25. – 30. October: Colombia, part 3…… dschungel, cañons and an unbelievable hospitality…..

After breakfast at seven I start my Tatacoa desert tour with Holman. Finally I can ride in one of this funny moto taxi's. This had long been meanwhile for a long time on my "to-do list" ;-) 

 After a brief, bumpy ride - with numerous difficulties driving up the steep hill - Holman and I get out of the taxi and hike through the gray part of the Tatacoa desert. Holman tells me everything about fauna and flora - from which I just understand about 50%, since it is only in Spanish ;-) but impressive anyway, especially the complete silence. 

the fruits of that cactus you can really eat - and tehy taste good ;-)

such beauty in such a hard environment

After an hour we reach a small finca where they have built a small and intimate swimming pool, thanks to an underground spring and with that pool for the tourists they can earn a living that.
Oh, what a luxury to cool down a bit after the already sweltering heat in the desert

But the joy is short - on we go, this time to the red part of the Tatacoa desert. The formations remind me very much of the Bryce Canon in Utah. After returning to the village, a short walk through the (very modest) Paleontological Museum, then I get my stuff ready and ride on to Neiva.

hard to find suficcient food in this rough landscape

In fact, Fredy, the Colombian biker had not promised too much and so after his "announcement" on whatsApp I have the opportunity to stay in Neiva with Mauricio and his family. Neiva is quite big but we meet at the soccer stadium and that place even my Navi finds easily. Mauricio picks me up and we drive together to his house. Quick getting out of my clothes, in Neiva it is almost as oppressively hot as in the desert. As Mauricio's wife has to work longer than expected Mauricio can not make the planned city tour with me - somebody has to stay at home with the baby. He instists that I have to see the city and so he organizes his "Pulsar" -club mates (Pulsar is a motorcycle brand!). They pick me up at his house - a bunch of young people - gather first around my bike, lots of questions as usual and then they show me with pleasure the sightseeings of Neiva (in the dark) and of course on the bikes!! 

The next day I go with Mauricio to the motorcycle area (a whole block), buy a new chain for my Suzy and while the local mechanic is wokring on it Mauricio shows me more of the city. When I pick up my bike again I stuck because he has so many questions; while having 2-3 of the nice Columbian coffees (they drink coffee also in this heat) we talk for more than an hour. As I will pay his work - he had agreed a price with Mauricio in advance - he insists that I do not have to pay it. He just wishes me a great trip and thanks for the interesting talk!!! Wow, it would have been cheap anyway (in my opinion) but of course that is truly a great gesture. And this in a country where people need every cent for their living. In the evening, then a new experience: I go with Mauricio and his wife to the movies. We will watch "Peter Pan" and because at the box office it was written "doble idioma" (bilingual) we automatically assumed that it is in English with Spanish subtitles. NO; it was exclusively in Spanish - except for the film songs which had been in the original language. Ooookkkkeeee ... .. another way to improve my Spanish ;-) but it was fun anyway.

On Tuesday then Mauricio leads me through the heavy traffic to the city limits and we say goodbye cordially. He has already organized my next host. In Mocoa it will be at Olivers and his wife Olgas place where I can stay. The trip to Mocoa leads me once again by small, lively villages, the landscape changes from desert similar to agriculture (rice, corn, coffee, cocoa) and then finally to dense jungle. In Mocoa Oliver is waiting at the village entrance and as I pass by - his waving and shouting is useless, I do not see him (and wouldn't know anyway how he looks). So he sends me a motorcycle colleague afterwards who catches me and leads me back to them. Oliver is waiting with his wife, his little adopted daughter and the Pinscher for me and they welcome me so warmly as if they know me already for a long time. The whole family then packed on the little scooter we drive to his apartment. I'm even able to drive up the tricky driveway into his garage and again I'm served first with coffee and pastries. Despite my opposition they insist that I will slepp in their bedroom while they are sleeping on a mattress in the living room. I feel a bit weird but for them it seems to be the most normal thing in the world. I'm their guest and the guest is king !!

The two planned nights turn out into three as they want to show me all the beautiful things in Mocoa. Although I have already made my travel plans I cannot resist: Oliver and Olga lead me to the cañon del Mandiyaco, in the domestic zoo and then the next day during a 6-hour, partially adventurous, leading through dense jungle hike first to the "ojo de dios" and then to "fin del mundo": 3 waterfalls with nice pools to swim, the last and highest with 70 meters! A beautiful river scenery in the middle of the jungle, no other sounds than the rippling water, the chirping of cicadas and the sounds of the many birds. In between, we have time for a swim and make a lot of pictures. An incredible experience to which I would certainly not have had the opportunity being on my own.

el ojo del dios 

canon de Mandiyaco

el fin del mundo - a cascade with 70 meters!!

In both families I have been welcomed as if we know each other for years already; they took days off for me and with pride "presented" me to their friends, familys and biker colleagues. Of course, here in Columbia plays the fact that I am a woman traveling solo on a motorbike, a certain role. But all motorcyclists are welcome, it is like a code of honor and that way they make traveling possible for bikers allover Southamerica. The costs of hotels and food would make it impossible for most of them. And the Southamericans are passionate bikers!!! Such unprecedented hospitality I've never seen in my life!!
To reassure all: I will not take the famous road "devil's trampoline or trampoline del diablo" to the Ecuadorian border tomorrow. Oliver has advised me not to take it. The gravel road is normally in acceptable conditions but it is very curvy and extremly narrow and you have to find place between crossing trucks and buses. On one side the rock and on the other side nothing; some hunderd meters further down the river. Many deadly accidents make it to one of the most famous roads in the world (look after it on youtube). So I will drive the 180km on the normal road (2/3 paved, 1/3 bumpy gravel) to La Hormiga and cross there the border to Ecuador.

20. - 24. October: Colombia, part 2..... some action again, mountains, river valleys, deserts….endless variety

On Monday I arrive after an uneventful journey back outside of Bucaramanga. The spot is known for its paragliding, great deals for 10-day courses (highly professional yet affordable) attract tourists. Pat has planed to attend such a course and so I go with him and take the opportunity for a 20-minute tandem flight. Really great to brought up above Bucaramanga by strong thermals. The guide asks me whether to lose altitude on the gentle or the acrobatic way. What a question!!! I know for a moment no longer what is up and what is down, after having screwed in tight turns down - but it was great fun anyway.

The next day, back to my original goal: Villa de Leyva. A small town in the mountains, finally with comfortable temperatures that remind me what the sheets & blankets were actually intended on the beds! So far I still allow my GPS to take gravel roads as well but as it leads me more than once on dirt roads that barely deserve the name "path" it takes a while until I arrive Villa de Leyva ;-) The really nice Hostel (Finca Renacer) is 20 minutes by foot from Villa de Leyva away, just behind the military base.... so once again I’m in total safety the next two nights ;-)

I explore comfortably the village - thank God it is no tourist season and thus totally unspectacular, mostly residents and a few foreign and Colombian tourists. While I relax with a local beer and do what I love most to do (after riding my bike, of course) on my journey - people watching - I'll witness a "dog-drama":On the huge town square one of the many dogs takes a nap just behind the rear tire of a pickup, probably looking for some shade. The young owners stand next to the pickup, having a chat with friends. When the driver has finished unloading his goods, he wants to leave. Unfortunately, the dog misses that moment and is sort of run over from the tire. Of course, he starts to howl heartbreakingly. The owners knocking desperately on the window of the pickup - which brakes immediately and moves back when he realizes what happened. The owner weighs the howling dog - herself also howling - in her arms. All dogs that are hanging around on the square run to their suffering buddy. And about the same amount of people as well: veterinario, veterinario I hear called.... The dog is loaded into te pickup, together with its owner, which drives off immediately - I suppose directly to the vet. It takes quite a while until the minds of dog and men calme down again and all returne to their prior locations. The only ones that did not pay any attention to the whole incident were the police who would have been present on the place with quite numerous. Well after all, it was “only” a dog and for that they probably will not get paid.

On Thursday then on to Honda as a stopover on the way to "the desert of Tatacoa". This time I force my GPS to take some more waypoints – because it does not know some of the roads I want to take but they are officially available as mainstreets conferring to google.maps. After leaving the major route “north – Bogota” (with two mobile speed cameras), the road screwes perk up the hill, up almost to 3000müM. My Suzy shows no altitude problems and it's great fun, I feel almost as being in the Swiss Alps ;-) Well, the quality of the road, however, is a bit different: like this road are many national roads alternately paved, unpaved, with huge holes in it, deep reductions (called hundimientos.)But with the necessary vigilance and as I get used to that sort of street conditions it is no problem. After the pass it goes down into a beautiful valley that runs for about 50km along a river. During a fuel-taking a rest-stop I’m once again surrounded by the men present and questioned about my motorcycle. By now I know the corresponding motorcycle technical terms in Spanish, so I’m able to give them professional information ;-)
At the end of the valley then up the hill again and then for the next hour along the hillside to the other side of the valley, this time exclusively on gravel. 2,3 cute little villages on the way – of course all of them with the church and the major place in the middle ;-) To round up that day: just before Honda then a totally new paved, winding road down and back to the highway. Taking the risk that the non-motorcyclists are bored ... that was a driving day, as it could not have been more beautiful. Again I found a reasonably priced hotel with swimming pool and although I was the only guest the cooked me a great dinner with fresh fish from the nearby Rio Magdalena.

not every bridge is meant for vehicles ;-)

every village has it's own "brand": village of great goodness"

 
On Friday there are dark clouds in the sky and I wonder how long it will take until I will have to mount the rain suit. And in fact, after less than half an hour the storm hits. Meanwhile I’m quite quick in changing to the rainsuit, so no problem. But as quickly as the rain comes, it is over again. Since the temperature in the valley immediately skyrockes I use the first available gas station to have a drink and to get rid of the rainsuit. There I’m approached by two Colombian motorcyclists. Of course they ask me about my trip, mainly because they have planned to drive with their club to Argentina by November as well. They take a picture with me and my bike and Fredy - one of the two motorcyclists - promises me to send me contacts in Colombia and Ecuador as he is president of the motorcycle club of Pereira and of course knows sooooo many motorcyclists. Well, we will see ;-)

I continue towards Villevieja and "el desierto de la Tatacoa". The first diversion away from the mainroad - according to my GPS - shows clearly onto a gravel road and because I view dark storm clouds in this direction, I just drive on, not knowing exactly what I will do now. But I just do not feel like driving on gravel in heavy rains – not as long I have a choice anyway. A few kilometers further then the official sign to "el desierto de la Tatacoa". A gravel road as well but as the storm clouds have meanwhile moved a little, I dare to attempt. My GPS show no road at all but clearly shows into the direction of the river. Well, just take a look; if that's the official way there must be a way to cross the river. And promptly I see a sign for a ferry; but coming down to the river Rio Magdalena the ferry is clearly not in operation. But there is a small boat, a so-called "lancia". An elderly couple drives at the same moment to the shore with their motorcycle and so I guess that’s the way to cross. I ask the young boatmen if it fits on his boat: “Si, no problema” says the young boatmen and maneuvers my Suzy without any hesitation onto the boat, as well as the second bike. I’m not allowed to help what is probably better anyway as he seems to know what he is doing very well. A short drive over the river and on the other side unloaded equal fast and easy. Cost: CHF 1.20; after crossing a for me still adventurous-looking wooden bridge over a small stream and after another 20km gravel road I arrive in Villavieja.

After having a cold beer I look for a cheap room. The hotel Paraiso offers a great deal: a simply furnished room, clean and even with a private bathroom and a pool to cool down for CHF 8.00. Now I’m looking forward to tomorrow's desert tour with Holman - a local guide - on the common moto taxi ;-) .... read more then in the next blog .... Hasta luego