Colombia Musing...

Dust blowing through me
Wind echoes around me
Skin ripple gently
Tonight the shell is seared
Like knife cut deeply
Blade slicing smoothly
Burning melting seams
Peeling back the outer
Light pouring brightly
Casts shadows darkly
Skeleton revealed
Time for the rebuilding
Softening of stone
Knitting souls hearts bone
Definition own
Renewal completed

Quito...

Will take your breath away...and it´s not just the atltitude that will leave you dizzy and breathless.

(Check out this link to see some images http://www.google.com/images?q=quito&hl=en&prmd=mi&source=lnms&tbs=isch:1&ei=yvvzS7TJHIG0lQeruOjjDA&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&ved=0CBEQ_AU)

An unexpected gem nestled in the Andes Mountains, this is a city of contrast, a mosaic of Gothic and Spanish architecture, gritty hardened humanity, beautifully indigenous faces all set against a backdrop of heaven reaching mountains...
Life is tough here and it is marked on the faces of those who have to live here.  No amount of church presence can eradicate the urgency and the crime and to be amongst it evokes a mixture of fear, apprehension, compassion and that sadly generic tourist feeling of `wonder`.
We have had four days here casually strolling the streets, breathing in the views, admiring the incredible Gothic and Spanish buildings and enjoying the slow paced life that is Quito.  What it lacks in the vibrancy and `hype´ we found in Colombia and Brazil, it makes up for in setting and beauty.  Being up so high and in such an amazing place is enough to make the most high strung of us unwind and walk that much slower just to soak it all in.
Sadly, crime is prevalent and, I was robbed whilst sitting in a cafe.  Thankfully, no violence was employed, however, it reiterated that as per what we have seen thus far, the facades, soaring towers, majestic churches are a pleasant distraction from the reality of places such as these.  Life is cheap, hard sellable goods are what matters and being a tourist, we are pay day on legs.
Determined not to leave with a bitter taste in my mouth, I will savour the memory of Quito, this amazing sky dwelling city.

CUSP

Like standing on the cusp of now.

One foot then, the other present.

A foot fight, rendering movement still

Tumultous motion hindered reminiscent

 

Memories and past consequence

Urging me forward, a dichotomy in mind

Between past til now defining

Or past to render, leave behind

 

A final shrug and sheath like

A final skin of what was is shed.

Not caterpillar to butterly, nor then til now

But that transitition to life, from death

 

Such an extreme rebirth, a moment take

Nothing will be recognisable

Yet for the eyes, reflecting soul and life

Forever hinting, telling tales

 

A foot now poised, halfway in step

The horizon reached, infinity defined

No longer flat delusional impossiblity

A simple, flat, crossable line

 

To cross into ones world of self created

A world of security in truth

That transcendant step to future

Into adulthood and destiny, from youth.

Cartagena ... Spanish-esque Carribbean Paradise

Sunning it up in Cartagena has been blissful respite after our ordeal getting here.

.http://www.google.com.co/images?hl=en&q=cartagena+colombia+pictures&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=nZDoS6aCHoGdlgetg_S2Aw&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CBwQsAQwAA is a good link to see some photos

A Spanish fortified city on the coast is about as far from what I thought I would experience here! We arrived expecting jungle, chaos and slum like living, however, this is the most beautiful place I have ever seen.  The Old Town  is within the main city and is like stepping into a Spanish time warp everytime we go through the gates, castles, clock towers and stone walls at every turn,, horse drawn carriages and squares filled with tables and musicians.  The town is lined with machine gun armed guards, all meant to make the tourists and the rich feel safe, however, they add to the myriad confusion of old and new, safe and dangerous, clean and rotten.  No matter how often I see them, young boys with guns is still the most unnerving sight I have encountered.
We are staying just out of the Old Town and here is where the expected cocaine influence is a lot more evident.  Prostitutes cradling babies whilst soliciting and dealing drugs is a sight that renches and makes my stomach heave, and the morning sight of high, bug eyed, ignorant tourists jacked up on coke, adding to the disintegration of this beautiful place makes me sick. 
As with every place we have seen so far, the ugly and beauty are interlinked, and to love a place, one must learn to accept the parts that make us squirm...yet it furthers my resolve to work and help.  Ive been harrassing, emailing and battling the beauracracy in order to arrange to come back here and do something, anything, to improve the lives of those born into the gutteral lifestyle that sludges here.

Tomorrow we are flying to Cali in South Colombia where we will soak up some Salsa for a few days and more history  then cross into Ecuador by bus (we are all nervous about this, after hearing some horror stories about highjacks, robberies, and jungle kidnappings), to Guayacil where we will carry on to Lima by bus.
We aim to be in Cusco and finally up Macchu Picchu in 2 weeks! I have lined up some volunteer work there working in a hostel and teaching English, and also in Bolivia so I am very excited!

I will write more at the next stop!

Please keep emails coming
xxx

5th May - Maracaibo (Ven) - Colombian Border - Maicao (Colombia) - Cartagena (Carribbean Coast Colombia)

Pumped and wired on adrenalin we leapt out of bed at 4 am, splashed water on bleary eyes and (after bashing frantically on the hotel door) were let out into the dawn.
The bus station was like a car graveyard come to life, derelict, bashed,, rusted Lincolns, Chevvys and Cadillacs all shuddering and growling over yelling ticket vendors, birds and mumbling sleepy drivers.  After choosing our cab (a deep maroon Malibu with a front door lock to open the boot, duct taped windows and no door handles (the car in the BEST condition out of the lot, and with the least obviously intoxicated driver) and negotiating our fare ($210 - a bargain) it was time to nervously wait.
Tattooing the pavement with our nervous side step, incapable of words except the occasional exclamation of 'this is bonkers' and constant, mindless giggling we elevated internal silent prayers, channelled positive energy and hoped for the best!
Our Father who art in Heaven, blessed be this day, your hand on us, protection grant, this is what I pray
Feeling sick,  jacked up on nerves and energy, excited to the point of shakes and feeling all and every kind of emotion and physiological tingle, surging with unfamiliar energy and utterly overwhelmed with the sheer madness of what lay ahead I scribbled frantically - this is what fuels inspiration, rejuvenates exhausted souls and rekindles the dormant sensation of what it is to TRULY LIVE!
Neil continues to drag heavily on his cigarette and chuckle quietly, and Jeremy, knee deep in American muscle, happily points out that out of all the cars we can see, only 2 have 6 cylinders whilst the rest have 8...he is a happy lad!

Finally, after an anxious hour long wait, we were presented with official forms (phew, this made us feel a little less worried and make the whole operation seem 'legit'), signed, paid and jumped into the car with our travelling companions (a young Spanish couple) and roared into the morning and into the most surreal landscape I have ever experienced.
A seemingly endless horizon of desert thundering with the sound of literally thousands of pre-1970 American cars, all in major states of disrepair but still thundering healthily, weaving and hurtling at break neck speeds, 4 abreast (in a 2 lane road).  It was like being on the set of a Mexican gangster movie.
Massive cattle trucks with people stacked, jammed and shoved inside and hanging on to doors, roof racks and crates, all rushing toward the frontier.
Mud brick, thatched shanty towns litter the desert, makeshift huts and restaurants of lashed together sticks (all of different lengths, with no roofing and no walls) line the road and people lazily swing in their hammocks watching us go by, children playing on the road, in between cars, goats, chickens and cows grazing on whatever they can find...it is nothing I have ever seen, and I keep having to remind myself that it is actually real - that this is how people live.
The drive to the border is like a time warped excursion into a movie, all three of us are stunned and speechless and loving every minute of the madness.

2 of the most uncomfortable hours later (due to the curved roll together bench seat and lack of suspension) we reach the pre- border patrol for our exit stamps, and after paying a leaving tax (Venezuela is all about squeezing us for cash) we roll to the check point and proceed to be searched.
After having a guard rifle through my pack (including, to his disgust, my dirty laundry and rotting mouldy towel) we shoved stuff back into the cab and proceeded to walk the no-mans land between Venezuela to Colombia.
Every kind of hustler, dealer, opportunist and crim occupies this short space - crammed to overflowing with dingy bars, money exchange offices, dubious tour companies and restaurants, it is a cacophany of noise, pressure, frantic sales pitches and for us, fear. With heads up, eyes blank and arms crossed over passport wallets (all snugly tied under our clothes) we marched confidently (whilst shaking inside) to the office and were interrogated, stamped and welcomed into Colombia! HOORAY!


Nothing comes close to the feeling of that moment - unreal!

12 kilometers later we farewelled our taxi driver at Maicao and prepared the next leg. An 8 hour bus ride to Cartagena...
Jeremy had his first motorbike ride (in jandals, shorts and tee minus helmet) at wreckless speed thru the town to find cash while Neil stood guard over our stuff and I went off to buy some money - I managed to barter the rate and got us a sweet deal on Colombian pesos for Bolivars and (not until later did I realise I was now a crim!) once more we were off!

Having braced ourselves for all manner of danger (visions of corrupt check point guards, bribery and blackmail and thievery) we were all pleasantly surprised as the trip went without a hitch and we arrived in the stunning city of Cartagena last night.

HOORAY!
The boys are now having some sleep, Im on the planning operation and in a short few minutes we will be relaxing sea side on the Carribbean!

xx

4th May - Ciudade Boliver - Caracas - Maracaibo Venezuela

Ciudade Boliver - Caracas - Maracaibo (4th May)

WOOPA farewell Ciudade Boliver!

After spending a stressful (not to mention claustrophobic) 24 hours in a hotel we, with much relief and spring in our step, sauntered to the airport and caught a flight to Caracas this morning.

We happily soared above the clouds and relaxed into the ride...arriving 2.5 hours later at Maiguetia Airport (26 kms out of Caracas).

As we descended faces pressed to the window soaking in the blissful view of crystal blue sea, white sand coastline and soaring mountain excitement and elation overtook the fear and paranoia of the past 3 days.

Without a hitch we collected our baggage and proceeded to book a connecting flight to Maracaibo where we would catch a bus to Cartagena! ahh bliss - Carribbean coast and fishing were dominating our thoughts.

We found a corner possie and spent the day (and a fortune) playing cards and laughing (hindsight being a blessed thing) at the adventure (at the time hellish nightmare) that we had just experienced.

Our flight to Maracaibo left at 6 and a cool 40 minutes (approx 1.5 games of cards and a bread roll later) we landed! (so much for a 10 hour bus ride! we were extremely smug and it was 'high fives' all round).

A quick (and well negotiated) taxi ride to the bus terminal and we were set (feeling like we were coursing through a back of beyond Mexican shanty town complete with every early model American muscle car relic, pot holed roads, delapidated brick shantys and gutteral drunks) - surreal doesnt begin to describe it!Happily safe and air conned in our modern cab we were still smugly relishing our successful day and the adventure that awaited us ... but, as we have encountered thus far, things are never quite as easy as we first think (or are told! Lonely Planet is definitely NOT the Bible!)

In my broken Spanish I asscertained that there was in fact NO bus to Cartagena, but a two hour taxi ride to Maicao (just over the Colombian border) and then a bus to Cartagena. This might not sound like much of a mission, in fact, most people (no doubt) would (assuming all cabs are warranted, registered, road worthy and post 1991) think that this was a more comfortable option!

NOT SO! We were ushered to a car (a pre 1950 derelict Chevy relic, literally held together with duct tape) and assured it was NO PROBLEMO! just a 2 hour saunter to the border for a cool 240 Bolivers (80 NZ dollars for all three of us)...

NOt to be fooled (or killed in a car crash) I leapt into the throng of gathering hustlers, perverts, nosey locals and tour guides all eager to sell me a ticket (or something) and got my tough face on!

Sure enough, for the first time in Venezuela, it appeared we werent being lied to and after putting heads together we decided that a taxi was clearly our only option, however, a midnight entry into Colombia wasnt.

Thanking them all for their input we lugged our packs across the road to a 'hotel' (if you can imagine some Central american street with dust roads, crammed sidewalks and nervously stacked buildings bulging and shuddering with rot and mould) you would be bang on!Not to be disheartened, and in the throes of excitement we checked in...$12.50 each for the night seemed a bargain, until we were shown to our room! One bed and a mattress on the floor and, on further inspection, non water

dispensing taps and shower - instead a bucket and scoop in the corner! Managing to semi soap and rinse ourselves we are settled in for a night of snatched excited and nervous sleep ready for our 4am wake up and 5am mission to Colombia!

BRING IT ON!

Manaus - Boa Vista - Ciudad Boliver (Venezuela)

HELLO!


Well we are in Ciudad Boliver in Venezuela...hiding in a hotel waiting for an urgently booked flight to Caracas after the most harrowing, stressful, frightening trip of our lives!

We left Manaus on Saturday morning at 9 am.. after being confident (based on prior bus experiences) that we would have air-con and stretch out room aplenty, we were disappointed - this bus had no room, the air-con was non existent, the windows didnt open and there was no suspension. We endured a sweltering hot, cramped rickety ride to Boa Vista where, on arrival at 2am, we were informed our next bus was delayed til 7.30 on Sunday morning.

Exhausted, fed up and hungry, we hosed ourselves off (literally) and proceeded to camp out in the (outdoor, unenclosed space) bus station. Sprawled across metal seats and being mauled by bugs we managed to snatch 1/2 an hour sleep before being woken to blaring speakers and freezing cold winds at 5.30 am.

Scoffing back a $10 hamburger and revolting coffee we borded the next bus at 7.30 and began the next leg...this time the bus had room and air -con, but was set to freezing (we cant win) but we managed a blissful hour sleep before reaching the pre-border stop at 11 am. We got off the bus amidst a flurry of black market cash vendors, drunks and crims all trying to hustle us, sell us money and blind side us. Hastiliy wolfing back miscellaneous greasy pastries we queued at the border crossing to be stamped out of Brazil, then crossed no mans land to be stamped officially into Venezuela.

Elation and excitement kicked in as we trundled across the border into the mountainous terrain of the Raurima state, however, this soon turned to fear as we went through our first security check - machine gun toting baby faced guards are more intimidating than the older ones! We were stopped every hour and asked to show our passports which became frustrating but added to our exhaustion as we couldnt get to sleep due to being woken so often.

It became very apparent that the guards were pin pointing us as gringos and were hoping for cash.

At one point the boys were hauled off the bus, taken into a station and their bags checked, but on the presentaiton of money they were let go and all was fine. Corruption, black mail and bribery all a commonplace part of the Venezuelan military, and apparently something that the locals accept as status quo.

Shaken up and beyond repair tired and hungry after 2 days of no sleep and only a snatched meal the day before, we reached Ciudad Bolivar at 2 am only to realise how stuck and vulnerable we are.

With no cash on us we were at the mercy of the taxi driver - who, after driving us round to 6 banks started threatening us (in Spanish) as we had no way of paying him, although we suggested he take us to a hostel and come for money in the morning, so he took us back to the bus depot where he made a huge scene attracting the attention of all the other cab drivers who came to his back up....screaming at us in Spanish, making threatening gestures and generally breaking us down. Thankfully (or so we thought) another driver took pity on us and offered to take us to a hotel and come and collect payment in the morning!

Bedgraggled, sideways with exhaustion and hunger and utterly incommunicado we checked into a hotel (a cool $240 for the night) and managed to get some sleep! The 'nice; taxi driver showed up first thing this morning whisking the boys to a cash machine and charging $200 for his services withe the friendly heads up that the other taxi driver is looking for us! We have now decided to skip right to Caracas tomorrow on the first available flight (another cool $300) and then on to Colombia (I never thought I would be looking to Colombia as a 'safe' option!) ... Broke, tired and generally scared we are now hiding in a hotel waiting to leave tomorrow morning!

Talk about an experience! Definitely a story for the autobiography!

I will write to you as soon as we arrive at Caracas to let you know we are safe and well!

xx Missing home a lot today!!!