Colombia had been highly recommended by almost every traveller we had met, only our parents and those that hadn't been there were concerned for our safety. We heard comments about the friendliness of Colombians, who unlike other more popular South American countries had not yet gotten sick of the never ending flow of tourists. We wondered though if Colombia was so well liked by many overlanders coming from the north as its their first taste of South America similar to how we felt about Bolivia. So far we've had mixed results.
Before entering Colombia we had to wait in a huge line of people to get our Ecuadoran exit stamp, but because we had entered at a remote border we weren't in the computer system so we had to get three photocopies of our passport photo page and entry stamp. But it was 6:30 at night and for some reason all the Ecuadoran photocopiers were closed so we had to walk across the border bridge into Colombia to get them done. Then it was onto the Colombian customs where the whole process went smoothly but of course required yet more photocopies. However we did receive a very friendly "Welcome to Colombia!" with our entry stamps. At 7:30pm we were officially into Ipiales, Colombia and looking for a place to stay. Luckily this was one of those rare occasions where we checked the guide book for a cheap place with parking, found the street on google maps and drove straight to it! It was a pretty run down place with a cold shower but we didn't complain, instead grateful we had found a bed so easily we called it a night.
First thing the next morning we got the mandatory SOAT insurance for 66,000 Colombian pesos (COP) which included a commission, but later our friends pointed out they recorded our car as having only a 1400cc engine, oh well. Next we brought a SIM card for my iPhone our first since Bolivia to use to help organise our shipping to Panama. Then we brought some bread and got in trouble for throwing away the receipt before leaving the shop and proceeding to get lost looking for the famous Las Lajas Cathedral not far away. Once we found it the next problem was a carpark as the place was chocka full even on a Tuesday morning. Eventually we paid a lady to park in her driveway but frustrations were starting to run a little high. The parking task over we walked down the busy path to the Cathedral and wandered around for a while enjoying the fairytale views of the gothic styled church set on a bridge spanning a steep river valley.
Before entering Colombia we had to wait in a huge line of people to get our Ecuadoran exit stamp, but because we had entered at a remote border we weren't in the computer system so we had to get three photocopies of our passport photo page and entry stamp. But it was 6:30 at night and for some reason all the Ecuadoran photocopiers were closed so we had to walk across the border bridge into Colombia to get them done. Then it was onto the Colombian customs where the whole process went smoothly but of course required yet more photocopies. However we did receive a very friendly "Welcome to Colombia!" with our entry stamps. At 7:30pm we were officially into Ipiales, Colombia and looking for a place to stay. Luckily this was one of those rare occasions where we checked the guide book for a cheap place with parking, found the street on google maps and drove straight to it! It was a pretty run down place with a cold shower but we didn't complain, instead grateful we had found a bed so easily we called it a night.
First thing the next morning we got the mandatory SOAT insurance for 66,000 Colombian pesos (COP) which included a commission, but later our friends pointed out they recorded our car as having only a 1400cc engine, oh well. Next we brought a SIM card for my iPhone our first since Bolivia to use to help organise our shipping to Panama. Then we brought some bread and got in trouble for throwing away the receipt before leaving the shop and proceeding to get lost looking for the famous Las Lajas Cathedral not far away. Once we found it the next problem was a carpark as the place was chocka full even on a Tuesday morning. Eventually we paid a lady to park in her driveway but frustrations were starting to run a little high. The parking task over we walked down the busy path to the Cathedral and wandered around for a while enjoying the fairytale views of the gothic styled church set on a bridge spanning a steep river valley.
In need of a paper colombian map we drove the 90km to the town of Pasto. Having read in the guide book about a map store we stopped briefly to check it out. This was one of those times where we drove round in circles looking for the place then got out of the car for five minutes to look for it and still couldn't find it. But after seeing a hairdresser lock her and her client inside the barred salon we got the feeling that this was a somewhat dodgy area so walked back to the car. As it turns out it was a dodgy area as five minutes was all it took for someone to steal the glass/mirror out of our passenger side mirror! There had been other cars in the street so it didn't seem like a bad place to park but clearly it was. Good luck to the person who stole it as yet we haven't seen another similar model Durango in Colombia. The town certainly gave us a bad vibe so after a lunch of radish sandwiches in the car at a gas station we pushed on not knowing where we would spend the night.
Will found Laguna de la Cocha on google not far away and we decided to check it out. It had been raining the whole time we had been in Colombia and when we took the turnoff for the lake we discovered a flooded river that had broken its banks across the road in many places. The locals waved us through and we eventually found a little flooded tourist village offering lodging, trout meals and boat rides to the island in the middle of the lake. In between the downpours we went for a walk but decided not to go on a boat ride because of the rain. We really just wanted to sleep in the car and not a flooded hospedaje so we drove back out again. Soon though Will found a place to stay in the camping log that we got from Ruined Adventures which we use regularly. The place was a flash Swiss owned hotel and events centre but they let us sleep in the car for free without showers as long as we had dinner at the restaurant. Dinner was good but the portions were small and a little over priced though the table right in front of the big open fire was lovely. In the fading light we even cleaned out all of our food boxes and promised to start eating more of the food we had been carrying in the car; some since Argentina!
The next day we planed to drive to the Tatacoa Desert but it took six hours just to drive over the mountain range to the ex FARC controlled town of Macoa. The high winding road was appropriately named in Spanish 'Trampolín de la Muerte', translated to English its the 'Trampoline of Death'. The single lane gravel road hung onto the cliff edge the entire way and required at least twenty flooded stream crossing as well as driving through many hastily cleared landslides. But it was nothing we weren't used to by now and I was happy to drive. Certainly the locals in their Mazda Familiar took in all in their stride and quickly got out to push after they got stuck in one deeper river so they didn't lose their place in the massive queue. At one point we were held up for two hours waiting for a slip to be cleared. Logic suggests traffic should wait in line on either side of the slip in the order in which they arrived until the slip is cleared. But not around here… each new driver just drove past anybody stupid enough to wait in line filling up all and any available space and inching further forward at any opportunity until there was a humongous traffic jam on each side of the slip. Unfortunately we didn't get any photos of them really tightly packed. Once the slip was finally cleared to the standard of a four wheel drive mud track the far side gunned it and straight away got stuck in our sides mess of cars, trucks, motorbikes and pickups. No one seemed to be in charge and no one was prepared to move out of the way and give up their place in the line so cars had to creep through gaps with millimetres of space on either side. Eventually our side overwhelmed the oncoming traffic and it was all on so I joined the locals and raced past as many jammed trucks as possible to get through in front of them.
No driving in New Zealand will ever surprise me again, even a car coming around a corner on our side of the road no longer bothers us and passing on corners isn't a big deal most corners are wide enough for three vehicles anyway so why not make use of all the space? Passing lanes are non existent despite the thousands of big slow noisy trucks on the road so you end up passing in places you never would back home but mainly because the NZ trucks travel so much faster. It seems to be a game for trucks to take the corners so wide that oncoming traffic has to stop on the other side, where as in NZ it would be called bad driving do you really need 5m between your truck and the bank? And don't get me started about buses they are in a league of their own and must be able to predict any oncoming traffic as they don't slow down for anything. Another thing we have come to accept in South America is that to follow road rules is entirely optional and the same goes for compliance. It seems to be ok to drive your truck even if the left side is almost on the road and the right is way in the air or the wheel is wiggling so violently it could come off at any moment. The lighting configurations of late have been especially interesting flickering blue brake lights no problem, flashing multi coloured number plate lights why not its all part of the anything goes driving experience in South America!
Rochelle & Will
Rochelle & Will