Anthony Supertramp´s one year anniversary!

April 23rd, 2010: It has been one year today since I left for South America with the intent to have completed the entire continent by now moving my way up to Central America and out through Mexico back to the United States. But with only four countries under my pack (Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and a brief 2 week jaunt to Trinidad) I am moving at a snails pace. Every day there are new adventures and new plans which are constantly changing on where I am going to go or what I am going to do. Sometimes those plans involve not moving at all and at other times it involves expanding my trip to cover the entire globe. I am trying to be fluid and move where the trip takes me or leaves me for that matter. At the moment...the trip has seemed to happily take me here to Medellin, Colombia. Now the question is...will it leave me here?

Since it is my anniversary...I was thinking about doing the "Best of" up till this point. I am not sure if it is too early for this or I should wait...another year. I will have to think about it...perhaps more will soon follow.

Run, Forrest! Run!

April 21, 2010: Close call today. Getting onto the 192 bus the driver said I wouldn't make it to the train in time after he kept going some distance in unfortunately the opposite direction. Not yet paying I jumped off the bus and I could hear Genny in the distance as I took off..."Run, Forrest! Run!"

I ran and ran and ran...stopping for a brief second to catch some life back into me and something inside of me told me I can not stop, so then I continued at my handicapped aboriginal like speeds - thankfully not barefoot. I kept running in my gimp like fashion making up for the Sound of Narrows race I weaseled my way out of 19 years ago and didn't rest until I made it to the bus stop. About 10.09004036578 seconds later...the 302 bus came whipping around the roundabout - the last one of the night. Getting on the bus out of breath I happily paid my $0.75 USD for the bus instead of the $8.00 USD for a cab and stumbled to the nearest open seat trying to catch my breath as my chest burnt as if someone started a fire from deep within.

This little run of mine will definitely cost me. It will cost me because now that I sweated profusely in my freshly laundered shirt, socks and even underwear, which I will now have to prematurely wash. In addition to this I also wore some valuable millimeters off my soles of my shoes which I will someday have to replace them a few days sooner than anticipated. We also cant forget about the calories burnt meaning I am somehow going to replenish them and apples surely don't grow on free trees here in Colombia or anywhere else in the world...unless there are your neighbors.

Thankfully there is almost always a positive for every negative. So pulling the positive thing I got out of this is that I am now 2203 calories lighter and when you look at me with a light directly behind me, you can see my heart beat. Now, all I need to do is put a can in front of me and stand on a milk crate in the street...I will surely recoup any lost costs in only a few hours. Time to find myself a can...and a crate.

Temporary Memory Loss

April 20th, 2010: The past few days I have been enjoying myself as I legally smother my friend Genny and her son Samu. Thankfully it is not the type of smothering that will result in doing time in a Colombian prison. Tomorrow I will make my way over to her house where she said she was going to forget how to speak English. Thankfully this is not because she is going to purposely sustain a head injury causing a temporary memory loss, it is meant to help me out with my Spanish. I tried to slip in asking if she can miraculously be cured when I ask a question about how to say something in Spanish and she said, "no." So I guess tomorrow, I will not be saying much except for things such as: Do you live here?, I like coffee, you dog is really cute and...so what do we get for ten dollars? (saying from the film, Full Metal Jacket) - laughing.

When my Spanish get to a certain level, forget teaching English. I am going to get a job as a Colombian security guard which seem to be on every street corner. At that time I will make the decision on what type of weapon I would like to carry. Will it be a nice shinny shotgun as I wait to put a few holes in a person who decides to perform a random act of violence? Or will I choose close combat and have only a club so I can happily perform a Rodney King type beat down on any offender whether it be jaywalking or littering? And when I get my key to the city of Medellin (do cities even do this anymore?) I will have to thank Genny for teaching me, "Nobody move, nobody get hurt." (famous rapper, Eazy-E)

"If you don't drink it...you are a f#%kin loser!"...

April 18th, 2010: "If you dont drink it...you are a f#%kin loser!" she said in broken English. Okay, this is not the first time that someone attempted to peer pressure me into doing something I didn't feel like doing nor do I typically fold to such childish statements, but at around midnight after being dropped off from the concert...I was tired. When people are tired they sometimes do things that they would not normally do such as fall asleep behind the wheel of a moving automobile, fall into dangerous machinery or catch a few moments of paid rest behind a desk inside a cubical at work. With that said, one shot of the typical Colombian foul liquor aguardiente somehow multiplied into two, three, six, five and...more. I had to quit at 4am after being introduced to a bunch of new words in Spanish that I have already forgot. Having a great evening with a bunch of wonderful Colombians from Medellin...I was happy to go to bed not a loser - not just a loser...but a f#%kin loser.

Small, small, small little ole world

April 18th, 2010: My friend Caro, a Colombian who I met in Santa Marta 4 months ago invited me out from the confines of my hostel to go to a local concert. Here we were to meet a good freind of hers of 2 years from Seattle who is living in Medellin. When meeting up, that good friend of hers I met about 8 months ago in Quito, Equador - he was one of my 4 other room mates who was having some paperwork challenges with Colombia. Small, small, small little ole world.

Please let it be a Popsicle

April 16th, 2010: Rapidogs...is (might be bumped down to was) one my favorite fastfood chains in Medellin easily topping anyone of the massive worldwide fast food chains. But today...my body liking it so much, it was getting a little bit crazy wanting to see how good they taste the second time around.

Thankfully I just switched hostels today to one that has a homelike feel as I kneal on the ground in the bathroom, looking at the green porcelin every so often when I would barely open my eyes to make sure my aim was not altered from my violent abdominal movements pushing everything out as great speeds. I can sort of understand on how I got the bits of food on my freshly laundered shirt but I am not too sure on how I got the pineapple bits in my eye - at least I think it was pineapple bits since it sure didn't look like a french fry. Finishing off my sessions I would spit into the toilet watching the long straw-like mass slowly touch the toilet water and then come back up toward my mouth...being somewhat successful by breaking it off with my finger prior to it re-entering my mouth.

Thinking about Rapidogs now...I don't know if hotdogs will continue to be my meal of choice here in Medellin. Perhaps rice would be better the second time around or even a hamburger. Time to curl up in my 6 bed dorm and hope my body cant find anything else down there, if so...let it be something good, like a Popsicle.

A Local or Loco

April 15th, 2010. My friend Genny last night informed me that I looked like this guy on this childrens TV program we were watching. It was some skinny english man with lots of hair and he seemed to bounce around the show as if he was on crack showing children on how to make interesting things such as finger puppets and bombs. Couldnt I have looked like Van Diesel, Justin Timberlake or even Ice Cube? Was this a hidden compliment? Hmm.

Simulating speaking like this crack addict in English with my mouth opening so wide as if I was in a wind tunnel, I had to laugh at myself, later switching to Spanish over emphasizing every word thinking it was even more funny - but, then Genny interrupted me telling me that I sounded really good and this is how I need to speak spanish. "Huh?" I thought. I know I need to open my mouth more and to emphasize words when speaking, but that much? Okay, if this is the case...lesson #1: I need to emphasize my words and open my mouth more - or...know when Genny is joking around with me.

Perhaps I will take lesson #1 to the street today and test it out. Here they will either think I am a local...or loco.

Priceless Scent

April 13th,2010: Slipping into my 4 bed dorm room to go to sleep, there was an amazingly foul odor seeping from a dirty towel right next to my backpack that smelled like a set of moist dirty twins. I think the longer I travel the more sensitive my nose is becoming. This could be a miracle to some but to me...it is just not good timing. Laying in my bed and closing my eyes it felt like I was in some unkept locker room at the local gym for the homeless. If women love the smell of a mens locker room with a hint of stray cat that likes that likes to use under the bed for an improvised litter box...then this is great, because now all of my belongings have this priceless scent no perfume company or actor would ever endorse.

Coming here to my hostel, so appropriately named the Black Sheep which I stayed at almost a year ago...I was hoping that it stopped shedding it´s hair. Looking at the bathroom shower drain it looks like a sheep somehow got itself into the shower as it dropped its thick winter coat. Pushing the hairy mass to the side with my protective sandals, I safely took my shower to strip my skin of my freshly acquired scent.

Colombia...I might just stay awhile, but just not at this hostel.

Seeing too much

April 12th, 2010: I dont think I care for being in the front seat of the bus...I can see too much. I earlier witnessed the drivers aide hiding packages wrapped up in black plastic bags with clear packaging tape wrapped tightly around it placing the objects far back in a ceiling compartment above the driver. Seeing all of the drivers amazing passes around the blind curves and not to forget mentioning that at 416am my driver was putting something in his nose, cleaning his fingers by placing them in his mouth...I just had to think, I might be, seeing too much. But...what do I know, it was at 416am.

Preparing for war with Venezuela?

April 12th, 2010: I entered Venezuela a few months ago as if I was preparing for war and it ended up being more like summer camp. I think the most dangerous part of my trip to this beautiful country was walking on a dirt road one day without my sandals on as my baby soft foot pads absorbed every jagged stone - or the time I shared a bottle of soda with some of my friends who could possibly have been a carrier of the ever so dangerous relationship breaker herpes virus type ABCDEFG.

Today I left Venezuela and stepped on Colombian soil at 1515hrs and it strangely felt like I was home. Each time I come through here my passport is kissed with the ink...which is made in China, as I am kindly greeted by immigration. Colombia...I am happy to say that I think I might just stay a while.

Drinking p#ss

April 10th, 2010: Last night I was extremely behind in sampling the local beers for this country, needing to confirm that there is no good beer in South America...just p#ss. Since I had some major catching up to do, I sampled all off them. Needless to say, it was a long night.

Inside the bar, I felt like I was back in California as the Oakland A´s and the Anaheim Angles were playing a baseball game on the 7 or so big screens. It addition to this, most of the music was in English and it was at a decibel level where I could not hear anyone speaking anything - they all could have been speaking Gibberish and I wouldn't have even known.

Meeting some locals, I ended up dancing...quite poorly might I add. I felt as if rigimortous might have set in over the past few weeks. Going back out tonight, I will see if I can get the built up rust out of my sockets prior to me doing a bus marathon in the next day or two. I am hoping that I will not take too much damage on my left and right cheek during this marathon nor freeze to death in the Arctic-like buses as I make my way toward Medellin, Colombia.

Next time I need to...read

April 8th, 2010: The next time I head to a town in the Andes I must not assume that it is going to be some cute little scenic retreat from the big city. I must honestly say that I was disappointed after passing all these beautiful scenic villages with my face plastered to the window not sure if the one I was passing though was the town I was trying to get to, Merida. Thinking that that this place was at most 12-15 thousand people ended up being 350,000. Staring out my window I passed a McDonalds...and for once...I was not "lovin it."

Tomorrow I will leave this city to do some hiking and head to the small villages where all of the tourist stands are selling a wide array of souvenirs items made by the locals...and China.

Los Llanos and a ton of animals

April 8th, 2010: This place has made a spot for one of the top places I have been to the past 11 months and 15 or so days. I had some great company and saw a ton of animals. Okay...a ton might be a slight exaggeration. Remember to take in consideration that men like to double the size and amount of almost everything...so I actually saw a 1/2 ton of animals. From the anacondas, caiman, pink crusty ill looking dolphins, colorful birds, not so colorful birds, frogs that lived in the shower and toilet that enjoyed traumatizing my friend to the three legged turtle with some extremely sharp nails and the capybara which I think the largest living rodent in the world who looked like a guinea pig on steroids...it all totaled a 1/2 ton of animals.

I even had the rare opportunity to feel like a hero, saving the life of an iguana that was too slow from a dog that had a death grip around its neck as I chased it through the fields of ticks. Later the next day I saw that the dog grabbed a baby capybara to fill his appetite instead of the iguana as his drug it though the fields with its umbilical cord and placenta still on its body. I will have to next time perhaps just turn my head...or pull out my camera for some good photos.

Who wants to catch a piranha when there are caiman?

April 5th, 2010: Well actually...my intent was to catch a piranha with teeth, but somehow I caught an extremely large caiman with teeth...lots and lots of them. When I realized the tug pulling me toward the water was a much stronger tug than a small piranha, its head surfaced with its mouth open about 8 feet away from me. I don't think he was too happy with a hook in his mouth. I didn't stand there for long nor did I put up a huge fight with my wire-like line and my one foot bamboo stick that I was using as a rod. This bamboo stick quickly became a baton such as they use in track in field as I backed up away from the shore handing it off to my guide. Cough - cough - since we were a team and he wasn't catching anything I thought he should partake in trying to get the hook out of his or her mouth.

Hunting with Elmer Fudd

April 4th, 2010: Today our guide Elmer Fudd (Looney Tunes) and our group skipped huntin for wabbit and instead went huntin for anaconda. Given a dull stick that wouldn't even be able to pierce the heart of a an open chested vampire, we went out into the muddy grassy area poking the ground trying to find a soft object...if it was hard, that meant we hit a caiman and not the anaconda which would obviously not be a good sign. Locating some anacondas, the guide, his helper and myself enjoyed pulling the snake from its tail since it had no hair out into the open, exposing it. Thinking about it now...I am not sure if my brain was working really well. If they were small...I might not have been doing this. The big ones just seem to be so slow and dumpy looking.

Teaching a child to play with fire

The Caura river was very very very long but extremly remote and not to forget beautiful river. We went about 300 kilometer up steam...5 hours of boat travel the first day and an 8 hour boat ride the second day to reach the nudist villages with plenty of participating members. At first I did some cheap looks and then after a while...I did more. It was nice to see that Direct TV has made it to this villages along the river. Powered by the generators, a quite a few huts had this basic nessicity for men....a TV that seemed to play either sports or music videos of women in bikinis as their topless wives were completely ignored as they did chores along the riverbanks.

Our guide brought her 5 year old daughter on the tour. It is nice that working moms can bring their children to work, fortunetly for me, making the trip even better. Everyone knew how to speak english, but they still spoke spanish most of the time. Good for learning spanish but hard to follow after a long day in the sun. But the 5 year olds vocabulary was much smaller than theirs but much greater than mine. Also...with kids, you really dont need to speak any language. For example, one night we had candles burning at the table and I taught the girl how to carelessly play with wax without saying anything. She stepped it up a notch when she grabbed some paper and lit it on fire, burning her fingers but showing no sign of lasting pain besides the first initial few seconds. I would have stopped her but I was so intranced in the fire, I thought it was a good idea, until I saw she was not going to let it go - remembering that she is only 5.

On the hike to the falls I was given the chef knife and it was not ment for cooking. I guess it was suppose to be use for chopping down overgrowth but the trail was really well used by the locals and there was no overgrowth until the last half hour of our 9 hour day. Looking at everyone on the trails...it seemed that they were all carrying some type of knife, ranging from the common little steak knife to the rare machettes. What good a small steak knife would do, I dont know but I truly enjoyed hiking up and down the trails swinging the knife like a wildman decappitating any dead branches, flowers or leaves that would stand in my way - telling myself I should grow up, but then ignoring what myself had to say.

This is another trip that I have so much to say, but it is not possible to do it in a reasonable amount of time. Too bad I can not make this blog a fulltime job. Anyhow, I am heading to a region on a night bus to explore the animal life in Los Llanos. I heard there were plenty of snakes to wrestle and hamster-like pigs. Hopefully no soup will be served out these or other potencially unusual wildlife treats.