Jenny, Ash, and I decide on a rustic Spa day at a phenomena of which there are 700 in the world but few this large.  Via taxi about 45 minutes into the Colombian countryside towards Barranquilla is El Volcan del Totumo, a large mud volcano of geo-excreted liquids and gases. Hot water mixes with mud and organic matter beneath the Earth crust, then deposits. . Temperatures are much cooler than igneous volcanos and the gas bubbling up is methane or helium m...

 Our first night we had collapsed into the Santa Clara's restaurant for quick pizzas (muy deliciosa) and some great desserts. After some of us not sleeping for 30 hours, not too willing to venture out.   Sunday was to be another pool day and when I typically run for groceries/goods and explore. I find the local Exito department store on foot and buy water, snacks, coffee, fruit, and some basic sandwich goods plus a panini-maker.   After the lunch/dinner/...

Easy immigration at Bogota airport. The officer picks us out of line to skip bag x-ray and directs us to check-in for "conexcions". 5 bedhead Americans don't pose a threat and the girls are smiling and speaking high-school Spanish.   We find a chain restaurant in the airport called Crepes & Waffles.  Our waitress ignores us but the food is very good.  Lyn has a ham & egg crepe, KT has a Nutella & strawberry crepe, Jen a crepe Suzette, and Ash banan...

Cartagena not too attractive from the air. Murky water riverlets and oil refineries.....could be approach to New Orleans. The topography looks swampy.   We de-plane to the tarmac and WHAM...the humidity hits.   Luggage arrives quickly and we begin to worry about transport to the Centro / Old City.Cabs are all Geo Metros. We'll need 3 cars with seven pieces of luggage and 5 persons.    A porter hustles about trying to find a van and I find the So...

I've got this down. We never have EVERYTHING done before flight time, so I use the layover in Houston to allow for last minute running around.  Jenny was interested in Rice University, so I booked a tour.    We leave Chicago at noon, land in Houston, rent a car, and the punch list begins.   Ashleigh ran out of contacts lens, so to nearest Opthamologist at a mall and they fill her prescription. Check. None of the girls have bikinis/swim-wear in ...