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Other entries in Popayán

Screaming for our lives and other stories....

Abandoning the bikes to the hand of the police, off-roading, near death experience and caught with my pants down... all in a day trip!

The last couple of days have been so eventful that it seems ages ago since we left Salento! We left actually on wednesday 13th and after a long day ride arrived at the small town of Silvia. We were hoping to find info about the archeological site of Tierra Dentro. Speaking to a truck driver, on the main plaza, he told us that Tierra dentro was 1h and a half from Silvia. Yeah right! A police officer said it was a difficult trail. We decided that the next day we would ride to the next village of Totoro and we would try to get better info there.

So the following morning we set on what was a very challenging trail. By late morning we did the 12kms and arrived at Totoro. We were stopped immediately by the police for a control. Handy as we wanted to talk to them!

Enquiring about the state of the road to Tierra Dentro the police dissuaded us to continue. ¨The road was not passable by motorbike. Only buses and trucks could get there. We asked where we could leave the bikes then if we only could take a bus. One officer volunteered his house, but it was getting the bikes up a series of steep steps and through a narrow corridor. Not really easy. Another cop offered then his house, and the bikes ended up one nicely parked between 2 beds and the other in a corridor between the kitchen and the bathroom! The panniers chucked against a wall and the helmets under a bed! After a quick change of clothes, we went down to the police station.

While waiting for a bus, the chief told us frightening stories about the guerilla and how the area was still very dangerous. Standing by the doorway  I spotted what looked like a bullet hole in the wall, and the chief confirmed it was bullets from the guerilla, he then showed me the hills from where they shoot at the police! I told to myself that it was not the best place for me to stand!  

Eventually the bus turned up. As I got in I asked the driver how long it would take to get to my destination. I did not want to arrive too late, as the bus would drop us in a cross road, and from there we still had 2 kms walk in a trail up to the site. We had been warned many times not to travel at night. Anyway the driver told us it depended of the landslides. At the time I did not understand what it meant. We soon found out!

One hour after leaving Totoro, we stopped. HEavy rain had provoqued landslides, part of the trail had fallen down the cliff and tons of mud falling from the mountain made the trail impassable. A bulldozer was clearing the path, pushing the mud, rocks and trees down the precipice. There was a particular bend on that trail that looked so narrow that I was not sure how the bus could get through.

After half an hour, the Bulldozer 's driver made sign we could go. As we engaged on that particular bend, the women in the bus started screaming, the people close to the door started running, ready to jump off the bus... I thought of the irony of dying on a bus falling off a cliff, when I'm supposed to be motorcycling around south america ! For an instant I really thought we were going down! How we made it, I don't know, but I swore to myself I would not get in any other bus trip, if my bike can't get there I won't go!

A bit later the driver turned to us and asked who had not trusted him and been screaming. WE all had a good laugh. Simply happy to be still alive !  After another stop to clear yet more mud, rocks etc from the road, we finally arrive at the cross road where we were dropped just before nightfall.There were few people around that kept wishing us good evening and telling us we were nearly there. As always very curteous friendly people. But the day was not over yet.

We found a hostal next to the museum/site entry, owned by a very old couple. We were given a room and the guy showed me where the communal showers and toilets were. Before going to eat I went for a quick pee. The toilets had no lock but with the light on I thought it was a clear sign that someone was busy inside ! Just as I got up the seat, the old man opened the door as he though he forgot to switch the light off after showing me round! And so this is how I got caught up with my pants down!

The following morning we went to the museum/site entry.They refused our money, they did not have change. So the following half an hour we went round trying to change our 50,000 pesos note ! We finally succeeded and managed to visit quickly some of the tombs (that date back 2000BC) and the museum. The site is actually very big and involves lots of hiking in the mountains but we had to catch the bus back to Totoro at 1pm.

At the cross road where we were dropped the night before a man told us that the bus that leaves Popayan at 5am had not passed yet. Bad news. The road would be worse! The man advised  us to grab the 1st truck going to the next village and from there find a truck or SUV going to Popayan. So we did. At the next village we got in a SUV that was so full we even had 2 lads in the roof. As we arrived at the same very bad spot that frightened me so much the previous day, the bulldozer was busy again. A truck, in front of us went first, and I saw part of the trail collapse and fall into the precipice as the back wheel went through and its wheel ended up above the precipice! It was a frightening sight! I was glad to be in a small SUV! The worrying thing was the bus full of school children that was also getting through that path!

Now some of you may think that people could get through that bad bit on foot and get back in the bus on the other side. Unfortunately that bit is also washed by a river of mud. The current is very strong. 3  people died recently trying to do just that!

Back to Totoro we got finally reunited with our bikes. I was so happy to get my bike back l I almost gave it a hug ( I would have, in private!). It was the best feeling in the world to ride the windy road to Popayan.

Now let's find out about the state of the trail to the archeological site of San Agustin. I've heard the trail is REALLY bad.....

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