Hotel Nueva Granada Santa Marta

... our power boosters) Santa Marta is a very nice little town, it's a resort town for Colombians with lots of hotels, condos, and restaurants along the beach. We were surprised that the mariachi bands were playing til 3 in the morning seeing as it was a Tuesday night but we didn't have to be up as early the next day because we were only going about 15 miles (3 hours) to The Five Bays to anchor for the day and then leave early the next morning.<br><br>

... to let the fact that I was an idiot for having so much stuff beat me. I did however determine that I was not going to stay more than one day. This trip was kicking my ass and I had not even gotten to have fun yet. <br><br>An hour later, I came into the camp ground and found everyone sitting there waiting on me. We checked in and paid for our hammocks. I was tiring to figure out a way to get a rescue helicopter to come get me in the morning. The Colombians were laughing at me ...

... we were really starting to miss in our one (action-packed) week in Venezuela: Working ATMs, and fruits and veggies. BLACK MARKET We were starting to have a little bit of a cash-flow issue in Venezuela because the ATMs there are as impudenent and surly as an automatic machine could be. They refuse to give money even to venezuelans, because they are jerks. They tease you by letting you go through all of the steps, then say Sorry, this ...

... and told about the stars, introducing Paul didn{t stop them. They were only 20 years old and bored out of their minds. But they were very serious about why they were there - as protectors, they said- and they were heavily armed. They also sold us beer and cokes, so that was a bonus. All in all it was beautiful if not surreal spot. I don{t think I{ve ever sat and admired the view with a guy carrying 6 grenades and a machine gun.

... made the hike all the more difficult. I hardly sweat when I run at home in the gym, but here my shirt was drenched. <br> After the first day, I got used to it. I was always sweaty. I was so sweaty that when mosquitoes tried to bite me on the face they subsequently drowned in my sweat. After a day of hiking and simming, I was crazy hungry. Luckily, the food was delicious and all you can eat. They always made lots and I always ...

... and driving up the range is itself a great touristic activity. Unfortunately most of the attractions in the national parque were closed for visitors (véu de noiva waterfalls, cidade de pedra, etc). Day 9 - we woke up, checked out of the hostel and headed to Poconé, the city where the transpantaneira road starts. - the trip was quite boring for the first 2 hours as the way to Poconé is just a paved road through cattle farms. Nothing really ...

... unmatched, perhaps since Ecuador. Each town has it's Police stop where they slow down the traffic enough to have a good look at you. These places also are the final resting spots for all the wrecks of cars that have failed to yield appropriately. Unlike Mexico, where the cars are left forever at the scene of whatever horrible accident as a grim reminder of what can happen if you misjudge that blind curve overtaking, here in Brazil they collect all the carcasses at the police station ...

... This was mostly ********. We spent 4 hours on the horses, and only got off once. In the afternoon, Cameron and I went piranha fishing, a novelty event here. I was imagining an afternoon relaxing in the boat on the river, pulling in the odd fish. Instead, it was a frenzy. The Piranhas bit the raw meat on the hook as soon as it hit the water. The trick was successfully getting the fish into the boat without getting a finger or a nose bitten off. My technique was dangerous. Once ...

... get the photo I wanted... you might have to take my word for it this time! ;) <br><br> <br><br>We walked back to the pousada happy that we'd made the effort, even though none of us enjoyed wading back through the deep water again! <br><br> <br><br>We did ...

Pela primeira vez em um projeto missionário pudemos fazer uma reunião de estudantes universitários cristãos em uma igreja evangélica. O pastor da Igreja Vinde, onde estávamos hospedados, enviou cartas para outros pastores convidando os universitários para a nossa reunião. Foi importantíssimo ver a participação da igreja neste processo. Muitos universitários foram ao encontro. Durante o culto, o missionário Márcio contou o ...