This morning the security manager or airport manager woke me and my 2 neighbors and asked us to get ready; get ready for what? I would have preferred to rest a bit more but at the same time I wanted to use the full day to hopefully make it to today’s planned destination, the beach village of Tolú. I took the same bus that I had taken all the other days when I was in Cartagena de Indias 2 weeks ago and drove to the center. I had an orange juice with the man wearing a ‘Germany – number 3’ shirt, my lucky number 3.

Out of all the busses circulating I chose the brand new Transcaribe bus because the bus stop was right in front of me and the bus stop was on the main road out of the center which was the main road out of Cartagena de Indias. I was hoping the bus would take me to the last house of the city. I wanted to buy a ticket but the Transcaribe bus is free and the reason for this may be that the Transcaribe bus drives only 4 kilometers, only 4 stops and everybody had to get off, maybe not my best choice.

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I tried to orientate myself and asked for a bus out of the city but the drivers did not bother, they are in a hurry to fulfill their daily tours which are controlled and stamped at various checkpoints. In the best case you get a name for a neighborhood or an area, which is an answer but did not help me. I gambled and picked the yellow bus and was 80% right. I stayed on the main road, walked for just another kilometer, passed the cemetery, passed the last food stands and the bridge and was out of the city. A brand new off road took me for the first 10 kilometers; I was out of the city but still in the metropolitan area. I was impatient and took a bus to Arjona for 1500 Pesos and another 10 kilometers. I was still impatient and took a bus to San Pablo for 5000 Pesos and another 40 kilometers. San Pablo was rough, poor, dirty and dusty. I was still impatient but I could not continue taking busses, my luck had to come back.

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I had an orange juice and positioned myself right after the street bumper. I had to wait for more than half an hour but then a brand new, bright red truck stopped and I climbed up into the driver cabin, leather seats, air condition and a cockpit with about 50 control meters. John Jaime had the age of my son and had a daughter in the age of my baby Matilda. He was a child of the 80’ and he listened only to music of the 80’, English music of the 80’.

He was quiet good looking, separated and had been single now for more than 3 years. But he was in love; he was in love with his ‘Mula’, his truck, his brand new, bright red truck. He was 100% a truck driver; he had been 100% a truck driver for the last 12 years and will be 100% a truck driver for all his life. John Jaime, thank you for the lift to Tolúviejo, thank you for your positive energy, thank you for your enthusiasm and happiness and thank you for the Coca Cola.

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John Jaime turned left to Medellin and I turned right to Tolú. A small van stopped and father and daughter invited me to their small party; thank you for your singing, thank you for your positive energy, thank you for your enthusiasm and happiness. I could not resist asking about their ethnic background; they looked Indian and they were Indian; they looked like having a party and they had a party. I was hungry, had a Colombian potato at the gas station but then walked right to the beach and right to the marina; I had to recharge the battery.

I walked along the promenade, had a delicious Colombian potato with Grandma, reached the end, took a picture of the unique dog food station and was spotted by the police force and the television team; 15 minutes interview with the Gringo for the Monday evening news. What do I think about the dog food station and about Tolú, you will find out in the Monday evening news.

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For a small understanding of the days travel, I have included a Google Earth map. The red pins mark the locations I have stopped and taken pictures. At the bottom of the page you will find a link for all the pictures I have taken. The link will open in a Google+ Album.

Please click on map to enlarge!!!

See map and distances / Siehe Karte und Entfernungen / Ver mapa e distâncias / Ver mapa y distancias

0 km      Cartagena de Indias

35 km    Arjona

70 km    San Pablo

120 km  San Onofre

180 km  Tolú

Please click on “View Album” to see pictures in a Google+ Album.