Food To Travel 4: Return To Santa Marta

Return to Santa Marta.

The trip back to Santa Marta was a pretty erratic journey with a grumpy driver who drove like a lunatic and an overloaded van with far too much luggage. Still, arrived in one piece and pleased with myself that I had managed to organise it all with my poor conversational skills.

Not exactly thrilled to be back but am in my new apartment that has more natural light and a good cooktop so a little more self sufficient. Still uncomfortably hot at night and spend my day scratching mosquito bites even though I load the legs with insect spray that stinks.

I get a bit of exercise in the evenings running around after cochroaches and splattering them with my thongs. Dont know why I have them because the place is spotlessly clean. Elsa runs a very neat and clean casa.

The school week is not a disaster as that brings to mind death like events, but it is extraordinarily disappointing. I am fully prepared for my new introduction to English class, have written and photocopied work sheets for the students, written vocab cards etc and not one of them turns up! Dont anybody else tell me "that is the Latino way" or I may scream! I cant believe that there is such little consideration for anyone.

We decided that I would take 2 of the students out of the core class as they are way behind the rest and I will work with them for the next 2 weeks. They are happy with this plan. First day they are 30 minutes late, next day they tell me they can only come for one hour and still are late and on friday, dont turn up until lesson time is nearly over , to tell me they cant come!!!

Still, on Friday we had a little celebration as it was Suzannes last day and the students had had a little test and so we thought it nice to have a little treat for them. They were so funny and thought the very tacky cake that we bought for them was fantastic! It had a lot of artificial cream on it and the day ended in cream cake warfare with all the students wearing some.

Socially the week held nothing for me except for an early jump off the bus on thursday evening as there was an amazing sunset over Santa Marta Bay. I took my photos then bumped into Marnie and Nick, the acting volunteer coordinators and had a drink with them. I discovered that on Thursday evenings a floating group of people get together at this bar, for a language exchange. There are English speaking back packers and volunteers and they chat with locals usually from the university, the idea being that both parties get a chance to use their new skills. Nick and Marnie encouraged me to stay but I was tired, hungry and stank! Not a comfortable trio!

There is a new young couple from Lakes Entrance who have moved into the other apartment. They are also having Spanish lessons but Toby was very sick for a couple of days and it sounds like he may have had dengue fever which is transmitted by day time mosquitos. It has flu like symptoms and there is nothing you can do bar ride it out with fluids and analgesics. Glad it isn't me.

The students are not the only ones here who are unreliable. I had a brochure for a day trip to the top of the mountain, a cycle down to the well loved mountain town of Minca where the trip was to have lunch and a swim in the river and then continue down on bikes to the outskirts of the city. Sounded like a good but pretty expensive day out. The address for the tour group was on the brochure so I went around to the address. A sign on the door to go to a restaurant, go there but they cant help me, I have to call the boss who runs the restaurant and the tours!!! I ring him and we make a time for friday evening at 7 to be measured for the bike and get more info plus pay. I am told that I am the only one booked at this stage but he would still take me. I am at the restaurant at 7 to see him but he doesnt turn up. I call at 7.15 and he has forgotten! He can be there at 9, like I am going to hang around for 2 hours! We make arrangements for saturday and he has my phone number, I am just to drop by the restaurant as he will be there all day. On my way back to the apartment I am thinking I will treat myself to dinner out but there arent any outdoor table left at the plaza de novios so I keep going. So glad I did because we had a sudden violent thunder and lightening storm with heavy rain for most of the night!

Saturday morning receive an email from Suzanne asking if I want to get the bus to Rodadero beach and have a swim. There is a God, I have been dying to get to the beach. I decide to blow off the tour for Sunday as I now dont trust him with my money but also if I go to the beach when am I going to write my 300 word Spanish essay in the past tense?

Rodadero is the resort that wealthy Colombians go to for beach time. It is similar to a very seedy looking Gold Coast with a decent beach, high rises, crappy shops and questionable restaurants. Beggars cant be choosers. We hire a beach shelter, deck chairs and settle down for some sun and a dip or two. You actually dont have to move as the vendors who are actually a cheery lot who move on when you say no gracias, bring everything you need! Water, food, massage, sun lotion, hats, clothes, trinkets, on and on. The caribbean water and beaches are not as I imagine. No crystal clear blue waters and fine silver sand. The sand has a volcanic dark look about it and the water looks murky because of the sand colour. No complaints though because we both have a very relaxing afternoon. It appears that neither of us have had much fun with the volunteer group and we have both felt isolated. It is just Suzanne and I at the afternoon venue. I was disappointed for her as she has put in a lot of time in preparing for her classes and has worked hard with them and had very little recognition for her efforts until SHE wrote on the face book page for the group to say goodbye! If I had known Rodadero was so easy to get to I would have gone previously! Only 10 minutes by bus!

Sunday morning, another email from Suzanne. Did I want to try another beach? We decide to meet after lunch and go to Bahia Concha. This has been recommended by our students.

We agree to meet at 1.30. At 1.28 the heavens open and there is a deluge. I take shelter in a shop and watch the water level on the road rise! Drainage is a slight problem here! suzanne arrives, the rain stops and we decide to head off. It is a bus ride to Fundadores where the school is and then another bus or a moto trip through the country side and over the big hill / small mountain! Well half way to Fundadores, the rain from the hills starts flowing down into the cento. The road becomes a river! The bus comes to a shiddering halt with water swirling around the door. The chick in the tight white pants and high wedge shoes decides to chance her luck and get off! No way Jose! I cant even watch her as I am scared she is going to topple. I am not getting out as the water looks disgusting and we know by now that the sewarage will be in the mix!

Thank goodness the driver gets the bus started. He turns around and heads off in a different direction. No idea where we are going but everyone else looks pretty relaxed about it all! Me thinks this has occurred before! We arrive at Fundadores and no sign of any bus so we hop on the back of a moto. 10 or 15 minutes later we arrive at a big gate. We cough up around $3 each , the price for an enterprising family to charge for the extranjeros to pass over their land to the beach which isnt private! The locals arent charged at least! Well worth the $3 on the bike and the land crossing fee. The Bahia is gorgeous! Lovely sand and water and very clean. We overhear that "gringos" have arrived!! Once again, the only fair haired chicks in view! Once again we hire a shelter, chairs and settle down. The stupid thing is that we dont actually sit in the shade but we are hiring a bit of space and nobody encroaches on it. A few vendors around but the service just isnt as good as Rodadero!!! But the beach is better and soooooo picturesque. Another very pleasant afternoon. Time to return as Suzanne, apart from teaching, works at the hostal where she stays. She works from 6 to 11 pm 5 nights a week. In return she gets free lodging ( in a 10 bed dorm) and dinner every night. She enjoys the social side of this plus free lodging! That is all over for her now as she left this eveing on the bus to Bogota where she will fly back to Ireland via Spain and then a train trip. Bogota, 1 hour flight or 19 hours on the bus!!! Glad I missed the back packing stage of my life! I can only think that it is a long arduous treck over the Andes!

The trip back from the beach to the bus was another experience! Only one moto left and doesnt look like another is coming so we both squeeze onto the back of one bike and cling on for dear life. All I can think of is am I covered by travel insurance if I come off!

So today the class is mine. I have picked up from observing Suzannes class that they dont seem to have been taught much grammar or sentence structure so that is this weeks focus and the challenge is that it is all in English! Will, an American guy has joined me and will take over when I leave. He hasnt taught before but has confidence. I explained my lessons were all in English but he interupted me on a couple of occassions to interpret! I suggested that next week when I have gone he could teach as he wanted but at this stage it was as I wanted. Dont thnk I have made a friend here!!!!! Lets see if any of the students turn up for more tomorrow!

So here I am, only 4 more hot sleeps to go and am now praying that the tropical storm that has hit Miami and the hurricane that is heading towards Louisiana are just a figment of somebodies imagination and are not going to influence my escape from here!