Arrival at the Lost City

Trip Start Nov 08, 2008
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Trip End Jun 30, 2009


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Flag of Colombia  ,
Monday, June 29, 2009

Day three had to be the hardest day. This was the day we would ascend upon the Lost City: after 8 fast flowing river crossings and 1300 steps straight up. On the way we passed indigenous villages. There are some 3000 indigenous indians still living in these mountains and they don{t much care for trekkers. Some, a very small population, seem to have a relationship with the guides and they are paid to hike equipment up and down the mountains that the horses can{t go up. I even bought a hand-made bag off one old lady, but the rest of them, so we are told, would rather we all just buggered off. They still live in mud thatched huts and have an intricate social system. One ritual involves picking a mate at the age of 12 (the age you can start producing children) by the boy entering a hut full of suitable females and just picking the one he likes most. They then go to their own hut and make babies. If only dating was that simple. Once you reach manhood at 12 you are allowed to wear trousers. They also spend their days constantly sucking on coca leaves mixed with limestone. So I guess they are just constantly high.

Finally making it to the 1300 steps was incredible. We had already walked for 4 hours and these steps were the end of me. I pretty much collapsed halfway up and desperately tried to get my breath back. Pippa and Paul of course were fine! Eventually we arrived and it wasn{t disappointing. What an amazing place. Neat little circular bases made of stone and hundreds of windy tiny steps going off in all directions. This would have been quite a sight in it{s time. All surrounded by luscious green jungle and not another civilisation for miles around.

Our digs were pretty basic. Mattresses on the floor of a 2 storey wooden shack. But we had the best night as I think we were all so happy to have made it in one piece. The rum came out and the stupidest Spanish card game called Burro (Donkey). We also got talking to the army unit that is based there. These poor boys are stationed in this lonely place for 6 months at a time and they swooped on us girls like they{d never seen one before. I was described as a Princess 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.
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