Lost Horizons

Santa Marta is a port town on the northern Caribbean cost of Colombia.

We're staying there at The Dreamer hostel, a poolside oasis from which we are striking out first for the Lost City (Ciudad Perdida) on a five day trek, then to Tayrona Park for a short hike to some nice beaches.

First a quick trip into town on a bonkers bus to visit the local gold museum for some information about our premier destination...

... and a quick beer of course.

CIUDAD PERDIDA

The Lost City is an ancient place tucked away high up in the jungle (two days' walk and 1200 bloody steep steps up, to be precise), built by indigenous people on the run from an angry Spanish mob who they had jipped with false gold.

The locals knew they only had a short time (three years as it happened) to dig in, and they did a good job as the Spaniards never did get up there when they returned.

Miller is our guide and a nicer guy it would be hard to find. He looks after us so well, taking us up hills and down valleys reassuringly to our cabanas each night, connecting with the locals, make our dinners and regaling us with tales and wisdom.

He is full of knowledge and yarns and is a perfect link with the indigenous people we meet and talk to. We brought some lollies, crayons and writing pads for the kids, but without him we wouldn't have got such great photos and big smiles.

Collecting water for mum.

The lad on the left is to be the next shaman. He also loves Falcao the Colombian footballer, and was very pleased with his football notebook

Our fellow travellers were cheeky Brendan and Julie from Ireland (he really reminded me of Bernard from Dublin) and Amos and Tom, two lovely Israeli guys who reminded me very much of Matt and Grant - every time they emerged from their bunks they were immaculately groomed and dressed.

On day one the rain came and we all took a bit of a tumble - I slid thirty Glastonbury-muddy feet on my backside and wasn't too pleased, until I heard the cabanas had showers!

It was a very strenuous but ultimately rewarding hike - I would happily have gone back after two days, but we got stronger as it went on and, by the time we came to the Lost City itself, were in peak condition...!

Anyway, here are some photos - the rest are here...

Another swim in a cold, crystal clear river?  Yes please!!

TAYRONA PARK

We took a bus to Tayrona Park, a national park running along the coast, with several lovely beaches on the way.

We hiked along to Cabo de San Juan and stayed two nights in hammocks, the second in the little hilltop hut you can see. This proved a little windy and damp, which wasn't helped by the party of young Spanish girls who woke up loudly at 5am for the sunrise.

Kim liked Tayrona a lot, I thought it was okay, but there were too many too-cool-for-school w!@#$% for my liking and the empty bottles, plastic bags and condom wrappers on the beach in the morning didn't help.

So much for the youth saving the planet, eh.

Anyway, pictures here...


ESCAPING SANTA MARTA

The Dreamer is proving too much of an easy place to stay, more of a holiday resort, so it's only after another couple of days r&r that we finally break free, off to Cartagena...

Lost City coffee break guy.