This afternoon I leave Bogotá to enjoy the final two weeks of my Big Adventure soaking up some sun on the Caribbean coast in Cartagena before legging it back to Buenos Aires for a final shopping trip.
Although I am now back on the You Only Live Twice Tour with Jon & Richard, it´s been great to spend some time in Colombia with my friend Caroline, both as someone I can completely relax with and as someone who lives in Colombia and knows something about it.
Colombia still has a bad reputation and many travellers I have met along the way have told me that it was one country in South America they would be avoiding. It´s true that six to eight years ago it would have been a bold adventurer who took a an overnight bus journey here as kidnappings were still common, and Felipe told me that for a large chunk of his twenties he was consigned to Bogotá and unable to travel, but from what I have learnt and what I have experienced, that simply is not the case any more.
My experiences of Colombia so far? Beautiful weekend houses in the country, pretty villages selling amazing coffee, and the gorgeous Candelaria district of Bogotá with its colonial houses, cobbled streets and cute restaurants. I´ve seen a total of about six other backpackers in the place which contrasts dramatically with Peru and has made a welcome change!
My only complaint? The weather! Bogotá seems a similar climate to a soggy English autumn and, while it hasn´t been cold, if the Caribbean coast isn´t sunny and warm I´ll be asking for a refund!
Must run as Richard has just brought me a steaming cuppa and then we´re off to the bus station for a 19 hour ride northwards.
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