Minca, 2nd Dec. 2024

Hiking and more hiking: that's Minca's u.s.p.
After a lazy-ish day yesterday, it's time to hit the trail again: The waterfall called Marinka, if I get the route right (maybe lost in the jungle if I don't). I shouldn't worry, there are quite a few others going that way.
The thing about this jungle stuff is that it needs lots of moisture and a bit of heat. Columbia's got that in spades.
Where's Tarzan when you need him - there are yer actual cliched vines hanging between trees just waiting for someone to swing between.
Their entrance charge for getting up close and personal with the waterfalls isn't too bad at 160,000 Pesos (about £3.00). Asking a few young gals coming out if it was worth the money, they all agreed. So I got issued with a wrist-band such as you'd get in hospital and went in. Usefully, the wrist band had an emergency number printed on it - presumably so that anyone finding the body attached could ring someone to come and collect it. A couple of random men hung around, possibly doing lifeguard duties, or ogling the girls in bikinis.
There were kind've two waterfalls actually - the bottom one for a nice refreshing swim - and loos/rooms to get changed in. The cafe wasn't much to write home about but I had a hot chocolate anyway (small portions, average).
Green, green everywhere. This really is the northern tip of the Amazon rainforest. I can hear birds calling that I know not what, the bamboo must get up to 100 feet, and strange flowers the likes of we don't get outside a florists in posh Northallerton.
I managed to wade a couple of streams going there and back, got wet at the appropriate time and kept dry when necessary. All in all, a reasonably successful morning/afternoon.
Back in central Minca I found a place to eat - just in time for the afternoon thunder and downpour. Keeping a dry change of clothes is becoming a preoccupation.Read more