20 June. HaPpY 15th BIRTHDAY CHARLEY!

Our little girl is growing up.  What a privilege it’s been to see her growth and development this past year.  So much change, she’s beautiful, growing into the person she’s always been. Discovering her talents and passions through writing.  Not that I could get her to post a travel blog.  Will see if I can coax a blog post from her.  On those long driving days she spends hours writing stories I think should someday be published.  

Even though she went sand skiing for her ‘birthday’ present, we wanted to celebrate her day with a little something special.

So how do you celebrate turning 15 on an overland adventure in South America?

You jump off a mountain of course!

What better way to celebrate than to take a Parapgliding flight over the jungle and coffee farms in Colombia. Not wanting her to have all the fun, Jaxon and I joined her. After signing rights away and paying an affordable price before our thorough safety briefing we were ready. Our gear checked then double checked, and a few final instructions, Charley, Jaxon and I were clipped to our pilots.

There wasn’t much time to think. A few quick steps… then a run… and suddenly the ground disappeared beneath our feet.

FOR THE NEXT 25 MINUTES WE FLEW

Flying, floating, falling and raising. Our pilots expertly rode the thermals, circling effortlessly along the mountainside as invisible columns of warm air carried us higher. Below the lush green jungle rolled into endless coffee plantations, dotted with tiny fincas connected by winding mountain roads.

It is difficult to describe, so calm, smooth and surreal. There is no roaring engine, no vibration and almost no feeling of speed. Instead, you’re simply… floating. Suspended beneath a colourful wing, gliding silently through the sky with nothing between you and the landscape except fresh mountain air. Every turn felt effortless, and as we climbed on the thermals the views stretched for miles in every direction.

I caught sight of Charley soaring nearby. Even from a distance I could tell she was loving every second. Looking across again I spotted Jaxon’s wing carving smooth circles against the mountainside.

All too quickly our pilots lined up the landing, descending into a farmer’s field where we touched down so gently in the thick grass that it barely felt like we’d landed at all.

One look at Charley’s face said everything. Mission accomplished. Jaxon’s grin just as wide.

It was a birthday celebration none of us will ever forget.

MIRADOR CAMP

That afternoon we drove up to the mirador overlooking the colourful town of Jericó. As the sun dropped lower, the town lights slowly began to sparkle below us.

As sunset approached we were standing outside chatting when we heard the rapid clatter of horseshoes on the cobblestones.

Three riders came trotting into the mirador and straight towards us. Curious about the unusual truck parked on the hill, they came over to say hello. Before long we were talking like old friends. Each asking questions and laughing despite our limited Spanish. They were just as fascinated by our journey as we were by their lives in these mountains.

Before riding away they invited us to visit the farm tomorrow. One of the greatest lessons we’ve learnt travelling is to say yes to invitations like these!

JERICÓ

While I cooked dinner, Jaxon finished icing Charley’s birthday cake—rich, moist, double chocolate cake covered in icing and complete with candles. He’d baked the whole thing himself, his birthday gift to Charley. It was delicious.

The mirador turned out to be a popular spot for locals. The only level place to park also happened to be the local gathering point, and throughout the evening a steady stream of cars and motorbikes arrived. Fortunately, around 10 p.m. as we were climbing into bed the skies opened. Heavy rain sent everyone scrambling for cover, leaving us with the entire viewpoint to ourselves and a wonderfully peaceful night’s sleep.

The following day we followed our new friends directions. Carefully navigating Bruce down tight, winding rural country roads to their family farm.

LOCAL HOSPITALITY

After their father’s passing, the beautiful property cover ing 10 acres had been shared between five siblings. Once a thriving coffee and banana plantation, it remains a place where family, tradition and community are woven into everyday life.

We were welcomed onto the farm and spent the afternoon riding horses, which was a very different experience as they had been trained in that traditional prancing form of high, quick stepping. Charley had the most luck, Jaxon’s horse just wanted to do his own thing and ignored all commands.

Lunch was delicious home made tomato and seafood soup with salad and freshly bread and great conversation. They spoke very little English which forced us to do our best with Spanish.

With the afternoon slipping away, we asked if they would mind if we spent the night. Before we knew it, one night turned into 3 and we’d spent 4 days enjoying this gorgeous part of the country.

FARM LIFE

BIRDWATCHING

One morning we were invited up to one of the family homes on the farm, for a little birdwatching. Jericó is renowned among birders, with more than 550 bird species recorded in the surrounding forests. That’s remarkable, even in Colombia—the bird capital of the world—with over 2,000 recorded species. Our reward was spotting this beautiful Emerald Toucanet, the dazzling Multicoloured Tanager, woodpeckers, a pretty and common Motmot and many more.

KILLING TIME

—tried our hand at a little target shooting, picked fruit, explored the land and wandered the colourful streets of Jericó.

We had nowhere we urgently needed to be. With time before shipping the truck to Mexico, we were able to simply slow down and enjoy the experience.

Sometimes the highlights of travel aren’t the famous attractions or spectacular scenery.

Sometimes they’re the unexpected invitations.

A chance meeting.

A homemade birthday cake.

The kindness of complete strangers.