Storm in a coffee town - and the joys of travel

Today's blog is written by Katie and edited by Ian!!!

So today started with a quick breakfast and pack ready for a typically hairy Columbian taxi ride to the airport just in time to check in and watch the England game. Ended up being the token England supporters in Bogota airport with Ian and Matthew's short lived celebration/frequent dispair entertaining the other travellers at times more than the game. A particular highlight for them, and for Katie and Tina, was when Matthew got so excited at England's second 'goal' that he fell off his chair and missed the goal being disallowed as he was still on the floor. Ian didn't even notice at all.

Following the disappointment that was the football we boarded our tiny plane to Manizales (complete with old school style propellers). Next ensued a rather bumpy ride and we were pleased to reach our final destination, (well at least that is what we thought). Turned out that our Spanish wasn't so great and we were actually at a neighbouring airport to refuel due to the bad weather preventing us from landing at Manizales. After a short wait, and Ian making friends with the epitamy of an Englishman abroad out to explore (think son of the Del Monte man)...... we finally made it to Manizales.

Now in Manizales, a bit rainy although I'm trying to think of it as more tropical than English summer...lovely town, far more westernized than we all thought but surrounded by beautiful hills and lots of greenery. Having our first relaxing evening so far - ready for our tour of the 'coffee' plantations tomorrow. As we all know how Tina loves to relax and do nothing - see below observations from their bus trips so far (luckily Me and Matthew have been subject to much more 'normal' travel so far).....

142 hours in total on the buses

1. Chickens in luggage compartment and on bus (Ecuador)
2. 'No fish on board' sign (Ecuador)
3. 'No guns' sign (Colombia)
4. 'Give up your seat to pregnant women in 3rd trimester' (Ecuador)
5. Women breast feeding on bus (Ecuador)
6. Woman with morning sickness being sick next to us (Ecuador)
7. 5 year old children taking younger siblings on and off the bus -no adult supervision (everywhere)
8. Bus driver / Racing drivers (everywhere)
9. 'Express' bus - picks up every 20 metres in towns (mainly Ecuador)
10. Sellers that come on the bus in each town - best one fresh chicken and chips (Peru & everywhere)
11. Toilets on board for the long journey ahead! - LOCKED (Ecuador)
12. Prices roughly $1 for every hour of journey time (everywhere)
13. Children so quiet on the bus (everywhere)
14. Movies - mainly violent, loud, occasional sex scenes (no matter what age the passengers)
15. Great variety of comfort - from 1st class, flat beds to cattle class
16. Onboard bingo (Argentina)
17. Drivers, stopping for a pee, 2nd driver sleeping underneath the bus in the luggage compartment, stopping to cross themselves at roadside saint, stopping to pump up tyres
18. Most buses have cracked windscreens
19. Blind overtaking
20. For safety nothing put in overhead compartment, and had to watch bags weren't slashed from behind
21. Most buses on time
22. Great scenery and people really friendly