[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-eyGuXjl5OLs/UharHgk24yI/AAAAAAAAWXA/CaOGgWszWN0/s144-c-o/P8210065.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage15VenezuelaBoarderColombiaToCaracas#5915103306089685794″ caption=”I got a *PINK* Coast Guard Maracaibo hat presented! Many thanks!” type=”image” alt=”P8210065.JPG” ]

A successful but stressful day with a lot of chores

Pos: here
Loc: Balneario Lago Mar
Acc: 5-Star Hotel Venetur Lago Mar

I slept well with a clean skin in air conditioned room. On the second last night in my tent I stupidly had a bunch of tiny ants inside, as I forgot to stuff the small zipper connection hole on the bottom with some paper as I usually do. They surely were biting all over, those bitches! The last night there must have been some survivors  despite squeezing my tent into the bag, and it was not better. I am hoping these bites will heal the next days in an air conditioned room. As usual in the tropics, keeping a healthy skin is so very important and may determine my frequency and lengh of stays in civilization. My hands also were swollen a lot on the paddle into the lake, as it was almost sweet water eventually, which soaks the hands way more than salty water. My back was amazingly aching today, am I getting too old for this stuff? :-)) I just have to get back in shape and my weight down very soon, on the next three months break I need to keep more an eye on what I am eating…

[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-qjE3jfUnVHw/UharOV66toI/AAAAAAAAWXI/GyTEa2xXS60/s144-c-o/P8210066.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage15VenezuelaBoarderColombiaToCaracas#5915103423488505474″ caption=”The immigration officers in the harbor of Maracaibo present me a Venezuelan flag” type=”image” alt=”P8210066.JPG” ]

The first chore of the day was visiting the coast guard to prepare my entry into Venezuela by sea and to get the stamp. I already got the necessary visa in Germany. The coast guard guys did their best to see how they can help me, but they were judging another escort on the water besides in this inhabited bay will for safety reasons not be necessary. They don’t expect more pirates along the coast, only on the far eastern end close to Trinidad a bunch of drug smugglers are speeding along in their boats who shouldn’t bother me. I will more have to watch where I will be camping, many places will be remote and safe, only around the big cities I will have to watch, and got a list of coast guard stations where I may be able to stay. Additionally, a network of paddler’s friends and family will help me to get a shower and an air conditioned room every now and then. Thanks to all! All coats guard men around were happy about a picture and a signed card, it feels good to be treated as a VIP sea woman! The immigration officers were also “honoured” to work for me, and eventually at 1 pm all formalities were set and I could shuffle off with my stamp. José Gabriel was all the time with me translating and connecting. Without his help it would have been all way more complicated, if not impossible, I assume. Thanks!

[pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-7zVADiH-10Q/Uhare7Zf2LI/AAAAAAAAWXU/gS4aLQ6VJPE/s144-c-o/P8210067.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage15VenezuelaBoarderColombiaToCaracas#5915103708426786994″ caption=”A truck driver’s deserved shady rest in a hammock under his low-loader trailer for the containers” type=”image” alt=”P8210067.JPG” ]

He invited me for lunch in a fancy Italian restaurant, and the afternoon was mostly spent in search for my necessary gas cans. The whole day driving around I got a nice sightseeing impression of the city. What caught my eye most were those many huge over sized large North American cars, most of them in a state no other country would let the drive on the roads any more, simply held merely together only by the last rusty spots. In Germany even the breakers yards wouldn’t have any use for them, but here they still drive…among many modern big cars. Fuel is traditionally extremely cheap here, and auto gas is even free! Amazing, but calls also smugglers to Colombia to action. The second remarkable thing was the driving style especially on the cross roads. Traffic lights are barely existing, and simply the strongest, quickest first comer has the right of way. If you’d wait until the cross road is free or the other ones stop, you’d wait for ever. It seems to work, but more than once I got a tiny bit scared. Thank goodness my kayak doesn’t need to ride on a roof in this traffic!

[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YDSxChbrWrA/UhasAX7omwI/AAAAAAAAWYA/dyxWdLMJzj0/s144-c-o/IMAG0104.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage15VenezuelaBoarderColombiaToCaracas#5915104283021843202″ caption=”This is only one typical example of the many North American rusty street cruisers populating the streets of Maracaibo. Some of them serve as ‘busses’ – really!” type=”image” alt=”IMAG0104.jpg” ]

[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-FDyoyktlmMA/UhasEA6_wUI/AAAAAAAAWYI/eImva8MK9iE/s144-c-o/IMAG0105.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage15VenezuelaBoarderColombiaToCaracas#5915104345564627266″ caption=”No, this car is not dumped on a scrapyard, it is regularly used and parked in front of a supermarket!” type=”image” alt=”IMAG0105.jpg” ]

[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-H34kqzN2cvI/UhasHdAuv1I/AAAAAAAAWYY/BGLsEV46vyA/s144-c-o/IMAG0108.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage15VenezuelaBoarderColombiaToCaracas#5915104404644478802″ caption=”Or how do you like this one?” type=”image” alt=”IMAG0108.jpg” ]

José Gabriel has also organized a free stay in the 5-stars Venetur Hotel Lago Mar, operated by the socialist government. A representative lady of the minister of tourism and the hotel managers greeted me as a guest of honor, and for the next nights I have fancy accommodation for myself. Thanks very much!

[pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-J69KH5xG8vw/UharcewhWqI/AAAAAAAAWXY/C4y5gW5nUHg/s144-c-o/P8210070.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection2Stage15VenezuelaBoarderColombiaToCaracas#5915103666378988194″ caption=”The representative of the state tourism office Maria Cecilia Castellano, and the hotel manager of the Venetur Hotel del Lago in front of a colorful indigenous handcrafted carpet” type=”image” alt=”P8210070.JPG” ]

José Gabriel also organized a free sim card from a friend for my mobile phone. He was all day actively driving around with me, smiling, talking hundreds of times in his mobile phone while driving through the crazy traffic. Thanks, Gabriel!

But still there is a bunch of chores left for the next day…