Security is an item here. As we travel in this country we heard through an e-mail; from Holland that the airforce has bombed the Farc. We are not aware of anything. Most Colombians that we have a conversation with at a certain moment mention the topic of security. What we think about it? Of course, when we were preparing this journey, we got many warnings. And on the other hand we got enthousiastic stories on blogs from recent travellers in this country. There seem to be 2 approaches. Travellers feel rather relaxed about it, Colombians are more concerned. Of course they will have had there experiences, but if asked it appears that most things happened years ago. The situation has improved dramatically under the rule of president Urribe. The greatest threat for tourists seems to be ordinary theft (compare what some people say about Amsterdam). The national tourist organisation has a slogan: “The only danger is that you want to stay”.
Well, we are told not to be on the road in the dark, which we never did or will do. In Bogotà we were extra alert, as newcomers in the country, but gradually we have become really at ease. People are very, very friendly and they behave easily and make a fairly happy and easy-going impression. What we do notice is a great presence of the police and the military. Mostly young boys, drafted for the service it seems. In towns they seem to be on every corner, sometimes armed with a rubber club only, sometimes with rifles. They greet us friendly with a smiling “Buenos dias” and I once tried to swap my bike for his rifle with one of them, since he was very interested in the machine. He wouldn’t do it, thanking me kindly and with a laugh for the offer.
On the road we pass check points more often during the day. They are announced with the sign “Reten Militar” or “Ejercitio Policia”, there is a row of pilons in the middle of the road, a threshold-barrier made by on ald tractor tyre or something like that and 10 or 20 young uniformed armed boys wave hello to us. It’s all done in a relaxed or maybe bored way, obviously nothing exited has happened for them for a long time. So until now we have not had the feeling of being insecure and we don’t think that there is a big risk. But on the other hand we take people’s advice seriously and behave likewise.