Chris
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Towards the border to Ecuador: A funny encounter
On the last trip in 2001 I headed more north-eastwards towards Yurimaguas in order to board the first of 3 boats to float down the mighty Amazon from Iquitos to Belen at the Atlantic Ocean. This wasn’t on the cards this time as I had my heart set on visiting Colombia, that I had only briefly touched last time.
The Amazon story is at http://www.thebrightstuff.com/ch25.htm including a picture gallery.
2001 Hammock dwelling on the boats
The ride from Kuelap to the border with Ecuador at La Balza via Jaen was fun: lovely windy road and very few gringos in sight. The funniest thing was encountering security guards on the road: Brown uniforms with big “Seguridad” written in yellow on the front and back of their uniforms. At the first post (sandbag emplacements, machine guns, shot guns etc) I didn’t see the guy trying to flag me down. 10km later another guard wants me to do a wheelie. 10km later at the third checkpost I stop.
The actors are matey A, matey B and me. A emerges from the sandbag protected hut to my left, without a gun. B to my right stands with a pump action shotgun at rest. I turn the motor off, shake their hands and exchange pleasantries but keep my helmet on. A starts to explain how he is hungry and has no money. I don’t understand. He continues trying his hardest to explain his plight and that I should donate some money to his lunch fund. Still no entiendo nada. He explains he is security, showing me the writing on his shirt. Sorry mate, I’m just a dumb as fcuk gringo who is totally naïve and knows nothing about anything. I really just don’t understand, sorry. He gets his wallet out and proceeds to demonstrate the lack of anything in it.
By now I’m losing the will to live (and trying not to laugh out loud), so with a cheerful “Hasta luego” and in one smooth movement I turn on the ignition, kick the bike into gear, twist the throttle and let the clutch out.
I’m looking very carefully in my mirrors as I ride away, especially to see if B should raise his shotgun in my direction. What I see is A slam his wallet onto the road in mock disgust while B is in hysterics. The encounter made my day!
The pictures are a bit patchy for this stretch. I was hungry and had miles to do.
Not only were they putting a gondola system up to Kuelap, but the comms infrastructure was receiving a major boost.
My Open Street Map mapping software on the Garmin 60csx was playing silly buggers, so I had to look at my paper map and follow road signs. Quelle horreur!
Hope her rug doesn't tear, otherwise there would be a long roll down the hill
Drying crops on the road
Not blessed with the best chances in life
Intrigued locals en route
On the last trip in 2001 I headed more north-eastwards towards Yurimaguas in order to board the first of 3 boats to float down the mighty Amazon from Iquitos to Belen at the Atlantic Ocean. This wasn’t on the cards this time as I had my heart set on visiting Colombia, that I had only briefly touched last time.
The Amazon story is at http://www.thebrightstuff.com/ch25.htm including a picture gallery.
2001 Hammock dwelling on the boats
The ride from Kuelap to the border with Ecuador at La Balza via Jaen was fun: lovely windy road and very few gringos in sight. The funniest thing was encountering security guards on the road: Brown uniforms with big “Seguridad” written in yellow on the front and back of their uniforms. At the first post (sandbag emplacements, machine guns, shot guns etc) I didn’t see the guy trying to flag me down. 10km later another guard wants me to do a wheelie. 10km later at the third checkpost I stop.
The actors are matey A, matey B and me. A emerges from the sandbag protected hut to my left, without a gun. B to my right stands with a pump action shotgun at rest. I turn the motor off, shake their hands and exchange pleasantries but keep my helmet on. A starts to explain how he is hungry and has no money. I don’t understand. He continues trying his hardest to explain his plight and that I should donate some money to his lunch fund. Still no entiendo nada. He explains he is security, showing me the writing on his shirt. Sorry mate, I’m just a dumb as fcuk gringo who is totally naïve and knows nothing about anything. I really just don’t understand, sorry. He gets his wallet out and proceeds to demonstrate the lack of anything in it.
By now I’m losing the will to live (and trying not to laugh out loud), so with a cheerful “Hasta luego” and in one smooth movement I turn on the ignition, kick the bike into gear, twist the throttle and let the clutch out.
I’m looking very carefully in my mirrors as I ride away, especially to see if B should raise his shotgun in my direction. What I see is A slam his wallet onto the road in mock disgust while B is in hysterics. The encounter made my day!
The pictures are a bit patchy for this stretch. I was hungry and had miles to do.
Not only were they putting a gondola system up to Kuelap, but the comms infrastructure was receiving a major boost.
My Open Street Map mapping software on the Garmin 60csx was playing silly buggers, so I had to look at my paper map and follow road signs. Quelle horreur!
Hope her rug doesn't tear, otherwise there would be a long roll down the hill
Drying crops on the road
Not blessed with the best chances in life
Intrigued locals en route