So I think I now have a good idea as to why Gringos, Europeans, and anyone that doesn't speak to great of Spanish might be scared to cross over into this country. I'll get to that's little but later...

So I woke up today around 6:30am which is early for me especially since I'm used to going to sleep around 3am and waking up around 10-11am. I thought I would get an early start toward the border not knowing how long it will take to exactly get to Merida. Again I didn't want to risk getting in or traveling at night especially here. I grabbed my things and headed toward the terminal to catch a bus to the border pueblo of San Antonio. As I started the trip i didn't have the anxiety or nerves of the day before. I was calm, maybe because I was still half asleep. I could have taken a cab that's a 15 minute ride but I opted to take the bus because it was cheaper. 15 minute ride turned into 2 hours. As usual when I hope on buses your always wondering when your stop is coming up hoping not to pass it. I knew that I had to get off before everyone else because I had to get my Colombia exit stamp. Once we got to what looked liked the border I asked a lady with bright red lipstick on her lips and all over her teeth where immigration was. When she told me I cringed at her smile because it was pretty damn gross. As we kept driving, we drive by a building that looked like the Colombian immigration office. I asked if that was it and they said yes. I thought to myself wtf skank you told me it was another few minutes ahead. I jumped up told the bus driver to stop, he didn't, he slowed down and I jumped off the bus onto the bridge that connects the border at a full sprint because he only barely soled down. When's feet hit the ground I was in the road and had to do a gnarly football soon move to avoid getting hit. I walked over to the immigration place got my stamp and walked the bridge to the Venezuelan side. Easy peasy right? No.

People had told me many many times the most dangerous part was crossing the border and next thing I knew I was in Venezuela. That wasn't hard. Little did I know the Venezuelan immigration station wasn't at the border. It was about 10 blocks into the city. As cheap as I am I trucked it. It felt like it got 10 degrees hotter crossing the border as I began to literally drop sweat. I got directions from people on the way but to be sure I was heading in the right direction I asked someone every block. Soon enough I found it. On an empty road in the city, it was a spot that would have got any gringo nervous but again for some reason I felt comfortable. Walked in, got the stamp, now thought it's time to party.

I crossed the border with 37mil = $16.50 and $382 America dollars. $200 hidden in my bible, $100 in my sock, $82 in my wallet. After I got my stamp across the street I changed my pesos to bolivars because I knew I needed bolivars to get around now. I have them the 37 mil and got back 1,200 bolivars. 1,200 bolivars equal $190. BUT I have them 37mil which again equals $16.50, I was confused but f***ing pumped and excited. I still felt like I needed to change at least my $82 but didn't want to do it through a money exchange place because $1 equals only 6.3 bolivars. f***ing rip. So I sneered to find someone that would be down to buy my dollars off me and had a hook up in the black market. But who the f*** do I ask without getting caught or it being an under cover cop. I trucked on and asked people where the bus station was. I was heading in the direction of it when I saw a younger dude and asked him where the bus station was. I have a pretty good instinct on who I can trust or what kid of person someone from here opening words. This guys seemed like he would know. So I threw in the remark in Spanish in a quiet voice, mind you in Spanish but I can't spell in Spanish for s***. I asked," do you know where I can change my dollars around here?" He quickly have a look around and I began talking to him for a bit. He initially didn't tell he right away I think he was feelin me out. After a few seconds he said ,"you know what I'll by them off you". I thought to myself now we are in business. At first he said $1 for 55. I knew I can get more and I told him I knew I can get more but I wanted to get the first transaction over with. He said he had to go exchange his pesos for bolivars to make the switch. Before he went to go do that he wanted to make sure the bill were legit. Once he knew they were it was a red team go. I waited for him by his taxi and he came back. It was like a f***ing drug deal was going down. He jumped in the back seat and so did I. I closed the door behind me and he started counting a s*** load of money.

Ok so this is the part where I picture everyone at home that if I told them this they would be like oh my gosh no don't do that, that dangerous, they can rob/ kill/ kidnap you. Blah blah blah. Have I thought about that? Yup. Does it scare me? Not really. Like I said I have a good sense or situations and the first sight of a sketchy situation I'm out. I ran every possible situation through my head and had my eye on him just incase. It probably helped that when I was younger I didn't hang out with the best people I'm the world, all the way from people that sold drugs to gangsters, to just ghetto f***s. So not like this situation wasn't new to me and it wasn't my first rodeo, I knew what to look out for. I guess thank you people that taught me his kind of stuff back in the day? Hahah I'm not your average orang county gringo. Anyways....

For $82 I got around $4,500 bolivars about 5x the value it's supposed to be. He counted it, I counted it, transaction was done. After I had a 2 inch stack of money that was worth around $600 I paid $82. My math and numbers aren't perfect and could be a bit off but you get the idea. After we jumped out of the car as we started talking for a bit. He told me to hide the money in my bag and different parts because there are a lot of check points that they will search my bag, pull everything out and question me for everything. I stashed all of it spread out through out my bag and kept my other $300 where it had originally been. He began to tell me I need to be careful with people around here because they are scandalous and there are a lot of bad people. After a few minutes of talking and realized he was cool and just legitimately took the business opportunity because he can probably sell the money for more than he did to me. He told me that if he gets caught with American money, because of the US Venezuelan relationship he will go to jail. I asked what if I get caught? He then said you American, you have en excuse to have it, I don't. He also said if I get caught with more than 10,000 they can give me a hard time. That point I decided not to exchange more than $100 at a time. After all that I felt like a f***ing bad ass. The transaction went down smoothly, I got my paper and was ready to hit the road toward San Cristobal. He said he would drop me off at the bus station and explained it would be better to go in a little collective car because it's faster and he will get me a cheap price. He have me his phone number and said if I cross this way and need to head back to Cucuta to call him and he'll take me, I think it was more for just incase I have more money I want to sell. The car ride ended up being almost the same amount as the bus but I went in a car with an older man driving, older lady in front, a young lady in the back with me. As I got in the car he knew how much money I had on me and said to be careful and keep my bag with me at all times. I jumped in the back of the white nova that kind of reminded me of the car my mom had when we were little and we drive off.

After about 20 minutes of being on the road we passed the first check point. These are the places the guy warmed me about that can give me a hard time and make me empty out my s***. The Venezuela opened my door and asked for my papers, I handed him my passport he took a look closed the door and we went on. Once we drove offi couldn't help but have a huge smile on my face. No hustle and bustle, cruised off knowing I just did something illegal, not that they knew that, and didn't get hustles or my bags checked. It would have been awkward if they pulled out my stuff and found a s*** load of money stashed in different places. Even if they did I would have easily said I do that because I don't want to et robbed so I keep things separated. But again as we drove off I felt like a millions bucks, felt lie f***ing Pablo Escobar for some reason and could hear the background music into head playing Hustlin by Rick Ross, everyday I'm Hustlin everyday I'm Hustlin! I noticed we passed a few more check points and they just waves us through. They stopped most cars and all buses but kept waving us through. I started laughing because we probably looked like a Venezuelan family just making out way to town. Parents in front older kids in the back. Reminded me of that movie with Jennifer Anniston where she's a stripper and has a fake family.

The two hour trip I talked to the young lady that was sitting next to me, her name was Alejandra. I was reading my lonely planet and the first thing she says to me is that's bad for your eyes. I glanced over at her and thought, and who the f*** are you? And thanks mom. I continues to read and the second remark she makes is it can damaged your retina. I laughed kind of annoyed and put my book away. I think she just wanted to talk but didn't know how to be a polar bear and break the ice. I chatted it up with her and she was currently in university on her way to school. She told me she takes the bus 7 hours to school and back to only study 2 hours. She has been doing that for a year and has one more year to go. My mind was f***ing blown. I botches and complained about when I was in school having to drive 20 mins. To my amazement she had such a positive attitude and was happy to do it as long as she went to school. I admire shot like that. Really makes me open my eyes and realize how good I have it, not only me but other people around the world but still manage to b**** and complain and not appreciate thing. Once we arrived San Cristobal I paid for her can ride because I was so amazed at what she does the whole week I wanted to do something to help even if it was pay for her cab. She accepted and got out with a smile and ran off to her school. This can ride would have cost $15 but with my new stack of money paid like $2 for a 2 hour ride. I arrived in the terminal in San Cristobal grabbed another fried snack and got inline for the bus to Merida.

Once in line I realized it was 98% loud obnoxious Venezuelan women I was going to get on the bus with. The bus arrives and they all scattered screaming and yelling to each other to get on the bus a save seats for one another. f***ing mad house! At first it was funny but then it got ridiculous and started to annoy the s*** out of me. Once on the bus they held the bus up 30 minutes because we had to wait for one stupid lady. Skanks. Not only that a particular groups decided to sit all the way in the front and another half of them all the way in the back and scream to each other having a full on conversation. This really chapped my ass and wanted to tell them to stfu. Even with head phones I just heard yelling. Luckily I fell asleep quick.

I was suddenly woken up by the bus coming to a quick stop. And a man from the military jumped on the bus and ordered everyone to get off. I was still half asleep and thought it was just a rest stop. I took my time me and a few ladies where the last ones off the bus. The military person walked up to me and asked why I took so long to get off the bus in a loud angry voice. His eyes just gazed at me waiting for me to answer. I looked at him and told him I was sitting in the back that's why. I not rid I was the only foreigner on the bus and once he saw a US passport bells went off in his head and I knew it. Because of this I knew he automatically saw me as a criminal or thought I was up to something. Stupid gringo right? This was the situation the man the sold me the money warned me about. And he we go. He asked where was my bag and I told him on the bus. He ran on the bus. He took a while and I was think oh f***ing great he's jacking my money in my bag or something. After a minute he came back to me and ordered/ barked at me to get on the bus and show him my bag. I was the only one that was told to do this. I pulled out my bag and I was thinking of f***ing great here goes. I knew where all the money was in my bag so I pulled things out slowly. He checked my passport and began to shout at me what am I doing in Venezuela and why didn't I get a stamp in my passport. I told him I don't know what he's talking about because I did. I showed him and I think he got more mad at me because he didn't see it the first time? So he barked at me again so what am I doing how many dollars do I have and I selling them!? I told him no I am not. He asked how much I have the whole time staring me in the eyes trying to either scare me or intimidate me, but I calmly said $200 (lie! I had $200in my bible so I said that just incase he found it, still had $100 in my sock). I continued to pull the top stuff out ready to explain why I have so much and all over the place in my bag but I think he grew impatient and said if it's all your personal stuff its fine put it away. I think he was frustrated with me not because he didn't find anything but because he probably does scared the typical gringo or American. For some reason I wasn't scared because I covered all my basis and was prepared for any questions they might ask me. I have had cops trying to intimidate me back at home when I was younger so maybe I was used to this? Haha a little different since I was in a different country and they could arrest me for anything but I strangely was super calm. I don't think I'm hard core or a bad ass and will not say I wasn't scared but for some reason I wasn't worried. Anyways as he was walking off the bus to harass me on more time he came walking back toward me and ordered me to show him my California ID. Da faq? Ok as if maybe I was Lying. I showed it to him and he ordered me off the bus. Once I got off a lady asked what happened and if try were letting me pass. I told her yeah he just wanted to check my bag.

It was a super intense situation, harder to write about how it really was but after I thought if this is how it's going to be, the military is going to harass me a lot but I now know I can deal with it, it'll just get annoying. But that's what I have to deal with when I visit a country in a s*** storm no tourist want to visit. Back on the bus everyone went and we hit the road again.

The rest of my day was pretty straight forward. Got dropped of in Merida and took a taxi to what I though was the hostel Posada Allemania in the lonely planet book. I guess there's two? Had to waste money to drop me off at the right one. I got here and set out to find someplace to eat. I walked up a completely empty street with no one insight and graffiti everywhere. Ok now I got nervous, I seen this in a movie before and it didn't turn out good.i finally found the town plaza after a few blocks and there was people around, I saw a family with their kid and a few teenagers that didn't look like trouble. Either way it was so empty. So desolate. It didn't feel right. Maybe because I'm used to cities and backpackers everywhere. I grabbed a quick but to eat and came back to my hostel thinking is this what it's going to be like? I guess we will see in the morning. Welcome to Venezuela Eric....