position N11 14 524 W74 13 044
Ocean Rival Journey Log
Adam Power Diana Power
Sat 5 Mar 2016 03:44
Friday 5th March. Santa Marta.
We arrived back in Santa Mafta yesterday evening after the trek in a state of exhaution and have been tidying up the boat today with decidedely slow movement other than frequent rushed trips to the loo due to dodgy tummy's.
The trek to La Cuita Perdita was totally amazing and well worth the after effects now suffered. The accomodation was basic-hammocks for the 1st night, then thin mattresses on wooden beds. Food was plentiful but bland (chicken with rice and potato most often) cooked over wood fires, and river water (beer also available at most camps) to drink possibly treated with tablets, or possibly not. The climbs are intense -usually two big ones each day with a final climb up 1200 stone steps to the city itself. Maybe not the most dramatic ruins ever seen but the forest setting is just stunning. Look it up on the web for pictures-I will post some of mine later.
The scenery of the Sierra Nevada, the vegetation, the birds and butterflies all combine to make an unforgettable experience. Dianas reservations were probably justifed but she also thinks it was worth the suffering- she was ill the night before the ascent to the city and just managed to stagger up the steps feeling like death. We were granted an extra rest day at the camp after the city tour to give her time to recouperate before the return trip. That turned out well as we had our translator with us and had almost 2 days with just the 3 of us enjoying swimming in the river or just resting and then walking at gentle pace untill the following group caught us up. Our translator Katherina and the next groups Sergio came to visit us on the boat today to share the bottle of champagne that had travelled with the boat all the way from U.K. and was waiting for just such an occasion. Katherina has organised her Dad to meet us in Bogota on sunday as we have all day to have a look at the city before our London flight in the evening.
More tidying and stowing tomorrow- then early flight on sunday to Bogota.