August 10th - 2010

Arriving in Bogota is like arriving in any other latin american city - dusty, dirty outskirts with exposed brick buildings - still under construction - deadlineless. Small stores under tin roofs selling sweets, detergent, cellphone cards and beer.
My mood and excitement is undetectable - just another city - I so long for the undesturbed sky and openness of the landscape. Tried of the smog from passing busses, crowds and constant reminder of having to be carefull. I'm asshamed of this feeling - but this is one of the last places I wish to be.
I line up after retrieving my bag, at the taxi window. When asked for my destination I give the name of a hostel in the old part of town. 20 min late I stand outside Hostel Fatima. The dorm room with wooden floors has an overall good atmosphere...but I'm still seeing blue.
I figure the long bus ride and lack of fresh air may have put me in this strange mood. I go for a walk - and soon begin to loosen up.
The city is kinder and more appealing then I'd first thought.
My plan has been to continue to Lima tomorrow, but I'll put this off and see how I feel in the morning.

August 9th - 2010

The street below is far more busy today, then the quiet Sunday afternoon.
I went to the market to pick up provisions for the coming bus trip to Bogota.
The transport terminal is located a 30 min taxi ride outside of town - here I sat waiting for an hour before we departed.
The bus is almost full. My neighbor is from Ecuador - traveling with his two younger brothers - heading back from Venezuela. Despite a language barrier we talk, and I show him pictures from my past months.
Passing beaches, green fields and hills - it soon grows dark.
Joree and his brothers get off at some part during the night - exchanged for a silent business man.
We ride on.

August 8th - 2010

From Cartagena...nr 12

August 7-8th - 2010

The ship is silent and dark when I wake at 2am from the rolling.

Luke is at the wheel - just ahead is a major front heading our way. Soon we're engulfed in lightning and waves throwing us from side to side. The rain is intense only visible by the flashes of the lightning. This storm lasts the rest of the night till we finally pass the gates of the harbor and enter Cartehegna.

We touch land before noon. Sealegs makes the still earth alive -difficult to stand without holding on to something. A cling to a doorway as the british couple, alex and myself check in to a cheap hotel. Our pasports are ready to by picked up in the evening.

I've booked a bus ticket to Bogata tomorrow - starting a week long journey to Peru.

August 6th - 2010

The early morning sky is broken in red, pink, blue and golden tones. I've managed to get an hour rest in the sand. Luke picks me and my gear up at 8:30 and we return to the ship. Its been late for everyone last night and our planned departure for Columbia is pushed 6 hrs.

I spend the day back on another island - fall asleep in the shade of a palm tree. Shade is gone when I awake - belly and thighs looking mighty roasted.

We set out for the 48 hr crossing after dinner.

Waves bob the ship and I soon retire to my cot, trying to keep the dinner from escaping.

August 4th-5th -2010

We move from one paradise spot to another over the next few days. Snorkeling - seeing sharks, reys and tropical fish of all sizes and colors. Squid swim in both directions, while blue lights swirl around their wings.

We have a bondfire on an island, cook dinner before a freak shower forces us under palmtrees, eating the half cooked steaks in the dark. The lightning passes and soon the sky is again filled with shooting and still stars.

I spend the night on the island taking pictures while the rest of the crew return to Nepenthe.

August 3rd - 2010

The jeep departs Panama city at 5:30 am - destined for Carti - a small launch site where engine driven canos serves the many islands which make up the San Blas.

Nepenthe, the ship I am to board lies 30 min from Carti - next to the island hosting the pasport office and a small runway.

The passanges I'll be sharing the next five days with are a british couple, two danish boys, Alex from Oregon, Luke the captain, his girlfriend Sara and their cat. We are maxed out with 8 people onboard, but fortunately the waters are warm and inviting and the first day is spent snorkeling aroung a ship wreck off Dog Island.

The sky is black and moonless at night. Swimming in the dark water is much different from the day, as the warm water embraces and comforts while fluorecent alegre shoots green sparks from the hands with every stroke.

I sleep on a cot, under deck in the common space. Not a wind moves tonight.

August 2nd - 2010

I´ve booked my departure from Panama for tomorrow morning. Sailing to Cartagena Columbia. A trip estimated to last five days, making stops at the San Blas Islands just east of mainland Panama.

The majority of today is spent compleating an application for a residency and updating the blog.

I go for a walk around the old town before heading for dinner with Han in the "new" China town. Apparently 10% of the local population of Panama is of Chinese desendence, allowing for some great restaurants at cheap prices.

Trying to get to bed early as a shuttle bus is picking me up at 5 tomorrow morning.

August 1 - 2010

Breakfast is served at the Coca Cola Cafe. Two eggs easy over, fried tortilla and fresh orange juice.
I manage to reach my friend Meghann from San Francisco. She agrees to fly to Lima with my bike later this month - an issue which has been bugging me for a while. Finally having this planned is a huge relief. It puts some pressure on my time line and means that I will have to head for Columbia asap.
So grateful and fortunate to have friends like her!
Spend most day indoor planning.
At night I go for pizza and watch a documentary about a train in Mexico - the Beast.
Eight people sleep under the rotating fans of the dorm tonight. Two large french doors are open toward the street and church opposite.

July 31 - 2010

Crossing the border into Panama proves to be the biggest challenge thus far. We arrive at the check out office, on the Costa Rican side at 5 am. Office doesn't open till 6am. A long line of people stand next to the semi's - all waiting for their stamp.
Sky turns from black to blue to white and finally the line is moving.
Following the stamp we all walk in no mans land between the Costa Rican and Panamanian office. Here again we must wait i line. Only one window is open. Pride is taken in slowing the pace. Rumors spread that a return ticket is necessary in order to enter. I have none as I'll be continuing south with unplanned method.
Forced to buy a return bus ticket to Costa Rica I finally get my stamp and am let in. Last step is the baggage check. The whole ordeal ends up taking about 4 hours - but we all make it and none are turned away.
It's Saturday and road to Panama City is dotted with bike riders on race bikes with numbers on their backs. The road is closed and forces a detour through a neighborhood with low hanging power lines. One such line get caught on the bus - a web all gets pulled in the wrong direction and televisions inside homes turn black.
We cross high above the Panama Canal before entering the city and arriving at the fine looking bus terminal. The city in the distance looks more like Miami or Hong Kong then what I was expecting to find.
A taxi drives a group of us all going the same direction - Casco Viejo - the old French quarters.
Han and I check into the same hostel and go for a walk.
"ladies" bent in neon and the "coca cola cafe". It's humid and surprisingly quiet in the streets.

Overall there is a good vibe, very different for the other cities I've passed through the last week.
We have dinner at a cafe showing skateboarding on tv.
My stomach finally feeling better.

July 30th - 2010

I have no particular reason for hanging around San Jose and head to the bus office as soon as they open. Fortunately a bus leaves 11pm tonight and arrives 4pm tomorrow - destination Panama City.
I feel tired from all the sitting and take a short walk around the neighborhood.
The news paper shows the falling bridge.
I sit under the tin roof of the hostel as rain pelts down making it impossible to think. Can't wait to leave the cities and return to the mountains.
My things are packed and I wait to check in at the bus station. Han, a Taiwanese reporter approaches me and we stand around chatting till we board and leave Costa Rica. He's heading to Panama to work for a local paper.

July 29th - 2010

Back at the bus station at 2am to check in. Faces wait in the dark outside waiting for the doors to open. We depart on time.
The rest of the night and all day is a blur.
A businessman sits next to me a one point - chatty. I regret not being more entertaining with my limited Spanish and surely must come across as being uninterested and dull. We discuss the typical topics, easy to understand when not understanding - "ahh, potatoes and chicken - this we have Denmark" "and beans" "ahh...this we have Denmark" smile - nod - "it raining.."
I look out and keep my gaze fixed.
The tv shows movies non stop on these buses. Literally non stop. At this point I've watched Iceage 3, 4 times, The Proposal 3 times and a long list of other film I don't wish to remember. But today I got caught in some spanish dubbed romantic drama. Brought tears to my eyes. Bus makes me sensitive I suppose.
Day became night, and we received news that a bridge had fallen down, forcing all traffic to San Jose, Costa Rica to be rerouted through the mountains, adding an extra 6 hrs to our journey. We arrived 24 hrs after departing.
Joe and I shared a cab to a hostel.

July 28th - 2010

King Quality is the name of the company. They have two classes to choose from - king and quality - I ride quality. The KQ office is on the outskirts of town, guarded by two heavily armed uniforms. They lock the door behind you as soon as you step in.
It seems far fetched that anyone should hit up a bus office but I assume there is a good reason for their presence. Having said that - this is a very nice office. Free coffee and water. Nuns, a woman who looks like hooker, suits, and myself playing the role of the gringo.
We board and its comfortable. My neighbor is the nun.
She doesn't smile very much or take any note of the sharing element of the center bar between the seats.
We arrive in San Salvador after dark. The bus station is nearly empty. Within the same building is a hotel, but rooms are $35 and my connecting bus is at 3 am. I onl need a place to rest a few hrs. I meet Joe - a Peurto Rican also heading to Costa Rica. He's a copy of my friend Will - if only Will was from Peurto Rico and not south of London. Joe asks the guard for a cheaper place and we're pointed in the direction a few blocks away. A rundown place called Bella Lux. You pay $8 and get a free beer - even better the room is connected to the reception, where on this particular night at least 20 people crowd the sofas and corners of the bare room. Raggaton is blasting and while tv shows action. Joes is happy - I'm exhausted.
Our room has eight beds to choose from.

July 27th - 2010

More bus travel. Returning to Guatemala only to catch my connection tomorrow.
Brenda and I were returning together - she heading back to Connecticut and I on to Costa Rica.
10 hrs - one stop for chicken and banjo. Washing my face by the outdoor sink was refreshing.
The landscape melts together - green in green with the dotted volcano's in the distance.
Today I wish more for my destination and less for the journey.
Dinner and sleep in Antigua.

July 26th - 2010

It was a long night.
The rain didn't seize to fall till well past two. The cloud cover never lifted and is has been limited what pictures I could take. My fever has been getting worse during the night, but it seems to help drinking lots of water.
It grew light around five. I saw the first group of tourist enter with headlamps - heading for the sun temple to watch the sun rise. I hid higher in the ruins to avoid getting spotted.
Rested a few more hours till it was safe to make my exit without attracting attention. Apart from the pictures I was hoping to take, my purpose for coming here was to get sound recordings of the howler monkeys. Fortunately they didn't fail to show - and just as I was leaving the park a group began growling.
I returned to Flores and spent the remaining day swimming and accepting the fact that I've been hit with travels stomach. It was unavoidable I suppose, eating everything and anything edible I can find. Only hope the gut returns to normal soon.

July 25th - 2010

We arrived in Flores in the early morning - chilled to the bone - wearing every piece of clothing I could find and a blanket wrapped around my head to act like a hat. Outside the bus, reality was something different.
Flores is in the northern part of the country - the main hub for anyone visiting the jungle or the Mayan ruins of Tikal. Its a tiny village situated on a small island in a large lake. The island is close enough to the mainland to be connected with a bridge. Its warm in the morning and hot by 11.
My plan is to spend a few nights in the national park of Tikal and get some night shots during the full moon. Unfortunately its rain season and I cross my fingers that it will remain clear and dry tonight. I've brought only minimal things with me to attract as little attention as possible when entering the park. As its not officially allowed to stay, not to mention sleep in the park after closing hours, I've brought only what I would need for a regular day trip. Only thing sticking out is my camera equipment, water purification system and an abundance of nuts.
I soon learned that in order to catch my connecting bus to Guatemala and on the Costa Rica I would only be able to spend one night in the park.
Brenda was also going to visit the park - no plans of spending the night there. However tempting it may have seemed, the tarantula, killer snake and damp ground sealed the deal for her and she returned to Flores following a four hour tour we took with a guide.
The park was quiet and empty by seven. I'd had little sleep on the bus and decided to rest a bit before wandering out later at night. I found an old ruin, in the previous "residential" part of Tikal. Rooms dating thousands of years back - still providing shelter. By the time I woke it was raining and the moon dimly lit up the gray sky...

July 24th - 2010

Checked out of my room at nine. Most of the day has been sent in limbo, waiting the minibus to take me to Guatemala city, and the connecting night bus to Flores. Had breakfast at an old bakery, known for their banana bread. Rest of the day evaporated in cyberspace.
Minibus picked me up at 6:30 pm. 3 Belgian boys in button down shirts, an American archaeologist and Brenda from Connecticut and myself. As a tradition the sky opened up as we were leaving Antigua, flooding the roads - a sheet of rain difficult to see through even if we were still.
Finally at the bus station there was still another hour till my connection was leaving.
Fortunately Brenda was on the same bus and time passed quickly in the waiting room.
The ride to Flores is about 8 hrs - a direct nightbus only stopping at a single checkpoint. Its the middle of three different classes to choose from. The most distinguishing feature between this class and the economy is the AC. Having AC in this county is something to take advantage of - this means that the cabin is soon after departure transformed to a what resembles a meat locker, with temperatures just around freezing. Tonights ride has by far been the coldest I've felt in months. A slight fever has been creeping on while writing this.