2nd-September

The San Blas Islands are the tribal lands of the Kuna people. Who are living in much the same way as they have done for thousands of years. There are hundreds of beautiful desert islands in San Blas, only some of which are inhabited. When we arrived at a group of islands we jumped off the boat into the sea and swam to the nearest island, where we found loads of big conch shells and on the other side 12 massive starfish! The island was so small we walked round in less than 2 minutes. It was just a sandy beach with a few coconut palms. Then Capt Daniel picked us up in his little boat - which was a bit like a bath with 2 seats and a motor. He dropped us off in the middle of the sea where there happened to be a reef, so we went snorkeling. Amongst other things we saw some amazing little black fish with purple sparkles hiding within the corals. Jack floated around feeding tiny fish with bits of seaweed.

Later we went to a slightly bigger island where some people lived. The man climbed a tree with a ladder and picked some fresh green coconuts for us, it was like slightly zingy coconut. Mummy and Jack bought bracelets.

3rd-September

All day at sea today, until about 4pm when we arrived at another island called Mammatupu. When we got there a couple of boys greeted us, as we walked through the village everyone came out from their houses and asked: Hello, what is your name? How are you? How old are you? Is this your Mum? How old is your Mum?

One conversation went like this.

"Hello, how many children do you have?''

So Mum answered: ''I have 2 children,"

"Only 2? I have 5!"

On the other side of the village we went into a hut, and sat down. The hut was full of very drunk men, as it was the festival of the Kuna revolution. One of these very drunk men offered my parents a funny drink in half a coconut shell, apparently it was cane sugar, alcohol, coffee and cocoa. Once we left the hut, we went around the village to the basketball court so that Jean-Charles could show the children his skate board. Alot of children ran around following and having a go, including Jack. I made a game of hopscotch in the dirt and showed people how to play. My Dad played basket ball with some of the younger and not drunk men. We stayed until the sun started going down and walked back to the bathtub followed by half the village. It was a strange, crazy but interesting evening.

4th-September

Today before I was awake we set off again. We sailed (well really we must of motored) all day long. Until we stoped, put down the anchor and went for a swim. As we were swimming the drifted a bit so it was right on top of a coral reef, so, to make sure the boat wouldn't snap any coral, we moved.... then jumped back in again! Like last night we had an enjoyable evening.

5th-September

It's our last day on the boat today. :-( We had breakfast, then after about an hour before we got there. Just before our arrival in the harbor we spotted some more dolphins! As they were further away this time we only saw thier fins and a little of thier backs curving above the water. When we were off the boat - once and for all - we went through the Panama costoms. Were we met a Chinese man who had been cycling around the world for 16 years! Unfortunately he had come from Brazil to Columbia, somehow managed not to get an entrance stamp to Columbia, therefore he couldn't get an exit stamp from Columbia so this poor Chinese man could not enter Panama. He was stuck between 2 countrys, wanted by neither of them. The Panamanians sent him back to Columbia with us. In order to get to the Colombian boarder we had to get on a little speed boat. Before going to Carpurgana the boat took a slight detour by picking up a freezer (will it drown us?), going back to the shore and picking up another man.

Eventually, without sinking, we arrived in Carpurgana, Colombia. We find somewhere to stay, some lunch and headed to the beach for our final swim in the Caribbean sea. The water was lovely and warm.

As we were heading back from the beach, we spotted two hilarious green parrots in a tree above us, they were making lots of funny noises and copying us. Mum and Dad had to drag us away from them. The parrots even managed to say adios!

6th September

Yet another early start, got the speedboat-bus to Turbo, it bounced and bumbed and rattled like a drum as it hit the waves, with each bang the luggage piled onto the front got closer to falling into the sea or squashing the people behind it.

Once in Turbo, we had to push past crowds of people on dock. We caught an empty bus to Santa Fe de Antioquia. It soon filled up, however. The bus journey took most of the day, the driver drove really fast along mountain ridges, round courners and down steep windy hills. Of course, just as it was getting dark, he crashed the bus into a car. The bus then stopped in the middle of the narrow mountain road and every one got off, except Jack and I to see what was going on. Eventually we had to get off too, not to take a look at the crash, but to get on a different bus thast had pulled up behind us. This driver was much better.

We got to Santa Fe, walked up to the main square, everyone was sitting outside in restaurants watching football, Colombia v Ecuador. There was lots of cheering, so we asssumed Colombia won.

Our hotel room had loads of bed, 3 doubles and 2 singles, and the courtyard was filled with plastic parrots.

This evening we finally have some wifi and find out that we have a new cousin, this time a boy called Jude. Jack is no longer the only boy- he is very happy.

7th September

Get a bus to Medellin - about an hour an a half. From here crossed the town in another bus- about 20 mins.. Get a bus to Pasto -18 hours!!! This bus journey will carry on until tomorrow!!!

8th September

Arrive in Pasto at 6.30am. We find a hotel then had some breakfast. A little while later we caught as taxi to a lake, to go for a walk. The taxi stopped in a village to let us walk the rest of the way. But we soon realised that this was not the reason he stopped. Most of the village was flooded, the roads were rivers, the football pitch was a marsh. Everyone had buit bridges to their houses, and using boats to get around. We managed to walk along a sandbag path for a while until we couldn't get any further. The real river

and the road river had merged together.

We watched cars trying to ford the river/road for a while then turned around and got a taxi back to Pasto.

9th September

Caught another bus and a collectivo taxi- we managed to get 9 people in one small car- to the boarder with Ecuador. When we had gone through immigation we got a taxi, and then a bus to Otovalo. We found a hotel to stay in, this time it was one that Dad had stayed in when he went here with work.

In Otovalo lots and lots of women wear traditional clothes- a white frilly blouse, a shawl, a long skirt and a lots of necklaces and a cloth hat with a feather in it and special shoes.

When we went to the market my Mum got a rainbow bag, and i wished i had got one too!!

10th September

We had another look around the market this morning, and i got a blue bag. After buying some stuff for breakfast and lunch, you guessed it, another bus!

On this bus we crossed the equator into the southern hemisphere to get to Quito. From Quito we caught another bus to Mindo this time we crossed the equator back to the northern hemisphere and back down to the southern hemisphere again. 3 equator crossings in one day!

In Mindo we found a hotel made out of wood. We went out onto the verandah and there we saw....... millions of humming birds in the garden, all feeding from sugar water containers.

Jack and I stayed there for ages, we did not even want to go and see our room. We saw 5 different types of humming bird, my favourite was the White Necked Jacobin. I drew a picture of one, it must hasve been life sized! Some of them buzzed around like little bees. They were amazing, humming birds can fly backwards and sideways as well as forwards.

11th September

After a huge breakfast we went for a walk in the cloud forest to find some waterfalls. We walked for a few hours, then we got on a cable car that was nothing more than a rusty metal basket hanging from a few wires over a deep ravine. The operator was hanging onto to the back with one hand, balanced on a ledge quite casually- he didn't look the slightest bit worried, but i wasn't quite so sure. Luckily we didn't fall out. We walked to a for miles to the first waterfall.

Halfway through lunch it strarted to rain, alot. We continued to see 3 more waterfalls.

We carried on walking- 8 hours in all, until we got back to our hotel, and watched the humming birds once again. While we were watching the hotel man told us another reason why the humming birds were here: we are here to see the humming birds, so mosquitos come to eat us, but instead the humming birds ate them first!

Back to Quito tomorrow to meet our Granny, then off to the Galapagos Islands......

For our pictures of Central America go to: https://picasaweb.google.com/103536369297482864982/CentralAmerica2013 For South America so far: https://picasaweb.google.com/103536369297482864982/SouthAmerica201

grandma I think the boat trip sounds amazing. And how fantastic to meet all of those people. Just imagine in the future someone might wonder how these children learnt how to play hopscotch! I would have been very unhappy on that scary bus drive. If you are on a bus for 18 hours when do you go to the loo? I need to know these important details. And what happened to the chinese man and his bi cycle us he still stuck? The humming birds sound beautiful. I think they need some in Scotland. lots of love to Granny and the rest of you. .

Sep 13, 2013

Michael Grundman Fantastic! Floods, bus crash on remote mountain roads with waterfalls, natives drunk on coconut juice, crossing 3 equators (I thought there was only 1!) - it all sounds like something out of 'Romancing the Stone'; ask Mum what that's all about. Enjoy Galapagos with Granny-Orkney. Love to all xxx Grandpa

Sep 13, 2013

Wendy Sounds fantastic - love the photo's, it's great to put the images to the stories .... no picture of the pant pinching crab though!! Jimmy really was CRAZY!! Your minds must be exploding with all your experiences.

Sep 13, 2013

Helen, Ewan & Megan Wow - all sounds and looks so amazing!!! Your blogs are great Josie - they make great reading! Glad you are having such a fantastic time all of you.

Sep 14, 2013

Sarah Hudson Hi Josie and Jack, your adventure sounds amazing, I would've loved to see the hummingbirds. Sorry to talk school, but there is a letter at school for your parents (all the year 6 have had them) regarding application for secondary school. Did your mum and dad want me to post it on to family/friend? I just know that applications usually need to be made before the end of October. Take care and have fun, Miss H x

Sep 15, 2013

harry birds Hello jack. Hope you have a good birthday and I will try and call you. We go to America in 4 weeks. Bye

Sep 15, 2013

Rebecca I'm with grandma, how on earth do you go to the toilet on that long a journey? All well on Stanton Moor View although autumn is definitely here :-(

Sep 16, 2013

Tams This sounds like one massive adventure and I love it. Thank daddy for the increase in food photos. Miss you all xx

Sep 16, 2013

grace and otis howdedo we have 3 kids in the house if you count otis and thats enough to make a mess how do the 5 kids fit in the house I agree how do you go to the toilet do you wear super nappys or something?? id need a huge breakfast if i had to walk 8 hrs to see some water falls. We miss you here.

Sep 21, 2013