Bogota is Colombia’s capital city, which you will find at the central point of the country. Initially, the Spaniards established the town in the 1500s. The locals, however, started to revolt against the Spanish army in the 1800s. They then formed their government and made it the capital city of Gran Colombia- its former name.…
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It had been a long trip north east of Bogota in Colombia since the previous day and I can’t remember a more dazed or drained experience in my travel history than this particular day and border crossing from Colombia to Venezuela. It was all a bit bizarre and I didn’t really know what was happening…
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I use the Lonely Planet Guide Booksquite a lot when I travel and I like them. Usually they are correct, mostly they are useful but sometimes they are horrendously wrong and ill-informed. As soon as they go to press they are out of date, as prices go up, bus timetables change, visa regulations change etc.…
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I ain’t written about Colombia for a long long time and sadly, the way life goes I wasn’t there for a long long time. One thing I have to say is that of all the people I have been pleasured to meet on this planet, one man will forever stand out. My Colombian mate Julio…
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“I don’t want to be a consumer” – Julio Felipe (2005) It’s story time on Sunday’s Inspiration on Don’t Stop Living! And bear with me, as this is a long one but hopefully one you will enjoy. As a traveller you always end up in random jobs with random people at random times. This story…
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Having got into my shared taxi at Cucuta Bus Station, it was time to head to Venezuela. I had no idea which Venezuelan city we would be heading to in fact, nor did I bother asking. Quite simply because my aim was to be in Caracas the day after, and knowing it was the capital,…
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You could argue that you can’t judge a city in a couple of hours. And yes, you’d probably be right. That said, my three hours or so in the Colombian city of Cucuta left a lingering, lasting impression meaning it is unlikely I’ll ever want to visit Cucuta again. Just to see if there is actually…
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The bus trip from Sopo, a small town to the north east of Bogota to Cucuta, by the Venezuelan border was not one of my more enjoyable journeys, however it did give me an alternative experience, a chance to update my travel notes and save a bit of money. I had enjoyed 5 amazing days…
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My departure from Panama City was a pleasant one, despite a series of dramas inside the walls of its Tocumen International Airport. The day had been kind to me. I had met a great Brazilian guy called Eduardo and we toured Panama City together, checking out the new and old of the city, sampling the beer…
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Sopo in Colombia (north east of Bogota) will hardly be remembered as a famous historic site or place of interest in backpackers guides to the world. However I will remember it. Bland, poky and basic, it was from this town that I said my farewells to my Colombian hosts Julio, Paula and Claudia. On my…
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