BACK IN COLUMBIA

Back in Columbia, and I’m rather pleased to be in this country again. Certainly there are interesting and scenic places in Venezuela, and Leana and I enjoyed visiting some of those places as well. Since my last post from Caracas we travelled West via Maracay and Valencia back down to the coast. Nando from Spain, a fellow touring cyclist who we met along the way, has been on the road for 7 years (nowdays we seldom meet anybody who has been cycling for as long, or longer than us). We stayed over at interesting coastal towns such as Chichiriviche (how’s that for a name!?). On the way we crossed a wetlands nature reserve, where Leana took some nice pictures of birds such as the red ibis (I still don´t have a proper camera). We stayed over for a couple of days in the historic colonial town of Coro, where I managed to get my grubby paws on some half decent new tyres for a change (I’d had to sew up tyres with fishing line at the roadside – again!). Just before we reached the second largest city in Venezuela and centre of their oil industry, we camped on the deck of a restaurant over lagos Maracaibo (the largest lake in South America, where a lot of their oil is pumped from). The restaurant was busy closing up for the night as we took over, and before we could even pitch our tents amongst the tables we were presented with drinks and a big plate of fried fish each. There is a huge bridge over the mouth of the lake to the city, but bicycles are prohibited so the police put us on the back of a flat-bed truck with a maniac driver. Again, we risked our lives on narrow un-maintained and overgrown roads fighting for space with the ancient throbbing American monster cars. Soon after crossing the border back into Columbia we reached another scenic stretch of Carribean coastline. In the isolated region of Cabo De La Vela the local indigenous people grill goat meat and corn cakes at roadside stands, and we got stuck into that tough delicacy as well. I say 'WE' because after about 30 years of vegetarianism, Leana has become carniverous and she is rather keen to try all the things she has missed during that time. Amongst other places we stayed in a crazy roadside hostal in the bustling tiny village of Palomino, where the local indigenous people come and go together with budget travelers from South Africa (us), Iran, Canada, France, UK, USA, and so forth. We camped on the beach at a small sort-of resort after that, where I could lie and listen to the crashing waves and crashing coconuts falling around (we made sure not to camp directly under any of the coconut palms!). Now we’ve made our way a little further West along the coast to the so-called “backpacker magnet” of Taganga, a former hippie hangout (and before that just a very scenic little fishing village). The city of Santa Marta is just a few k’s away over the hill, and we’ll move that way tomorrow when we leave here, as I need to have some things done to my bike (poor old Saartjie is hanging in there by the skin of her teeth). Daily distances cycled since Caracas have been as follows: La Victoria 103 km; Maracay 49 km; Naguanagua 72 km; Tucacas 95 km; Chichiriviche 42 km; Mirimire 84 km; Puerto Cumarebo 97 km; Coro 43 km; Dabajuro 134 km; Santa Rita 137 km; Mojan 77 km; Maicao (Columbia) 90 km; RioHacha 82 km; Palomino 96 km; Buritaca 38 km; and Taganga 51 km. The total distance which I’ve cycled so far in South America is 25 762 km, and the total so far on this journey is 92 249 km.

MAR CARIBE

New territory at last! Since my previous post from Bolivar city Leana and I crossed the bridge over the Orinoco River on our way North towards the Caribean coast of Venezuela. After a few uneventful cycling days we reached the town of Barcelona where we spent some time working on the bikes (the rear hubs on both our bikes were giving problems, so Leana bought 2 new hubs and I did the replacement job). From Barcelona we moved in a Westward direction, and our first sighting of the Caribean wasn’t at all impressive, as I´d imagined it may be (oil terminals and tankers lurking offshore in the haze). Further West at the coastal town of Higuerote Leana´s computer was stolen from the table in front of our room, so she had to replace it at great expense. Maintenance is not a priority in this country, and even on the highways we had to dodge the roadside vegetation and the potholes = often squeezing us into the way of the traffic. Although the coastal route offered spectacular scenery at times, the hills were often incredibly steep and the road disappeared every now and then. Cars couldn´t pass that way, and we both ruined our sandals dragging the bikes through the mud – again! Our timing was also not so great, as we arrived at this popular coastal area on the Friday night of the Carnival long weekend. We managed to find an overpriced little room in Chuspa, and we were pleased to eventually find our way out to the street the following morning amongst the local revelers scoffing their breakfast beers. Venezuelans don´t seem to do much other than driving like hell, drinking as though there is no tomorrow, and making as much noise as possible. The night after Chuspa we camped at a beach amonst the locals, but we didn´t get much sleep. We found ourselves in the middle of a ´´Battle of the Bands´´ as our neighbours tested their huge sound systems against each other – and by morning there were just a bunch of ragged distorted speakers blaring in the breeze. It hadn´t been our intention to go to the capital, but we climbed the hill through several tunnels and arrived in Caracas on the Monday of Carnival weekend – the place was totally deserted as everyone was away for the festival. We´ve stayed in the city for a second day, and tomorrow we will probably have to make our way out through the traffic back to the highway out of this place. Thanks to Dave and Ralph for donations, and thanks to Martie and everyone who sent an SMS (and thanks to Olga and Leana for looking after this vagrant). Daily distances cycled since my last post from Bolivar have been:- Peaje Camp 95 km; Anaco 108 km; Barcelona 90 km; Puerto Piritu 60 km; Cupira 104 km; Cuacagua 101 km; Higuerote 46 km; Chuspa 40 km; Naiguata 64 km; Macuto 27 km; and Caracas 37 km. The total distance cycled so far in South America is 24 472 km, and the total distance cycled so far on this trip is 90 959 km.

EL RETORNO

Here I am back in Bolivar city, in the centre of Venezuela, where I was more than 6 weeks ago. In that time I have cycled 3 494 km to Manaus on the Amazon river in Brasil (and back the same way again!). In the process my odometer clicked over to 90 000 km for this trip.Leana has been with me again since Manaus, so at least things are not exactly the same as they were on the way there. On the way South I’d been camping all the time, but thanks to Leana we have now stayed in rooms quite often on the return trip. Sometimes we did camp in the same places where I’d been before, meeting “old” friends again such as Antonio with Brasilian flag (we camped at his roadside bar). I also made some new friends, like the puppy in picture at the little roadside restaurant where I´d camped before the puppy arrived (the people there gave me free supper before, and now they did it again!). I’ve also seen some things which I missed on the way South, such as the impressive Kama Falls on the Gran Sabana (where we met the only other touring cyclist on this road – Czech ¨George¨ cycling off the beaten track from Alaska to the South). Oh yes, we crossed the Equator again on our way North (the 5th time for me). The weather hasn’t been the same either, and on the return trip we’ve experienced cooler weather, often with cloud cover and light rain during the day. So far we have been fortunate with the breeze in our favour much of the time as well. We also haven’t strangled each other yet, although I did notice Leana’s hands twitching once or twice! Now we’re taking a little break at Bolivar city on the giant Orinoco river, and we’re staying in a little backpacker hotel in the historic part of town next to the Plaza Bolivar and the historic cathedral (I’d rather not mention the gradient of the little hill we had to climb up in order to get here – my poor worn-out old bike Saartjie gave a few alarming spits and gulps on the way up!). I’m looking forward to the road from here onwards, as this is where we will cross the river bridge and head into new territory for a change! Daily distances cycled since my last report from Manaus are:- Da Rey 64 km; PresidenteFiguera 68 km; Da Tia 22 km; PostoAbonari 76 km; Vila Jundia 134 km; Nova Colina 98 km; Rorainopolis 43 km; Nova Paraiso 36 km; Carracarai 127 km; Mucajai 87 km; Bao Vista 63 km; Rosa De Saron 106 km; Vila Indigeno 92 km; Santa Elena (back in Venezuela) 40 km; San Francisco De Yuruani 72 km; Salto Kama 52 km; Las Claritas 120; El Dorado 93 km; Tumeremo 69 km; Guasipati 60 km; Upata 101 km; Puerto Ordaz 107 km; and Cd Bolivar 70 km. The total distance cycled so far in South America alone is 23 699 km, and the total distance for this trip so far is 90 186 km.

THE HEART OF THE AMAZON

Well, surprise-surprise! Here I am in Brasil again, in the city of Manaus in the heart of the Amazon jungle. After crossing the border from Venezuela I had to keep pushing forward through the stifling tropical humidity over everlasting stretches of rolling hills and wetland jungle. I hardly noticed that Xmas and New Year came and went while I was in that surreal world. (Oh yes, a belated Merry Xmas and Happy New Year to you all). (Thanks to my sister Olga for the money she sent - meaning for me to buy a new camera for Xmas - however, I´m using that money for survival, along with the other funds she keeps sending me). I had also become extremely exhausted from carrying on for such a long time without taking some sort of a recovery break. Camping in this region also means sleeping in a pool of sweat every night. The frequent rain showers during the day are welcome though. In the town of Bao Vista I camped in a truck-yard frequented by various (other) down-and-outs. At 5 AM a group of pimps and prostitutes were taking their drugs behind my tent, and I also met another cyclist there (the dope-smoking Junior and his mascot dog Beatrice; I think he has more luggage on his bike than what I have!). In Vila Do Equador I was shown to the community centre where it would be no problem for me to camp, but the place turned out to be a rather interesting shelter for the homeless with nobody particularly in charge. As the name of the village indicates, it should be close to the equator and I kept asking where the line is (they all said it runs straight through the village). The following day I crossed the Equator 18 km South of town. In the Waimiri Indigenous territory I arrived at their admin camp after dark - and although they are very strict about allowing outsiders to stay in the area, they let me camp there. The next morning they even gave me breakfast, and I could take pic´s of the wild mackaws and parrots hanging about the kitchen door for scraps of food. The previous day I´d spotted a group of the tribespeople along the road, the men carrying spears and none of the bunch wearing much in the line of clothes (probably the reason for signs along the road prohibiting photography). Oh yes, I´ve also crossed the Equator again, for the 4th time. Well, I´ve eventually made it to the city of Manaus at the confluence of the Rio Negro and the Rio Madeira, officially forming the start of the mighty Amazon river. In case you were wondering what I came to do here, I´ve met up with Leana and her sister Amanda who took a boat up the river from the coast where they have been cycling. (Now, thanks to them, I´m sharing a hotel room with the 2 of them - my first room since Ecuador). Amanda returns home next week, so perhaps Leana will cycle back North with me from here. A big problem which I did have in the last 3 days or so, is that the parts on my bike all gave in (not surprisingly - chain, rear and front gear cogs, and so forth). So, for about 3 days before Manaus I was free-wheeling down the hills, and pushing the bike on the uphills. Fortunately Amanda does not need her bike right now because she is returning home, so thankfully I´ve scavanged whatever I could from her bike for the time being. Daily distances cycled since crossing the border into Brasil have been:- Half-Way camp 109 km; Bao Vista 111 km; Moura 58 km; Caracarai 86 km; Fishwater Camp 27 km; Nova Paraiso 100 km; Nova Colina 79 km; Vila Do Equador 55 km; Terrano Waimiri 123 km; Nova Jerusalem 80 km; Batia 50 km; Nova Parada 49 km; Paraiso Nova Vida 58 km; and Manaus 45 km. The total distance which I´ve cycled thus far in South America is 21 899 km, and the total so far on this yourney is 88 386 km.

THE GRAN SABANA

In Central Venezuela I left the Orinoco River and headed in a Southerly direction towards the Gran Sabana and the famous Cainama National Park. In contrast to the rest of Venezuela where I´ve been so far, the Gran Sabana is a grassy highland fringed by flat-topped rocky mountains in the distance. I had to climb up to this area on a 30-km section of road aptly named La Escalator (fortunately it was raining as usual, so at least I didn´t overheat). Due to it´s altitude this region is also a bit cooler than the tropical lowlands. The Angel Falls are also in this park (although getting there involves taking a guided tour from a different place to where I was cycling). After turning South from the Orinoco I at first passed through some towns and farming countryside before getting to the Gran Sabana. Asking for directions from a group of men in one town where I arrived after dark, one man suggested that I camp amongst the scrap metal under a roofed area next to his house. He then proceeded to prepare an interesting dinner for me and himself amongst the tools and scrap metal in his kitchen, and offered me plenty of coffee which he served in a plastic margarine container (his overgrown back yard served as a toilet, which seems to be quite common in some rural areas of Venezuela). Petrol is dirt-cheap in Venezuela, and as a result there are many big old crab-walking American-model V-8 cars and trucks on the road. Drinking and driving seems to be a national sport, and in the National park where one can spot the litter in the roadside grass, I counted 235 empty beer cans in a single km only on one side of the road. I also amused myself in other ways, such as hanging dead snakes over my bike and taking pictures of them. Distances are given in hours (not km), and I´ve found that some people think I average about half the speed of a car! Whether I ask or not, I´m often informed that the road ahead is flat (plano), which it has never been. At the Southern extreme of the Gran Sabana is the Brasilian border, where I now find myself. Distances cycled on this section were:- Upata 92 km; Guasipati 114 km; El Dorado 105 km; San Isidro 104 km; Rio Kamoiran 84 km; San Francisco De Y. 81 km; Pacaraima (Brasil Bdr) 84 km. The total so far in South America is 20 869 km, and the total distance I´ve cycled so far on this trip is 87 356 km.

ORINOCO FLOW

From Puerto Carreno in Columbia I had to cross the mouth of the Rio Meta in a small boat to Puerto Paez in Venezuela, and then I had to take the car ferry across the mighty Orinoco river. From there I could take the road East towards Bolivar city and central Venezuela. I stamped out of Columbia at the local immigration office in town, where I was informed that there was indeed a Venezuelan passport control point in Puerto Paez. Unfortunately there was no such thing, and I had to cycle 100 km South up the Orinoco river (and back) to Puerto Ayacucho where I could officially be stamped into Venezuela. (Finding the immigration office was a mission in itself, as the place was in a shed in the industrial area way out of town). Further, I was reliably informed that the road through this part of Venezuela was really good all the way to Bolivar city. On the contrary, the very rutted and poorly constructed tarred road comes and goes - with the unpaved sections easier to cycle on. Of course, in isolated areas there are usually lots of interesting people, and this area has been no exception. I´ve camped at farms, roadside bars, cock-fighting clubs, and in mud huts in small communities. One day I spotted a water tap at a bodega, and when I stopped there to fill up I met the 3 stooges in picture (they were working their way through a case of beer which they´d bought there, and insisted that I help them with the task). This route roughly followed the huge Orinoco river, and every day I crossed tributaries which are big rivers on their own. There are also some indigenous tribes living in the area, and one day I came across a group of men on bicycles, wearing their traditional g-strings (they wouldn´t let me take a picture of them). There´s not much in the line of road signs indicating distances, and the few such signs have been comically incorrect (one needs a sense of humour when distances indicated to the next town are 40 or 60 km short). However, without too much ado I´ve managed to reach Bolivar city, and soon I´ll start cycling in a Southerly direction. Daily distances cycled since I crossed the river from Columbia into Venezuela have been:- Pavoni 39 km; Puerto Ayacucho 76 km; Pavoni (return) 65 km; Tirital 80 km; Bicochuelo 94 km; Caicara 113 km; Maripa 103 km; Santa Jose Pao 104 km; Curiapo 104 km; Cd Bolivar 110. The total distance cycled so far in South America is 20 205 km, and the total for this trip is 86 692 km.