Quito

Arriving in the mariscal district, it could hardly be a more drastic change from the last evening spent around Mojanda. Bars and discos with booming music and people running to and fro. It took a while to find a hostel as many were booked out. I was glad to get an early rest and enjoy… Continue reading Quito

Laguna de Mojanda

It was another heavy cobbled climb out of Otavalo to the lagunas. But after finding a rythem, it’s ¨not too bad¨, which was the only reply i could master when a motorcyclist stopped and mentioned that ¨this looks brutal¨.  I still felt i needed to climb higher to get a better view once i reached… Continue reading Laguna de Mojanda

El Angel páramo

Stocking up on supplies in Tulcan, i was ready to hit the rather lonely road through the ecological reserve “el angel”. Well described by other touring cyclists, the turn-off from the busy main road was easy to find and after some passing trucks on the first kilometers, the traffic stopped altogether in the second half… Continue reading El Angel páramo

Desierto de Tatacoa

The excitement was dimmed by increasing traffic after reaching the main road at Chiquinquira and, getting closer to Bogota, i began to doubt i chose a route far enough from the capital, as it felt as if i was passing through the industrial outskirts. But after half a day of sharing the road with lorries and cycling… Continue reading Desierto de Tatacoa

Norte de Santander

Stopping in Mompos for a rest day, i soon moved on as the heat was too much, even for just relaxing in the shade. I followed the Rio Magdalena for a while, before i took a turn off to Ocaña and the start of the Andes. It was a heavy and rocky climb to the… Continue reading Norte de Santander

San Blas Islands

We met with the captain, Fabian, the day before our departure and several things were discussed like safety at sea and how toilets on sailing ships work. We met the next day in the evening and brought our bags over to the ship before dinner. The bicycle was tied to the railings and was dangling… Continue reading San Blas Islands

Panama

It was quiet a hilly introduction to Panama and i was camping somewhere on top of these hills between Changuinola and Almirante before taking a boat towards “Bocas del toro” on the island of Colon the next day. There were dark clouds over the island and once we arrived, it had started to rain heavily. I… Continue reading Panama

Costa Rica

The sleeping outdoors on a deck chair was a great experience. Once in San Carlos we had some time to kill until the boat would leave to Los Chiles in Costa Rica. The first boat in the morning left without us because some guy in army suit thought that four loaded touring bikes would sink the… Continue reading Costa Rica