Lainie & Miro in the beautiful Cocora Valley at Salento
Saturday morning, we left our cozy Salento hostel to catch an open-top World-War II era jeep to the Valle de Cocora. From the town center we found a driver who was waiting to fill his vehicle with six willing passengers before he drove the ancient jeep to the valley. Our cost? 3000 COP a person (aprox. $1.50) to take us the short 20 minute jaunt into in the valley.
Before we left Tralala, I had asked Hemmo how long the hike would take. He told me we could hike the entire loop in about 5 hours. Sounded good to me, but I withheld this is a little piece of information from Miro until we got onto the trail.
Salento is the nearest town to Valle de Corcora , where the majority of tourists stay. Most of the tourists we encountered planned to- or already had hiked the famous valley. But that early Saturday morning, we seemed to be the only tourists setting out on the trail.
Miro and I set out on our hike. Scores of wax palms dominated the landscape scenery – huge palm trees that grow mainly in this area and which tower over the coffee bushes. We had been told how beautiful the valley was, but nothing compared to actually seeing them for ourselves.
We had rented a pair of rubber boots from the hostel, in preparation for the muddy trails, but we had no idea what actually was in store for us. As we got started, we decided to film little clips talking you along with us for our journey, instead of writing out a detail by detial description like we did with the hike we did through the Los Navados.
Below, you will find 16 little clips, taken every half hour or so as we progressed through the hike. We wanted you to feel like you came along with us and invite you to a wonderful time with us.
Video #1
Video #2
Video #3 (Sorry Cows)
Video #4 Smoosh, Mud
Video #5
Video #6
Video #7
Video #8
Video #9
Video #10
Video #11
Video #12
Video #13
Video #14
Video #15
Video #16
(On a side note, we’d love to have all of these clips edited into one video journey, but don’t have the skills that takes right now. If you would like to offer to do this for us, we’d be forever grateful. Send us a note here. ) If you’d like to see the still images from this adventure, please see our flickr gallery here.
Lainie Liberti is a recovering branding expert, who’s career once focused on creating campaigns for green – eco business, non-profits and conscious business. Dazzling clients with her high-energy designs for over 18 years, Lainie lent her artistic talents to businesses that matter. But that was then.
In 2008, after the economy took a turn, Lainie decided to be the change (instead of a victim) and began the process of “lifestyle redesign,” a joint decision between both her and her 11-year-old son, Miro. They sold or gave away all of of their possessions in 2009 and began a life of travel, service, and exploration. Lainie and her son Miro began their open-ended adventure backpacking through Central and South America. They are slow traveling around the globe allowing inspiration to be their compass. The pair is most interested in exploring different cultures, contributing by serving, and connecting with humanity as ‘global citizens.’
Today Lainie considers herself a digital nomad who is living a location independent life. She and her son write and podcast their experiences from the road at Raising Miro on the Road of Life.
