Did I mention it's raining once again?
It is raining. At breakfast, everyone crowds under the big parasol or umbrella, competing for space. But since it's a warm rain, it doesn't bother anyone. Well, and then again a farewell, but this time without tears. I'll have another bus with a hopefully less feeble-minded driver at the wheel.
The criminal city quickly disappears behind us, the usual slightly wistful look back is not appropriate this time. Let's look ahead. For many kilometers, we race northward along dead-straight highways.
Hollywood sales talk on bus
But today entertainment is on the agenda, once again the spectacle already experienced several times, called sales meeting on the bus.
The image of a stranger standing at the front of a public bus in Switzerland and delivering a twenty-minute eulogy about the health benefits of a silver necklace endowed with special powers is pretty weird, but apparently commonplace here. The salesmen, mostly guys but occasionally young ladies, launch into it, rather loudly of course, talking nineteen to the dozen and without taking a single breath.
They are born eloquent speakers, capable of making it far in politics, actors who might find a role in any Hollywood movie. In any case, they captivate the audience in no time (except, of course, the only extranjero on the bus, who once again does not believe anything and is met with either grim looks or complete contempt).
Today, their speeches, delivered with much enthusiasm, are given by a team of two taking turns and apparently having practiced a kind of work-sharing. While the one speaks, the other raises the corresponding objects in the air, walking slowly to the back of the bus. Today they sell cell phones, chargers for cell phones, selfie sticks, indefinable other electronic devices, but eventually also chewing gum and other sweets.
And the guys are successful. Each person - except me! - is handed an article for closer inspection. Later, the other guy shows up and either collects the money or takes the item back. Conservatively estimated, half of the passengers buy at least one item (I thought for a moment to warn the elderly lady sitting next to me not to buy the health necklaces, but I let it go; there was a guy who even bought three of these stupid worthless necklaces). But at the end of the day, everyone is the architect of his own fortune.
At the next stop, the salespeople get out, looking very happy, it seems to me. No wonder. But I have to admit, they earned their reward. You really have to be able to do that kind of thing...
Rain and fog - our permanent companions
After nearly three hours, we have made half of the 400 kilometers.
Wow! If this keeps up, we'll be in Medellín by three in the afternoon. But of course the cheering was too soon, because now we're heading back towards the mountains. The further we gain altitude, the more the sky darkens, pale fingers of fog approach from all directions, twitching across the ground, brushing cold and damp over the windows.
What about vacations in the southern summer?
The bus is now rapidly losing speed, creeping up the hill, turn after turn, and is repeatedly forced to overtake long convoys of those monstrous 60-ton trucks. Passing them, the convoy seems to be endless.
Eventually we arrive at an accident scene, who's surprised considering all those maneuvers.
We have to wait for a long time, no one knows what's going on, until our bus driver looses his nerves and hits the throttle, overtakes the convoy and indeed manages to get past a completely crumpled remnant of a truck.
How can you respond to that? On the one hand we are happy to get on, on the other hand we are aware of the risks our beloved driver has taken.
There is little to be seen that has not already passed the bus window a thousand times. Occasionally a village or a small town, a few houses, colorful tuk-tuks, buses crammed with a thousand people, then again nothing for a long time, except trees and bushes and green meadows and pastures and slopes and hills and mountains. And sometimes a river, carrying yellow fast water, then again nothing again for a long time.
That's how the day goes by.
The only distraction - a stop in the middle of nowhere.
It takes ten hours, as announced, and once again it is pitch dark when we arrive in Medellín. For once, the cab driver knows the address of the Hostal Rich, which hopefully lives up to its name in terms of furnishings. Silvia, the hotel manager, owner and maid of honor is already awaiting me and welcomes me. Lovely ...
Mileage: 8331
Matching Song: Bruce Ruffin - Rain
And here the journey continues ... in Medellin
