Hotel Urdaneta Merida

... police officers! The place is quite touristy, as it's the outlet to Los Llanos (the plains), the centre of ecotourism adventures, the starting point for hikes, and home of the longest teleferico in the world (indefinitely the longest non-working teleferico in the world). Subsequently, it feels relatively safe here, and we are comfortable straying out to certain locations after dark. Food is easy to find, and we have enjoyed food off of the streets ...

... city, there´s lots of unfinished buildings around, as well as lots of garbage like i have never seen that before, the stench of pee and god now´s what els. we spent 1 day in a haft in Caracas, and as we got to know the city,i discovery that there was tow side´s to it, there was a very wealthy side and very poor side, witch is were we were staying at. I have to be aw nest when i say, Caracas was not my favorite. On the 28th at ...

... prices. In Venezuela prices rivaled the US (a banana was 70 cents! How? they grow everywhere?) except the gas which ran about 50 liters for less than a dollar (13 cents a US gallon)! Once again the border officials were relatively kind to me after a few Bush cracks (they were merely in jest though, no hostility) and I was on my way to Santa Marta. Chavez at his finest "you are a donkey Mr danger" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLf08O3D _f0

... hostel (run by an Aussie new age hippie fella called Shaun). After a week of dorm beds (smelly socks hanging near my nose, waking up at 4am when somebody lashed up accidentally walks in to the wrong room and turns the lights on, nearly falling on my head a few times trying to get down from the top bunk (acrobatic skills are a must for top bunks) and crazy queues for the bathroom it was time for some privacy. Took a single room ($12) and then chilled out in the communal area ...

The referendum We arrived in Merida at 6 am on the morning of the big referendum. Merida is probably not the place that cautious officialdom would recommend at that time, because it is a university town and there have been violent protests in the past. It was very tranquil when we got there and has been so ever since. On the way to Coro the balance of the slogans changed, with 'no' starting to catch up with 'si' and there were even some large ...

... stunden bis zum ersten lager angegeben. nach drei stunden, teilweise im regen, kommen wir dann auch an einem guten lagerplatz, direkt an einem bach an, der festen ueberzeugung, schon weiter zu sein, als im lonely planet angegeben. wir kochen noch schnell etwas und gehen ins bett. es ist drei uhr nachmittags. und es regnet. am naechsten morgen, etwa um acht uhr, kuesste uns die sonne, aber nur kurz, denn wolken zogen auf. wir lassen uns aber nicht bremsen ...

... the water I showered with came from a well they drilled in the ground. Although, that would be pretty funny if they were still just screwing with me. After dinner, we all go out in boat to look for frogs, a nice change from the crocodiles you usually hunt for on these kind of tours. On the way, someone smells something rotten and asks Cesar if it`s the cemetary. He says it`s not and that the people of El Congo actually get ...

... the differences yet but I must...keep...watching... In between my obsessive cable TV watching, hanging around in hammocks or going out for a bite to eat we have managed to meet the other people in our Posada; a couple of Canadian girls Sam and Sheri, an English couple Barney and Caroline and an guy from the USA called Ryan. All very friendly and chilled. On Wednesday night Chile was playing Ecuador which we had to win to qualify for a play off against Oz for ...

... even an anaconda! The 3rd night saw us heading back up towards the mountains and staying at a camp. We got to experience a natural phenomenon, constant and silent lightening, visits by national geographic and other scientists have failed to find a explanation - who needs one it was magic! Following day we went rafting, jumping and floating which was fun if a little painful. Back to Merida where we have said our goodbye to Pual and Rob and being leaving ourselves for Lima on Friday.