The long road to Medellin: Recent Episodes
Bas Timmers
Traveling during a pandemic might not seem the smartest idea. Against all odds, writer Bas Timmers did exactly that and wrote about this trip to Latin America. The long road to Medellin is the result, in this podcast it is read out chapter by chapter.
Finally back in Europe, it's time to look back at the contemplative last month in Medellin, where the virus was rearing its ugly head again
On the hills above Quito, Ecuador's most famous painter constructed his masterpiece. An impressive dive into what man is capable of, in a series of dark paintings.
Cartagena, the crown jewel of the Caribbean coast, is the last stop before Medellin. The city is a microcosm of Colombia's problems. And there is an unexpected reunion with friends from Capurgana
A stone's throw away from Panama, I make it to Capurgana, a village that can only be reached by speedboat or small plane
The first visit to Medellin,in the beautiful Aburra valley. A tour through one of the hillside neighborhoods is a lesson in recent Colombian history.
Yours truly dives deep into the rain forest, in Rio Claro natural reserve where he sleeps in an open cabin only protected by a mosquito net
Far off the beaten track, the Desierto Tatacoa is a unique ocher-colored small desert in the south Colombia
Are you lonely as a solo traveler? Do you even meet people during a pandemic? The answers, by the way, are no and yes :)
Bogota, the capital of Colombia, is a mixed bag. A date also gives insight into the tragic and difficult recent history of the country.
Yours truly gets caught up in a diplomatic battle between Colombia and Holland, bringing the travel plans in danger. Another U-turn?
Down at the beach in Ayampe, there is finally time to think about the big question : is it morally right to travel in the middle of a pandemic?
Guayaquil, the economic capital of Ecuador and an urban car crash of a city, divides opinions.
An otherworldly scenery unfolds at around 4'000 metres in the Cajas National Park near Cuenca in Ecuador.
Covid angst starts to wear down on me. Eating in a restaurant with maskless people starts to feel dangerous indeed, in colonial Cuenca city in the Ecuador highlands
The same story again and again : I am the lone guest in hostals and guesthouses that hardly see any tourists during the pandemic
Climbing the volcanic mountain near Quito, with the summit at around 4'700 metres, turns out to be quite a challenge for this fourty-something
The last week in Mexico is spent in Puebla and CDMX. Then it's off to Ecuador to get ready for some serious hiking
The Mayan ruins of Uxmal are a perfect first episode for the Unknown Pleasures chapters, where tourist highlights of the trip are described.
After the flights to Costa Rica disappear from the schedules, and the borders to Belize and Guatemala stay shut, a U-turn is urgently needed to save the trip.
The first bus rides of the trip in Mexico. Discipline with wearing facemasks is limited, and in Merida unexpected curfews and closed restaurants dampen the mood.
An unplanned hospital visit because of Montezuma's Revenge throws the travel plans in disarray in the second week already.
The long road to Medellin kicks off in Mexico City, an old friend of mine. The measures taken against Covid infections are much stricter here compared to Europe. This first week of travel is a blast, but problems start to appear on the horizon.
The plans for the trip to Latin America were made a year before. But then came the pandemic. Is it possible to travel during these ominous times?