Colombia
The parquedero filled with cars during the day and then again at night..
26 January 2020
A very long day as we flew from Brisbane to Sydney, Santiago and finally Bogotá followed by a night in a hotel near the airport.
27 January
Off to pick up the truck from a parking area a couple of kilometres away. The Bee was just as we had left it. Unpacked, stocked up on a few supplies and on our way.
A very long day as we flew from Brisbane to Sydney, Santiago and finally Bogotá followed by a night in a hotel near the airport.
27 January
Off to pick up the truck from a parking area a couple of kilometres away. The Bee was just as we had left it. Unpacked, stocked up on a few supplies and on our way.
28, 29 January
Our first camp just outside Bogota and we learn that the actuators aren't working again. This means the roof doesn't lift. We can still sleep in the truck but we cannot cook in the truck and we can sit but not stand up. This is particularly taxing for Guy. For cooking we use a portable coleman petrol cooker outside and if it is raining we put the awning out. Fortunately the weather was not too cold or windy to cook outside.
We had brought back a part for the fridge which stopped working during our last trip. More bad news, the fridge still doesn't work. Back to buying hielo (pronunced a little like yellow) which is ice to keep things cold.
Our first camp just outside Bogota and we learn that the actuators aren't working again. This means the roof doesn't lift. We can still sleep in the truck but we cannot cook in the truck and we can sit but not stand up. This is particularly taxing for Guy. For cooking we use a portable coleman petrol cooker outside and if it is raining we put the awning out. Fortunately the weather was not too cold or windy to cook outside.
We had brought back a part for the fridge which stopped working during our last trip. More bad news, the fridge still doesn't work. Back to buying hielo (pronunced a little like yellow) which is ice to keep things cold.
Unfortunately we only had a few weeks to get to Cartagena where the Bee will be shipped to Mexico, so no days off to work on the actuators or find a fridge mechanic.
Heading through the mountains for Medellin we detoured along a slow dirt road for the quaint heritage town of Jardin. it was a well worth it.
Heading through the mountains for Medellin we detoured along a slow dirt road for the quaint heritage town of Jardin. it was a well worth it.
30, 31 January Jardin
Jardin was a beautiful town and well worth the slow but enjoyable drive through the mountains. Relaxed, clean, friendly, beautiful birds, interesting walks and all in comfortable clear weather.
Jardin was a beautiful town and well worth the slow but enjoyable drive through the mountains. Relaxed, clean, friendly, beautiful birds, interesting walks and all in comfortable clear weather.
|
To save walking into a deep river valley and up again we travelled 320m across in a garrucha which gave beautiful views over the town. Surprisingly it was not as scary or rickety as it may look.
|
|
Scenes from Jardin.
Massive roadworks in the mountains.
1- 4 February Medellin
The drive to Medellin started early as the road we were taking was closed from 9am - 3 pm daily. Arriving in Medellin at peak hour is not something we wanted to do either. We negotiated our way through roadworks and traffic to the city and into the mountains to the east where we would leave the truck while spending a couple of days in a hotel in the city.
The drive to Medellin started early as the road we were taking was closed from 9am - 3 pm daily. Arriving in Medellin at peak hour is not something we wanted to do either. We negotiated our way through roadworks and traffic to the city and into the mountains to the east where we would leave the truck while spending a couple of days in a hotel in the city.
View over Medellin
Over the last 5 decades Medellin and particularly Comuna 13 has been one of the most dangerous places in South America with cartel, paramilitary, gang and guerrilla activity. In 2002 the Colombian military launched Operation Orion to remove leftist rebels from the area. The result was more than 300 forced disappearances and widespread human rights violations – a tragedy that remains painfully fresh. And while the operation did remove the rebels, their presence was almost immediately replaced by a paramilitary group.
Community in resistance - Comuna 13
Over the past 17 years, residents of Comuna 13 have formed tight-knit human rights and victims’ organizations to find strength and safety in numbers to denounce the killings, displacement and disappearances during Operation Orion, to seek reparation and try to recover the bodies of lost friends and relatives, and make the barrio a safer community.
As an alternative to violence young people have turned to hip hop dancing, rap and street art to voice their opinion on what is happening. However their words, music and art have also drawn the wrath of the gangs, with 10 hip hop artists being murdered since 2009. Dozens more have been forced to flee their homes. Illegal armed groups still terrorize their neighborhood today.
As an alternative to violence young people have turned to hip hop dancing, rap and street art to voice their opinion on what is happening. However their words, music and art have also drawn the wrath of the gangs, with 10 hip hop artists being murdered since 2009. Dozens more have been forced to flee their homes. Illegal armed groups still terrorize their neighborhood today.
To improve access to the city the government has installed a cable car service up to the comuna and several covered escalators rising 400m up the steep slopes within the comuna.
From Comuna 13 we travelled by the cheap efficient public transport system to the Botanical Gardens which were disappointing as the huge wooden orchid house was closed for renovation. But the Antioquia Museum did not disappoint with its many Botero paintings, drawings and sculptures and Botero Plaza which the museum overlooks also has many Botero sculptures. These have all been donated by the artist who was born in Medellin.
From Comuna 13 we travelled by the cheap efficient public transport system to the Botanical Gardens which were disappointing as the huge wooden orchid house was closed for renovation. But the Antioquia Museum did not disappoint with its many Botero paintings, drawings and sculptures and Botero Plaza which the museum overlooks also has many Botero sculptures. These have all been donated by the artist who was born in Medellin.
Steps zig zaging to the top of the rock.
5, 6, 7 February
From Medellin we drove to the quaint town of Guatapé and the nearby granite Peñol Rock with over 650 stairs to the top. Sadly it was closed and climbing to the top for the wonderful view over the reservoir was not an option. The reservoir which is a popular watersport area was at levels well below normal.
After lunch we started the long drive to Santa Marta. We booked a RORO ship for17 Feb to transport the Bee to Vera Cruz, Mexico and had to make allowances for date changes
The first few hours was spent driving winding mountain roads with many trucks to pass but by mid-afternoon we were descending into the heat and humidity of the north coast. We pulled up at 5pm to spend the night in the carpark of the hotel Aqualindo (Beautiful water) and enjoyed a relaxing swim in their too warm pool. Heat and humidity increased next day as we continued descending towards the Magdalena River.
From Medellin we drove to the quaint town of Guatapé and the nearby granite Peñol Rock with over 650 stairs to the top. Sadly it was closed and climbing to the top for the wonderful view over the reservoir was not an option. The reservoir which is a popular watersport area was at levels well below normal.
After lunch we started the long drive to Santa Marta. We booked a RORO ship for17 Feb to transport the Bee to Vera Cruz, Mexico and had to make allowances for date changes
The first few hours was spent driving winding mountain roads with many trucks to pass but by mid-afternoon we were descending into the heat and humidity of the north coast. We pulled up at 5pm to spend the night in the carpark of the hotel Aqualindo (Beautiful water) and enjoyed a relaxing swim in their too warm pool. Heat and humidity increased next day as we continued descending towards the Magdalena River.
These blue and yellow macaws came to a feeder at a roadside restaurant where we had breakfast.
|
Grooming eachother
|
We spent one night at the bayside village of Taganga, north of Santa Marta but had to leave the next day when we received advice our ship, the Hoegh Manila, was two days early. So, back on the road for 4hrs through to Cartagena and the shipping port.
The drive west from Santa Marta to Cartagena. Wish we had had time to stay at one of the Caribbean beaches but.......
This young man asked Guy where he was from. Guy responded 'soy Austaliano' and so the rap began about Colorado!
8 - 18 February Cartagena
Cartagena, founded in the 16th century. A place to prepare the truck for roll on, roll off shipping and some time to explore an interesting colourful walled city declared a World Heritage Site in 1984.
Strategically located between the Magdalena and Sinú rivers, Cartagena de Indias as it was known, became the main port for trade between Spain and its South American empire, by the early 1540s. It was a key port for the export of Peruvian silver to Spain and for the import of enslaved Africans.
There is no rain at this time of year and although hot and humid a 25 - 30 km/hr wind rolls in from the north daily before midday until about 9pm.
Cartagena, founded in the 16th century. A place to prepare the truck for roll on, roll off shipping and some time to explore an interesting colourful walled city declared a World Heritage Site in 1984.
Strategically located between the Magdalena and Sinú rivers, Cartagena de Indias as it was known, became the main port for trade between Spain and its South American empire, by the early 1540s. It was a key port for the export of Peruvian silver to Spain and for the import of enslaved Africans.
There is no rain at this time of year and although hot and humid a 25 - 30 km/hr wind rolls in from the north daily before midday until about 9pm.
The next country to the north of Colombia is Panama. But the Darian Gap, a small lawless neck of land with no roads stands in between. Overlanders ship their vehicles around this area to Panama or in our case, Mexico. Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua do not allow right hand drive vehicles into their countries so Mexico was our next choice. Fortunately we had visited Costa Rica and Panama in 2017 when the Bee sailed from Europe to South America.
Police Drug search. After the initial inspection by Customs and the shipping company the truck is left unlocked on the wharf for 2 days waiting for a drug check. The truck has to be completely emptied and the goods spread out for the search. First the Police search for hidden compartments, even letting air out of the tyres and starting the engine, then the sniffer dog is put through everything.
|
It is a 6 day sea journey from Cartagena to Veracruz, Mexico. Unfortunately only roll on, roll off was available to us; it is not as secure as a container. Guy has spent hours preparing the truck for the sea journey on a car carrier - boarding up the windows, blocking the entry into the house from the cab, completely emptying everything out of the cab and pretty well everything out of the living area. Precious things will travel with us and other articles will be in lockers under the truck. Then a good wash before going to the port to hand the Bee over on Valentines Day. Fingers crossed everything will still be there when we arrive to pick up the Bee in Veracruz, Mexico in about 10 days. |
Good bye South America. On to Mexico!