My efforts to sleep yesterday were more or less successful; I must have been pretty tired from the nights before. Relying on reaching my planned destination had become a challenge since I depend on hitchhiking, since I depend on others basically but I have managed to reach my planned destination every day for the last 3 weeks. In order to achieve this I had to get up early and give luck as much time as possible and with luck I had covered distances from 100 kilometers to more than 400 kilometers in a day. Today I wanted to cover nearly 200 kilometers and had to start early again.

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

The bus terminal south was obviously in the south of the city but still not far out enough to start hitchhiking. I chose the village of Caldas as the starting point and in order to get there I had to take a local bus first. Incredibly busses to Caldas did not leave from the terminal south and so I had to walk for 2 kilometers to get to the main highway out of Medellin.

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

Here I had to wait only 2 minutes for the right bus and 22 minutes later I was at the final bus station of Caldas. Again the final bus station was not far out enough to start hitchhiking and so I had to walk another 2 kilometers to get to the bypass.

The bypass was very curvy and narrow and did not allow cars to stop easy and only after a full hour an old car with an older man stopped and invited me and after another 2 kilometers and 2 minutes of driving he invited 2 more women.

We all had to get off in Santa Barbara. Quickly I realized that again the curvy and narrow mountain road was not ideal for hitchhiking. I was too slow today; I wanted to move faster and took the bus for 5.000 Pesos to La Pintada.

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

I arrived at lunchtime; I had made half the way to Pereira, 50% bus and 50% hitchhiking. I had a Colombian potato and positioned myself at the last street bumper. After 10 minutes I became company from 1 backpacker from Venezuela and after 10 more minutes we became company from 2 more backpackers from Colombia. We were now 4 weird looking backpackers trying to get a lift. The 2 Colombians were the first to realize to move location and walked back to town to be then actually in front of us.

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

A car stopped, it was my turn and I got into the car, now it was the turn of the Venezuelan and he got into the car as well. Very nice gesture, thank you very much. It was time for another loud 80’s party, the driver was speeding and we would make it to Pereira on time. Just before Pereira we stopped at the farmhouse of a 70 year old bee farmer and picked up 5 bottles of honey and we had to have a spoon of natural honey before we drove the last kilometers.

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

We said good bye to the driver and then I said good bye to the Venezuelan backpacker, I wanted to stay in Pereira, he did not. I took a local bus to the bus terminal, he did not. I was in an excellent mood, it was still early and I wanted to recharge the battery a bit and go sightseeing.

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

I had taken the last picture in La Pintada and had put the charger with the new battery in the pocket of my short and now it was not there anymore; it was not there anymore. I had lost the charger with the new battery in the car or at the bee farmer. I wanted to cry but I had no time; I took the bus to the center and found quickly the first camera shop.

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

She did not have the charger but referred me to another shop. I had to walk for 20 blocks and found a well-equipped electronics dealer; one phone call and the assistant came with the case of an original Nikon charger at a price of 60.000 Pesos, we had a deal, we had to have a deal. I took a bus back to the terminal, it was dark, I was exhausted but relieved, I had lost 160.000 Pesos. I had a Colombian potato and a drink and a desert, a Snickers and a bench.

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

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 Picasa album. At the top left of this Picasa album you will find the button for a Slideshow.

Please click on map to enlarge!!!

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

0 km      Medellin

75 km    La Pintada

195 km  Pereira

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