Above and Below Sea Level

After their return to Qi, the crew set off to Bonaire for some intense diving. Unfortunately, Thomas had had some problems with some dental work after the flight and decided that he would only do free diving. So, he enlisted in a course where the young lady at the office reluctantly shared that she could only go as deep as a measly 30 metres. Thomas could manage 12 on a good day, so he was rightfully impressed. Many free divers go as far as 100 metres. Of course this is possible because they don’t use compressed air and don’t have the risk of damaging their lungs. However, the major risk is blacking out and Thomas wanted to improve his breathing technique to avoid such catastrophic circumstances. The beauty of Bonaire is its visibility and diversity of coral gardens. Needless to say, the amount of unique aquatic creatures added to the attraction.

Being eaten alive by mosquitoes in the suffocating heat caused the crew to find inventive means to survive the nights. They stopped by an Australian boat that was sporting a wind funnel down their front hatch. After inspecting the design and discussing the complexities, Gaylyn was given some old sail material from them and she whipped one up within an hour and a half and had it flying. It was like turning on an air conditioner. She also made some hatch covers out of netting from the mosquito cover that they found too hot to sleep under. Now, they could sleep in the cool and without the risk of being transported away by the horde of insects that were now buzzing outside.

Sea horses, Frogfish, eels and cheeky, nipping French Angel Fish were some of the more interesting creatures they discovered. Thomas soon came to realise that he would rather take the risk of diving than miss out on the peaceful drifting at the bottom seeing some highlights. 12 metres just wasn’t quite enough for the deeper sites. They had some of their best diving experiences there and highly recommend the island to others. It was time to move on and they had their sights set on Colombia.

Acquiring solar panels and having some goal posts built for them was the plan. During its construction, the crew went on a land tour for two weeks. Colombia’s people and spectacular scenery soon made it one of their favourite countries.

Gaylyn and Thomas flew into Bucaramanga, which didn’t over excite them. They caught buses along the way towards Bogota, using smaller and smaller buses the more remote they went. They enjoyed many adventures along the way including having to hitch a ride because they missed the only bus to get to one town. A huge lorry pulled up and the driver told them to jump in, but pointed at the back. Confused, they clarified where exactly. Well, it was standing behind the cabin on a steel grid. Speeding along the windy road with dust flying up resulted in establishing a firm grip on the railing that was their lifeline. Grateful to make it to town in one piece, albeit aching arms, they thanked the driver and vowed to each other that they will keep a better eye on bus timetables in the future.

Their journey took them to the coffee triangle in the south-west of the country. Including the towns of Manizales and Salento. It is such a beautiful area with warm and welcoming people. They did plenty of hiking and even some horseback riding. Then off to the busy metropolises of Medellin and Cartagena before returning to Qi.

Protesters surrounded the bus on the journey back to Santa Marta at one stage and they’d wondered if they’d run into some kind of riot. Colombians are gentle people though and it was explained that it was a protest about local taxes and the lack of local work being undertaken. It added a couple of hours to the trip as the bus had to change course and navigate streets where the powerlines were too low and ran along the roof of the bus. It was a bit hairy. Once back at Santa Marta, the crew checked in for a four-day hike to the Lost City in the hills.

The Lost City hike was very memorable for a number of reasons. The expected ankle deep rivers were actually up to Gaylyn’s hips due to recent rains. The excursion was late leaving because one of the vehicles had broken down on the way to the departure point and the expedition party didn’t leave until nearly dark. Trekking an unknown track and crossing rivers made the first section an unexpected soggy adventure with lots of nervous laughter and comradery. Also, a few life-long friendships were made on the trip and many memories made. It was the crew’s first overnight hike together and it set the way for many more extended hiking adventures, albeit, limited overnight treks.

The slide show below displays many pictures from Bonaire and Colombia