I can´t believe we only have a week left of our trip and the beginning already seems like it was ages ago. So to fill you in from our crossing back into Colombia we headed to the town of Popayan which is a good example of a typical colonial style town. It has an old side and the newer modern part. We stayed in the Old side in a family run hostel which we had to ourselves. It was almost like being part of the family staying there.
We decided to do another volcano hike outside Popayan. It was an early start to get a bus leaving at4.45am. However it didn´t leave until 5.05am so could have stayed in the bed a bit longer. It was almost a 2hr trip to the turn off for Purace Volcano and by that time the sun was out and looking goood for our hike. We walked about 3km to the rangers hut where we woke him and he gave us some helpful directions and set us on the right way. This path was a good bit easier than our hike up Imbarra but weather was disimproving with the wind getting stronger and the cloud coming down. We made it to the summit in 2 and a half hours and height of 4,686mtrs so another record for me. We didn´t hang about as it was very cold and thankfully it got warmer as we descended. We got back to the road with a little shower of rain and thankfully there was a little cabin which had coffee for me. The daughter of the house served us while mother was doing the laundry. Her bigger brother came out on his bike and while we were waiting for the bus Paul shoed him a few bike tricks and I decided to give him my WAR bike shirt. 
He was chuffed with himself. Finally afte an hours wait a bus came to take us to San Juan which had thermal pools. Even though it was only 12kms down the road it was such a bad road that it took an hour to get there. 
The pools and rivers were beautiful colours and a bit smelly from the sulphur. We hiked back to the road and hoped to make it for the next bus but we missed it be 5 mins so it was a wait for the next one in fact it was almost 2hrs and in the end we were hitching anything that passed. This has to be one of the least travelled roads in Colombia. We eventually persuaded a truck driver to take us to the next village. I had to sit on Pauls knee and I think he lost the blood flow after the first 10mins of the 1 and a half hour trip. We eventually got back to Popayan at 7.00pm and it was straight to a resturant for grub. Needless to say we slept soundly that night.
The next day we headed to Salento which is highly reccommended and when we got there I can see why. It is a small town with all the house painted in bright colours and lots of cafe´s and art and trinket shops. My kind of place. We did another hike but more leisurly than our others to Cocora Valley. We thought we would see lots of coffee plantations as we were in an area called 
Zona Cafetere but not one in sight. It was a 12km hike to the valley and thenfollowed the river that took us into the cloud forrest. It was beautiful and very warm. We got back to Salento for the afternoon and time for me to browse the shops and indulge ingood coffee. Jesus Martin Cafe had been recommended to me and I saw why. He is a well awarded baristere and his coffee was sooooo good. It was a nice place to chill and write my diary. We also treated ourselves that night to good food. It seemed that the speciality of the place was trout so we shared a trout dish and a steak. It was all so good.
I was sorry to leave Salento but we had a date with another Irish runner who is running around the world.
Tony Mangan started his journey at the start of the Dublin Marathon 2010 and is on his second continent. To check out his trip and story so far The World Jog tells all. We met up with him in Supia and he had just done 44km that day and was a bit tired. We had a good chat over dinner and said that we would keep him company the next day. The plan was that I would take all the bags onwards to La Virginia and then I would meet Paul and Tony just over halfway and we would all run back to La Virginia. Paul ran the full 50km with Tony and did 20km. It was pretty hot and gave myself and Paul a small idea of what Tony does everyday. It´s an incredable undertaking but it´s Tony´s passion and life long dream to do this trip and you have to admire him for his dedication and a bit of madness. However we need people like this in the world as they make us understand that if you want to do something strongly enough and you have the will you will achieve these things. The next day I ran with Tony and Paul brought his things onwards. I did 13km with him and then it was time for us to leave Tony as we had a bus to get to Medellin later.
That almost brings me up to date. We caught an overnight bus to Cartegena from Medellin and that is where we are at present melting in the sun.
