Mas de Colombia y un poco de Venezuela
So Medellin was fun, saw more Botero (he´s from there) and went to a massive EXITO (giant supermarket things that are everywhere in Medellin) and went to bizzare nightclubs with exciting folks from the hostel. I also ran into a couple of people who I´d met along the way on my trip, on of the i met in La Paz in Bolivia. Then it was off off and away back to Bogota on an overnight bus with Merav, an Israeli girl from the hostel in Medellin.
Back in wonderful Bogota there was much celebration over almost 2 weeks, though I had only meant to stay for a few days. there was Colombian valentines day one Saturday so a big bunch of us Gringos and Colombian friends went to a club that was AGES away (almost 2 hours). It was amazing and huge, there was a giant red plastic cow, jesters, a guy dressed as a sea captain dancing with a blow up doll and facepainting, plus much more. Another day was the birthday of Adam, one of my friends from the hostel, so a bunch of us planned a suprise and sneakily got him a present, cake and card, we had a really big night at a cool club called La Latina where they played some good old Indie Rock (as if they saw us come in and said to themselves, we most definitly need some Bloc Party). i saw more of Bogota during the day, including some guinea pig racing that was pretty fun. Upon my return to Australia I´m going to buy a guinea pig and teach it how to race, this is my new life dream.
There were more fun nights and days, and I kept on saying I would leave then not feeling like the 40 hour bus journey that was ahead of me. I did end up leaving the day after a fiesta that was organised by Alix, the woman who owns the Hostel, but! by theis time I had changed my plans.
I had briefly thought of catching the boat to Panama from northen Colombia and then heading up thrugh central America, but I have now decided to head BACK to Bogota and do some Volunteer work probably teaching English at a community centre or something. So I left Bogota, but with more exciting plans to return.
I took what felt like a billion busses to Caracas in Venezuela where I spent time catching up with my friends Kiraz and Fred who have moved there from Sydney. It was very interesting and I saw heaps of protests and polotical stalls and graffiti and even public debates about the constitution on the street. From Caracas I hightailed it to the coast and then took another Billion busses back to Colombia and Santa Marta, a small city on the Carribean Coast.
It´s actually really surreal (and hot, really really hot) to be on the Carribean caost, it´s somewhere I´ve always wanted to come and it´s just as fantastic as I hoped. From here I´m going to Taganga today where i will try not to get Dengue fever and then to Parque National tayrona, a beautiful national park just near here where you can sleep in Hammocks and enjoy the perfect beaches.
So I must go, and i would say that there´s a possiblity that I won´t be able to blog for a while, but it´s not like i´ve been consistant anyway.
Tags: Travel
eb
Hi Em,
Well that was a very brief summary of a very interesting political situation in Venezuela! We’re going to get Skype really soon so we can talk and get some of the detail. Is the Colombian Caribbean coast full of resorts and tourists, or are there still villages and locals? I read something a while ago about the banana plantations in that part of Columbia that suggested the rebels are fairly active in a very poverty-stricken area. Was that your sense of it?
Howard’s position in the polls hasn’t budged since April. Possum Comitatus, http://possumcomitatus.wordpress.com/, the best analyst I’ve come across, thinks on those numbers applied in conservative detail to the range of marginal through to safe seats the Coalition would lose 52 seats!!! The ALP are espousing more and more conservative policies as they get poll feedback that they could take some previously safe Lib seats. It’s a bit depressing – the same as Carr and Iemma they want to maximise the number of seats without meeting the aspirations of their main constituency, even though they’d have enough votes there to win anyway and then be something other than a milk-and-water version of Howard.
We’ll organise Skype this week.
Dad
Hi EmnrL et us know when it might be a good time to try Skype ?nrCoombia sounds great and I am just about to email someone who wants to travel in South America your blog address . I know the blog has inspired me to visit sometime soon and I am sure others will feel the same. nrIt is just early October with very hot temperatures and raging fires in NSW this week. This morning we went for a walk at six in the Botanical Gardens – water, green and flowers everywhere – great and very relaxing.nrLots of lovenrMUMnrxxx
Hey Egg!
haha a 40 hour bus trip, thats pretty fun, A small price to pay for living the dream gap year I guess.
Met up with Amber and Simon a while ago at the huge Rally!,Amber said to say Hi, it was a long time ago, but i just remembered.
Yeah as your Pa, commented that is a really interesting ground experience of Venezuela.
take care
& remember when in doubt Stop! Drop! and Roll!
So Emm, Bogota seems like the place to be.
Enjoyed reading of your travels as usual. I looked up the national park that you are headed to – read some mixed views about it so will be interested to hear what you have to say about it! Look our for biting flies and crabs.
Deb and I had a very windy overnight kayaking trip a couple of weekends ago- I was very glad to reach dry land again but it was a great learning experience for us both.
Mum, Dad and Luke came over for dinner a couple of friday nights ago. Deb cooked one of her delicious dinners as usual. I think that we will have another one to welcome you back home before you start uni. What do you think?
Look forward to the next installment as usual.
Love
Pip
Dear Emma,
Sounds like you are having a great time and it will be great for you to do the volunteer work in Bogota.
No baby news yet, but we have had a couple of false alarms, so shouldnt be too much longer. Michelle is well and busy and we are all enjoying reading about your adventures very much.
Stay safe and well,
Love always,
Mary, Michelle, Johnnie and MoniqueXXXXXXXXX
when you go to bogota, keep an eye out for brad.
Where ever I go in the world I keep an eye out for Brad.
I am Brad!
Dear Emma,
Hope you are well and staying safe and happy,
Breaking news!!!!!!My grandson has arrived, his name is Bailey and he is very handsome!
Michelle and I have fitted into our roles of nana and aunty, very smoothly and Johnnie and Monique are doing well and very proud,
with love always,
Maryxxxxxxxxx