I woke up in the middle of the night because I was feeling a bit cold but stayed on my bench because I wanted to continue enjoying the unforgettable magic impressions from yesterday that were circulating in my brain. Impressions gone, time to get up because I had the feeling as well that today travelling, hitchhiking would not be easy. I took the 05:00 hours bus to Timbio and left the bus terminal in the dark and arrived half an hour later still in the dark. I was cold and warmed my hands at the snack stand at the open fire which the ladies used to heat the coffee and keep him warm. I had to wait for the sun, for daylight before I might have a chance for a lift. Finally the sun helped me to get warm but did not really help me to get a lift. I waited 4 hours, kind of the whole morning before the first car offered me a lift. He said straight away said that he would take me only to the next village but I accepted. Timbio was no luck.

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My luck changed immediately and the funny black driver managed to cheer me up and convinced me that the drop off, the restaurant ‘Berlin’ is a good place to get a lift from one of the truck drivers all the way to Ipiales, all the way to the border. He offered me 10.000 Pesos but I said “No”, he insisted but I said “No”, he changed money at the snack bar and offered me 10.000 Pesos for the third time; he left me no choice, he wanted to put in my hand, in my pocket, in my jacket and then finally it was in my hand. He said I could pay him back once he would come to visit me in Brasil or Germany. I had 50% of the money back that I had spent yesterday for the technician, who had opened and cleaned the camera and concluded that a shortcut had damaged the circuit board and only a change would resolve the problem.

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I had to wait at the restaurant ‘Berlin’ 1 hour before a couple gave me the next lift. They cared about me, they really did and asked me to stay with them and visit the husband’s brother quickly and then continue for another 2 hours of driving. I was not 100% sure but agreed. Before we met the brother who was the catholic priest of the village of Rosario we stopped at a restaurant at the entrance of the village. I wanted to take pictures but they insisted for me to sit down and have lunch with them. We all had the full lunch, chicken soup as starter and then pork meat with rice and feijao and a small side salad. Thank you very much for the invitation.

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We went to the church and met the husband’s brother very briefly. We picked up some bags and continued and drove exactly for 2 more hours until we reached the crossroads. They offered me 9.000 Pesos but I said “No”, they insisted but I said “No”, he pulled the money and offered me 9.000 Pesos for the third time; he left me no choice, he wanted to put in my hand, in my pocket, in my jacket and then finally it was in my hand. Thank you very much. They stayed with me for another half an hour before they drove to their village. I said good bye and then it was in my hand, another 6.000 Pesos. Thank you very much, again and again and again.

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When I said good bye, I was joking “I am sure I will get another lift just before sunset” but so it was; a truck driver stopped and took me almost all the way to Pasto.

We did not speak for the next 2 hours, it was getting dark and he needed his full concentration for the extremely curvy mountain road. We paid one last time toll and arrived in a truck driver place, a place where drivers could have dinner and sleep and probably cheaper than in the 30 kilometers away city of Pasto. It was 20:00 hours, it was dark, I would definitely not get a lift for the last 30 kilometers and so I had to spend 5.000 Pesos for the bus to Pasto. Another incredible day, another magical day, 1 lift, 10.000 Pesos, 1 lift, lunch, 9.000 Pesos, 6.000 Pesos and 1 more lift.

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      Popayan

35 km    Rosas

70 km    El Bordo

130 km  Tulua

155 km  Buga

245 km  Pasto

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