THE WORLD`S BIGGEST REFUGEE CAMP 10500 KM / DAY 123 / JULY 17, 2011 - 02:46 / ALTOS DE FLORIDA, SOACHA, COLOMBIA

If there is one city in the world with a very high number of refugees, it is Bogota, the capital of Colombia. Nobody knows exactly how many, estimates are close to half a million. So for me, it seems the right place to work on a migration story. But it`s hard. Bogota is so big that in terms of time, getting from the north to the south of the city is like going from the north to the south of the entire country of the Netherlands.

I want to tell a story of a recently `displaced` community (officially, you are only called a `refugee` when you cross a country border). Sounds fairly straightforward given that the numbers are so high.... Well its not. I decide to work in Altos de Florida, an area officially outside of Bogota, a hill plastered with makeshift houses. Alex, the community leader of the area is my contact and my protection. As with many neighborhoods, armed gangs are often in control here. Just walking in on your own is not very wise. I ask Alex if he is able to bring me in touch with people who have recently fled to Bogota. `Sure no problem,` as he grabs the microphone in his house. It turns out to be a sound system - his voice echoes over the mountain, asking for displaced people to come to his house. After half an hour there are two people... When Alex sees my surprise he starts to explain, `Many people are scared to talk, many people are out ...`

I slowly start to understand the situation. Bogota is not the first stop after people flee. They first go to their provincial capital, maybe to family and maybe a long time after they come to Bogota. I am running out of time, so I decide to go next day to Neiva, a city six hours south of Bogota, which currently receives many refugees. Peace in this country is still far away...