Saturday, 16 February 2019
San Augustin, Colombia
For the first time on this trip, I have absolutely nothing planned for today. Previous so called days off have been busy with admin and sorting next sectors of the trip out. Not today. A true day off doing nothing.
But.
A busy day doing nothing.
Leisurely breakfast on the terrace again overlooking the valley to San Augustin. Listening to the sounds of the small town wafting towards me in the gentle cooling breeze as I tuck into a fried egg with ham and cheese. And Colombian coffee.
Like Hugh Grant in the film ‘About A Boy’, today is going to be measured in half hours of little things to enjoy.
Another coffee on the terrace. Half an hour.
Read The Daily Telegraph online (oh yes, folks, I’m definitely not a Guardian reader). Half an hour.
Having collected a number of postcards since Buenos Aires and not having had time to write them, take the time to write mundane things. Two half hours.
Faff about with computer trying to get BBC iPlayer to download through the VPN. Half an hour.
Walk into San Augustin. Half an hour.
Hotel Akawanka Lodge is set high up on a hill. Decide the walk into San Augustin will be good and then taxi back. Start walking down the steep access road. Hear a motorbike behind me.
It’s the waiter I’ve been dealing with and having a bit of craic with the past two nights. He found the Glenfiddich. Top lad. He pulls up. Am already hot and sticky after walking a hundred metres from hotel.
He offers me a lift riding pillion on his Suzuki motorbike.
Erm.
- Never ridden pillion.
- Never ridden a motorbike before.
- No crash helmet.
- Only a Tilley Hat for protection.
- I’m in excess of 100kg. About the same weight as the bike by the looks of it.
- Don’t like not being in control of my own destiny.
- What if I fall off.
- What if we crash.
- Don’t know the guy from Adam.
So.
Only one thing for it.
Jump on.
This is exciting stuff.
And nerve wracking.
And terrifying.
Initial problem is. Where do I put my hands.
Need to grab on to something.
But there is not a cat in hell’s chance I’m wrapping my arms around his body.
No. No. No.
Can’t leave hands free. Need to grab on to something solid.
Find the rack behind me.
Cling on for dear life.
We go down the mighty steep hill.
I’m cacking myself.
Never done this before.
Hit the main road and we speed up.
Oh shit. This is scary.
Conscious that my weight will affect the balance of the bike try and stay ram rod straight.
Difficult when he’s weaving all over the road to avoid potholes and speed humps.
Tilley Hat starts flapping in the wind.
Dare I take a hand off rear rack to hold hat down.
Yes.
Enter the outskirts of San Augustin.
That’ll do.
Tap him on the shoulder and motion that I’ll get off here.
Pull over.
Alight.
Phew.
Made it.
No idea why anyone thinks riding pillion is a good idea.
Did the Cresta Run a couple of years ago. That was terrifying. This is on a par.
Feet firmly on terra firma. Have an hour to kill before lunch. Only takes 20 mins to see San Augustin. Have a drink at the café we had lunch at yesterday on the main square. Owner is pleased to see me again. No, really, she is.
Plenty of hairdressing shops and supply again seems to outweigh demand.
Plenty of seamstresses sitting in their shops sewing on their Singers. Unbelievable number of sewing shops.
Pass one little shop. A lone bloke sits amongst a load of old television sets. You know. The old cathode ray tube television sets. Millennials: this is how we used to watch TV in the old days. You had to wait until the TV warmed up and if you wanted to change channels. You. Had. To. Get. Up. And. Move. To. The. Television. Set.
He’s got the back of the TV open and is looking at all the circuitry and trying to repair it. His entire shop is full of old CRT TVs and other electrical bits and pieces.
Having had lunch again in the café I had lunch in yesterday, look to find a taxi. There were loads here half an hour ago but now conscious that shops are shutting up. Heading towards 1300hrs. Must be siesta time. Walk about for 10 mins looking for a taxi. Eventually one arrives and taken back up the steep hill to the hotel.
Leisurely afternoon on the terrace.
A much needed relaxing day doing nothing.
