Caribbean; last days Colombia

Dag 78: 19 dec, Cartagena (again)

Let's change some things around this time. I'll start of in English, let's see how that works out. So, the title says last few days. Yes! In three days we go with a sailing boat to Panama via the San Blas Islands. Ab-so-lute paradise if I may believe the pictures and stories. Gert is flying over from Amsterdam to come along with me on this very LIT trip. (Lit is my new favorite word thanks to some Americans I've met in Cali). Anyways, Gertie is on his way and I will pick him up from the airport in a few hours. We are going to enjoy Cartagena for some days and then of to a new country, new continent, new adventure! But, before I get all emotional about leaving my lovely Colombia after some weeks, let me catch up with you about the recent events since the last update. I knew I wanted to write more, but you know, writing on an smartphone is just not so inviting and i have an aversion against the hostal computers, pc's to specify this, so yeah. Now, Gertie is bringing my macbook from home for me so this is going to be the changing point!

Alright so I left of in Cali. Man, I love Cali. There was not so much touristic activity over there, at least not really to spent 2 weeks there like I did. However, I just fell in love with the city, the vibe, the hostel, salsa. Met some great people there. I definitely want to come back, but only when I can speak Spanish on an acceptable level. I learned that this can add more and the best value to your experience. I realized it is a must, at least for me now. You can manage without the language, however you are missing out on inside info, new local friends and, very important, when something important happens you will not have the ability to explain your situation. The first stop where I have a chance to stay for at least three weeks, I will settle down and study my ass of! 

I left Cali with one last Ayahuasca experience. I am so glad I decided to do a second one, because this time was totally different. I can still not really describe it. Let's just keep it at an amazing experience :)! After this ceremony i took a bus of a full day up to the north. Well this would have been okay if we did not get stuck in traffic for 6 hours just an hour away from my destination. After a total of 30!!! hours in this bus i arrived at El Viajero (my lovely hostel chain from Cali) pretty late. Later I discovered that a flight wasn't that expensive as I thought and i saved maybe up to 20 euros. Oh well, this also was an experience haha.

In the hostel in Cartagena I met Tom again, a French guy who was really interested in my ayahuasca adventures. Tom was traveling with Olivier, his friend from France, and the three of us hang out that day. Cartagena was covered in rain that day, the whole hostal and streets were floating so during the day there was not so much to do. That night we went out, a very fun night which ended in a dip in the Caribbean sea. Finally my first caribbean sea!! Tom went home the day after and Olivier and I went to Santa Marta. I was suppose to meet Marius in Cartagena as well, our friend from the first day of traveling in La Paz and then again in Cuzco! Unfortunately we couldnt get in contact but I would meet him later on. In the hostel in santa marta, Olivier and I made plans for Tayrona Park. We met two fun Australian girls Jacky and Laura and there friend Brad, and a German couple Nick and Isy would join us as well in there own tent. Tayrona was stunning, just beautiful. The vibe was good, no wifi, palmtrees beaches and sea, "life"! We stayed 2 nights and after that Olivier and I went back with a boat. Tayrona was great, but really expensive and lots lots and lots of mosquitos. A night back in Santa Marta, the drop bear hostel, where again lots of fun people stayed. I went off to Minca for a night to visit Marius. Finally reunited, so nice. Minca was beautiful, in the mountains great view and at night beautiful star watching, in which i am now a pro btw ;)! We had the most delicious and healthy organic food there and the best chocolate cake from a coffee/choco farm. We hiked a lot, first in the morning to see sunrise, in which we failed terribly. We took the complete wrong direction, what an anti climax, haha oh well it was again, an experience (at 5 in the morning damnit). I had booked Olivier and me in for El Rio hostel in Buritaca, close to Palomino, which apparently has a crazy fissa every Saturday. Marius and I decided to go a day earlier, so Marius could check if there is still some availability. I met the Australian girls again there and Max, a fellow Dutchy from Cali. So, the next day was tubing. We had a massive group and the guides brought coolboxes with beer. Such a good vibe was going on, I felt very good. Marius and I brought a bottle of rum and cola for the ride, delish. Last but not least, I brought my GoPro, with the new selvie stick! There was no strep applied to this stick, but I always put it in my bikini top. This way I it will stay put and I have my hands free. Nevertheless, you have to take the thing out every now and then to make some nice pics and videos. This one moment i had it laying on my lap, whilst doing a million other things as always, i kind of forgot about the damn thing and it slipped through my legs. Oops.. screaming with panic: "HOLD ON!! GoPro in the water, I repeat, GoPro in the water!!" So yeah, it was quite deep there at this point and I thought yes that thing is long gone. Until, there was this one guy that dove straight into the water and came up with the stick and camera! Everybody at that moment cheered haha, it was amazing! So so lucky. That night was the party and it was great. Some techno, good techno, nice for a change when all you here is reggaeton and salsa all day. El Rio hostel is started up by these 2 British guys who are still in there twenties. The hostel just celebrated there one year anniversary and it is almost every weekend booked out, pretty impressive if you ask me. Anyways, the party was nice. All the people there were just super nice, vibe was good. There was a group of Dutchies as well, again one who I already met in Cali, and some girls that I met in Santa Marta. One is joining exactly the same boat as Gert-Wim and I do this Friday sailing to Panama! Made me even more excited, it is going to be awesome. The party in El Rio ended quite abruptly, out of the blue, which was pretty unfortunate, but still fun. Next day, hangover, I went to Palomino with Olivier and some people for a relaxed day. I thought I had some more time but Gertie arrived earlier so it was my last night there before going back to Cartagena. Olivier and I went to the beach to have some last moments. Was fun to travel together for the last week! 

The next day was full of traveling with the bus. I had to stop again at El Rio and walk all the way over there to get my e-reader. Yes i forgot it, but luckily it was still there! Then i also forgot my towel in Palomino, but after already forgetting two towels in Cali, i did not really care about that anymore. Next to the road I waited for the next bus, until all of a sudden a car stopped. This local man offered to bring me to Santa Marta. Alright, why not! I was already a bit confident about my Spanish that I would do it. This free ride saved me 3 euros, wow so much, and an hour, since cars drive here insanely and significantly faster than busses. He dropped me at the busses to Cartagena, perfect. I accepted that would only have my bag of granola as food for this whole day so there I went. 

Now, I am chilling in a very very comfi hostel here, called El Arsenal boutique hostel. Nice beds, clean bathrooms, pool and breakfast included. What else you need?! I will pick up Gertie from the airport in two hours and then we are off to some ultimate chill times. Tomorrow, Wednesday, is apparently a party night, and there are some nice islands and playas around here to discover. Love it!

Aright, still need to work on my English writing here and there I see, but working on it! I'll upload some photos in an album with the same title soon, when the wifi is better. In addition, you can see a all the places I have visited on a map on this page, which could be fun to see :)! 

Ciao ciao