Author: admin

  • 62. The testicle tree

    Friday, 22 February 2019 Pereira, Colombia   Am in need of a long, cold beer tonight after I’ve typed this blog. Itinerary says, ‘Take a walk into the cloud forest by the river.’ Reality is an hour’s climb up a chuffing steep hillside to a view point. Having previously stopped at Filandia and climbed a… Read more

  • 61. Coffee

    Thursday, 21 February 2019 Pereira, Colombia   Short 1hr lunchtime flight from Bogota to Pereira but the temperature increases by 15C and so humid now. Afternoon tour of the Finca del Café coffee plantation. 25 acre coffee plantation in the heart of the Colombian coffee region. Read on, dear reader, you’re going to be educated… Read more

  • 60. Gold

    Wednesday, 20 February 2019 Bogota, Colombia   You’ve probably been thinking that the blog has been a bit dreary the past few days, and today will be no exception. The problem is. Time. Have been distracted by other issues that need attending to in order to sort out the Mexico sector of the trip, which… Read more

  • 59. A pinch of salt

    Tuesday, 19 February 2019 Bogota, Colombia Sad to be leaving Villa de Leyva after only one night. Could happily have stayed a few more days. Nice relaxing place to be. About an hour’s drive to Punte de Boyaca. This being the battlefield where Simon Bolivar defeated the Spanish and thus claimed independence for Colombia. His… Read more

  • 58. A bit of paleontology

    Monday, 18 February 2019 Villa de Leyva, Colombia   Boom. Boom. Boom. Goes the music. At half past one in the sodding morning. Have to be up in three and a half hours. It doesn’t stop. It’s coming from outside the hotel. Get dressed to go down to reception to ask them to get whoever… Read more

  • 57. The kindness of strangers

    Sunday, 17 February 2019 Pitolito, Colombia   So. Today’s schedule is. Depart hotel 1130hrs. Arrive airport 1215hrs. Flight departs Pitolito airport 1345hrs Lands Bogota 1455hrs. 3hr drive to Villa Leyva, north of Bogota. Overnight in Villa Leyva. However. Only two of those happened. Woken at 0600hrs by stupid woman in adjacent room Skyping on her… Read more

  • 56. Riding pillion

    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… Read more

  • 55. The Great Glenfiddich Discovery

    Friday, 15 February 2019 San Augustin, Colombia   Great view for breakfast on the terrace overlooking the valley towards San Augustin. Although it’s only about 4,000ft, it’s flipping hot and humid even at this early hour. Have 3hrs walking around the San Augustin archaeological park. A funerary complex dating from…no one really knows exactly. 200BC… Read more

  • 54. Rules

    Thursday, 14 February 2019 San Augustin, Colombia   It’s been rammed home that the maximum luggage weight for the small twin prop aircraft that’s going to fly from Bogota to Pitilito in the south west of Colombia is 15kg. Rucksack is bordering on 15kg and daysack is about 4kg. Rules are for the obedience of… Read more

  • 53. Queue jumping

    Wednesday, 13 February 2019 Bogota, Colombia   Plenty of road closures in the early morning drive to Quito airport due to the Presidential visit. Quito’s side streets busy with the rush hour of people walking to work. Plenty of street stalls selling sundry stuff. Traffic is a nightmare and told it will take an hour… Read more