Whale season on the Pacific Coast of Colombia!
A year ago, I became inspired to return to the Amazon. It has changed a lot since I was there around 1997. My memories of it were awesome. Now, more experienced, I felt I would experience even more! I dove in and started researching options!
Realizing how close it was to Colombia, I looked for information farther North. I wanted to take the slow boat down the Amazon and discovered I could go to Leticia, Colombia. From there, it was a flight to Bogota and then the coffee region.
Somewhere along that part of my reserach, I stumbled upon a blog showing informaiton for seeing humpback whales in a remote Western part of Colombia. It was too rushed to try to do that back then. However, the thought lingered in the back of my mine.
About 10 days ago, after looking in to the possibility some more, I found an affordable flight. I bought it and now, two weeks after doing that, I’m flying off to see the whales! The image above is from the website for the Humpback Turtle Hostel where I’ll be staying.
Click on the link to have a look at more information: Humpback Turtle.
This is a bit of a funky, wet, difficult to reach area with few tourist and rich with nature. Just my kind of place. I’m packing carefully since it is one of the “Top 10 Rainiest Spots” on the earth. So everything I take is likely to be damp within a day or so?! I’m packing dry dessicant packs for camera and computer gear, rain gear for my body, and a pleasant attitude to deal with whaever shows up!
The adventure plan!
I fly to Medellin. No, it was not affected by the earthquake. From there, I fly to Bahía Solano, take a motorbike three wheel taxi for roughly 45 minutes and reach my hostel. Weight of baggage is restricted. Information, as usual, it sketchy! What infrormation? Take your pick: luggage storage, bus schedules, route that are open (because of rainy season in the mountains) etc. I’m planning and taking care of details I can manage and letting everything else go until I arrive.
When I booked my lodging in Medellin, I decided to stay an extra day before traveling on. Turns out, that’s a great plan! Flights are from the smaller local airport in the city which is only 10 minutes away. Next to it is the bus station. On my free day, I’ll check out the airport, then go visit the bus station to see what options realistically are available for me. One route I would like to go had a number of morning buses leaving every 2 hours for Salamina. It takes about 4 1/2 hours to reach there. The afternoon buses leave less frequently and take 12-14 hours! The alternative it to take a bus to Manizales and backtrack….but that is likely not possible with all the damage done to Manizales.
I’ll find different alternatives and see what schedule truly exists. And, there is baggage storage at Terminal de Sur bus station. I may leave my backpack here and travel very light to the coast. Those details…I’ll figure out as I go along!
My plan from there: wander! I have two favorite villages from last time I would like to revisit. One suffered some damage from the earthquake, primarily the church. I loved simply hanging out in each of those villages. I’ve looked up alternatives: “interesting villages near not full of tourist and with local culture”! I found two that seem quite interesting. Local culture indeed…in the coffee region…with a chocolate tour!
I will explore for about two weeks. I simply want to find peaceful, interesting places to experience local culture and lifestyle. After a hot smoky summer, I’ll be happy to breathe some fresh clean cool air! And to write some, and to read, and to meet new people.
I’ll look for a few adventures like visiting another coffee farm or a chocolate tour or riding horseback through the mountains! That’s enough!
Transportation adventures?
Transportation will always be an adventure here! Finding information online is nearly impossible! I know there are ways to get from one spot to another! For example: I asked two different hotels in Salamina if it was possible to travel by bus to Jardin? One didn’t know but sent me a link to a private transportation company that wanted $250. The other gave me specific instructions: pick up here at 6:00 am, drop at La Pintada at 9:00 am, get on the 10:00 bus to Jardin. Cost: around $15-$20 US dollars! Another response gave me a series of short bus rides, transferring several times, taking close to 12 hours to get there!? Uncertainty abounds!
This is one of those moments to stop thinking, stop trying to SET a schedule, and to simply go with the flow. This is where it is more important to feel than to think. If it feels right, for me, something always works out! Always!
And this route goes slowly through the mountains so I’ll have intersting scenery and glimpses into local life all along the way!
Yes! I definitely plan to take a chiva again! It was a slow and lovely experience on local roads through mountain villages.
New and repeat experiences!
I’ll be visiting during a different season this time! Areas other than the coast will be more dry! I will go back to see the “Cock of the Rock” hopefully without a steady downpour! I’ll visit Jardin and Jerico but stay in different areas of the villages for a new perspective. And I’ll seek out new food options to experience more local flavor.
Definite repeat: I had a most excellent massage in Jerico! I know exactly where to find that! And I’ll look for other options like that.
Below are a few images that stick with me. People! Conversations! Peaceful surroundings! Great food! Good coffee! Feeling welcomed as an old friend in some restaurants on my second visit.
