A couple of days in Jardin turned in to 5. The reason for this was that that day I had walked up to the trout farms I looked upon the skies and there I was three sail. Could it be... paragliders? I hurried my way down to where they were landing and quickly started a conversation, eager for information of the flying around. They told me that there is flying sites all over colombia, making in one of the easiest places to go for this sport. I asked them how much they wanted for one day rental of gear and I told them I was a beginner. The answer I was was that of course they could give me a flight, as a memory of Jardin, for free! So the next morning I found myself dangling my feet of a harness again, flying over the valley and Jarfin. Quite more turbulent here than back in Merida, but it just made it all less boring. Talking of new perspectives; seing Jardin from directly above was different.

Back down in Jardin I took a last cup of coffee and a granadilla before I took a shared taxi to the next town, Andes. A much less pleasant place with a normal city street made me leave that place according to time half an hour later. Just managed to have an awesome local lunch before getting on the small buseta for Pereira, som 6 hours away. Arriving Pereira late at night, I saw no other option than to continue to Armenia, another hour down the road. There I slept in a shady hotel right out the terminal. It provided me with walls and a bed: All I need.

About 3squaremeters?

Next day I got an early bus up to Salento, which is again on the gringotrail, so there is a lot of tourists around. Got a dormroom on the Finca(coffefarm) that the hostal plantation house owns. A great little place to stay with beautiful views and a muddy road to go down to everyday. On saturday there was a huge fest in the middle of the square around the simon bolivar statue and locals were dancing to a band playing unofficially there. Vibe of southamerica. Next day we were all hungover so I spent a long time in my hammock looking out over the valley, seing small cows and horses running around down there, with Armenia in the far far distance. Tim (the owner) gave us a lecture of coffeegrowing and a tour of his plantation. That night we just chilled down at the farm, doing nothing but chat to the local farmkeeper Cesar. Next morning we were volunteering.

happy coffeepicker

Picking coffee for three hours is really a lot more fun than it sounds, and the 5 of us were having a blast. After 4 hours, including sorting, we were done and a freshly brewed coffee with a fantastik lunch was served for us. The whole prosess of coffee was made by us and in front of us and we all agreed that with a coffeplant, we could make our own coffee! The certain thing is that a good cup of coffee never will be the same now that we know the labour going into it. Jack and I went up to the town to buy sweets and some alcohol and we spent the day down on the farm relaxing in the beautiful weather. Billions of stars out that night, so we turned off the lights of the farmhouse and just sat around the table for a loong time.

Farmhouse

The next morning my plan was to go to Cocora valley and spend the day. That didn't happen. Got up there way to late, couldn't find the signs to the hostel and was given bad advices from the locals so I gave up when the dark was coming. Rushed down and barely got on the last taxi going back to the town, hanging off the rail of a jeep. Met some quite interesting people of the back of that jeep and it amazes me everytime where you can meet cool people. Back in Plantation House I was left with a decision. And I took the one that ment waking up in Bogota. Took the hourly buseta down to Armenia where is was easy catching an overnighter to Bogota for 30k pesos, 7 hours. Got in the bus, great seats and was looking for a pleasant night waking up in another capitol. Met Liram, the israelic guy on the busstation and we took the same bus but on different seats. Bad choice.

Riding in the back of the last taxi down that day

Some 30 hours later I wake up in a hospital bed and a voice in my ear: You have been drugged and robbed and are now at San Fransisco hospital, in spanish. Being delirious from the drug I really didn't figure out what was going on for hours, maybe tens of hours. When I did figure it out though I realized that wow, here was finally the great challenge I had been waiting to happen all since the start of this trip. I layed there in my one layer of clothes and NOTHING else. This was going to be some funny days. They told me that guy next to me on the bus had put Scopolamine in a little piece of cake that he offered me. Not even thinking it could be bad, after having travelled colombia for almost 4 weeks and they are all so nice and give you things like that, I ate it and fell a sleep. A long sleep. And meanwhile he took my money, all my cards, passport and ipod. luckily, with the help of some very nice police we found my big backpack at the busterminal with everything inside. And I have cancelled all my cards, and checked my bank and it seems he didn't get much out of it that b******. He did get a rockin good ipod shuffle with awesome music on it and a passport filled with stamps few people have. The policeman gave me 10k pesos so I could survive one day in Bogota on my own and I got on a bus to Bogota around noon today. Took a loong time and being a bit deliriuous and at the same time hungry and thirsty, without passport and money the darkness of the evening was starting to unsettle me. Luckily people around here are so nice so they guided me from bus to bus and walking five blocks I found the hostal Musicology just before nightfall. And there I met my american trio! Perfect to have friends on such a night. It's been a crazy and eventful last week and I still feel the drug in my body as I sit here and write. Will be an awesome night sleeping. knock knock.

And yeah, also broke my brand new camera along this line of events. But it can only get worse before it gets better said a wise young hostmom in Pennsylvania!

And I am loving every second of it

The chain of events leading up to me being robbed is ridicilous. Like everything else in this life.

And one more thing: We really REALLY appreciate comments and updates from back home, you guys have been quite lazily lately!