelation was met with the response, "oh, the same as in America". Obviously, I couldn`t let that go so I told her the story of how English arrived in England and the country got its name."Fijese, about 300 years ago the Americans conquered England. And you know how in Spain, France and Germany the languages are named after the countries. Well, the people of England decided to change the name of the country to better match the language like in all other European countries." She believed me. If you happen to come across a Guatemalan girl who sells insurance telling you the story of how England got its name and English came to be spoken in the country you can thank me. Ok, so it was a bit cruel but sometimes you just can`t resist...

2. The "Oh my god, it`s a lion" moment. This happened in my Cuidad Perdida trekking group although I didn`t actually witness it myself. After a days hiking in the jungle some people were sitting around the table ready for dinner when one of the girls exclaimed, "oh my god, did you see that lion". The person sitting next to her at the table responds with, "I think you`ll find that`s a cow that was walking quickly". Doh.

3. The "why don`t they fit cars with catalytic converters in Guatemala" question. A young couple from the US were lodging with Doña Espe for a couple of weeks while I was there. The girl complained to me and her partner one evening about the pollution from vehicles in Xela. "Why don`t they fit all the motorbikes and cars in Guatemala with catalytic converters? I mean, in Calafornia all our cars have them and the air is so much cleaner. Can you ask the señora for me why they don`t do it". I told her that we shouldn`t really trouble the señora with that question as I could probably answer it. Maybe, just maybe,people in Guatemala have greater priorities than having vehicles fitted with catalytic converts - like spending their money on food, clothes, petrol for their vehicles if they have one and sending their children to school...I think she got the message.

4. The "what river is this?" question. On arriving in Leticia, which is on the border of the Colombian, Brazilian and Peruvian portions of the Amazon I was sharing a group with some Colombian tourists. The father of the group turned around and asked his guide, "what river is this then?". Well, amigo, let me give you a clue - we are in a place called the Amazon and the river we are on is about 3km wide. It might just be the River Amazon. Ok, it is a little bit harsh given the number of rivers running through the Amazon you would have thought he`d have looked at a map before arriving in Leticia.

5. The "can you thin out my eyelashes" order. It may surprise some of you, but I can do amateur things as well from time to time. Learning a new language is fraught with dangers none more so when you`ve reached a stage where you think you`re getting pretty good at it. Needing to get my sideburns thinned out while I was having my haircut I wasn`t sure of the word for sideburns but thought I knew it. I asked the hairdresser to "thin out my pestañas". I initally felt quite proud of myself for knowing such a technical word like "thin out" until I saw the haidresser`s horrified look. Hmmm - maybe I got the wrong word. "Mi amor, you`re asking me to thin out your eyelashes" she says pointing at her eyelashes. Oh, doesn`t your average Colombian male ask the same thing...

Gallery: Amazonas

amil_patel — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:06:00 GMT

Amazon jungle

Amil de La Amazonas - surviving deep in the Amazon Jungle for three days

amil_patel — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:54:00 GMT

The more astute amongst you will have noticed that I am indeed trying to row a motorised boat with a stick. That`s what happens when the motor on the boat you are in breaks down 2km from the nearest "settlement" in the middle of the Amazon. More on that later.

For my last "adventure" on this trip I decided to go to the Amazon to do a three day "travesía" through the jungle. This involves a two and a half day hike deep in the Brazilian Amazon followed by a Kayak ride back to the jungle lodge of Palmarí. While I did all the stuff that I describe below, the real hero of my trip was my guide, Valera, a Peruvian who has lived in the Brazilian Amazon for 30 years. He`s a bit like Bear Grylles except he doesn`t get himself into situations where he needs to eat maggots to survive. The travesía that I did is not something that is commonly done - Valera told me he has only taken 30 or so tourists on it in the three years he has been a guide. Most people just go fishing or do "light" activities in the Palmarí jungle lodge located somewhere in the Brazilian Amazon. In fact, Valera told me only two people in the 200 strong Palmarí community venture that deep into the jungle - it is unforgiving territory.

Valera and I prepare for the trip by making a couple of tough decisions. Our rucksacks our very heavy and it is over 30 centigrade so we decide to jettison some non-essentials. We cut down on the amount of food we will take - why take tinned meat when you can fish for your dinner. Decision number two is a bit tougher - do we take a litre and half of water each for 2.5 days hiking or do we jettison the bottle of rum and take more water? The bottle of rum will enable us to sleep at night while the water will probably help us to survive a bit longer. I tell Valera that I don`t drink that much water while hiking and sitting around a fire, drinking rum and listening to the "caiman" (alligators)is probably as good as it gets during the evenings in the jungle. We jettison the water. I am mildly dissapointed when Valera tells me that my walking boots aren`t appropriate for the trip as we`ve gone through a lot together - only wellington boots will do.

We are dropped off by boat about 20 mins from the jungle lodge. After sinking knee deep into flooded jungle within a minute of disembarking I realise why wellington boots are necessary. The first few minutes are passed wading through "flooded jungle" - this is jungle that is underwater during the rainy season but becomes normal jungle during the dry season. Apparently the water level has gone down at least 4m in the last week. We get to a dry part and out comes the machete. Paths do not exist that deep in the Amazon. This is pure machete territory. Added to this, the jungle has set a plethora of "natural" booby traps such as fallen trees, numerous holes down which animals live, "quebradas" (water crossings") and vines that loop around your feet and trip you up. Despite all this I am definitely enjoying myself - it doesn´t get much better than listening to all the bird and monkey noises while cutting your way through thick jungle. Although I do wish Valera would stop shaking the trees - doesn`t he know that there could be green tree snakes up there?

After a few hours we stop for our first break and I`m not sure I´ve ever sweated so much. Still, best to keep the long sleeves on as I don´t want any mosquito bites. We don`t drink any water at this stage but get the rum mixer out - Brazilian cola. We continue on our way in the unforgiving humid conditions cutting random fruits to quench our thirst. Valera tells me the name of them but I`ve never seen half of them before and have not heard of their names in either Spanish or English.

We finish walking at around 3pm and I ask Valera how he knows where the hell we are and what direction we are walking - he doesn`t have a compass and there aren`t any paths. Thirty years experience in the jungle is the answer I get. Sometimes you´ve just got to trust the guide...We tie our hammocks around some trees and hang the black bin liners over them in case it rains. Time to find some dinner in the quebrada. While we are fishing, Valera informs me that there are caiman (alligators) in the quebrada so we best keep a good watch for them. I divert my full time attention to looking out for the caiman - I`d rather be alive than have nice fish to eat for dinner. We don´t catch anything. Luckily we have brought some tinned sardines with us to cook on the fire. Valera cuts some tree down and splits it in half and he tells me this palomita will make an "excellent" salad along with the onion that we have brought with us. It`s surprsingly tasty - or maybe I`m just very hungry. We sit around the fire and drink the rum and Balera smokes some of his "pure" tabacco. He tells me about the time when he got lost in the jungle for nine days. I start to pray that it doesn`t happen to us. The amount of noise in the jungle in the early evening is quite startling. We retire to the hammocks at 6.30pm.

I hear some very loud noises in the middle of the night and ask Valera if it is the caiman. No, those are toads, he informs me. I`ve never heard toads make so much noise before.

I wake up at around 5.30ish to a cacophany of bird sounds and rays of light parting through the dense jungle. Really a great way to wake up in the morning. One of the things about being deep in the jungle is that even the most basic operations hold a certain degree of fear. Take going to the toilet for example. Once the trousers are down you are prey - the mosquitos just make straight for you and before you know it you have hundreds of bites in slightly unedifying places. The incentive to stay down in such a vulnerable position is minimal as you never know what might decide to attack you.

We start walking at around 7am. About an hour into the days walking Valera points out some footprints to me - "mire, son las huellas de jaguares". Oh great, now I am about to get hunted down by some jaguars. Nothing happens. Further into the days walking I manage to slip up on one of the fallen trees we are traversing and end up on my arse. Valera seems to find this quite amusing. We stop at some tree and Valera tells me that its leaves have "medicinal" properties if you have aches and pains. He informs me that you rub the leaves against where the pain is and it gives you a little fever, you shake a bit and then the pain goes. He lets me know that his arm hurts a bit so he gives me a demonstration. The last thing I need is Valera going down with a fever. He seems to survive ok though.

Eventually we come to a quebrada crossing. Valera hacks down some thin trees with his machete to create a bridge. He tells me in a very matter of fact way that there are caiman in the quebrada so it is probably best not to fall into it. The rest of the days walking is tough but rewarding - Valera points out to me all the things that you can eat in the jungle and all the bird species and animals we come across. We finish walking at 1pm. In fact, we`ve finished the travesía. "Usted camina muy bien. Nunca he terminado esta caminata tan rapido". It appears we have done the travesía in record time, a day ahead of schedule. He tells me I`m a very good walker.

We spend the rest of the day fishing and do manage to catch some dinner this time although I`m spending most of my time looking out for caiman. We eat well and drink the rest of the rum. It is just as well as there is a lot of noise in the jungle that evening. This time we do hear the caiman and I spend most of the night hoping they don`t come near our camp - we are about 6m from the quebrada edge. Valera tells me that they never venture out so we are safe enough.

I wake up to find the our rucksacks have been attacked by thousands of spiders and termites. Less than ideal. A good half hour is spent trying to get rid of them. We wait around for a while and a boatman arrives with our kayaks. We have a 3-4 hr kayak ride back to the jungle lodge. It is tough work under the strong sun but is incredibly spectacular. Eagles are in the sky, all kinds are bird species are flying above the river and we even see pink dolphins. This is how life should be. We get back to the Palmarí and everyone seems interested in what we´ve done. It has been an unbelievable adventure.

The next day, Valera and I decide to take the litte motor boat out for a ride along the river. About 2km away from the nearest settlement the motor breaks down and Valera`s best efforts to repair are not enough. I am about ready to accept our fate and wait however long it takes to get rescued. Valera on the other hand has a plan. We are only 50m or so away from flooded jungle. If we can get there we can cut down some branches and use them as oars to get back to safety. Ummm, but Valera how do we get to the flooded jungle? Paddle with our hands of course. So, Valera and I spend the next 20 mins paddling with our hands to get to the flooded jungle. I try to avoid thinking about the possibility of a pirhana attack and finding I no longer have hands. Valera`s machete hacks down a few branches and we spend the next hour and half "rowing" with the branches back to safety. The guy is truly a genius. I`m absolutely exhausted and have to spend the rest of the afternoon recovering in a hammock. We treat ourselves to a few beers of celebration.

The Amazon is an unbelievable adventure if you have enough intrepid spirit to look for the hardest things to do. Valera was an unbelievable character and incredibly resilient - I couldn´t have surived more than a day in the jungle without a guide as good as him. Some people live very simple lives but have a knowledge and feel for the jungle that I can only dream of.

El Parque Cocuy - wind, rain, snow and an hour a day of spectacular views

amil_patel — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 07:51:00 GMT

El Parque Cocuy must rank among one of S. America´s most spectacular yet least visited mountainous areas. It has plenty of intimidating yet scalable 5,000m peaks, incredible lagoons, strange botanical life and rock formations which change colour with the position of the sun. However, there is one thing that you can`t bank on in the mountains - good weather. Things change by the minute - you can have hail one minute and sun the next. I was (un)lucky enough to have an hour of clear weather per day when in the past month or so there has been at least 6. I shouldn`t really complain though as for most of this trip I have been lucky with the weather I have had in the mountains and on treks.

I organised a 5 day trek in Cocuy sometime ago and had been looking forward to it for sometime. Our group consisted of our guide, an eccentric German, his surpringly norma girlfriend and an underprepared Austrian (given what transpired). Anonymity is probably best for this story...

The first days trekking was fairly easy and we had fairly good weather. We got the "milk float" from the village of Cocuy to the start of where our trekking was to begin and had the good fortune to see the "Pan de Azucar", a 5,300m peak, which we were due to climb the next day. It was the only view we got of it for the whole trip. The trekking was fairly easy at 4,000m and we walked through lush mountain valleys and scenery. Although we were deluged with a mid-after shower this was followed by a rainbow that spanned the lower part of the mountain. Early in the evening the rain started and didn´t stop until 7am. Luckily we were already in our tents and weren´t affected by it.

I was really looking forward to Day 2 until I got out of my tent and realised that I was likely to spend the day climbing the Pan de Azucar in pure "cloud forest". In fact, it was far more extreme than I was expecting. It started with rain, turned into snow and gale force winds and ended up with hailstones. Hmmmm. Having acquired the nick-name of "mountain goat" I felt it only fair that I lead the way through the extreme conditions. My gloves were of absolutely no use when they got soaked, nor for that matter were my "waterproof" trousers or jacket. When conditions get that extreme you find out that there is no such thing as waterproof. I spent 10mins waiting at the bottom of the glaciar at 5,000m for the rest of the party to arrive. Underprepared Austrian man proceeded to inform us that he coulnd`t climb the Pan de Azucar in such conditions and this was roundly backed up by eccentric German man. So, we didn`t climb the Pan de Azucar and didn´t even see the famous Pulpito de Diablo which was less than 60m away from us - when you are in the middle of a storm it is hard to see beyond what is immediately in front of you.

We returned slightly chastened by the experience and were completely soaked. Luckily things cleared up in the afternoon and we treated to some great views of the mountains from our camp and were also able to dry (some of) our clothes. At this point underprepared Austrian man and eccentric German man started talking a lot in German rather than Spanish or English. This obviously meant that they were scheming. As it turns out their chat revolved around what they should do if the weather continued to give us trouble.

As it happens it didn´t rain that night although I woke up to find ice outside the tent that I was sharing with underprepared Austrian man. As soon as we had eaten breakfast and started to move the rain started. Eccentric German had arranged for a horse to come along and pick up all his "luggage" the previous day instead of walking with it to the next camp spot. It was probably a wise move. Rucksacks with clothes in are not waterproof and the last thing you need is no dry clothes. As we walked through wind and rain for the best part of six hours I did begin to wander why I enjoy hiking in the mountains so much when it really isn´t much fun in bad weather. We finally arrived at the stunning Laguna de la Plaza in the early afternoon in one of the few periods of "dryness". Tents quickly went up before the rain started although it was a bit of a struggle given we were warding off the frostbite from our hands.

In the late afternoon things cleared up a bit and we enjoyed the scerenity of the laguna and the surrounding mountains. As all the clothes in my rucksack were soaked from the walk in the rain and wind I had no choice but to stay in the slightly less wet "waterproof" clothes that I was wearing. The night was spent listening to the rain beat against the tent. It stopped at about 3am and I thought that meant that it was clearing up outside.

I got up at around 7am and slipped on the ice outside my tent. After managing to haul myself up I looked up to see the mountains surrounding the laguna to be coated intermittently in snow. It was a truly awe-inspiring sight. However, underprepared Austrian man did not seem to be appreciating the beauty of it all. A "crisis" meeting was called and all members of the Cabinet were invited to give their views on whether we should continue to stay at the Laguna or return to the village of Cocuy a day early. Eccentric German man and underprepared Austrian man said that we should go back a day early. I voted to stay and tough it out as you never know when things will clear up in the mountains. The guide sided with me and said that if we walked back that day we may end up doing so in worse conditions than if we braved it out. However, he also said he was a "facilitator" and didn`t have a vote. Eccentric German man´s girlfriend wasn´t really given a chance to say anything as her boyfriend told us in Spanish so that she couldn´t understand that she "should really go back as she is finding it tough" even though she had earlier said that she wanted to stay. Well, that was me outvoted fairly easily. I went into the tent to pack only to find that underprepared Austrian man had already packed all his stuff before the "crisis meeting". Clearly, I had been the victim of some sneaky political deal hatched by the German speaking folk.

As it turned out we got the very worst conditions on the walk back to Cocuy with all our backpacks weighing more as they were soaked. The guide and I were not in the best of moods as we felt on the wrong end of a poor decision - especially, the guide who had to carry about twice as much as the rest of us. I could hardly lift his bag. We walked for several hours through snow, wind, rain etc. Suddenly, in the early afternoon everything cleared up and there was hot sunshine. If only we had stayed we would have enjoyed the Laguna de La Plaza at its best. However, neither of the two protagonists were willing to accept this. Given that, the last few hours of the walk back were spectacular and I did enjoy them.

Back in Cocuy we went out for some rum and beers. Underprepared Austrian man was in high spirits and I decided to enjoy the festivities rather than sulk. The following day we did a day hike from Cocuy minus underprepared Austrian man (he had opted to go back to Bogota a day early) and it was surprisingly enjoyable. Eccentric German man spent most of the time hatching plans for motorbike trips in the Colombian mountains and it didn´t actually rain. The weather looked fairly miserable from the direction although I still thought it would have been worth staying the extra day in the mountains for the hour a day of good weather.

Given the incredibly beauty of Cocuy, I have resolved to return one day to see the mountain landscapes and lagunas at their best. Who knows, it might even be next year...

Gallery: El Parque Cocuy

amil_patel — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 03:57:00 GMT

Cocuy national park (5000m)

Gallery: El Desierto Tatacoa

amil_patel — Wed, 3 Jun 2009 01:49:00 GMT

Tatacoan Desert

San Agustin & El desierto Tatacoa

amil_patel — Wed, 3 Jun 2009 01:10:00 GMT

San Agustin

San Agustin is a place of lush green landscapes, river valleys and random pre-Colombian statues. It has to be one of the most pleasent and laid back places in all of Colombia. I passed a few days there hiking around the countryside and stumbling across random statues dating back to hundreds of years before Christ. When a couple of us hired a guide to explain to us some of the history behind San Agustin it became apparent to me that archaeologists use the technique of MSU (Make Sh1t Up) to come up with their theories. They have about as much idea as you or I as to the meaning of some of the statues around there - we were told that the person holding a baby in the one of the statues could be either trying to protect it from death or trying to strangle it. Now, they seem like two fairly divergent explanations to me. However, saying all of this, I found the tour and information that guide gave us quite interesting.

Another day was spent horseriding to various archaeological sites around San Agustin. It was the first time that I`ve been horseriding and a couple of my friends persuaded me to go. It took me a while to get into it but once I learnt how to get the horse to cut other people up and run them off the road it was quite good fun. My horse was slightly lacking in assertiveness skills but after a few hours of training, Lucy, soon learnt not to let the other horses run roughshod over her...

The Tatacoan Desert

It was slightly surreal to find a desert all of 5 hrs from the lush green landscapes of San Agustin but this is Colombia and one constant is the country`s capacity to surprise. The Tatacoan desert is not formed of sand dunes but looks like a mini Monument Valley with its red clay looking formations and landscapes. It is a bit out of the way to get to and barely any "gringos" make it there which means you are a minor celebrity if you do. Unsurprisngly, the conditions are slightly inhospitable out in the desert but you can have a good wander around the wierd rock formations late in the afternoon or early in the morning. There`s even an observatory for star gazing. While wandering around it did occur to me that the desert would be the perfect place to open up a hostel as it is one of the few places in Colombia left with no hostel...

What getting your visa renewed tells you about Colombia

amil_patel — Tue, 2 Jun 2009 01:21:00 GMT

How bureaucracies and bureaucrats go about their business can tell you a lot about a country. Colombia is no different. For example, a few days ago I had to go the immigration office in Popayan to get my visa extended for another month. In theory, the process is relatively straightforward and involves taking your passport, two photocopies of it and photos to the immigration office. You should then be asked to deposit 68,000 pesos into a government bank account and upon presentation of the paying in slip at the immigration office they will give you the necessary stamp. The requirement to deposit the money in a government bank account is to avoid immigration officials pocketing the visa extention money for themselves. (Lesson 1: officially, Colombia takes corruption seriously and will do everything possible to be seen as less corrupt than other Latin American countries)

The actual process was somewhat more inefficient and amusing than the "official" one. On turning up to the immigration building I was handed a visitors pass and informed that I was to wear it around my neck at all times by some security guard brandishing a gun around. The "extranjeros" office was relatively easy to find and I was pleased to see that there was only one other person there. The señor waved me in and began the "interview".

It was all straightforward and involved probing questions such as "how do you like Colombia" and "tell me about all the places that you`ve been to". He seemed impressed with some of the places I`ve been to and we ended up talking about where I wanted to go next and where else I should go. (Lesson 2: Colombians are very nice people and are genuinely pleased to see foreigners in their country. They also love talking...)

After our little exchange of notes on Colombia the señor informed me that it was my lucky day and I wouldn`t need to go to the bank to deposit the 68,000 pesos. At no extra cost, I could give him the money and save myself the effort of going to the bank. As it happened he had a "ready made" paying in slip with all the relevant stamps but with someone elses name on it. Apparently, she didn`t need her visa extension in the end but went through the whole process anyway. I didn`t really understand how this was all possible especially as the girl next to me seemed to be having the same luck but at times like this it is always best to deploy the "no questions asked and do what they do tell you policy". (Lesson 3: even when engaging in blatantly corrupt activities Colombians still want to give it a semblance of legitimacy. If this had been in Mexico or Guatemala niether of us would have pretended what was going on was anything other than corrupt. They would have told me to give them a certain amount of money, we would have haggled a bit over the "fee", they would have stamped my passport and we would be done with it. There would be none of this nonsense of fake paying in slips etc).

Continuing with the "official" process I was told to go to the photocopy shop to get some copies of my passport. "Don`t worry about it señor, I`ve already got them" I told him. "Oh no sir, that won`t do, I need them all one page and with the paying in slip on the page as well. Let me just tipex out this other señora`s name off the slip and put yours on it". (Lesson 4: it never pays to be prepared in Colombia. Just roll with it and it will all work out in the end")

After getting the photocopies I returned to office and tried to pay the señor with 100,000 pesos. The señor politely informed me that he didn`t have any change so I would have to go and find some for him. Oh, and while I was at it I should go to the photoshop and get two passport photos. (Lesson 5: even in corrupt transactions the onus is on the non-bureaucrat to go to all the effort. Power lies with bureaucrat)

The girl who was also getting her visa extended seemed to be going through a similar process. However, I looked across to see her having her hair rearranged by the señora in charge of her visa renewal. "That looks much better. You will look so much more beautiful in the photo with your hair like this". The girly looked completely bemused by this but took it in the right spirit. (Lesson 6: even for something as minor as a passport photo you need to look your best in Colombia).

As I waited for my photos to come out I went hunting for the change that the señor had requested. The only place that seemed like it might have change was a cafe nearby. I was forced to buy an 800 pesos emapanda, which I didn`t really want to get change for my 50,000 peso note. Only, the lady told me that she didn´t have any change and would be forced to send an errand boy to get some. Fine, my photos aren`t done in any case. (Lesson 7: nobody ever has change for 50,000 peso notes.)

Twenty minutes later neither my change nor photos were ready. I told the lady to forget her empanada and that I would look for my change elsewhere. She suddenly put some urgency into the quest for change and headed for the photoshop to get it. After telling her that I was going there myself and I didn`t want the empanada I returned to the photoshop to find my photos were ready. I receive my photos to discover that unbeknown to me I am actually wearing a suit. The man in the "studio" had spent 20 minutes superimposing my head on a suit. (Lesson 8: Official means offical in Colombia. That means you need to look smart. A polo short just won´t do).

I returned to the immigration office armed with my change and photos. I entered the office to find the señora with a big smile across her face looking at the girl´s photos. "Oh, you look so beautiful with your hair like that. Your husband will love you even more now". (Lesson 9: the onus is on wives to impress their husbands. Latino men need to make no effort whatsoever once they are married - apart from if they want a mistress of course)

I thought the process would end with the exchange of money and stamps but there was an extra stage - taking my fingerprints. You would normally expect someone to take prints of your thum and index fingers. Not in Colombia. They needed prints of every single finger. The señor informed me that this was if "interpol" needed my details at any stage in the future they could trace me back to Colombia with all the paperwork in order. (Lesson 10: Colombia is at the forefront of combatting international crime and won´t be accused of not taking every conceivable measure in the war against drugs)

All this in a grand total of 2 1/2 hrs and I even got my visa extended. (Lesson 11: Colombia actually works and is a relatively efficient country).

Gallery: Coffee Country

amil_patel — Mon, 25 May 2009 11:54:00 GMT

Salento and Finca Villa Maria

Coffee Country - Don Elias, Wax Palm Trees & Finca Villa Maria

amil_patel — Mon, 25 May 2009 10:52:00 GMT

I've spent the last week in Colombia's "Zona Cafatera" which is an area of verdant hills, exotic bird life, wax palm trees (well, in the valle cocara at least)and coffee (sometimes it is important to state the obvious). The first few days of the week were spent in Salento which is a small town famed for its trout and proximity to the Valle Cocara. The highlight of my time in Salento was not the hike around the Valle Cocara (stunning though it was) but a visit to the Finca of Don Elias which is about an hour hike from Salento.

Don Elias is the Clint Eastwood of coffee farming. In a shootout of coffee farmers he'd be the last man standing. He is that cool. He is a 70 year old coffee farmer who has been in the business his whole adult life and is exactly how you would imagine a Colombian coffee farmer should be: a slightly wrinkled face complete with white moustache and he wears a white cowboy hat, blue denim shirt, jeans and wellington boots. All his attire is slightly muddied to give him an authentic look and he carries a finely sharpened machete for all occasions. Frankly, even a Latin American media star like myself was starstruck in his presence. As it turns out, Don Elias is also a very nice guy and is keen to show all comers around his finca and explain to them the coffee making process from start to finish. We went around the finca picking coffee for half an hour and afterwards Don Elias showed me how the coffee beans are pealed, dried, roasted and ground to produce the coffee that we get in our Starbucks cups. It was quite an enlightening experience. After the tour around we sat around drinking coffee, talking and enjoying the scenery.

The day before the Don Elias experience I'd been to the Valle Cocara which is a valley of wax palm trees near Salento. Some of them are up to 60m high and it seems strange to find such vegetation at over 2000m. Everything is "green" around the valle de cocara and hiking among the greenery and clouds can be a slightly surreal experience at times. However, as you climb further up you come across humming birds and there is a bird sanctuary at the top of the climb. Overall, it is well worth spending a few days in the area around Salento to enjoy the spectacular scenery.

Following Salento I moved onto the Villa Finca Maria. It is a large Finca near Perreira that sees maybe one or two visitors every couple of weeks yet is one of the most spectacular fincas in all of Colombia. As it isn't in any guide book nobody really goes there but it is a truly enchanting place. It is set at the top of a series of fincas and is a working coffee and platano farm. There is an outdoor swimming pool, great hospitality, hammocks and good hikes. All in all, those who do make there aren't disappointed - just don't expect thronging nighlife.

Gallery: Manizales

amil_patel — Sun, 17 May 2009 01:46:00 GMT

Manizales and El NevadoRuiz

Manizales - El Nevado Ruiz, hot springs and getting my hair cut...

amil_patel — Sun, 17 May 2009 00:55:00 GMT

I`ve spent the last few days in Manizales which is the in the middle of Colombia`s Zona Cafatera (Coffee Country). The city itself is a fairly standard commerical city but it has a backdrop of stunning green hills and mountains. Whichever direction you look in there is green.

While I`ve been here I`ve managed to catch up with the Profes from the trip to the Cuidad Perdida a couple of times - it was good fun reminiscing about the jungle adventure and exchanging entertaining anecdotes of what we`ve been doing in the intervening weeks.

El Nevado Ruiz...

The other day I made a trip to El Nevado Ruiz, a volcano of 5,300m. The strange thing about this peak is that you go to about 4,800m in a van - apparently, it is the fifth highest road in the world. Most of the time you can only climb to 5,000m due to the snow and difficult conditions. Our guide told us that we probably would only make it to 4,900m as there has been a lot of snow in the last few weeks and it was dangerous. We got to about 4,900m and it didn`t seem particularly dangerous to me - a couple of us just continued walking on so the guide didn`t have much option but to let us keep climbing. At 5,000m a few people stopped and the guide told us that we could go up to 5,100m if we wanted. It is actually quite hard climbing at those altitudes but that might just be because I try walking too quickly. Anyhow, we did have to stop at 5,100m although going further didn`t seem particularly dangerous to me. The problem with tourism in some parts of Colombia is that it is too well regulated. If the Nevado Ruiz were in Guatemala I have no doubts we`d have gone to the summit - still it was a great experience and the scenery is spectacular around there.

Termales de Santa Rosa...

The other day trip that I really enjoyed near Manizales was to the hot springs at Santa Rosa (thanks to Andrés for the recommendation). Apart from Fuentes Georginas (Xela) these are the most spectacular and "hot" hot springs that I`ve been to. They are set at the foot of some waterfalls in the spectacular countryside around Manizales. The water comes out of the springs at around 70C but cools down to 40C in the pool - you can only stay in there for 10-15m at a time before it is time to cool off under the waterfall. Muy Chevere.

And now, that hair cut...

Despite speaking very decent Spanish I am still more than capable of committing the odd howler. For example, the other day I went for a hair cut. All appeared to be going well after my instructions of "can you cut it in the same style as it is now and take 2-3cm off the top" (I haven`t quite worked out yet the equivalent of "grade three, back and sides"). After the lady had finished with her masterpiece I realised that I could probably do with her thinning out my hair and sideburns a bit. I couldn`t quite remember the word for sideburns but thought it might be "pestañas". So I asked her "usted puede ralear el pelo y las pestañas tambien". The hairdresser looked slightly mortified by this so I guessed that I might have got the word wrong. So I pointed to my sideburns and asked here to remind me what they are in Spanish - "those would be your patillas mi amor, you just asked me to thin out your eyelashes". Doh. I mean doesn`t your average Colombian male ask their hairdresser to thin out their eyelashes? And why can`t the Spanish language at least give you a hint that "pestañas" may have something to do with your eyes - at least English has the word "eye" before "lashes" to give you a hint that "eyelashes" might have something to do with your eyes...

Gallery: Bogota and Villa de Leyva

amil_patel — Thu, 7 May 2009 03:24:00 GMT

photos from Bogota & Villa de Leyva

May Day protests, culture and a city on the move - welcome to Bogotá

amil_patel — Wed, 6 May 2009 07:58:00 GMT

It`s big, cosmoplitan, sophisticated, has great museums, restaurants and your chances of being run over are relatively low. No, I`m not describing Buenos Aires. I am in fact in Bogotá, the city that is single handedly defying the global financial crisis and is expected to grow 10% this year. Ok, so it`s not all great - I know of at least two people who have been robbed at night in the Candelaria area but that is fairly standard for a big Latin American city. However, on the whole, Bogota is a surprisingly well ordered Latin America city with plenty to keep you busy for a while.

I got in to Bogota last Friday (1st May) and found myself watching the globally ubiquitous May Day "demonstrations". The "demonstrators", most of whom looked like 70s punk rockers, took it upon themselves to graffiti the city`s main square (Plaza Bolivar) and smash the windows of banks. The poor Banco de Colombia seemed to take the brunt of the abuse but still appears to be in better shape than either HBOS or RBS. It was quite a spectacle watching the demonstrators being sprayed with tear gas by the Colombian Police. Unfortunately, I wasn`t brave enough to take my camera with me to capture some the scene - you never know what may constitute you being seen as a beacon of capitalism and legitimate target.

Since Friday, things have been a lot more sedate in the city and life seems to have returned to normal. Saturday was spent taking a four hour walk around the city absorbing the atmosphere around Bogotá. On Sunday I took a ride on the cable car to the top of Cerro Monserate which overlooks the city. There are great views of Bogotá and beyond from the cable car - the city itself is surrounded by various mountains and stretches far into the distance.

Of the museums, I rationed myself a bit as I`m likely to come back here in a few weeks. I visited the museo del oro which, unsurprisingly, has a lot of gold in it and charts the history of valuable metal usage through Colombian history. The Museo de la Policia is another excellent museum with a particularly interesting exhibit, complete with artefacts, of the police`s "hunt" for Pablo Escobar and his gruesome end. However, my favourite so far (and thanks to compadre Pablo for recommending it) has been the Museo del Banco Reformador - it has a great exhibit of photography from the Amazon jungle and has definitely put me in the mood for a trip to the Amazon before I leave Colombia. My friend Pablo also showed me around his university, which was quite interesting - the university has been the source of 29 Colombia presidents although he was fairly adement that he wouldn`t be joining the club.

Another notable achievement over the last few weeks is that I finally appear to have mastered the "drinking from a plastic bag" technique that is a pre-requisite for any self-respecting Latino. After months of failure I can now pierce the bag in the right place and drink its contents without making it look like I´ve wet myself and have bystanders laugh at me. We live in exciting times.

San Gil - paragliding, rafting and making my colombian tv debut...

amil_patel — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 07:52:00 GMT

I´ve spent the last few days in the self-styled "Adventure Capital" of Colombia and it hasn´t disappointed. It has been a little bit expensive (well, relative to everything else I´ve done) but has definitely been "extreme" at times. The highlits have definitely been paragliding over the Chicamocha Canyon and Rafting in the Río Suarez...

Paragliding over the Chicamocha Canyon

Sergio, my instructor, picks me up from the hostel at 8am and we make our way to the Chicamocha Canyon in his clapped up 24 year old Renault. I´m not sure why he´s so insistent that it is the best car in the world when it patently is not but I don´t bother contradicting him.

We arrive at the Chicamocha Canyon to find Television Colombia there for a report on "extreme sports". They seem quite excited that there is a foreigner around and ask me for an interview. First Guatemalan radio, now Colombian tv. The Colombian tv reporter is particulary hot - she´s from Medellin so she´s bound to be...she asks me what I think of Colombia, if I´m scared about the flight etc. It´s more straightforward than the Guatemalan radio interview as it only lasts for a minute or so. Sergio seems a little pissed off that they don´t want to speak to him - sorry Sergio but only professiols with experience can be on tv. haha.

The paraglide itself is an incredible experience and affords great view of the canyon. It crosses my mind that it is a fairly big drop to the bottom of the canyon if something were to go wrong while we are up in the air. Luckily, everything seems is perfect working order apart from my camera which failes to work in the extreme conditions (no photos of this adventure unfortunately). Sergio comments that I´m extremely calm - normally, people scream out of shear terror. In order to remove me from my zen like state Sergio proceeds to do some more extreme manoeuvres in the air - twists, big drops in a few seconds etc. It is quite an adrenalin rush.

After 45 mins in the air I´m back on firm ground and the camera crew get my landing. The cameraman asks me for a few words so I tell him that "the views are spectacular and it is definitely worthwhile." He asks me if I was scared and I answer fairly honestly with "no". Not sure that makes for great tv...

The cute reporter lands 10 mins later after her flight. The camera crew run towards her and ask for some words - "I´m in shock, it´s an incredible experience but absoultely terrifying. You need to be very brave to do it". TV reporters are such dramatists. I go over to ask her what it was really like but find her hunched over a plastic bag emptying the contents of her stomach. Maybe she was telling the truth...she tells me she is struggling with her breathing. Would it be impolitik to ask her if she needs any help with her respiration? I restrict myself to some words of encouragement by telling her that it is very scary and she´s been very brave...

Rafting in the Río Suarez

I´ve never been rafting before so wasn´t really sure what to expect. There are two rafting options around San Gil - the Río Fonce (class 1-2 rapids) and Río Suarez (class 2-5). I was going to do the Río Fonce rafting but someone at the hostel convinced me that it would be much more fun doing the "extreme" ones. Not one to turn down an extreme adventure I didn´t really take much convincing.

We turn up at the Río Suarez and get nearly 30 mins worth of instructions. Here are some of the highlights:

"For those of who haven´t done rafting before, class 5 are the most difficult ones that you are allowed to do in a raft. You can only do class 6 in a kayak." (nobody told me this before the trip. I guess that´s why I had to sign that bit of paper saying the company doesn´t take any responsibility if I die...)

"If the raft flips or you get thrown out of it remember to hold your paddle, the rope on the side of the raft and put your feet in the air. As long as you hold the rope we will be able to rescue you fairly quickly as someone can pull you back in. These rapids are dangerous so if you let go of the rope it will be more difficult to rescue you."

The key takeout from the sermon appears to be "don´t fall out of the raft, it´ll be a lot easier for all of us" although one of my team appears quite keen to fall out in the middle of a rapid as "it will be more fun".

We start off with a Class 2 rapid which is still quite scary but quite a thrill. I begin to wonder what a class 5 will be like. We do a few Class 4´s and 3´s - it is quite an adrenalin rush when the raft is up in the air as you are going over rapids. Our rowing coordination when is all over the place when going over high waves and water is rushing into the raft but everyone is having a lot of fun.

We pause for a little bit and our instructor informs us that we will be doing our first Class 5. "The river is quite high today and a little more dangerous than normal so there is a chance that the raft will flip when we do the Class 5. Remember, if the raft flips hold onto your paddle and the rope and put your feet in the air." Or, just don´t fall out...

We start going into the rapid and it quickly becomes clear that this one could be a bit extreme. We hit the middle - the raft starts to flip over on to its side and I seem to be in the worst place. The guy in front of me appears to be falling out and I start to watch but forget about myself. I fall out and am fairly sure that the raft has flipped. I cling onto the rope for dear life as the rapid starts to suck me in. I´m underwater with the raft dragging me along as it continues to traverse along the rapid. The paddle goes - if it´s a choice between the paddle and the rope there´s only one winner. Ummm...I´m fairly sure the instructor said it would be a quick rescue as long as I keep hold of the rope - this "rescue" seems to be taking an awful lot longer than I would have envisaged. Finally somebody decides to haul me back into the raft when we have traversed the rapid, after a good 30 seconds of me nearly drowning. The guy who was keen to fall into the river is looking at me with admriation - "dude, how lucky are you, what was it like? You´ve definitely got the best value for money out of any of us." I guess that´s one way of looking at it...

I recount my underwater adventure to the rest of the crew and they all say that they were sure that the raft had flipped but at the last minute our instructor managed to balance it sufficiently to avoid everyone going under.

We traverse another Class 5 and I make sure that I don´t fall out this time by taking extra caution and concentrating on myself rather than what might happen to the person in front of me. Believe me, falling into a Class 5 rapid once is plenty of extreme adventure for one day. When we are back on dry land after 1.5hrs one the crew who has done this a few times tells us newbies that we are really lucky as that is one of the best she has ever done. Apparently, there are usually parts of the river where you can get a break from the rapids but this one is fairly continuous and strong. Great. But where´s the camera crew? I´m expecting tve or tv colombia to be waiting for an interview given my new found celebrity status. I´ve even got dramatic words this time.

Gallery: Mompox

amil_patel — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 08:25:00 GMT

Colonial town of Mompox where time stands still

Relaxing in Mompox

amil_patel — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 07:44:00 GMT

After the Cuiadad Perdida jungle adventure I spent a few days on the Colombian Carribean Coast in Taganga (with the remaining straddlers from the Cuidad Perdida Trek) and in the idyllic Parque Tayrona. There´s not really much to write about the Parque Tayrona apart from the fact that you have several unspoilt, undeveloped beaches and turquoise/emerald green/ blue ocean. There´s not much to do apart from swim in the ocean, enjoy the seafood, swing in a hammock, read a book and get eaten alive by mosquitoes.

I headed to Mompox after returning from my ocean days. Things got off to a less than ideal start when the "door to door" service that my hostel ordered for me failed to show up at 4am. After asking the hostel owner how I might find my way to Mompox I was reliably informed that I could get a direct bus to El Banco and then a boat to Mompos. Sounded easy enough. I turned up at the bus station to find that I would have to change at a place called Cuatro Vientos to get to El Banco. Cuatro Vientos wasn´t marked on any map that I looked and there´s a good reason why...it consists of a few shacks on a road crossing. From Cuatro Vientos it was a collectivo to El Banco and another 3 hrs on a bumpy road to Mompox. After getting up at 4am, I finally got into Mompox at 6pm. The "travelling" part is definitely the least glamorous part of "travelling".

Mompox is a bit like stepping back in time to a Colombia slightly isolated from the modern day pace of life. It is definitely more Garcia Marquez than Shakira (many say it resembles the Macondo from 100 years of solitude) and has a great charm to it. There really isn´t much to do here apart from "hacer un relax". The colonial buildings here are well preserved and the local residents can be seen sitting out in the street in their rocking chairs watching the bats fly overhead at dusk. For the tourist all you have to do is soak up the local atmosphere, watch the locals play dominoes, read a book in one of the several plazas, drink fruit juice (guava is particularly nice) and swing away in a rocking chair like the locals do.

Mompox maybe isn´t the most happening town in Colombia but it is a great place to wile away a few days not doing very much in a place where time seems to stand still.