Unhealthy and underwhelmed.

Achoo! Or good morning. Today I was feeling even worse. I didn’t feel like doing anything but I was determined not to lose another day to this stupid cold. Naomi and Emily were heading out to hike the El Fosil and El Infiernito sites. But I was not up to that so we decided to take the bus.

After breakfast, we changed rooms (I hadn’t booked enough nights in the private) and then walked into town to the bus station. Unfortunately, we were told that the bus that was waiting there either didn’t go where we wanted (despite the sign in the window) or that it didn’t leave in time (despite leaving while we were standing there). Something doesn’t seem right, especially when the bus company lady fed us to the waiting taxi drivers, I mean, directed us to the waiting taxi drivers. Regardless we didn’t get on the bus so we were left no choice but to take a taxi. The cost was a ridiculous $20 but it was either pay up or go back to the hostel, so we paid up.

The first stop was El Fosil, which was a tiny museum dedicated to a fossil of an alligator-like dinosaur found in the area. So we saw the fossil and looked at some of the other rocks and then jumped back in the cab. The driver took us down the dirt road towards El Infiernito a sort of Colombian Stonehenge, passing Naomi and Emily on their hike. They met up with us a few minutes later at the site. El Infiernito was a bunch of phallic rocks (photo above) set up in the form of some sort of ancient observatory. It wasn’t much to look at but it did provide time for lots of silly photos. I blame my head cold – I don’t know what your excuse is pervy readers. But even after 15 minutes there really wasn’t much to do so Naomi and Emily continued on their hike and we headed back to the taxi.

The taxi tour was much shorter than expected and quite a disappointment. It probably would have been more enjoyable as a free hike. But on the upside that gave us time to head back to town and pick up some pasta, cheese and veggies to cook for dinner. I thought perhaps my cold might be related to the lack of veggies I’d had thanks to the South American diet so we loaded up on greens as well as reds and oranges then hiked back up to the hostel.

Emily and Naomi weren’t back yet but there were two new guys, one Pompous English guy and his nice Scottish friend. They began our conversation by asking for a place to get drunk at oblivious to the fact that I’m clutching a box of tissues, red eyed, coughing and chugging Neo-Citrine. I politely suggested that they could ask Emily and Naomi when they got back as I hadn’t been up for drinking since I arrived. I jokingly tell them people come here to either hike or be sick. But they don’t seem amused. Thankfully the Slovenian women arrived back from their day hike and kept them amused until the lads headed off in search of a party in town. Emily and Naomi came back and we chat while I threw together dinner for Adrian and I.

Despite feeling like crap, we stayed out talking until bed time. They were super awesome and it was too bad they were heading north while we were heading south. It would have been great to meet up with them again. Oh well, tomorrow was Bogota and perhaps we’ll find good people there too.