WE LOVE TO TRAVEL! We love meeting new people, learning about other cultures, trying new foods and hearing new types of music. It’s part of what makes this world so great. We’ve also been fortunate enough to make some really good friends in the places we’ve visited. People in general seem to be warm, friendly and helpful; however, on the rare occasion you may cross paths with a “ne’er do well scoundrel“.

I was thinking (and laughing) the other day about the time I was pick-pocketed in Colombia. It was funny to me that when I was being robbed I had absolutely no idea. And later when I did discover my missing money I instantly knew the exact moment when it had happened. Those pesky pick-pockets are true masters of their craft. I even met a man who had both pockets picked while his hands were still in them.

I got to talking with other travelers about their experiences. This inspired me to create a helpful little infographic blog illustrating some common pickpocket schemes. So, for all you travelers and wanderers out there, here are some things to look out for.

The Point and Grab:

This method was made known to me by my South African chum, Otto.

In this two man operation, the victim is momentarily distracted by the first thief while the second thief grabs their goods. This method usually works best in crowded tourist areas, but it’s also useful for stealing your friend’s french fries.

A. The mark (or targeted person) is attempting to take a photograph of a friend, landmark, or event.
B. Thief #1 diverts the mark’s attention by tapping on their shoulder.
C. The 2nd thief stands close by to make the grab.

A. The mark turns to see who has been nudging him.
B. Thief #1 has already begun walking away unassumingly.
C. Thief #2 springs into action and grabs the mark’s camera while they are distracted.

A. Thief #2 then runs and attempts to disappear into the crowd.
B. The victim is surprised and hesitates long enough for the thief to make a get-away.

The Disappearing Act

Most thefts will happen in crowded streets or at events with many people, but keep a look out for your valuables even in quiet, deserted cafes.

A. The mark is enjoying her coffee in a quiet relaxing cafe. Her mind is occupied with thoughts of her trip.
B. A young well-dressed woman sits behind her. Based on her appearance, she doesn’t seem the type that would steal.
C. The mark has carelessly hung her purse from the back of the chair.

A. The mark is still enjoying her coffee.
B. When the time is right the thief will quietly and carefully reach back and take the purse.
C. The thief then sly conceals the stolen purse in her larger bag.

A. The victim will eventually turn around and realize her bag has disappeared.
B. By this time, the thief has long been gone.

Stealing Money From a Blind Man

This is how I was pick-pocketed while enjoying the Independence Day festivals in Cartagena. Luckily for me, I had left all my valuables back in my room and only brought enough money for a couple of beers. I never even knew I was pick-pocketed until much later. And other than this singular incident, we never had any problems in Colombia.

A. The mark (or me) is watching the parades or contests in a crowd of people. I personally was distracted by the contestants for the Miss Colombia Pageant during the swim suit competition.
B. Thief #1 is lingering close by and unknown.

A. Thief #2 runs through the crowd with a can of spray foam. He douses the victim in the face and momentarily blinds him. This doesn’t seem unusually because the foam is sold by vendors as a toy, and everyone is spraying foam at each other.
B. The victim attempts to block the foam and clear his eyes.
C. Meanwhile, Thief #1 silently steals a person’s money or wallet.

A. The victim is left wiping his face clean of foam and unaware of the robbery.
B. Both thieves discreetly walk away.

So there you go. A few things to consider when going out and about with your valuables on your person. If anyone has uncovered any other pick-pocket methods let me know. I would love to add some more to my collection.

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*As of today (June 9th 2010) we are are affiliate sellers of her book, we wrote this review before that in full honesty and we only endorse products we like ourselves. If you would like a copy of her book just click here*
When we decided to chunk out our old life and start traveling we got a lot of questions. Most of which challenged our mental sanity, as in them thinking we were insane was actually driving us insane! But after the initial shock wore off most people were interested in learning more about the actual process, HOW did we do it? It’s a tough question, people assume we’re somehow secretly rich…the fact that we had no fancy cell phone, no cable tv, didn’t have any fancy new toys should have been a sign… but the truth is much more mundane. We saved every penny we could for about a year and a half. It’s not easy for people who have gone traveling to clearly express and answer many of the questions posed by the curious.

This is where Stephanie’s new e-book “Art Of Solo Travel: A Girls’ Guide” really kicks in. It’s an easy to read, frank, and matter-of-fact style gives readers the confidence and answers needed to start planning their own big adventure. She writes from her experience, thus the focus is on female solo travel, but if you’re the other half planning on solo travel, or just inspiration to make the big jump into world travel Stephanie’s guide is a good place to start.

What makes this guide not only useful but fun to read is the varied amount of info that’s offered. Check out some of the topics she covers: (not actual title of the chapters but paraphrasing by me)

- What To Pack

- How To Actually Save That Dough For Traveling (VERY TRUE)

- How She Traveled The WORLD For Less Than AUD$15,000 (That’s about US$12,300!)

- How To Be A Better Flyer

- How To Use The Ever Growing Couchsurfing Network

- A Guide To Eating/Drinking Alone (This is very insightful for those planning to travel alone!)

If you’re an “un-average girl” or boy for that matter who’s either planning of traveling the world, or just curious enough to want to find out more go check out Stephanie Lee’s book now available from our friends at Indie Podcast. We don’t normally do promotions, nor do we even have advertisers on our page, so you know that we’ve not only read the guide but like it enough to post it on our site. But don’t take our word for it, go check it out yourself!!

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Hi everyone!!

We’ve just launched our travel gear store! It’s been a creative outlet and fun side project for us and we wanted to share what we’ve made with you.

Alien Attack! Be Prepared With A Cool Tee

You will probably notice right off the bat, with the aliens and retro model shots, that this is not a typical travel store. The truth is this is our playground that we want to invite you in. While traveling we were disappointed with both the overall quality and lack of originality in the destination souvenir t-shirts. So while out roaming about, we began sketching ideas for shirts we wished we could have gotten. This site is where we will be showcasing the designs.

The store is a work in progress, we still have a sketchbook full of ideas and designs to put in. But we’re eager to get the feedback from our fellow traveler what they think! We are creating a contest (posted shortly) for our fellow travel bloggers where we will be giving away the TBEX 10 NY shirt. The rules will be quite simple, submit your top 5 unique things to do while in New York and from the entries we will choose the top five we think are the best, then we will have a poll on our facebook page for everyone to vote on the #1 top 5 unique things to do in NY!

TBEX 10 NY Shirt To Rock The City In

We’re working out the details and will post the official contest on our blog today.

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It was a couple of weeks before Christmas when John and I decided to heed the call of his family and visit them for the holidays. We managed to find a decent deal flying out of Cartagena (not the cheapest place to fly in and out of) and as a bonus due to the flight schedule we had an entire day to spend in Bogota. The catch was that we had not told a soul, our visit was to be a complete surprise to his family. The only one who knew was his cousin Griffin, who we had arranged to pick us up at the airport. In order to achieve maximum impact we orchestrated the arrival to be on Christmas Eve, at night when we knew the entire extended family would be sitting around the tree at John’s childhood home.

Flying To Bogota

We flew out of Cartagena without a hitch and in a few hours found ourselves racing through city highways and traffic as our yellow cab wound it’s way through Bogota to our hostel.

Airport Vendor in Bogota

Handy Translations For Tourist In Bogota Cab

We arrived in the hostel by 3:30pm and we had to be at the airport no later than 5:30 am the next morning. With such limited time we wanted to hit the city fast to see as much as possible. After checking in we realized a few things about our immediate surroundings: 1.) Our hostel, the Cranky Croc, was the nicest backpacker hostel we have been in, and 2.) It was CHILLY in Bogota at 60F! It was a little worrisome that it was already feeling freezing to us at 60F when where we were going in the U.S., even though in the South, was a nippy 30-40F! I guess spending 8 months where the temperature never dropped under 70F had seriously damaged our sense of hot and cold.

Our hostel, the Cranky Croc, was created by a backpacker who fell in love with Colombia and wanted to create a hostel where all the needs he had identified while traveling where put into practice. The results are quite nice.

Cranky Croc Hostel

Aly at the Cranky Croc Hostel

Our Room At Cranky Croc Hostel

The hostel itself is in the historic university area of the city, easy walking distances from most of the major sights and sounds of the capital. The building is historically colonial in style with several room options. We opted for a private room with a shared bathroom as we were only going to be there one night. As it turns out, since the bathroom was right next to our room it made no difference if we had paid more for a private loo. There were several communal areas, a large communal kitchen, a TV room, and an computer area with several computers available, of course the entire hostel offers wi-fi as well. Though we would have loved to have enjoyed the amenities, such as the bed to take a nap in we only had precious few hours until our boarding time and Bogota was waiting!

The first thing we did was dig through our bags and locate the warmest clothes we could. I had carried a couple pairs of jeans and a North Face jacket with me since leaving on the trip. Throughout the trip we have been getting rid of any extra clothes or items to lighten our load, and every time John would look at me as if I was crazy to keep the jeans and jacket when it was almost always over 80F in the daytime. Now was the chance to finally use these clothes I’ve been lugging around! Though slightly musty smelling the jeans and jacket were a life saver. Oh and it was also the first time since leaving that I wore shoes, literally I had worn my flip flops almost everyday, except when I wore nothing at all! Needless to say I did not even have a pair of socks. But at least I was now ready to go exploring.

The city of Bogota has quite a different vibe from Cartagena. Where  as Cartagena retains it’s laid back feelings from it’s Caribbean roots Bogota inherited it’s look and feel more from it’s European heritage.

Narrow Streets Lead To Mountains in Bogota

Cobble Stone Streets To The Mountains

Cathedral In Bogota

Plaza Buildings

The Archbishopric Cathedral of Bogotá

Plaza Bolivar

Colorful Church

Iglesia Nuestra Señora del Carmen

With the first chilly and overcast day we’ve seen in so long combined with all of the Christmas decorations we were finally starting to get into the Christmas spirit.

Aly in Plaza Bolivar

John at Plaza Bolivar

The main plaza in downtown Bogota, Plaza Bolivar, was decorated with a giant Christmas tree surrounded by a handful of Santas, Christmas Llamas, Santa Shrek, and yes, even Barney.

Sunflower Christmas in Bogota

Santa and His Red Nosed Llama

John, Santa, and Barney

Yep, Barney. Haven’t seen him in a while. The Santas were all over the place and each had a photographer with them, and for a set price will let you take a family photo with him and the tree. We were not willing to pay for a photo at first. So half jokingly we tried posing casually behind the santas, but their handlers were keeping a sharp eye out for us “gawkers” and shooed us away quickly. We ended up coughing up the couple of pesos and took our first official Christmas card photo with the beautiful Christmas llama.

Official Chirstmas Card From The Crew

Red Nosed Llama

We passed by the Presidential Palace and the motionless guard agreed to let me pose by him.

Presidential Palace

Serious Business

As we started walking through the narrow city streets, with views leading to the mountians, we noticed another major difference between the two Colombian cities. The city walls were covered in a wide range of street art, everything from minor taggings and graffiti to major murals where sprayed onto almost every surface of the street. Though out on the highway the graffiti was typical names and gang names. However in the center of town, or La Candelaria area, the skills and artistic talents obviously rose. I wonder if the art college being near by has anything to do with it.

Being graphic designers and doodle fanatics, John and I enjoyed the sprayed streets as much as if we were in an art gallery. Even a local store had gotten cleaver with their guerilla marketing with their line of Cliche designs. We fell for it, however the store did not actually sell the t-shirts with these great designs on them. Too bad, we are always on the lookout for original designs while traveling to pick up. That is why in the newest re-incarnation of our site we are now working on we’ll be adding our own travel inspired t-shirts designs. So do keep an eye out for up coming changes to the site!

Cliche's Graffiti Guerilla Marketing

A Graffiti Mural

Shadow Heart

Street Art Chicken

My Favorite. It Shows Street Urchins Looking Through The Doorway

City Art & John

That evening, after a quick dinner and a little rest we headed back out into the city looking for more sites, sounds, and a night cap or two. As it was a few days before Christmas the city was in a festive mood. Along the main through ways of the city the roads were blocked off for pedestrian traffic,  street vendors, and performers. As we wondered through the crowds we decided to try and spend the last of our coins, as it turned out John had enough to buy himself some pop corn while I spent my change on a very un-Christmasy performance by this man.

Creepy But Funny Performance

He is a “living statue,” popular in many cities but I had never seen one dressed as the killer from Scream before, when I gave him his money he began moving and soon had me in a choke hold. John’s popcorn was good but I got a memory that will make me scratch my head for a life time.

Native Colombian Band

When the chill of the night began to get to us we headed back into the university neighborhoods and sure enough found ourselves in a warm pub. There is an alley there, Callejon del Embudo (Funnel Alley), that is hardly more than a car width wide. This small winding cobble street is lined with tiny bars, cafes,and eateries. Each one was about the same size with a hand full of tables and chairs but what made us smile was that each had worked hard to distinguish themselves with the decor and mostly with the music. Did you fancy a drink with hard rock playing? No, then step three steps further down the road and listen to Reggae, Pop, and even Colombian rock. A niche for every college kid out there.

Warming Up By Fake Fire

Night Cap For A Chilly Night

Last Night In Colombia

Funky Self Portrait

After our nightcap we sadly had to bid Bogota farewell for now, though we had only an afternoon in this fascinating city it captivated our imaginations. Three hours later our cab was waiting for us outside and once again we were zooming through the city back to the airport, much faster without the traffic.

Early Morning Bogota

We walked in expecting the two hour international travel window would be more than enough time and ran smack into the line winding around the lobby. Isn’t flying during the holidays just the best? The man at the check-in counter told us that there was a issue with our tickets. He was going to have to take our passports and leave us for a min….oh no…never a good thing to happen, specially when no one in the world even knows where we are! Luckily he came back after ten heart stopping minuets, and gave us nearly 200.000 pesos! That’s about $100! Ironically we had spent the last few days budgeting to make sure we had no pesos left…

Already Missing Colombia

A Tired International Traveler

As we were about to board the plane the attendant asked John and I to step aside. At this point I was thinking maybe we won a car or something equally good since our luck seemed to be on the rise. This time however the momentary fantasy was crashed when she said ” please wait here until the police arrive.” This comment and the sight of our luggage out in front of us no longer checked in made us gulp aloud. We had just bought this cheap suitcase in Cartagena, on “Contraband Alley.” You can imagine the thoughts running through our heads as we are pulled aside in Colombia waiting for the police as our luggage is pulled aside! The policemen arrived and asked if they could inspect the luggage, “ofcourse!” we nearly yelled. I tired to make a joke in Spanish about buying it on the streets but the policemen were not in a jovial mood. After leafing through every page of every notebook and sketch book in our luggage he took out a ice pick and began poking our suitcase. We had bought the suitcase thinking that the lock worked, however it was such a bad imitation suitcase that when you tried to zipp it shut in the locking position it left the bag half open. So it was unlocked now, we were having visions of someone tampering with our bags. Visions of Colombian prisons, having to prove our innocents, and realizing that the phone call would definitly ruin the family’s Christmas! After the police had stabbed our poor bag for a while they seemed to change their minds about the whole situation and curtly told us to go board the plane. Wow, what an intense moment.

Flying Back To The United States

Safely on the airplane we settled down for our trip back to the U.S. and concentrate on the next item on our itenerary. We were headed to Andalusia, Alabama to surprise his family on Christmas Eve!

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Happy New Years from the Crew at Hop & Jaunt Travelouges!  We’re excited about the new adventures and travels that lay ahead in 2010.  But before we jaunt into the last year of the decade, lets hop back and take a look at some of our favorite experiences from the past year.   Its Hop & Jaunt’s Top Ten Favorite Adventures of 2009.

10.)  Beach Bumming at Roger’s Bar on Hog Island, Grenada

Roger's Beach Bar - Hog Island, Grenada

Roger’s Bar on Hog Island was our first Caribbean experience after joining Alyson’s parents on Quercus.  Roger’s ramshackle beach shack not only had the appearance of being thrown together with driftwood, bamboo and palm leaves, but it literally was put together with nothing more than driftwood, bamboo and palm leaves.  Many afternoon ’sundowners’ turned into late night ‘howl at the moon’ sessions underneath the glow of the single 12 Volt powered light bulb.  Live reggae music, sand between your toes and always a cold beer set the perfect mood for mingling and socializing with the  locals and sailors from around the world.  To read more click here.

9.)  Baby Sitting a Whale in Curacao

Giving baby Sully a tummy rub.

While boat sitting in Curacao we decided to try a little baby sitting as well.  We volunteered to watch after a 10 foot baby pilot whale that was being nursed back to health.  Sully the pilot whale was beached by his family after becoming too ill to keep up with the rest of his pod.  Efforts by local marine biologist and volunteers helped to restore the baby whale back to full health.  We spent a few nights lying by Sully’s pen keeping him company as he vied for our attention by requesting several belly rubs.  It was an experience we will always remember.  Unfortunately efforts to integrate Sully back into the wild have failed, and there are talks that he will be moved to a tank in Sea World, San Diego.  For more click here.

8.)  Oil Down in the Jungle

Hiking into the Jungle for an Oil Down Party

One of the most authentically local island days we’ve had. We joined a young group of locals and sailors for a cook out by the jungle rivers up in the mountains of Grenada. The dish we cooked was a local delicacy called an “oil down” because the different oils sink to the bottom of the pot.  As Grenada is one of the famed ’spice isles’ we drove through the island picking up our fresh ingredients from along the road, people’s yards, and in the trees.  After a hike through the jungle with our pots pots, herbs, and breadfruit we jumped in the river to cool down before building a fire and cooking our very own “oil down” in the jungle. Click here to read more.

Cooking Oil Down in the Jungle

7.)  Windsurfing in Curacao

Windsurf Curacao

While anchored in Spanish Waters in Curacao, we were constantly watching windsurfers whizz by us.  So when we were given the opportunity to learn ourselves, we jumped all over it! Though I would not say we were exactly graceful during our first lessons we did manage to pick up the basics and enjoyed surfing past our friends on the sailboats.  To read more click here.

6.)  Scootering Around Bonaire

Our Macho Scooter from Bonaire

One of our most favorite days was just riding around the small Dutch island of Bonaire on our rented scooter.  Speeding on the curvy roads alongside breathtaking cliffs that plunge down into the blue-green sea was an incredible way to see the island.  We spotted ponds of flamingos, scattering iguanas, and the occasional wild donkey.  Nothing like having the salty sea wind whip by your face as you race full speed through the desert.  We also enjoyed Bonaire for the unbelievable snorkeling.  The underwater wildlife was other-worldly yet beautiful.  Its definitely somewhere we would like to visit again.  For more photos and video click here.

5.)  Scuba Diving in Curacao

Spotted Eagle Ray

Speaking of breathtaking sea life we can’t forget to mention our scuba excursions off the coast of Curacao.  Thanks to our good friend and dive instructor Andy along with some money earned by cleaning boat bottoms, we were able to obtain our Scuba certifications.  The sensation of being 65 feet below the sea’s surface is both tranquil and intense.  The imagery we saw would be difficult to explain in words.  I can only recommend that you do it for yourself.  The fish and coral are like living works of art.  One moment in particular that stands out for us was our very first time diving together.  It was just Alyson and I…and one curious Spotted Eagle Ray.  The sight of that giant ray gracefully flying through the water as he circled us was awesome.  For more Curacao adventures click here.

4.)  Festivals in Cartagena

Festival Parade in Cartagena

Everyone loves a good party, and no one does it quite like Cartagena.  The beautiful old world city is the perfect setting for the week long celebration of parades, fireworks, and concerts.  We had a blast hanging out with our good friends as we all joined in the fun.  The festivities were filled with amazing costumes and dances with plenty of good food and beer, not to mention the all out foam wars.  A not to miss for those energetic enough to last the never ending fiestas.  Plenty of photos and videos here.

3.)  Sailing the Seas

Alyson tanning on deck.

The only way to travel, there is nothing like coming into port by sailboat.  While we have been to some amazing places and done some pretty cool things, one of our favorite parts was just getting from point  A to B.  At times it was relaxing and easy going.  Other times we were wet, tired, and struggling to keep wind in the sails.  Still we love it.  The splashing of dolphins on the bow.  Catching fish underway.  And being alone in the cockpit on a late night watch with just the millions of brilliant stars above.  If you ever want to have an experience of a lifetime…then go to sea.

Click here for more tales of the Spanish Main.

2.)  Turtle Watching in Los Testigos

Watching the Turtles Lay Eggs

We will always remember that dark night on the east coast of Testigos when we watched the giant, dinosaur-like sea turtles emerge from the crashing sea waves.  Their immense size and prehistoric appearance reminded us of how enormous and old the world really is.  Its important to have moments like that every once in a while.  We were also surprised by the gentle nature and careful precision of such an odd and slow animal.  These turtle mothers plan their nests with the most patient manner.  They are actually quite capable of digging with incredible accuracy.  Not to mention the delicate care they treat each egg with.  The whole experience was in a word…beautiful.

Click here to read more.

1.)  Our Secret Cove

Alyson Drinking Coconut Milk at Secret Cove

Everyone out traveling and sailing is looking for that one paradise spot.  The one isolated, remote, and private place that makes you say, “this will always be our spot”, and from then on when you think of paradise its the image that comes to mind.  Ours was secret cove.  Sailing along the Colombian coast and through the morning mist we were awed by the landscape before us:  Beaches, rainforests, water falls, and snow capped mountains.  We spent nearly a week in Secret Cove enjoying the snorkeling, dinghy sailing, beach BBQs, midnight rows, and being away from the rest of the world. You know, this spot actually has it’s own name, but it will always be our secret cove.

See more amazing photos and video of ‘Our Secret Cove’ here.

Beach BBQ at Secret Cove

If you would like to go back and read the blogs about each of these places just click on the link after each paragraph.  Thanks to all our readers who have followed us this year and to all our good friends we’ve made along the way.  We hope you all have a Happy New Years and look forward to seeing you again soon in 2010.

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Festival Week In Cartagena

Hi Hop & Jaunt Readers!

Alyson and I just returned to the hostel after a nice evening stroll through the streets of old Cartagena. I’ve never been in a city so alive with people. Even on a Sunday night the city is buzzing with activity. The city plazas are full with families, friends, and neighbors enjoying the cool night air, live music, dance, and food. Its an incredibly beautiful city, but even more so since Christmas decorations have gone up. We’ll soon write more about our day to day life here in Cartagena de Indias, but first we have some more photos from festival week as well as some important travel tips for would be tourists.

Cartagena’s Independence day falls on November 11,  the day when the city officially declared its independence from Spain in 1811. However, it was not until Simon Bolivar and his revolutionary troops crossed the Andes six years later that Cartagena was truly liberated from Spain. Simon Bolivar and his rag tag troops liberated the entire continent and is a hero across South America, much like how George Washington is to the US.  Now the holiday is a week long celebration that incorporates numerous parades and parties throughout the city.  It even coincides with the Miss Colombia Padgeant. 

The Independence Day parade runs through the maze like streets of the historic old town.  We decided to watch the festivities from the venue of Cartagenas famous wall with our friends Lily & Otto.  Below are a few of our favorite shots from the parade:

Nothing Like A Snowcone On A Hot Colombian Day

Acting Naturaly

Cartagena's Ancient Wall Is Front Row Seating Today

Finding a seat on the wall.

The parade begins

Lots of dancing and costumes.

Intricate costumes.

aaahh...its a King Cobra!

John, Aly, & Lily

all ages dance in the parade

Shakira's New Competition

a Colombian Mime. He was hilarious...for a mime.

Contestants For The Miss Colombia Padgeant

Dancing Queen

Look Closely....If You Dare

We Warned You!

Otto, Lily, & Alyson

For backpackers, cruisers, and travelers looking to visit Cartagena during the independence week festivities, we do have a few words of wisdom to offer.  Be aware that tourists are not exempt from the local traditions (of course).  This holiday week is a big event for Cartagenians and if you don’t want to play along, then you shouldn’t have come.  For example, there are bands of young boys roaming the city covered in oil and tar.  The game is much like trick or treat.  The gang of boys will block your path and demand you give them some coins or else they will smear you with oil and tar too.  Its really all in fun.  Just be sure to have a pocket full of change or wear some old clothes in case you run out.  For Alyson and I, it was a great opportunity to unload some of our left over coins from Grenada, Venezuela, Bonaire and Curacao.  (Just make sure they don’t notice you’re giving them Gilders instead of Pesos.) 

The boys look a little like this. If you refuse to pay the toll you could get covered in oil and tar too.

Another thing to be wary of is pick pockets.  We actually learned this lesson the hard way.  Street vendors at the festivites will sell a variety of toys, including cans of foam spray.  The foam spray is a favorite amongst the crowd for dousing friends, strangers, and parade marchers in a thick blanket of white, soapy, foam.  Getting covered is pretty much inevitable.  Your best option is to buy a can for yourself and join in the fun.  Here are a few photos of Alyson in an all out foam war. 

Foam Shootout! Alyson successfully thwarting an hombre's attempt to spray us.

I've been shot!

While the foam is a lot of fun, pick pockets will use it to their advantage.  In congested crowds, the thieves will catch you by surprise spraying the foam directly into your face.  Once you’re momentarily blinded, a second thief will bump you from behind and pick your pockets.  This is what happened with us and with several people we know.  Luckily though, we had left our wallets back on the boat and had only brought a small amount of money with us, which we seperated into separate pockets.  The pickpockets only made off with about 20,000 pesos or roughly $10 US dollars.  For us, it was a relatively inexpensive learning experience.  I was actually very impressed at how taleted the pickpockets were.  Definitely, they are masters in their trade.  One guy we know had both his pockets picked while he had his hands in them.  So if any of you ever plan on visiting Cartagena during festival week, you’ve had fair warning.

As you can see from some of the photos, we had a blast at the parades, not to mention the various after parties throughout the city that night.  Don’t let the warnings about pick pocketing turn you off on a trip to Colombia.  So far Cartegena has been one of the safest cities we’ve ever been to.  Just be aware of yourself and your surroundings.  Especially, during the busy tourist season. 

We hope you enjoyed seeing our photos and videos.  Leave us a comment and let us know what you think.  Keeping checking back, and we’ll keep writing.

Ciao!

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John & Aly on SunRunner

(Continued from previous posting):

The next morning we awoke around 4am.  Surprisingly, the weather forecast from the day before was correct.  I couldn’t believe the drastic change in conditions.  The howling 30 knot winds had just abated.  The seas were reasonably calm.  It seemed so unreal that weather could switch from such harsh circumstances to practically nothing in under an hour.  It was as if someone had flipped a switch.  Afraid that it was too good to be true, we didn’t waste any time.  We pulled up anchor and ‘got the hell outta Dodge’.

With renewed spirit we set off for the small Colombian village of Cabo de la Vella.  As I said before the winds had seriously dropped, and SunRunner was making only 4 knots under Genoa and mizzen.  The roughly 40 mile trip would take us a little over 10 hours, but we didn’t mind.  Better to be going somewhere than sitting in Bahia Honda.  The sun was bright.  The skies were clear and blue.  It was a nice, lazy and relaxing sail. 

Alyson tanning on deck.

By mid afternoon we had cleared the Guajira Peninsula and sailed into the nice little bay off Cabo de la Vela.  It was an interesting little place.  The village was settled by the Wayuu indians, and now the town functions as a fishing village and ecotourism destination.  Yes, now we had arrived in backpacker country.  And every year dozens or perhaps even hundreds of backpackers venture to the tiny village of Cabo de la Vela to enjoy the beach and sleep in authentic Wayuu indian houses (they are made from the hearts of cactus, you know). 

We spent a day walking around the small town looking for groceries and supplies, mostly Coca-Colas.  It was a cute place.  The dusty city street was lined with little tiendas and restaurantes.  We were surprised to find such an abundance of hostels and hotels in town.  The buildings were extremely basic.  They were made from compacted mud, rough brick and plaster.  Fishermen worked on their wooden fishing boats along the shoreline.  Dogs and burros napped lazily in the shade.  It was real picturesque.  We stopped in one small tienda to cool in the shade and have a cold drink.  The little boy running the store liked Paul’s mustache so much that he created his own from shoe polish and masking tape.  Here’s a few photos from our stay in Cabo:

Skipper Paul and his new friend.

Hiking into town

Cabo de la Vela: Traditional Wayuu houses

Hotel & Restaurante

Lil' Paul's Tienda

Checking out the action downtown.

the main road into town

Alyson posing with a dug out canoe

Shark skin drying in the sun

A local fishing boat. Can you believe they go out to sea in these?

I'm cleaning some squirrel fish we bought off a local fisherman.

more Wayuu homes

an expensive lobster dinner in the home of Senora Gomez.

Alyson eating here lobster. The couple behind her are our friends from the Dutch sailboat Kaat.

Lobster, Rice, & Fried Yucca (which is my new favorite fried vegetable.)

After a couple of days enjoying the peace and serenity of Cabo de la Vela, it was time to move on.  We had to take advantage of the good weather window and get as far as we could before things got worse.  Unfortunately, if its not blowing like stink off the coast of Colombia then its not blowing at all.  No wind is a real bummer when you travel by sailboat.  We were lucky enough to catch a gentle breeze in Paul’s giant spinnaker sail during the over night passage heading west to Riohacha, but by morning the wind had just died.  We were forced to motor the rest of the way. 

I don’t have much to say about Riohacha.  Its kind of a typical beach town.  Motoring in the water was as smooth as glass.  It rested like a mirror beneath us and sheared off a flat line at the horizon.  The water was filled with literally millions of jellyfish.  Before I realized what they were the small, little yellow orbs made me begin to wonder if a crate of tennis balls had fallen off a cargo ship during the night.

Motoring into Riohacha

Alyson on lookout

Waiting to drop anchor

Riohacha Beach

The dinghy dock in Riohacha is acutal a giant pier that requires some degree of climbing skill to get up top.  Not suitable at all for your typical cruiser.  We were only in town long enough to anchor, go ashore, find an internet cafe and then a restaurant for lunch.  Really we were only in port for a few hours.  The reason we left so quickly is that while we were eating lunch we could see our sailboat out at anchor.  The sea states had dramatically changed from the smooth, ripple free surface and into pounding, white capped waves.  The bow of SunRunner was nearly being submerged in the pitching of the brown water.  Being haunted by the memory of Bahia Honda, we decided not to stay the night on anchor.  We quickly paid our bill and left. 

Climbing ashore at the dinghy dock.

The dinghy dock in Riohacha

When we returned to the dinghy, we noticed that it was full of children.  They were riding on the rough wave action like it was an amusement park ride.  Climbing back down in while it rose and fell was a bit tough.  We wasted no time getting back to the boat and hoisting the dinghy.  We made things ready as fast as we could.  The bow was pitching so terribly that the anchor chain would jerk on the electric windlass in such a way that it kept slipping.  Eventaully, I had to resort to the manual hand over hand method to pull it in.  Soon we were back out on the water, relieved and glad to be on our way.  That evening we enjoyed a late night thunderstorm and rain shower.  New bays and new adventures lay ahead.

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We have now been in Curacao for over three months and the time has come to move on. The situation with us, however, is very different now than it was when we entered the island. My parents, Michael and Donna, have decided to return to the States where they will pursue a whole new adventure and life on the mainland. The reason we are even in Curacao right now is due to their one comment over ten months ago. “If you are looking at having an adventure or going off sailing, why don’t you come with us for a while and see if you really like this life style.” The rest, as they say, is history. We sailed and lived aboard their 36’ steel sailboat, Quercus, for over five months and have sailed across the Caribbean together. John and I not only had a blast but we were able to learn a lot in a short time that other wise would have taken us years and far more painful mistakes to get. Thank you Mom and Dad. P.S. My Mom is a photographer and she took some amazing photos from our trip and also from around the Caribbean, go check out her site at djkphotos.

My parents left roughly a month ago and since then John and I have been onboard alone. Quercus has been sold to a nice young Australian couple. They could not get to the boat for a month and so we agreed to watch over her and take care of her while we lived here. It has worked out great, not only did we have a nice safe place to stay but we got to truly experience what living on a boat on your own is like. We were expecting this period to be rather quiet and maybe we would even get a lot of personal projects done, such as updating this blog more! But as it turned out this month has been the busiest we’ve had in some time. We started our design “business” and have bartered free windsurfing lessons for some graphic design work. (p.s. From now on just click on photos in blog to view larger or for slideshow!)

Curacao Windsurf Diploma

I also designed a website for an amazing luxury yacht, named Astahaya. If you ever want to ACTUALLY sip on a cocktail while watching the sunset in paradise on a boat this is the way to do it. John worked on setting up and teaching a couple of close friends how to use and manage a blog. When we were not doing “office” work we (and I mean mostly John) also stumbled upon a thriving business, cleaning bottoms….boat bottoms that is. The water in Spanish Waters is like a warm lake, it is not the prettiest waters in the world. In these warm waters thing grow incredibly fast. A sailboat, in order to operate efficiently, needs to have a clean hull and prop. While we had no scuba gear, during this trip we have discovered that John is a good free-diver. So off he went diving under boats with nothing but a mask and a scraper.

One of the most pleasant aspects of these past months in Curacao is that we have met a ton of amazing people and have become close friends with many. Due to the people we have met we have also been able to take part in and enjoy a lot of new experiences. Here’s a short re-cap of the past few weeks.

We met Tom and Christian in Curacao, but they had actually been family friends for a while. Over the past few months we have become close friends and have spent a great deal of time together. When they found out that not only was Curacao hosting a gay pride week “Get Wet” but that we have never been to one before they insisted that we go along for the ride. Luckily for us, the event was advertised as “straight friendly!” It turned out to be a great weekend between having dinners in swanky restaurants, watching a movie by the beach in a designer bar, and several surprises along the way as well.

Tom & Christian

Tom is a kitchen wiz, and so is Christian, so when we invited them over to dinner I was a little nervous about their reactions. They are sweet but I can imagine they would be brutally honest as well! I cooked a few Japanese home style dishes since I figured it would be new for them. After some juicy Kara-age (fired chicken)

Kara-Age, Ummm Yummy

and Hiyashi-Chiyuka (summer noodles). It was a big hit if I may say so myself. I gave Tom the recipe and he has even cooked it for his guest…not bad for a girl who still can’t make white sauce. The first night’s reception was held in the historic and beautiful Hotel Kulanda.

Kulanda

The hotel is more like a miniature city preserved since the colony began as you wonder around the cobble stone streets.

Hotel Kulanda BuildingHotel Kulanda

Hotel Kulanda

Dance

Africa Shaped Statue

Night Out With Tom & Christian

Rainbow

Reception Night

Pride Week

The second day was a movie night at the designer bar and club, The Moon, where we lounges on sofas watching a movie outdoors. By good timing the full moon was actually out as well. The Moon is a must see for those interested in good design and cool spots while on Curacao.

The Moon The Moon Pool

The Moon Private Dining

The Moon BarMovie Night by the Beach

Night Out

The last night was a beach party. It was to be held right by where we were anchored. We just took the dingy over and watched a live DJ spin tunes in front of the beach while people danced or got thrown into the kiddy pool. Alot of the people we had met in the island over the last few months showed up, and we all talked danced, and sometimes swam until late at night.

On the 29th of September John turned 27. That morning, as we talked about in this post, we baby sat Sully, the pilot whale. What we had to do afterwards with barely any sleep was to head downtown to the immigrations office. We were in the process of requesting an extension to our visas so that we could sail out in a safe weather window. So we spent several hours in the office to find we had not only gotten nowhere but that the Coast Guard had been trying to find our boat for a week and had not been able to. I figured this was due to the fact that a U.S. Diplomat for Curacao had mysteriously gone missing near Spanish Waters just that week. I am guessing the C.G. had bigger issues to work on than finding our boat for a paperwork related matter. After a quick lunch in town we got back on the bus going home and wearily made our way back to our safe heaven, good ol’ Quercus. For this special occasion we had stopped at the grocery store on the way home and had bought cake mix, whip cream, and fresh cold milk! A rare treat in our current life. Unfortunately getting off the bus means you have to wait an hour for the same bus to make his lope and get back to you. The poor milk.

Safely back on board and after a nice nap I woke up and began cooking a sponge cake for John. Since we had no candles I had gotten some red plums and sliced them to spell 27…somewhat.

John turns 27

Happy Birthday!

27th Cake

We sat on the cockpit and enjoyed our cake and milk in the first moment of calm since leaving for town hours earlier. Not three bites into our second piece did we spy the giant inflatable Coast Guard boat coming up beside us. So much for a break! We then spent the next hour going through paperwork, and looking over the boat before they wished John a happy birthday and left us in their wake. We had originally planned on taking the extra cake up to the cruiser’s social to share and have a drink to celebrate. But after the ordeal of the day we just turned off all the lights and radios, plugged in the computer and settled into for a movie night. We found out days later that several good friends of ours, Tom, Christian, Otto, and Lilly had planned on a surprise birthday party and had even baked a beautiful cake for us but couldn’t get a hold of us! Don’t worry though, Tom & Christian have a big fridge and the cake was much appreciated a few days later. Thanks again everyone!

In the last weeks we managed to wrap up our windsurfing lessons, and are now ready to surf! For his birthday, and with his bottom cleaning money John was able to get his diver’s certification through another friend we had made on the island, Andy the Divemaster. In three short days John was able to get his certification, on his last day Andy even gave us a free tank so that we could go dive together alone. The water was crystal clean and as we descended downward near 60ft. we were in a dreamlike world of colors. While I was lost in the dreamlike world floating around I saw John’s eye’s pop out and he started pointing at something right behind my shoulder. Half hoping he was playing another one of his hilarious pranks on me I turned around to face a White Spotted Eagle Ray swimming right behind me! The Ray glided through the water and with it’s unique beak-like mouth and soaring motions there is no other description than to say it was flying. It circled around us several times and we watched in awe. As it slowly disappeared into greater deaths we turned back towards the shore and began swimming up. On the way back we did get to see a giant green Eel hiss at us from it’s hole. Those things really are as evil and mean looking as the Little Mermaid led me to believe years before.

These last few days we have truly began to feel like traveling nomads for the first time. The new owner came to pick up Quercus a few days ago and since then we have been bouncing around from friends to friend’s couches. However, since everyone has been so fun to be with it has helped ease the tension of being slightly homeless. Giancarlo and Luisa let us stay onboard their boat and we spent the next day running around town getting boats sorted out. We ended up on the breath taking coast line. Joost, even though he had a huge deadline that night let us stay at his place for a few days. Thank you everyone again!

Cliff Hugger

Coast Line John

Cliff Walkers

Windy Day By The Ocean

Resort Juust

Tomorrow we move aboard s/y Sunrunner with Captain Paul to begin our journey westward to Colombia. We will be sailing along the coast and having heard such great things about it we are excited to get started. Fair seas to all.

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While traveling throughout the Westward Antilles we’ve seen quite a lot of amazing things.  Each day is filled with breath taking scenery.  Picturesque white sandy beaches stretch right across our front yard (figuratively speaking).  We have seen dramatic landscapes with towering island mountains that drop off sharp cliffs and straight into the sea.  Living right on the surface of the world’s largest aquarium has given us the opportunity to  view an astounding quantity of tropical sea life, and during our excursions inland we have met dozens of very cool and interesting people.  Yet, on occasion we happen across something that really catches our attention.  Sometimes its something in the local culture that strikes us as different and new.  Other times its an out of place object that doesn’t seem to fit with the rest of the beautiful scenery, or more often than not, it just strikes us as funny.  So here is a compilation of some of the strange and curious oddities we’ve found while in Bonaire.

A Donkey Sanctuary

Bonaire is not lacking in a large variety of wildlife beneath the water, but on land their are very few species of animals…aside from Iguanas and Flamingos.  It is, however, home to a very unique species of donkey.  This historic breed is kept and protected in Bonaire’s Donkey Sanctuary.  Here they house, feed, and treat over 300 donkeys…you know…for prosperity.  In fact if you leave Bonaire by air plane they ask if you would please donate to help save the donkeys.  

Save the Donkeys

Topless Dutch Girls

Before arriving in Bonaire, Alyson and I have really stood out in a crowd of locals.  On our arrival to the Caribbean, our pale white complexions and her bright blonde hair were a dead give away; although, with time we have tanned pretty nicely.  Since Bonaire is a member of the Dutch Antilles, there is naturally a large population of Dutch citizens.  Now we are frequently surrounded by the masses of young blonde, white Dutch residents of the island.  As a matter of fact, sometimes during trips to town I lose track of Alyson in the crowd.  Its all those blonde heads that throw me off.  Most locals even confuse her for being Dutch.  I usually get an assortment of wild guesses including Canadian, French, Italian, and once someone asked me if I was from Bangkok.  

But one thing I’ve learned and liked about the Dutch is that its not uncommon for some girls to go topless.  Even at the public beaches you will sometimes find these young women sunbathing away their tan lines.  On one occasion in particular, I was talking with the Skipper as we sat in the cockpit.  Suddenly, a small power boat came slowly motoring by not more than 20 feet from our boat.  Reclining on the bow was a young, perky dame smiling and waving to us as she passed by.  I don’t think either the Skipper or myself remember what we had been talking about previously.  That was a good day

Photo not available

US Imports

While abroad, I try to keep my eyes open for things that are imported from the United States.  Mostly, its food and cars.  While on a shopping trip to the grocery store in Kralendjik, I found this item direct from the state of Georgia in the good ole USA.  The name on the box says it all.  Does anyone know if they sell this in the US too?  I’ve never seen it.

Made in the USA!

Cut-Up Chicken Parts

Bonaire Chicken

Alabama has its share of strange cuisine, so this shouldn’t surprise me…but it does.  Bonaire chicken is Iguana.  I suppose there are plenty to go around, and its not served in most tourist restaurants so you would have to go to a really local food joint to find it.  The strange thing is though, that apparently they cook it like lobster…alive in a boiling pot of water.  I haven’t tried it yet.  Should I?  Cheeseburgers just sound so much more appetizing.

Bonaire Chicken

Rain

This probably isn’t such an oddity for most people, but for us it was.  We haven’t seen rain in nearly 3 months, so when we began getting a few short showers in the late afternoons we were pretty excited.  The boat needed it desperately.  Quercus was getting covered in a thin layer of red dust.  We washed and cleaned as much as we could, but it was a daily battle.  Also, we could only clean as high as the reach of our arms, so the mast and all the shrouds really needed the washing.  Also rainy days are good days to stay below and read.

One Boat, One Man, Eleven Dogs

After a week and a half in Bonaire, we had a new neighbor moor right next to us.  It was a very small, steel sailboat…maybe 28 feet in length.  It was manned by one old, lonely Spanish man and his ten, eleven, twelve dogs (we could never keep count).  Fortunately, we were upwind of him, but I can’t imagine the horror of what his living quarters below must have looked like.  These weren’t cute, cuddly puppies either, but all full size, viscous dogs.  Well…see for yourself.

Salty Dogs

This did a lot to disturb the peaceful tranquility of the bay.  The dogs barked constantly at anything that went by.  Anytime a boat passed all the dogs would rush on deck and begin snapping and barking.  Anytime a dog passed by on the boardwalk 100 yards away…again with the barking.  Anytime you snorkeled near his boat, dogs would jump in the water and give chase.  And always the barking was followed by the old man yelling one long and pleading “Noooooooo”.  We think thats all he knew how to say.  Apparently, he is quite notorious in the ABC islands.  Even folks in Curacao remember him with a bit of wonder.  Did he just find all those dogs, or did they find him?  You meet a lot of strange people on sailboats.  Its a lifestyle that requires you to be a little different, but even for cruisers this guy was very odd.

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The crew on a Swan 86 Racing Yacht.

The time we spent in Bonaire, gave us the opportunity to make several new friends and meet up with old ones.  Since most boats sailing in the westward Antilles have to visit the same islands, you get the chance to see some of the same people over and over.  You come to remember them more by the name of the boat and less by the names of the actual people.  Here is a quick blog about some of our favorite people and most memorable days while in Bonaire.   

The Young American Vacationers:

Our first week in Bonaire we met Richard and Tiffany.  They are a young American couple from Springfield, Missouri who had come down to the island on vacation.  Tiffany, who is a dive master, had visited Bonaire before and had returned with Richard to share the experience.  We happened to bump into them while having sundowners at Krael’s dockside bar.  They rocked and exponentially improved the already great time we were having in Bonaire.  It was great to sit, have a few beers and talk with people our own age, especially such interesting people.  Tiffany has spent years diving and told us all the good spots to hit along the waters edge.  She even does spelonking or cave diving.  Richard was awesome, too.  He kept us entertained and laughing with stories of bar tending, his stand-up comedy, touring the states with his band, and driving an ambulance.  We had such a great time with them that we all decided to meet the next day to do some snorkeling together.

We make friends with Tiffany and Richard while having sundowners.

Late the next morning, we headed out together in Quercus’s little dinghy to a spot they recommended.  The reefs along the island sit under about 30 feet of water.  The water is so clear though that the fish and corals are clearly visible from the surface.  We swam along watching the countless varieties of tropical fish passing beneath us.  The colorful coral sloped out of visibility and into the dark blue backdrop of the sea.  We even passed over scuba divers unaware of us swimming through their bubbles above.  I now regret not having purchased an underwater camera to document some of the incredible sights.  

We only spent a couple of hours snorkeling, but ended up spending the entire day with our new friends.  Richard and Tiffany were kind enough to invite us back to their rental apartment to let us borrow the use of their shower.  For Alyson and I this meant more then I think they realized.  We haven’t washed under an indoor shower in nearly two months.  Standing beneath the continuous flow of fresh, clean water I could literally feel the thin layer of salt wash off my body and out of my hair.  We emerged from our wash feeling like new people.  I think we must have avoided swimming the whole next day just to enjoy the sensation of being completely clean just a little bit longer.  We marveled at their spacious apartment as we remembered the things like air conditioning, blenders, and cable television.  For us, this was like a vacation. 

We had learned that a local dive resort was hosting a Free Rum Punch social followed by an all-you-can-eat BBQ.  We all decided to go together.  The bartenders at the resort we not stingy at all with the free drinks.  We sat on the patio looking over the water and watched dolphins swim through the channel.  The sun began to set, but the rum continued to flow.  As night fell and the tiki torches were lit, we could smell the unmistakable aroma of barbequed meats being slowly cooked.  I purchased a meal ticket and brought back enough plates of food for Alyson and I to share.  The buffet was laid out with trays overflowing with BBQ’d chicken fish & pork, creamy mashed potatoes, cold crispy salads, steamed vegetables, warm breads,  exotic fruits, and a variety of sweet deserts.  Looking at the tables of food stretching out before me, I couldn’t help but being moved by its splendorous glory.  “Truly, I have found paradise.” I thought.

Tiffany and Richard at the Rum Punch Social.

The crew enjoying the free rum punch.

We returned from the bbq thoroughly and completely satisfied.  We had planned to spend the night at Richard and Tiffany’s sleeping in their spare bed…yes! an actual bed!  From the day we had spent, I was beginning to feel quite hedonistic.  It was a day filled with simple pleasures, but its one we’ll always remember.  Thanks again, guys!

The Spanish Yacht Captain:

On a separate occasion, we had the good fortune of making friends with Joe, a yacht captain from Barcelona.  We met Joe while visiting the small marina near Kralendjik.  Alyson had spotted him working on an impressive 86′Swan Racing Yacht, and when she overheard him speaking Spanish, she decided to strike up a conversation.  As it turns out, Joe looks after the boat for a wealthy Spanish family who periodically visits for holidays and vacations.  The family and his crew were away for the time being, so he invited us over the next afternoon to take a look at the boat.  Score!

We must have felt a little privileged to be visiting such an expensive yacht, because I noticed that we both made extra efforts to clean up a little.  Alyson spent what seemed like hours in the head getting ready, and I even shaved and dug through my locker to find my cleanest shirt.  We arrived at the dock, promptly on time.  Being a little intimidated, we were almost too nervous to knock on the hull to see if Joe was really home.  But he was, and he came up through the companionway welcoming us aboard.  This yacht  was designed to do some serious sailing.  Joe told us that they often compete in regattas, and he ended up getting his job as captain by crewing aboard during the races.  After sharing a small (but roomy) 36 foot boat between four people, we were overwhelmed by the space aboard and the size of the gear.  Check out some of these pictures we took from the deck:

Here is Alyson lounging on the deck. Thats Joe on the starboard side. This boat was very beamy at 20 feet wide.

Look how enormous this winch is compared to Alyson's dainty hands.

John on a Swan86. Look at the size of the wheel. Its nearly 6 foot in diameter.

As you can see, its a BIG boat.  The boomvang is hydraulically controlled, and the winches are all electric.  In the cockpit lockers, Joe showed us where they store 8 sets of scuba diving equipment, a secondary dinghy, and an additional 25 Hp outboard motor!  On a boat, thats an unbelievable amount of space.  Below deck was just as impressive.  It had all the comforts of a nice home, but the designers managed to abstain from any tacky opulence.  Everything was laid out with the intention that this boat was meant to do some serious sailing.  The salon had surround sound stereo and a large, flat screen television.  The galley was larger than any kitchen Alyson or I had ever had in our apartment days, and it contained 4 separate fridges with an ice maker.  There were 4 heads, 4 cabins and a large, luxurious master cabin in the aft.  The nav. station was incredible with 3 separate monitor displays.  We spent the rest of the afternoon sitting in the spacious, air conditioned salon talking with Joe and watching his old racing videos.  If you can handle the lifestyle and work schedule, yacht captain would definitely be a sweet gig to have.  Days later we bumped into Joe in the grocery store.  He was buying his dinner for the night, which included 2 bottles of wine, a bag of shrimp, a loaf of French bread and some boxed chocolate.  “Here’s a guy who knows how to enjoy his work,” we thought.  

The South African Cruisers:

This blog would not be complete without mentioning Otto and Lily, a young South African couple on their boat Vagabond.  We actually met Otto and Lily while in Tortuga.  They were anchored right near us, and we had paid them a visit to ask about the weather.  We instantly liked them then, and we were excited to bump into them again on the streets of Bonaire.  They are the type of people who make you feel comfortable to be with, and their just so damn cool!  We spent a couple of days snorkeling together, and they got me really interested in free diving.  They both free dive quite often, and allowed me to borrow a weight belt and fins so that I could give it a try.  Its amazing how the right gear can make all the difference.  After weeks of snorkeling on the surface while watching the scuba divers swim along the bottom, I could finally dive down and swim along with them.  I got some up close views of the brain coral and stag horn coral teaming with tropical fish.  I was impressed at how long Otto could remain under water.  He seemed ready to live down there.  

In those few days we saw an incredible array of sea life:  There were dozens upon dozens of brightly colored fish striped in dark black and brilliant yellows, deep blues and flashing pinks.  We saw colorful eels that slithered along the sandy bottom and one reclusive octopus cowering beneath the rocks.  Gliding through the water on feathery wing like fins were green and purple parrot fish who chomped at the coral with their powerful beaks.  Alyson saw a tiny camouflaged sea horse clinging by his tail to the coral, trying to hold itself against the strong currents.  There were immense tarpons and six foot barracuda.  We saw a family of squid with large conscious eyes that hovered in the water like some strange, alien life form.  On the rocks along the waters edge sunbathed the dry and scaly hordes of iguana, and gliding silently through the anchorages swam the swift and graceful hornbill sea turtles.  “Why didn’t I buy an underwater camera?”

These iguanas lounge all along the water front.

Since we’ve been out hopping and jaunting, we’ve met numerous people and made some good friends.  Alyson and I have been pretty pleased at how friendly and helpful most people are.  Aside from one enterprising cab driver who was a little uncooperative, the majority of folks we’ve dealt with are very nice, honest, and fair.  Of course, we still keep on guard when dealing with new people…just in case.  I suppose if I had to leave any advice for the aspiring traveler, when dealing with people abroad keep a good attitude, use your common sense, and don’t be afraid to try something new…and also send postcards.

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