February 2010
2 posts
Colombia, Land of the Friendly People
when you arrive at Cartagena, the first this that strikes you is wealth. Like a South American Monaco, huge yachts fill the harbor. Imposing historic sea defences on east are mirrored by equally imposing Miami-esque sky scrapers to the west. Half built high-rise developments litter the cityscape.
The old town in Cartegana is truly stunning, like Havana with out dilapidation.
The second...
After living with the Toval family for week I set off from Leon for Costa Rica. Having spending a lot of time in Guatemala, Nicaragua and Honduras, riding through Costa Rica felt like visiting your neighbours better kept garden. Costa Rica has been relatively safe for years now, subsequently tourism has thrived and it is now the countries primary industry. A fantastically well preserved...
December 2009
2 posts
The Isle of Widows. Sugarcane and Death in...
After Completing some photo work for a hostel in Northen Nicaragua, I volunteered for a charity based in Leon called La Isla Foundation. The Isla Foundation was set up to raise awareness of plight of sugar cane workers in northwestern Nicaragua.
In Chichigalpa, a town near Leon, it is estimated that 2,500 to 3,000 people have died from kidney failure over the past 10 years, out of a total...
The Chicken Bus and an interesting 25 hours
The affectionately named Chicken Bus, pictured below, acts as the transportation back bone for Central and South America.
Great yellow hulks of aluminium and steel, v12 engines bellowing clouds of black smoke from spitfire exhausts, they were originally designed to ferry Uncle Sam’s juvenile offspring to school. When deemed no longer suitable (or safe enough) for this task, they emigrate...
October 2009
3 posts
Mortality in The Moskita
Our first stop was Sangrelaya, a one car town populated by the Garifuni people, descendants from the survivors of two Spanish slave ships, wrecked off the coast of Honduras in 1635. It was the last town accessible by road before you enter the Moskita proper. The guest house owner took us out to the local club, a shack with two turn tables spinning quality ska. Joining the locals for a dance, I...
Cocaine Planes and Semuc Champey
Next destination was Semuc Champey, bridge diving, caves and stunning limestone formations.
A sign at the National Parks entrance clearly indicated that no scary looking dogs were allowed admittance. Just check out the detail that this skilled craftsman has taken upon himself to include…
It may look pretty run-of-the-mill, but this is one of my favourite shots:
Alan, a sound...
A Weird Parade
Back in Antigua, on solid ground, annual festivities had kicked off. Floral street displays, parades and ceremonies were in full swing all over the town.
One parade, a somewhat strange affair, was made up older folk dressed in traditional attire, while the younger members just dressed as Disney characters or slightly scary furry animals - all the while dancing to Hispanic influenced...
September 2009
1 post
Ramblings
The following post is more diary than anecdotal observation.
Forgive the self indulgent ramblings.
A lot has happened since i last updated.
Climbed a volcano called Concepción on an Island called Omnitepe. Situated on Lake Nicaragua, 1610m high, an 11hr round trip through the clouds. A a path straight up the volcano, no traversing, a beeline to the to the crater edge, it was well worth the...
August 2009
3 posts
Ride down an active volcano on a peice of...
Once in Leon, we decided to go “Volcano boarding”, a strange custom practiced by nearly all gringos passing through this neck of the woods - with talk of 80 kph speeds on soft pumice stone it was hard to resist.
In preparation for the this foolhardy feat, the girls decided it would be wise to go out to a reggaeton club… just for one. Plenty of rum and much, much later we...
Reds Cards and Road Kill
We arrived safely in Nicaragua…
You see a lot of road kill in Central America, mainly dogs and the occasional snake. If you don’t see the carcass you can smell it, death hanging in the air. We were on the way to a thermal crater lake a few days back when we passed a dead horse. In the advanced stages of decomposition, buck toothed and shrink wrapped taught skin against bone and...
I wish riding a bike was as easy as getting fresh...
PROS AND CONS OF THE MOTORBIKE
Pros
bus windscreens are not always that well maintained here, and although this is a slight worry when on the bike, it is definitely more of a worry when you’re on the bus, especially when the driver spends half the time on his phone, the tyres are only half inflated and are so worn out they are more fabric and fibres than rubber.
Cons
The very same...
July 2009
2 posts
To Lake Atitlan, Guatemala...
I Met Ryan in San Pedro by lake Atitlan in Guatemala. He’d bought his bike in Coban a week earlier, it took less that half an hour of him talking about the merits of two wheels to persuade me to get my own pair.
Heading across to San Pedro, i filled my bottle in Lake Atitlan- 15 days completed Just One Bottle.
He plays a mean tune on his ageing steel string, likes riding around on a...
Down through Mexico to a watery paradise...
I arrived in on the Island of Cozumel, The Mayan Island of the Swallow on flight TOM069 from London Gatwick. A small land mass off Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula teaming with tourists. Within two hours i was on a bus towards the Mexican border to visit the Mayan ruins at Palenque and the stunning water falls of Agua Azul.
When i reached my destination i realized my schedule meant i had to...