Last impressions of Venezuela
Trip Start
Nov 29, 2007
1
11
12
Trip End
Dec 30, 2007
Caracas,
Venezuela
Sunday, December 30, 2007
I started this log pretty despondently after a confusing and frustrating arrival in the country. It has certainly improved on closer acquaintance and Caracas itself seemed busy and energetic on our last day, rather than alien and threatening.
Everything I read about the place presents a grim picture - galloping inflation, rampant corruption, social inequalities apparently greater than when Chavez came to power, a president whose initial reaction to the 'no' vote was laudable but swiftly followed by a series of inconsistent remarks including claiming that if every last vote had been counted then he would not have lost (and saying that he will introduce a less 'complex' version and that he will not change a comma) ... Oil production is declining, and allegedly the best companies are shy of Venezuela right now. Basic supplies are sometimes hard to come by. And yet, shops selling new bikes seem to be doing well, and it can be hard to find space in internet cafes even in small towns because of all the kids playing computer games.
As we left the country Chavez was implementing a new law - restricting the annual limit on international internet purchases to $400 US, down from the current limit of $3000, to try to combat the black market for US dollars. It is hard to see this working.
Roads are cursed by control points where soldiers armed with machine guns or police, watch you drive by but do nothing else. An example of public spending out of control, perhaps, but why not at least put them to work? Buses may be stopped for an hour or more while soldiers search bags (starting at midnight on the way to Santa Elena). Fair enough, but the searches are so half hearted that it is hard to imagine them finding anything. I still can't work out why they gender split the lines for bag searching when they then have men searching both lines' bags. No two people gave us consistent answers as to what these measures are for. But the silliest was that the checkpoints were to slow down the traffic. The machine guns would seem superfluous given that there are also judder bars.
The guides were mostly terrible (Alan Highton a real exception).
But the transport is comfortable (if frigid) and runs on time, mostly, and the country is small enough that there is no need for many really long travel days. Nobody let us down; nobody stole anything; we saw hardly any begging, and no starving children. We saw no hint of violence (although since leaving, two people have told us of acquaintances kidnapped taking taxis from the airport, perhaps vindicating our decision to use the bus). And the country has a tremendous variety of things to do - we didn't even touch the Amazon or the Orinoco Delta.
I guess, from a tourist's point of view it is a country with great potential and could do better. But as an interesting destination, less packaged than many, and with endless options, I think that I can recommend it (just make sure you take enough US cash into the country).
