And that's why I travel...

Phew!!

2008-11-05T18:46:00.005-05:00

San Agustin, Colombia
Yeee!!! So glad there was a win for Obama. Traveling when there is a (new) Republican is something I am not a fan of. Try explaining Bush to anyone else in the world. Can´t be done.
I was on a bus for an enternity yesterday. I went from Taganga to Bogota, which is about 20 hrs. There I found my Sen Jeng at Fatima after a quick tour of the Police and Gold museums. Then we got on another bus for 8 hrs to San Agustin. Wow. And, as soon as we got into town, we found a hostel and got on some horses.

Also, Happy Birthday to: Andrew, Jimjim, Sarah G, and Mark.

It's hard to laugh underwater.

2008-10-29T19:30:00.005-05:00

So, I went diving! The school had to call the hostel and send someone to pull me out of bed, but I made it! I had only six shots the night before in celebration of Niklas' birthday- got shite for going to bed early at 4 am as well-, and although people told me that diving on a hangover is horrible, I managed to roll out of bed feeling perfectly fine. For those wondering, I was only doing a mini course, which is basicly a fun dive only. I wanted to do the course, but don't really have enough cash, and should really leave this town at some point. When I was in the water I did a lot of hand holding with Chopper, the instructor, and thought, wow I wish I was with Lauren or Sara, they would love this! It was my first time and I didn't have any panic attacks so that's a bonus. :)

Chopper and I

Yesterday Ginger left us to head for Ecuador and do something productive, so sad. I miss him already! My one and only Taiwanese friend!

Today, Idan left us to head back to Bogota and fly home to Isreal. Ahh, my traveling band is breaking up. Bye, Idan!

A favorite pic of me and my traveling chicos, now disbanded.

Last night I got quite drunk, if you can imagine. In the hostel I met some Colombian guys-the dos Juans- who wanted to buy me rum. Okay! One was just 19 and quite hot. Things were going well until he decided he would get another room for us to "hang out" in, haha. Maybe if all the people here didn't know me....

Did you see his dimple? Hehe.

Niklas' Birthday...

2008-10-27T19:03:00.003-05:00

Taganga, Colombia... still...

It's so beautiful here, how can I still be here a week later and have no urge to move along? Today I went to Tayrona park with my chicos. Niklas turns 21 today, what a great place for a birthday. Nothing like a drenching boatride and some time at the beach. Noone even tried to sell me necklaces. He is just about recovered from his slight head injury (during a shower when we had no electricity for lights...) and stitches.

Niklas self portrait

Also today, I went on my first diving excursion. In a swimming pool! Wowho!! It was a bit scary, actually, not being able to see anything but blue. But, the instructor told me a was like a professional and that he had see me out on Friday night, haha. So, I guess I will be okay tomorrow in the sea. ;) So exciting!

Now, must help celebrate! Happy Birthday, amigo!

Feeling lucky...

2008-10-25T18:09:00.001-05:00

Taganga, Colombia.
Well, last night, something entirely terrible happened. A (bloody Austrian) friend of mine was holding my camera while we were out. It was a risky move on my part because this is a guy who I know is always losing things. But... I was pocketless and he´s attractive enough to be trusted. ;) After a night of dancing (mostly with a Colombian determined to show me salsa moves, which I failed at) I found my camera holding friend in order to take a picture. A few "Are you fucking with me?"´s later I came to believe he no longer had my camera. A small search of the bar ensued, but to no avail. I had lost my best friend. My one and only. Everyone who knows me, even remotely well, will tell you that I am never without my camera. I'm not a photography freak, but I must admit, it's the only way I'm going to remember my life a few years from now. I'm in Colombia! I need my camera!!
A long walk to the hostel and many hugs later, I went to bed feeling quite sad, but on the upside, I would only be losing a couple of days worth of photos and couldn't do much about it- so no point in being angry at any strapping young Austrians.
Today there were a few times I had to hold back a tear at the thought of not being able to take a picture and never sharing the great photos of a friend with an injured eyebrow, or a drunken German, or of the hot Colombian girls I danced my gringa ass off with. I even went back to the bar to have another search, but it was still closed. ;(
I returned to my hostel, put on my sad face, and decided to swing my troubles away in one of the hammocks. Just as I was getting in the groove, the door to my hostel room opened. Out came the Austrian with... my camera!! As an added bonus, he was only wearing a towel, haha! Apparently, he had returned to the hostel at some point last night, quite drunk, and had forgotten about it. As I was I was attempting to be a dancing queen, I hadn´t noticed that he had left, or returned for that matter.
Ahh, somewhere I gained some good karma. Phew.

The found my camera pic.