Casa Holanda Santa Marta

... stop but I headed, on recommendation of course, straight for Taganga. It is a really nice little place and is gearing itself for mucho tourismo. I have had a few days settling in and getting used to the money. 20 000 pesos, as written on the note, is around $10, whereas 50 MIL pesos, as written on the note!!, is not smaller it is larger. I think I was caught out on this account at least once.<br><br>After all ...

... guides playing some competitive and rather heated pool. Poor Vamos is left cooking our dinner alone, and does not look at all impressed. He is very unsympathetic when there is very little dinner left for Freddie and Alberto. <br><br>It is nice to now be back in civilisation in Santa Marta, with soap and running water. When our hostel has finished doing all our washing, we will head on to the nearby national park to check out the snorkelling.<br><br><br>

... are outstanding. As you are climbing the stairs you have to carefully watch your step as to avoid the huge red ants, lizards, geckos, frogs, centipedes, etc. And at night its totally dark. They gave adam and I one flashlight to share and the bats fly over head. I can't stop along the path, I just need to keep walking or I get a little jumpy with all the bugs/bats. We spent the first two days here laying out on the beach and swimming it the ocean. A nice little paradise.......

... We realised after a while it was the left route we had taken before but they came out at the same place. We were rewarded by encountering a group of about 7 small brown and white monkeys jumping from tree to tree above us. They were as curious about us as we were about them. For a moment we forgot about our race to return and marveled at these wonderful animals. Then we marched on. It took us a full hour to get back. On route Jose had finally caught us up ...

... We had to go to three different offices to get an exit stamp, pay an exit fee, and get an entrance stamp into Colombia - all in different places! <br><br>The last Venezuelan customs officer asked me if I was related to President Chavez and told me I was lucky not to be related to that ¨hijo de puta.¨ This has been the general sentiment about Chavez. Otherwise, people refer to him as loco or to his politics as locura. And, for sure ...

... of Taganga, which has a lot more tourists than fish. It looks like every other backpacker hangout ever, but I won´t dwell on it. It WAS nice to have the comforts of vegetarian food, book exchanges, and other travelers to meet, and a REALLY fancy hostel. We spent a lovely day on the beach and then reading in the hammock as it rained all afternoon. It was so relaxing.<br><br>Our next big destination was Parque Nacional Tayrona, only about ...

... grass fields took ground cover, what looked like a campground emerged. Past the campground was the first beach. The first beach had violent fast waves that would thrash not just onto the shoreline but left and right into each other. I had never seen such a violent coastline. Signs are posted not to swim, that some 200 people have already died. Later during our trip, an Aussie told us that he tried to help a man that got caught in those waves. He ...

... sunny weather didnt happen. So we werent able to work on our tans... On the 2nd night we went to a beach called Playa Brava. It was amazing- we had the entire beach and associated camp to ourselves. We ended up sleeping in hammocks and chowing down on coconuts. But a storm blew in so made for swinging sleepless night. The park ...

... It's on the east end of the beach and one block inland. The hotel was great. It was only a dollar more than the hostel around the corner, but it had A/C, international T.V., clean towels and our own bathroom. While in Santa Marta, we ate good seafood and smoothies here. There's not much in Santa Marta. The beach is not much for swimming. At night, there are some cool bars, but the music was very loud, and I was not feeling well during my time here.<br>

Can{t believe it took 3 days to get back, and going the same way. The group was distinctly depressed at the thought of it. Day 5 was the hardest hill of all and I grumbled along at the back wondering if it was all worth it after all. Hot, tired and covered in mosquito bites and unable to keep up I had a lonely old time at the back of the class with the long suffering guide called Beto. We had breathy ...