The long road to Medellin
By 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.
The long road to MedellinApr 11, 2021
00:00
15:45
Epilogue: A music guide to the road to Medellin
All chapter titles refer to music songs. Here is the background on them.
May 09, 202112:06
Chapter 18: An end has a start
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
May 05, 202108:51
Unknown Pleasures E: Guayasamin and the Chapel of Man
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.
May 05, 202110:26
Chapter 17: Road to nowhere
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
Apr 28, 202112:58
Chapter 16: It's the end of the world as we know it
A stone's throw away from Panama, I make it to Capurgana, a village that can only be reached by speedboat or small plane
Apr 24, 202117:31
Chapter 15: Mothers of the disappeared
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.
Apr 21, 202109:52
Chapter 14: Tarantula
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
Apr 17, 202110:07
Unknown Pleasures F : Desierto Tatacoa
Far off the beaten track, the Desierto Tatacoa is a unique ocher-colored small desert in the south Colombia
Apr 14, 202111:29
Chapter 13: Meeting people is easy
Are you lonely as a solo traveler? Do you even meet people during a pandemic? The answers, by the way, are no and yes :)
Apr 11, 202115:45
Chapter 12: Living on the edge
Bogota, the capital of Colombia, is a mixed bag. A date also gives insight into the tragic and difficult recent history of the country.
Apr 11, 202108:28
Chapter 11: Destroyed by (hippie) powers
Yours truly gets caught up in a diplomatic battle between Colombia and Holland, bringing the travel plans in danger. Another U-turn?
Apr 01, 202112:37
Chapter 10: Time
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?
Mar 28, 202115:33
Chapter 9: Welcome to the jungle
Guayaquil, the economic capital of Ecuador and an urban car crash of a city, divides opinions.
Mar 24, 202107:36
Unknown Pleasures D: Cajas National Park
An otherworldly scenery unfolds at around 4'000 metres in the Cajas National Park near Cuenca in Ecuador.
Mar 20, 202111:43
Chapter 8: Spanish Sahara
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
Mar 17, 202106:28
Chapter 7: Like a virgin
Can you even date during a pandemic? As always, yours truly has all the answers
Mar 14, 202110:11
Unknown Pleasures C: The Quilotoa Looo
The three-day hike in Ecuador to the volcanic crater lake of Quilotoa at 3'900 metres
Mar 10, 202120:03
Chapter 6: Wake up!
The same story again and again : I am the lone guest in hostals and guesthouses that hardly see any tourists during the pandemic
Mar 06, 202110:49
Unknown Pleasures B: Rucu Pichincha
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
Mar 03, 202114:19
Chapter 5: Strange Times
The last week in Mexico is spent in Puebla and CDMX. Then it's off to Ecuador to get ready for some serious hiking
Feb 28, 202109:52
Unknown Pleasures A: Uxmal
The Mayan ruins of Uxmal are a perfect first episode for the Unknown Pleasures chapters, where tourist highlights of the trip are described.
Feb 26, 202110:34
Chapter 4: Lonesome street
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.
Feb 21, 202114:12
Chapter 3: The Perfect Drug
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.
Feb 17, 202117:14
Chapter 2: It's no good
An unplanned hospital visit because of Montezuma's Revenge throws the travel plans in disarray in the second week already.
Feb 14, 202111:42
Chapter 1: Baby I'm on fire
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.
Feb 10, 202116:52
Prologue : To go or not to go?
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?
Feb 06, 202114:41