Finally arrived in Cartagena Friday 5th Nov and bikes at the port. Hot and wet ! flooded streets and a bloke called Johnny who could get us anything we wanted.... we opted for a cheap beer which he sorted us out with and we called it quits at that!! Cartagena old city really nice architecture and plaza´s which means we cant afford it! nightlife very loud, struggling with veggie food but entertainment good, random bloke in wig and girls short top belly dancing ish! Hotel San Fellipe interesting, as we got out of the lift on our floor the first night the lovely bloke showing us to our room made a sudden movement and squashed a large cockroach. Fortunately they were to big to get under the door... moved to the hotel holiday on the media luna, biker friendly (parking in courtyard) in anticipation of getting bikes. i would call the media luna a´colourful street`(which means cheaper) but friendly people in hostal and couple of other bikers, swedish couple DJ ing around on KLRs and nice lad on KTM, started in Alaska. Big problems getting bikes, Luis & Sonia at Enlace caribe +57 (5) 660 8960 are fantastic! Need ORIGINAL bills of lading for Colombia, we were told by UK agent photo copies ok but this was the first time they shipped here. That sorted now container numbers on UK agent and shipping agent docs different! luis sorts it, 3 days of paperwork at customs and port. Next prob is getting them to let us open the crates in the warehouse and ride bikes out, all very official, then they wont give us our passports back, they want to forklift crates onto lorry and drop them off at an address, very complicated and expensive apparently. Eventually allowed to open crates and ride bikes out of port (after more paperwork and stopped by police just outside the gates) YIPPEE we re off, make it back to hostal in the most mad traffic (they drive like nutters in colombia, especially when used to rural lincolnshire) Decide to leave next day, wed 10th, i need some quiet and countryside, as local festival kicking off which sounds ok apart from the getting covered in sump oil and paint by random people that want money and them covering bikes, cars etc. countryside stunning, every time we stop a load of people gather to talk about the bikes and the UK, only see 250cc here, so we re bit of a novelty, Tim doing very well explaining it all in spanish..kind of. On main the main road through to get a few miles done, lots of people living in huts at side of road and loads of lorries going to Medellin, their driving is crazy but we re getting used to it. So far seen a mattress on a bike, a full length mirror and family of 4 on one bike. Doesnt seem to be any camping in Colombia so stay at hotel in Sincelejo, fairly cheap and secure parking for bikes. dont think people in the small towns and villages have a lot to do so seem to have loud parties and dancing in their homes and empty furniture into street! thursday 11th, early start, countryside fantastic, still lots of flooded areas. Stopped by police, check docs but really just want to chat, all ok if your friendly and chat to them. Stop for drink and get pounced on by a whole garage of around 10 mechanics, usual chat about bikes and UK. See a whole pig on the back of a bike and a pushbike on a bike! friday 12th, Head over mountains, countryside absolutly stunning, carn t describe it and really good hairpin twisty road, lorries still mad. Stopped by army, they had guns, but again friendly . Meet a bloke who knows a biker friendly hostal in Medellin so follow him there. finding colombia as expensive as UK for petrol, hostels and food not very cheap either so not stopping much, heading south.