The rest of Colombia and Ecuador

Hmm what else to do in Cali, well they had a zoo... It was actually a really good zoo, the best in SA so I hear. They had amazing avary and butterfly enclosures


After Cali I headed to a place called Popayan which is a really nice city more towards the south of Colombia. From there I went to a place called San Agustin where there are lots of statues from thousands of years ago. The statues were interesting, mostly left on tombs for dead tribal leaders I believe. But after two days there I think I'd seen hundreds of them so wasn't so excited about them. Our guide was obsessed that all the statues were phallic also. He talked about it alot. I got to ride a horse again though which was fun. This one was called Rosario



Don't know what he was called

We were all sore by the end of the day on horses. I travelled with Hitoshi for the following week or so. Guy on the left

This place was interesting, they would place the tribal leaders and Shamen in seats within this rock sculpture type thing, then a human sacrifice would be... well sacrificed and the blood would flow through all the channels until some pools further down the rocks were red. Back when this was all going on it was an honour to be sacrificed as you got a queue jump to the next life. I wouldn't have signed up

Me on a rock


Scruffy street dog 1386... I liked this one. We fed him a bit as he needed it

Why put chickens feet in soup? Seemed a common error in southern Colombia and Ecuador


Ipiales I think. Now I normally don't go near churches but this one looked nice so I made an exception. The walls around here are covered with stories of miracles that happen to people in this magical place...


Ecuador, they use the american dollar. Not a good start. I hadn't actually planed on going to Ecuador but ended up having time. I went to a mountain town called Otavalo which is famous for a market they have and also for being populated highly by indigenous people. It was nice there and a studied a week of Spanish as wanted an excuse to stay somewhere for a bit. Nothing really to take pics of apart from my lunch one day, looks quite happy when he was sent off


Left Otavalo for a place called Baños where there are lots of hot baths and outdoor activities. I did a bike ride and went to some of the hot baths. Also stayed in an amzing hotel for 8 dollars a night. Most luxury I've had so far. Easier to bargain prices in that place as there are so many hotels. Rain! Boo!

This waterfall, you are able to climb around underneath the watefall and get a bit wet


Getting wet under the waterfall

Had a choice to go to Quito for a few days or met an English guy who was heading to Montañita by the coast. Thought I should catch a bit of a tan before heading off to New Zealand which is in winter. Easy choice although it meant another two days in buses. The waves are also good in Montañita so thought I'd put a bit of work in on my surfing. This isn't me but I was doing exactly the same... haha

Actually the most exciting thing in Montañita for me was a shop where you can get custom made board shorts made (swimming shorts). So you get to choose the design and colours etc and they make them for you. Simple things hey

Nice beach
Back to Quito for one night and then on a plane in the morning. 5 am. 40 dollars airport tax at Quito. Had to stop at Lima for a connection. Had 8 hours to kill so went into Lima for the day as I like Lima. Due to this I had to pay another 31 dollars when I came back to get on the plane. Airports are absolutely foul places. I have no doubt Santiago are going to do the same later today as well. Easy way to spend money on nothing. Last view of the Andes for this trip


Arrived in Santiago a few days ago hoping there would be snow in the mountains to snowboard. Although cold at night the weather is really sunny so no chance of snow. Phonecall to airline and changed my flight date. Fly to New Zealand tonight. Arrive on Sunday 4 am, lose a day somewhere. In Santiago have just been wandering the streets, went to an art gallery, have been going to nice restaurants. As it's my last day today I'm treating myself, went to a french cafe for breakfast, having Sushi for lunch and going to a steak restaurant for dinner

Sad to leave South America but looking forward to New Zealand, even though it is winter over there. Determined to get some snowboarding in

Colombia

I'm in Santiago and have my flight to New Zealand tomorrow!!! No more speaking Spanglish for me. Anyway, going to see if I can catch up before I fly out tomorrow... We'll see

There was some religious weekend going on while I was in Bogota which envolved everyone trawling around the churches to do something or other. Not being a fan of religion in general I tried to escape this by heading up a hill to get a view of the city. Of course after getting off the lift I found a church up there. No escape that day…



Went to a Botero gallery which was good. He’s famous in Colombia for his painting and sculptures which always make people look fat

Also went to an amazing restaurant called Andres Carne de Res, possibly the best restaurant I’ve been to so far. Great steak and crazy place. Stole a picture but it doesn't help explain the place

Anyway, got out of Bogota after a few days as wasn’t into the place and headed to a place called San Gil which has lots of adventure type things to do. Went rafting again although this time on a class 5 river. I don’t really understand these ratings but I wouldn’t do a class 5 again, the boat tipped again on the biggest rapid and I choaked on alot of water. Ooh and I got a free souvenir

Also did paragliding which is pretty fun

Went to a town nearby where they had a famous steak restaurant. I was happy there, although it's famous as they serve it with ant sauce.

Then took a bus to Taganga which is on the Carribean coast. Chilled out place. Did my open water Padi course there. Also went to a national park called Tyrona. Sleep in hammocks and go to the beach… nothing else to say about that really

Only photo I took in Taganga, sums the place up really

Cartagena… Got an amazing write up in the guide book I have. I think whoever wrote this couldn’t have been there. Horribly touristy, never trust a place where they ask you to pay for things in American dollars. They did have a volcano made of mud nearby though


I opted out of having the dirty little local man rub me for money

Medellín, another big city really. Maybe I’ve been away too long but I wasn’t really impressed with the place. Quite European I guess and there was a nice supermarket near the hostel. I went to a artisan market (full of crap) one day which was next to a place full of ladyboys and other such nasties. I sat down for a few minutes and some crackheads started chatting to me asking if I wanted to share their coke with them, in the middle of a square in the day… “no thanks lads!”

Day trip from Medellín, the giant peble! You climb to the top. Why? I don’t know

Colombian people are friendly that is certainly true, when you meet them at touristy places they always want photos with you. I wouldn’t want photos of a scruffy English guy in my holiday photos but hey

Coffee district, Manizales. Stupid hat number 27... On a coffee tour

Coffee and overenthusiastic tour guide. Turns out all good coffee gets sent to Europe and the United States so you can't get good coffee in Colombia. They get the crap beans left over! haha

Saddest clown in town. If you ever think about how much your job sucks think about this poor clown standing at traffic lights in the hope that a passing motorist buys some crap biscuits from you. 30 mins, one sale. This wasn't a tourist town, he just dresses up every day like this. Looked miserable


Up a real volcano. Yes, cold

Left for Cali after Manizales. Went to a place called San Cipriano three hours away in the jungle, people go there as there`s a derelict railway line that the locals have taken advantage of for transport to and from the village. It was actually quite scary when we were moving. Faster than I wanted to go on that contraption

You get to go for a swim on the other end

More tomorrow I think