Joel and I have just checked out of our hostel in Cali, and are waiting around in the sunshine to catch the long bus of 20 hours to Quito overnight, so I thought I would do a little update on what we have been getting upto in the last few weeks.
After the Jungle trek, we stayed in Taganga for about 4 nights to recover from our blisters, pulled muscles, exhaustion, and stomach problems from drinking the river water (actually we are both still suffering with that). Taganga is a very cute, very small fishing village with not much to do but relax in the heat, swim in the sea and drink the delicious watermelon juice...yum yum! So it was the perfect place for us to be after our week in the jungle. The sea there is probably the nicest sea I have ever been in, crystal clear, and warm as a bath. Apparently the sea here never goes any less than about 26 degrees. We would sit on the beach all day and read our books while people stroll around selling coconut cookies, and avacado (random mix) and trying to get you to go to their beach restaurant for lunch. We went to one one day, they look like tiny little shacks, and just cook on woodfires, they are not very aesthetically pleasing but serve amazing food. Joel went into the "kitchen" with the chef where she showed him about 6 different fish to choose from. He came back to our table with a very cheeky grin, saying he had chosen the biggest, most ugly, bright red and blue fish they had because it was funny. I was very worried, but thank goodness, it was delicious. They served it with rice and salad...everything pretty much comes with that here. Taganga is very funny as its not unsual to be sitting, relaxing enjoying a coffee while a very large heard of goats will just run down the street, or a donkey followed by 15 children trying to catch it...random but very amusing!
After Taganga, we headed to Medellin which is a very happening, cosmopoltian town. Unfortunately we didn´t do much going out here, as we both had very bad bugs (we think from the river water) so we spent almost all of our time there in bed. Thank goodness, we had a very nice hostel room, with a television and big bathroom- Phew!
Once we got over the most of our illness we went to Salento which has to be one of my favourite destinations so far. Being in Salento is like stepping into an old western movie. It is in the mountains and is part of the coffee region on Columbia. Old men sit in old style salloons playing cards and pool. Everyone goes quiet and stares at you when you walk in which is very funny. The only odd thing is they look like big men who should be drinking beer all day and throwing chairs around the saloon, instead they are all drinking the delicious Columbian coffee out of tiny english tea cups..haha! Being up in the Mountains it is a very mild temperature in the day, but sunny, and freeezing at night. On our second day I managed to get Joel to come on a 4 hour horse riding trek with me. He was petrified at first but soon started to love it. It was the hardest riding I have ever done, so I think he is a natural. We galloped up and down mountain paths, jumped rocks and logs and crossed rivers. We took the horses to a waterfall there, I don´t think I have ever seen such beautiful landscapes, its breathtaking. We had an amazing day and I couldn´t believe Joel loved it so much. He even wants to go again in Ecuador and now thinks he looks like Robin Hood on horse back!!!
So we are now in a city called Cali which is our last stop off before Ecuador. We visted the Zoo yestderday which was pretty cool, but they barely have anything between you and the animals here, which is a bit scary when you get to the bear part :S
So we are shortly getting on a very long bus ride...blerugh! But I am very excited about getting into a new country.
Saturday, 21 August 2010
Monday, 9 August 2010
Ciudad Perida
So we are finally back from the 5 day trek to the lost city, covered in blisters and 128 mosquito bites but wow it was worth it.
Joel did this trek 2 years ago so before we left I asked him a little about it seeing as I haven´t done any hiking before. He said it was very enjoyable, you walk for maybe 4 hours a day, have a few pineapples along the way, and jump in the rivers for a swim with your treking buddies in the group. Well, I soon found out this wasn´t exactly the case. Either he had forgotten a lot of it,or he was worried the truth might put me off.
It had been raining a lot the week before we left and the tour operator informed us that there had been an avalanche at one of the camps, and so seeing as that was not there anymore, we would camp actually at the lost city instead. We questioned this and they said it was still very safe...eek. The trek was not exactly what I would call safe but definitely exciting!
The first 2 days were the hardest. We set off in the pouring rain climbing, crawling in the knee deep mud. I kept sliding back down the cliff face all the time and the guides would grab me and drag me back up. We crossed waist high rivers flowing must faster than normal due to all the rain. We had ropes or the guides to hold on to so not to get swept away.We slept in hammocks surrounded by mosquito nets outside under the stars, watching the fireflies. We played cards and were fed very well. I was exhausted after the second day and was worried how hard I was finding it not only physically but it was terrifying everytime we had to shimmy around a cliff face with a sheer drop into a waterfall. The cliffs edge had broken away from all the rain and the guides kept shouting at me tranquillo tranquillo and would give me their hands so I didn't fall.
They said on the third morning that the rain had been so bad that they next river was too fast and furious to cross and even they would be in danger if they tried. So when we reached it and saw the water gushing through, they pointed 60 feet up to a very rickety looking open cage for one person consiting of 4 metal poles and a wooden bottom. They said we had to climb in carefully off the cliff one by one and hold on and not move while they pulled us to the next ledge with rope... Probably the scariest thing I have ever done!
So over the course of the 5 days we climbed, crawled, swam, got very very muddy ands very wet. It turns out that. No matter how hot the jungle is, nothing ever dries there so we atYed in the same wet, muddy, sweaty clothes for 5 days...
Joel did this trek 2 years ago so before we left I asked him a little about it seeing as I haven´t done any hiking before. He said it was very enjoyable, you walk for maybe 4 hours a day, have a few pineapples along the way, and jump in the rivers for a swim with your treking buddies in the group. Well, I soon found out this wasn´t exactly the case. Either he had forgotten a lot of it,or he was worried the truth might put me off.
It had been raining a lot the week before we left and the tour operator informed us that there had been an avalanche at one of the camps, and so seeing as that was not there anymore, we would camp actually at the lost city instead. We questioned this and they said it was still very safe...eek. The trek was not exactly what I would call safe but definitely exciting!
The first 2 days were the hardest. We set off in the pouring rain climbing, crawling in the knee deep mud. I kept sliding back down the cliff face all the time and the guides would grab me and drag me back up. We crossed waist high rivers flowing must faster than normal due to all the rain. We had ropes or the guides to hold on to so not to get swept away.We slept in hammocks surrounded by mosquito nets outside under the stars, watching the fireflies. We played cards and were fed very well. I was exhausted after the second day and was worried how hard I was finding it not only physically but it was terrifying everytime we had to shimmy around a cliff face with a sheer drop into a waterfall. The cliffs edge had broken away from all the rain and the guides kept shouting at me tranquillo tranquillo and would give me their hands so I didn't fall.
They said on the third morning that the rain had been so bad that they next river was too fast and furious to cross and even they would be in danger if they tried. So when we reached it and saw the water gushing through, they pointed 60 feet up to a very rickety looking open cage for one person consiting of 4 metal poles and a wooden bottom. They said we had to climb in carefully off the cliff one by one and hold on and not move while they pulled us to the next ledge with rope... Probably the scariest thing I have ever done!
So over the course of the 5 days we climbed, crawled, swam, got very very muddy ands very wet. It turns out that. No matter how hot the jungle is, nothing ever dries there so we atYed in the same wet, muddy, sweaty clothes for 5 days...
Yu
mo! Everything was so worth it after the climb of 1800 steps to the lost city. The view of the jungle from up there was unbelieveable and the history is pretty spectacular too. We did however have a few too many encounters with a particar species of snake which coincidentally was the only one the people here have not yet found an anti venom for. They seemed to like it up there but thankfully our guide was very good at getting to them first and killing them, phew!
The way back was pretty similar to the way there although thankfuly a little less wet. The only major hurdle was comming across a bull blocking the mountain path. Joel and I were at the head ofthe group. He said he didn't want to pass first so I thought I would.. Surely it will just carrying on eating grass right??? Wrooong!!! It prompty stars to charge at the two of us with it's head down, waving it's horns around a in a very agressive way. Joel then hides behind me and grabs my shoulders using ME as a human sheild. Yup that's right, joely pushed my into Charging bull!! Not having a choice I ran past as fast as I could just scraping it's horns. So in this ridiculous game of bulldog with an angry bull, the rest of the group still had to get past and the bull definitely was not happy about it but the bull kept walking toward them so another girl tried to follow what I had done but wasn't quite so sucessful. The bull pushed her up against the bank with it's horns and kept pushing until luckily our guide saw what was happening and threw a massive rock in between it's eyes.
It was a scary, thrilling, exciting week. I have never done anything I have loved and hated so much at the same time and I am so pleased with myself for completing it. It wasn't the relaxing stroll through the jungle I had imagined but certainly an amazing experience.
mo! Everything was so worth it after the climb of 1800 steps to the lost city. The view of the jungle from up there was unbelieveable and the history is pretty spectacular too. We did however have a few too many encounters with a particar species of snake which coincidentally was the only one the people here have not yet found an anti venom for. They seemed to like it up there but thankfully our guide was very good at getting to them first and killing them, phew!
The way back was pretty similar to the way there although thankfuly a little less wet. The only major hurdle was comming across a bull blocking the mountain path. Joel and I were at the head ofthe group. He said he didn't want to pass first so I thought I would.. Surely it will just carrying on eating grass right??? Wrooong!!! It prompty stars to charge at the two of us with it's head down, waving it's horns around a in a very agressive way. Joel then hides behind me and grabs my shoulders using ME as a human sheild. Yup that's right, joely pushed my into Charging bull!! Not having a choice I ran past as fast as I could just scraping it's horns. So in this ridiculous game of bulldog with an angry bull, the rest of the group still had to get past and the bull definitely was not happy about it but the bull kept walking toward them so another girl tried to follow what I had done but wasn't quite so sucessful. The bull pushed her up against the bank with it's horns and kept pushing until luckily our guide saw what was happening and threw a massive rock in between it's eyes.
It was a scary, thrilling, exciting week. I have never done anything I have loved and hated so much at the same time and I am so pleased with myself for completing it. It wasn't the relaxing stroll through the jungle I had imagined but certainly an amazing experience.
This blog was a nightmare to write on Joel's ipod. I could only see 3 lines at a time and It keeps deleting so I apologize for all the mistakes. XXX
Tuesday, 3 August 2010
Sailing to Columbia
Ok so I have a hell of a lot of info to squeeze in in not very much time, so I will try to get as much in as possible. I am sure that most of you have heard from me that are sailing trip was not as good as we had hoped. I do have a lot of funny stories from it though so I might have to fill you in on that when I get home. So here we go....
Joel, Myself, and are two aussie friends travelled with us to Portobelo in Panama to catch our boat. We met up with our Swedish Captain who was 73 and his 24 year old Columbian girlfriend... slightly odd. We followed them to the jetty to get the dinghy over to the ship. First impressions...the boat was smelly, damp, and there were 3 beds between 6 of us. hmmm....This should be interesting. He kept telling me that one of the beds was a double and I kept asking if it folded out....it didn't and was broken so it sloped toward the ground. Joel and I had to squeeze in top to toe and hold ourselves in all night.
The Captain then told us that we had to do nightwatch. We kinds though he was joking so just laughed, but he shortly said that we would be operating a warm bed policy. Basically, we all share beds... pretty disgusting when you want to get into bed and its soaking wet because the Captain has been sleeping and all the alcohol he has consumed is seeping out of his pores....yummo!!! He then tells us we cannot have our luggage in the cabin so he puts them in bin bags and straps them to the front of the boat, and tells us to keep an eye so that they don't fall off...riiiight. So we all try and ignore the smelly, dirty, damp, alcohlic captain, no bed thing and go and see what food he has bought for us and he tells us its the first time he has included food on a trip. So we rummage through the bags only to find 50 packets of Oreo cookies...thats it!!!!!
So we set sail, a little uncertain, but keen to get to San Blas, and lets face it we don't really have a choice as we have paid him already. He shortly explains nightwatch to us. In pairs, we will take 2, 2 hour shifts a night and sail his boat ALONE through thr night while he sleeps. Again a little baffled, a ask him how and he just says, follow the compass and watch of for boats, storms, and clouds. So I ask him.. "what do I do if I see a boat" and he just says "avoid it" ahahaha, and oh dear all at the same time.
Ok, so we get to San blas, its INCREDIBLY beautiful, just like in the pics. We spend 2 nights there and have a great time swimming with the dolphins and snorkelling and pretty much spending as much time away from the Captain and the boat as possible.
Right so we shortly run out of oreo cookies to eat, Joel and I are very seasick and we find out the only water we have to drink is discolured with big black bits in it. Even the captain says not to drink it as it will make us sick!! So basically from the on, no food, no water, shit captain who won't stop talking about Jesus, Prositute girlfriend who is weird, so beds AAAND he gets us lost out to sea! No No, that is not just it...we hit probably the worst storm I have ever seen in the nightime. No joke at all there was it was pissing with rain, lighting, waves crashing into the boat and the boats sail was not far off horizontal to the water. The Captain then throws a tantrum and says he is tired of sailing so if we don't go up there he will just turn off the engine, out to sea and we will drift and hit a barge!!!! AAAAAHHH, by this point I am pisssssed off, I scream at him to give me a rainjacket then and I will bloody well sail us to Columbia. He says he doesn'y have wont so I go up there in my bikini and do my best to stay standing, let alone steer the bloody boat. I sit there f-ing and blinding as loud as I could.
So the whole trip is meant to take 5 days. 8 days later we finally pull into Cartegena, about a stone lighter in weight and extremely dehyrdrated. I am actually surprised we could go that long without water. WE get in juuust at immigration is closing, so he tells us we have to spend another night on that shitty, smelly, no food, no water boat which we would be more than happy to burn right now...along with the captain. Oh yes, also our bags strapped to the boat were drenched...nic3e!
Anyway we are finally in Columbia, loving it. It seems like such a luxury to be on land. We have been to Cartegena which I loveeed and are now in Santa Marta and will be walking, crossing rivers through the jungle for 5 days tomorrow...eeeeek!
I hope your all en joying reading my blog and get a good laugh out of it!
Lots of love xxxxx
Joel, Myself, and are two aussie friends travelled with us to Portobelo in Panama to catch our boat. We met up with our Swedish Captain who was 73 and his 24 year old Columbian girlfriend... slightly odd. We followed them to the jetty to get the dinghy over to the ship. First impressions...the boat was smelly, damp, and there were 3 beds between 6 of us. hmmm....This should be interesting. He kept telling me that one of the beds was a double and I kept asking if it folded out....it didn't and was broken so it sloped toward the ground. Joel and I had to squeeze in top to toe and hold ourselves in all night.
The Captain then told us that we had to do nightwatch. We kinds though he was joking so just laughed, but he shortly said that we would be operating a warm bed policy. Basically, we all share beds... pretty disgusting when you want to get into bed and its soaking wet because the Captain has been sleeping and all the alcohol he has consumed is seeping out of his pores....yummo!!! He then tells us we cannot have our luggage in the cabin so he puts them in bin bags and straps them to the front of the boat, and tells us to keep an eye so that they don't fall off...riiiight. So we all try and ignore the smelly, dirty, damp, alcohlic captain, no bed thing and go and see what food he has bought for us and he tells us its the first time he has included food on a trip. So we rummage through the bags only to find 50 packets of Oreo cookies...thats it!!!!!
So we set sail, a little uncertain, but keen to get to San Blas, and lets face it we don't really have a choice as we have paid him already. He shortly explains nightwatch to us. In pairs, we will take 2, 2 hour shifts a night and sail his boat ALONE through thr night while he sleeps. Again a little baffled, a ask him how and he just says, follow the compass and watch of for boats, storms, and clouds. So I ask him.. "what do I do if I see a boat" and he just says "avoid it" ahahaha, and oh dear all at the same time.
Ok, so we get to San blas, its INCREDIBLY beautiful, just like in the pics. We spend 2 nights there and have a great time swimming with the dolphins and snorkelling and pretty much spending as much time away from the Captain and the boat as possible.
Right so we shortly run out of oreo cookies to eat, Joel and I are very seasick and we find out the only water we have to drink is discolured with big black bits in it. Even the captain says not to drink it as it will make us sick!! So basically from the on, no food, no water, shit captain who won't stop talking about Jesus, Prositute girlfriend who is weird, so beds AAAND he gets us lost out to sea! No No, that is not just it...we hit probably the worst storm I have ever seen in the nightime. No joke at all there was it was pissing with rain, lighting, waves crashing into the boat and the boats sail was not far off horizontal to the water. The Captain then throws a tantrum and says he is tired of sailing so if we don't go up there he will just turn off the engine, out to sea and we will drift and hit a barge!!!! AAAAAHHH, by this point I am pisssssed off, I scream at him to give me a rainjacket then and I will bloody well sail us to Columbia. He says he doesn'y have wont so I go up there in my bikini and do my best to stay standing, let alone steer the bloody boat. I sit there f-ing and blinding as loud as I could.
So the whole trip is meant to take 5 days. 8 days later we finally pull into Cartegena, about a stone lighter in weight and extremely dehyrdrated. I am actually surprised we could go that long without water. WE get in juuust at immigration is closing, so he tells us we have to spend another night on that shitty, smelly, no food, no water boat which we would be more than happy to burn right now...along with the captain. Oh yes, also our bags strapped to the boat were drenched...nic3e!
Anyway we are finally in Columbia, loving it. It seems like such a luxury to be on land. We have been to Cartegena which I loveeed and are now in Santa Marta and will be walking, crossing rivers through the jungle for 5 days tomorrow...eeeeek!
I hope your all en joying reading my blog and get a good laugh out of it!
Lots of love xxxxx
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