Bogota to Cartagena Colombia 12 / 11 / 11

After having spent a few days waiting for my new tyres to be fitted , and a services it was time to head north .

The first stop was about 20kms out of Bogota , a police check , and guess what none  of us had any insurance (i just plain for got about it ). The police just said that the bikes will have to immobilised until we get insurance . Shit and it was Friday , late afternoon and we would not be able to get the Insurance until Monday  (Bugger ).

Wade speaks a little Spanish , so he just keep on talking to them , but no way they just kept on saying Immobilization (we were up the creek without a pole as far as I was concerned) . Half an hour later they just said go , and to make sure we get some insurance at the next town . I couldn't believe it , the turn around , it was so quick (good on  you Wade ) . 

Bogota 7,000,000 people

Bogota

We stopped in Tanja that night and got the insurance Saturday morning (lucky for us ) and got on the road for our next stop San Gil  (approx 210kms), Above is our lunch stop on the way at Villa de Leyva 

San Gil and it was time for   Paragliding in the mountains around  San Gil , simply fantastic . The scenery was breath taking 

Views from the Paragliding 

The main Square San Gil , a very small Colonial Town 

The riding through to San Gil was all winding mountain Roads , great riding 

Taganga

Philip and Wade 

After a couple days it was time for the big push San Gil to Taganga (650kms North to the Coast  )

It was an all day affair , we were on the road by 7.00am and arrived in Taganga around 5.00pm . We had it all that day , to start with it was winding mountains roads (great), then out into the flat plains all the way to the Caribean  . We started with Sun and ended with Sun , but in between there was thunder storms and huge down pours . We had no traffic , to the mayhem of the normal towns that you get down here . Also the the usual trucks and buses  passing on blind corners , to huge pot holes to beautiful tarmac . I was glad to be there and now it was back to the heat , the dripping sweat running down into your boots (bugger , I hate that).

Taganga was a small fishing village , just 2 streets running along the beach  . Wade organised

 a days fishing for the next day , with a local fisher man in his small boat . We were up at 6am and off fishing , with no much luck . Wade got a small shark and Philip a few small bait fish .

Fishing

Next day the Ride to Hell 

We decided to go up to a mountain Village called Minca (approx 20kms away) , it started great but ended  very badly for me . The road turned into a goat track (red mud and really no road at all just huge washouts ) . By the time we realised it was to later to turn back .The Aussie boys just loved it (just like home for them , for me a nightmare) . I dropped the bike about 6 times (with no damage) , it is hard to explain just how bad it was , but I have never been on such bad roads . By the end of the day I was one very tired  ,  battered and bruised guy . It's  been 2 days now and I'm still limping from the battering that my knees took . One experience that I never wish to have again , if it was not for the Aussie guys , I probably would still be up there somewhere   

This is the best part 

We are now in Cartagena for 2 days and then on down to Madellia and South .

It is Carnival Time in Cartagena

Cartagena is a very beautiful Colonial City , probably one of the most beautiful I have been to . Lots of just beautiful Buildings . But to get to it , it is just the same as most of the cities down this way . You have to go through all the Getos and the mayhem of the traffic , just amazing and fun some times .

The heat is the worst of all , it is just draining and all my gear just stinks like nothing you have ever smelt  before

 I have bad attacks from my Enemy at times and find the going very Tuff , It is not easy