South America

October 2017 - February 2018
A 96-day adventure by Mates in South America
  • 37footprints
  • 5countries
  • 96days
  • 163photos
  • 0videos
  • 18.2kkilometers
  • 12.9kkilometers
  • Day 9

    Hiking and super chill

    November 7, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    So we had the idea to go hiking. At morning we met Magda and Tracy (chicas de nos Airbnb). Magda wanted to come with us and so we went to Valle de Cocora (a route through the mountain/jungle).

    While the weather started amazingly hot and sunny, it was fun. But when we had our turn point after 2,5h hiking, the rain hit. And it hit hard. Now it became a survival training. We had to find the rout out of the jungle and try to not lose anyone 😅. OK, Np, we'd do it. And so we did.
    The rain didn't stop for quiet a bit and we had to go back to Salento by jeep. Was a wet and fun ride too.

    Ok, alive and fed up we enjoyed the evening with some senseless chilled talk accompanied by los bonitas Tracy, Magda and Weed 😉.
    Una gran noche con los dulce chicas. We laughed a lot.
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  • Day 10

    Fly high to glide

    November 8, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Let's keep it short.
    Said goodbye to Tracy and Magda, left Salento, got to Armenia, went up the mountain with 2 Tandem masters and waited for the opportunity...

    Run, keep running and don't stop until we glide. That's all he said. For round about 40€ p.P.
    We flew 15min and it was extraordinary.
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  • Day 11

    Medellín, sry we didn't stay

    November 9, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    Oh Medellín,
    Forgive us, cause we didn't explore your beauty,
    Cause we only saw you behind windows,
    Cause we didn't enjoy your company and
    we didn't get to know any of your wonderful citizens.
    I was told your women are más bonita.
    We used you as a stopover for our flight.

    Perdón for all that, pero we are hungry for the sun of Cartagena, los playas, islas y el Carnevale.
    Maybe next time.
    I will call you on Monday my gran Medellín (maybe).
    Adios.
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  • Day 13

    Carnevale de Cartagena

    November 11, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    sunny, sunnier, sunniest, Cartagena.
    The sun here is so strong, even Chuck Norris would sweat.... At least one drop 😅

    OK, it's Carnevale and it's crazy. The Colombian are loco about the Carnevale. It's loud, colorful and hothothot. Police everywhere and they even checked us from head to toe, right after an aggressive stranger wanted to sell us stuff.

    Siri set a reminder: don't let me drink too much on a Carnevale 😂😅 and wonder around in dark allays.
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  • Day 15

    The hidden coral bay

    November 13, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    Wir kamen früh auf der Insel Isla Grande an, entspannten und genossen die Sonne. Uns war noch nicht klar, dass uns nach Sonnenuntergang ein Abenteuer erwartete.
    Spät war es nicht, gerade einmal sieben Uhr abends, doch dunkel war es, und zwar sehr.
    Esteban, ein lokaler Guide für alles, nahm uns mit auf eine kleine Reise. Esteban schien sehr vertrauenswürdig, auch wenn wir ihn kein Stück kannten.
    Mit einer Taschenlampe ausgerüstet navigierte er uns zu Fuß durch den Finsterwald. Wir konnten nicht einmal den Boden sehen, geschweige denn uns selbst.
    Nach einer 10 Minütigen Waldwanderung kamen wird dann an einem See an.

    Ein kleines Kanu mit einem Paddel wartete auf uns.
    Esteban wusste scheinbar genau was er tat. Er rudert bis zum Ende des Sees, zwischen einem kleinen unscheinbaren Durchgang hindurch, während ich mit der Taschenlampe so gut es ging den Weg erleuchtete.
    Ineinander verschlungene Baumwurzeln, herabragende Lianen und Äste sowie anderes Gestrüpp ragten in unseren Weg hinein. Glühwürmchen blitzen überall auf und das Wasser das wir durchstreiften fing sanft zu leuchten an. Wir traute unseren Augen nicht. Bildeten wir uns das nur ein? Egal, wir beachteten es vorerst nicht weiter.
    Wir näherten uns der LAGUNA ENCANTADA.

    Der Durchgang hatte uns zu einem anderen See gebracht und dieser wiederum war mit einem ähnlichen Weg verbunden zu dem Meer. Esteban machte uns im zweiten See auf das leuchtende Wasser aufmerksam. Hatten wir es uns doch nicht eingebildet.
    Doch bevor wir die Laguna Encantada erreichen konnten, mussten wir (Esteban) ein ganzes Stück über dem Meer rudern. Immernoch hatten wir nur einen Paddel. Das Meer war unruhig, peitschte uns gelegentlich an, schubste und rüttelte etwas an dem kleinen Kanu. Am Horizont waren dunkle, unheilvolle Wolken, die schon die ganze Nacht aufblitzen und uns hier auf dem offenen Meer ein Lichtspiel boten, das seines Gleichen suchte.

    Schließlich, die Laguna Encantada.
    Der glasklare Sternenhimmel über uns wurde immer noch von den Blitzen der fernen Wolken begleitet. Auf der Wasseroberfläche der Lagune hörten wir das Klatschen unzähliger Fliegenfische. Mit der Taschenlampe leuchtete ich kurz einigen von ihnen hinterher. Das Staunen ließ uns nicht los. An einer Andockstelle (zwei große Holzfloße am Rande der Lagune) stiegen wir vom Boot, zogen das Schnorchel-Equipment über und schnorchelten im pechschwarzen Wasser drauf los.
    Mit jeder unserer Bewegung im Wasser fing das Plankton darin (um uns) an zu leuchten. Man konnte es nur sehen, wenn man sehr nah am Wasser war oder besser noch, mit einer Taucherbrille hinein sah. Gerade dafür hatten wir ja die Ausrüstung. Jede Schwimmbewegung erzeugte eine Flut von grünlich-weiß leuchtenden Partikeln um uns herum. Als würde man durch ein Becken voller Sterne schwimmen, die erst dann leuchteten, wenn sie einen berührten.

    Ein unglaublich surreales Abenteuer.
    Und NEIN, wir haben weder geraucht, noch Pilze genommen.
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  • Day 19

    Isla Grande - relaxing time

    November 17, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    The title says it all.
    After arriving here we just wanted to relax.
    Well, except for our surreal adventure to the laguna encantada.

    Swimming, lying on the beach, getting burned by the sun and having a bike tour... That sums up our time on la isla grande, more or less.

    Oh, btw. We went offline for the time being here.

    +++
    Hmm. The island didn't let us get away from here. Suddenly the last day became stormy and no boats were in sight to get us off la isla grande. So we relaxed and did more of our nothing here 😅
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  • Day 22

    Santa Marta, nice to meet you.

    November 20, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 37 °C

    Día 1: People have to vote in Colombia, so it's prohibited to sell alcohol today. The city is dead and bored af.

    Día 2: The sun is the hottest here. Walking through the city is sweaty, but still we just prepared the next adventure and later relaxed at the pool with some beer.

    Día 3: The adventure (4 días) to the lost city was a huge success. Even though we are tired, we went to the city (2min walk), ate really good and drank some cocktails while listening to great life performed streetmusic.
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  • Day 23

    La Ciudad Perdida - día uno y dos

    November 21, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    The adventure begins.
    First obstacle: little river. Already 4 shoes got wet.
    Ines you were unlucky, but damn André, I had high hopes for you!

    Well we made it up and then down again, crossed more obstacles and... We went swimming (for 10min) with a big smile. Cause it was a natural pool.
    OK, the smile was gone after the rain hit us while we got stuck in clay ground. But anyway, dirty as we were, we made it to the first camp.

    Day two:
    Same as day one, but more and bigger obstacles, better and higher landscape views, longer and harder rain⛆.
    Again, the reward was amazing.
    The natural pool in the river had a spot where we could jump into it from 7m hight. ¡Best pool ever!
    After meal we smoked a lucky strike with menthol flavor and watched the lightnings ☇ in the clear sky.
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  • Day 26

    Lost city, day 3 & 4

    November 24, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    Day 3:
    Wake up at 5:00, again,
    Start walking at 6:30, again,
    Reached the lost city, enjoy the view for some hours, listen to some guides and go back to the next camp.
    Hurry up, cause rain is coming, again.
    Well, at least we already are wet from al the sweat, that's pouring down our faces, armpits and backs. So the rain is more like a shower now 😅
    Right before the camp we had to go through an angry river. Was so deep, could barely keep my head out.

    Day 4:
    Last night we chilled and now again, are on the track @ 6:30.
    Sweatting into our already dirty and smelly clothes. Rivers to cross, slippery stones to overcome, mud and clay hindering us to walk and there is the exhaust. At least we could swim again.
    Finally, we are back. Our group was the best, like a little family. 2 singing french girls, a critical fast walking Danish chica, our spiritual clever translator and of course André & me. We will remember this little family.
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  • Day 30

    Cabo de la Vela - beach time

    November 28, 2017 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    From Santa Marta, to Riohacha and 2 days later we are here, in Cabo de la Vela.
    Lying at the beach, sleeping in hammocks and wind-surfing on the flat warm water.
    What else could a man wish for? 😉

    The only thing that is annoying are the flies here. Sooo many flies and when we try to eat, they seem to multiply.
    But anyway, it's amazing here.

    And when you are up early (4:30 am) you can see a sky full of stars, even the milky way. Never saw anything like it 😍
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