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gorgeous . Deep green jungle forest gave way to coffee and cocoa plantations , hibiscus and exotic flowers spilled out of wild gardens surrounding small dwellings and a sour fermenting smell rose into our nostrils as we navigated between cocoa and coffee beans laid out on the few left-over stretches of asphalt to dry in the sun .
Once back on roads accessible by car , it wasn ’ t far to Moto Refugio Campo Bello in San Felipe ; a hotel and campground that welcomes travellers . We had expected to camp , but they insisted we should have a room for free for as long as we wanted to stay .
That evening , the owners took us out in their car for a tour around town , bought us baby blue candy floss from a street seller and played us their favourite Venezuelan soft rock band , singing along at full volume . For dinner they introduced us to cachapas , a sort of thick pancake filled with a thick slab of fresh cheese .
We had expected the wife to sit with her husband in the front of the car . But in line with local custom Aidan was to sit there and she hopped into the back with me ; the idea being that men talk about men ’ s stuff , and women about girly things . This etiquette became even clearer when I earned an odd look from a woman when her husband and I started talking motorcycles instead of me leaving Aidan to that conversation and joining the group of women . It ’ s not a spoken rule , more a way to behave so ingrained in people here , they do it automatically .
Over a dinner of pasta and homemade pesto to celebrate the owner ’ s Italian background , we finally found out why no one would explain the petrol crisis to us . Apart from it being bad manners to talk about negative things at a social gathering , people are scared to complain about government . If it reaches the wrong ears , the authorities will shut down their business and make their life difficult . So instead , people get on with it and make the best of an unpleasant situation .
The coastal resorts and the town of Chichiriviche are a sad sight . The jungle has begun to reclaim the crumbling , abandoned hotels and restaurants , and frogs croak in permanent puddles flooding the forlorn streets . The owners of Hokuturismo weren ’ t there , but we were still welcome to camp for free on their terrace and take a boat out to the islands where white beaches and turquoise are dreamily beautiful and even more tranquil for the lack of tourism .
The yellow sand dunes of Coro National Park half block the road onto the peninsula . Here the
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