Friday, October 19th

Morning at Merecumbe, left to Santa Marta then Santa Marta to Medellin!
Day 1 at Rango Hostel, Medellin

Dear Obiwan,
I had such a great night sleep! I was supposed to get 4 roommates around 830pm, at 1145pm they came in and woke me up, and then left and never returned. They ended up going to another dorm, so I had the room to myself! I naturally woke up at 6 am and wrote a little while sitting on the beach. I then had breakfast with the Panama crew and it was lovely.

I then got the bus to Santa Marta, you just stand on the same side of the road (THIS REALLY CONFUSED ME) as you do to get to Tayrona, just look for the “white and green bus” and eventually it came and you just hope on!

The ride was beautiful and smoothe. Got back to Santa Marta, the bus took me to the RIGHT SPOT. Unlike last time. Got my stuff, saw some old friends at La Brisa Loca! Said my goodbyes then went to the airport and had a super easy time at the airport.

Will miss you and always keep you in my heart La Brisa Loca:

Well the airport was easy except for starting to get sick, I had a runny nose, was sneezing, and a low fever. And due to Ana telling us while we were hiking in Tayrona, okay ready Obi? Ana told us that she didn’t stay at the hostel she planned to stay at in Palomino due to her finding out that 4 hostel volunteers had got DENGUE FEVER. I’m sorry, correction, 3 got Dengue Fever and 1 got ZIKA VIRUS. FROM MOSQUITOS. She said there was a lot of sitting water there or something? But told me and Javier that she was told Dengue is really bad right now and so is Zika, in the Colombian region we were actively standing in or (just was)! The travel doctor back in thr states I saw spoke about Malaria for 45 fricking minutes and I got a ton of Malaria pills that I ended up never taking due to fear of the awful side effects and people telling me not to worry about Malaria.

In summary Obi, your slightly hypochondriacal mother has Dengue Fever, I have flu like symptoms…this must be the beginning, right?!

Well besides having Dengue, here is a photo of all plantains, you past SO MANY while driving:

After the airport I got a 50 minute taxi ride for 70,000 (23 USD) to my Medellin hostel- Rango Hostel.

I went to the corner drug store and asked the pharmacist if I could still go out after taking these meds and he said ‘si fiesta si!’

After I got to my hostel I needed food immediately. I asked the incredibly friend and warm receptionist Miguel and he asked if I liked pizza, PSH MAN would I kill for a pizza at that moment, and there was a place next door!

I head next door to this very cool pizza, Cafe hang out place. And I’m staring at the menu, flapping it back and forth almost in a panic and I ask the waitress, “perdon, yo quiero carne? Pepperoni o jamon? Esta bien?” (Excuse me, I want meat. Pepperoni or ham, is that okay?) Then she makes an odd expression and tells me THE PLACE IS VEGETARIAN.

OBI WHO HAS A VEGETARIAN ONLY PIZZA PLACE. Okay, sorry, I actually understand and respect it, but I moreso think that when someone suggests a PIZZA place, they must explicitly tell you that there is no meat!

Any who. I still eat there. And as I am mid sneezing and blowing my nose and looking traveled and miserable, I look up and see CEASAR AND TROY(American guys from Palomino)! Just staring at me laughing.

I knew they were in Medellin but we didn’t plan for this! They had walked 20 minutes from their hostel for pizza, to here!

After this slightly embarrassing reunion, I broke the bad news about no meat, and they UNDERSTOOD Obi. They understood that pizza and meat goes together like you and q-tips! And they actually left! They weren’t having it.

After eating I become a human, aka showered and changed and got ready to go out for my first night in Medellin!

I walked over to Cesar and Troy’s hostel and met this huge group of hostel people. We all went to go out. Eventually ended up a small group of us hopping from club to club. Eventually found a club we all enjoyed! Finally went to bed incredibly late after a great night.

Goodnight my lamb,
Carly

Thursday, October 18th

Day 2 at Merecumbe Tayrona National Park and Beach Club

Dear Obiwan,

I can’t believe I almost skipped this place! I almost went back to Minca yesterday cause I wasn’t too into Palomino and I missed the mountains. But Magella said I’ve come this far and the park is right there, so I gotta do it! She was right, so I did!

Javier had his day off today so he came up from Santa Marta to hike Tayrona with me! He also has never been so we both were so excited. Also, Ana from Palomino was going to join us!

I forgot to mention Obi that when I got to the beach hostel last night I saw the group of 3 people who I met at Casas Viejas in Minca- Nina, Charlotte, and Marc! They’re planning to go to Tayrona tomorrow too! I had dinner with them last night they’re super funny and friendly and were all traveling solo and met on a sailboat to Colombia from Panama and have been together ever since!

Anywho, to get to the park you just stand on the road the hostel is on and get on any bus going that direction. Then I got to the park and there was Javier!

We then saw Ana! And as we were in line to get our park tickets there were a bunch of sleepy cats!

We ended up heading into the park without Ana, she told us to go ahead and that she would catch up to us.

There are two paths you can take, the ocean path, about 2 hours, which takes you through the park and along many beaches, ending at Cabo San Juan. Or a path through the park that has you pass by a small village, then ending at Cabo San Juan-that’s over 4 hours. Of course we chose the beach path!

It was so beautiful! The first of three animals we saw was a wild pig sort! I spotted it walking across our path ahead. We also saw a tree frog!

At one point we took a break at a view point where a man was selling ice cream. Suddenly a woman comes running through and ANA was with her! We all cheered and we met this wild Colombian woman with so much energy and warmth. As Javier said, “she’s so Colombian,” referring to to her high energy and welcoming personality. Ana told us that her friend hurt her ankle badly in the first 10 minutes of the hike and had leave! She wore her huge hiking bag and the weight probably did it :(. This woman Ana was running with was with her whole family who soon followed behind. Her family was so nice and we ended up hiking with them! One of her daughter’s was practicing English so me and her chatted for a little!

A little bit later we were at the Arricefes beach, first beach of Tayrona. We passed by a lake with a sign that said BEWARE ALLIGATORS. And our Colombian mom told us that once or twice a year he goes swimming in the ocean and showed us a picture of him in the ocean we were about to swim in! But she also told us that he is so used to humans. (I guess that means he is friendly?!)

Well my eyes became alligator search mode and a minute later I SPOTTED AN ALLIGATOR. I wasn’t sure at first, Ana didn’t believe me. But we ran and ran and got closer and YES IT WAS! So we do what any intelligent person does and ran as close as we could. He was huge! Sadly he wasn’t too close but it was still so exciting.

After our successful alligator watching we hiked to the second beach, La Pisina, which literally translates to ‘The Pool’ because the waves are so calm. Almost every other beach (like Palomino and my current hostel) the waves are too rough to swim, but here you can! So we swam for a while and I got super sun burnt due to geniusly only putting sun block on my face and shoulders, I thought the hike was all in a forest? Didn’t realize I was going to a BEACH. 🤦 I put on some of Javier’s 90 SPF but it was probably too late.

After La Pisina we hiked another half hour to the final destination, Cabo San Juan. Wow, the pictures don’t do this place justice. It was more beautiful than the pictures! It’s one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen in my life.

Ana had to go, and hopefully we will meet up in ECUADOR! She will be there kinda when I am.

Javier and I stayed a while longer swimming and exploring and he decided to stay in one of the hammocks! I’m so jealous, if I had brought stuff with me I would have done the same, but oh well. At this point I was so tired. The beach drains me so much. I was interested in taking a horse back because I love horses, and my exhaustion made it happen. Javier and I said goodbye 😭and I hope we see each other again!!! But I know we’ll keep in touch :).

The horse ride back was…okay. I just ended up feeling bad for my horse. He was a good horse, similar to me, would get easily distracted, usually by food, and just start chomping away at a random bush but then the guy would WHIP HIM AND YELL. He eventually stopped whipping him, I think it was due to me getting upset and going “oh!…no!…he’s okay!..ow!…it’s okay!” And it was getting dark towards the end and bats came out! Saw so many flying around eating up all the buggies. Oh also the horse had to hike through so much mud and some parts were super steep inclines and declines on BOULDERS. Like is this okay? Are these horses loved? Do they get proper hugging and apples?!

Finally, much thigh pain later. We made it. And I get on the van, and THE PANAMA CREW was on the van! What are the odds!? They took the longer path into the forest and saw some natives to the forest! Said it was amazing! AND THEY SAW MONKEYS!!! I’m jealous but also so happy I didn’t do that hike, it was so hot 🥵.

We all traveled back to our hostel together and of course, can you guess Obiwan what happened as we walked our pitch black driveway? It started super raining, maybe not full blown monsoon? But, a heavy shower. We got back safely. I showered and felt like a new person. Ate dinner with the Panama crew, booked my hostel and plane ticket to Medellin for tomorrow and went to bed!

Goodnight my Jedi,

Love,

Carly

Wednesday, October 17th

Last day at Daydreamer Palomino and headed to Merecumbe Tayrona Hostel and Beach Club at night

Dear Obiwan,

OBI. You know how I hate spiders? Almost irrationally?! And one of the many reasons I love you is how you murder all the spiders when we’re together.

Well, today I had a nightmare come to reality.

So today was my last day in Palomino. The big tourist attraction here is to go tubing down the river. You’re supposed to get a lot of beer and a big group and float down a river. Honestly, this did not appeal to me. But Magella and Drew and Dutch guy they met were going so last minute I thought, “why not?”

On the way there I had my first female motor bike driver and it was so kick ass. She was the boss and started behind the 3 other motor bikes and quickly passed all of them.

At the end of the bike ride you have to HIKE with your ginmormous tubes up a steep climb and yet again, I took the advice of someone who did it and said “oh it’s a an easy climb, you can do it in flip flops!” And what I am learning is don’t believe anyone ever, everyone underestimates!!!

Welp, I wore my only flip flops, which are shower shoes, so that had a bunch of medium sized holes for water to easily fall through. It’s great for when you’re in the shower, but awful for hiking in the wet kinda jungle. I kept slipping, and quickly was way behind everyone else. I also couldn’t even see my feet due to the tube. It was very frustrating. Eventually the boss lady, who was shorter than me took my tube, so now she was carrying BOTH her tube and mine, I still don’t understand how she did this. This made it so much easier, now I wasn’t super off balanced and could see my feet!

Finally we reach the river, the boys immediately said they’d rather be alone then be tied together (typical) and Magella and I we’re so down to be tired together! Just to say, it seemed very ‘typical man’ to choose to be alone but I know if it were my guy friends from home or even some of the great guys I met on this trip they would be down to be tied together! Sorry, I didn’t want to just generalize about all men.

Any who. May I just say how much I love Magella. She is one of those incredibly warm people that make you feel at home and like you’re with an old friend. She also likes to be silly and is witty and we both just have such a great time together!

So we rode the river and also we were WINNERS because the woman who was with us tied her tube to us! And she just kick and steered and we legit just laid back and relaxed and got to appreciate all that was around us. (The boys had to paddle and kick and fight for themselves when they got stuck in the sides).

Obi the river was beautiful! The three of us had so much fun together, I didn’t get any photos due to me knowing I would drop my phone forever in the river.

So due to it being the rainy season, the current was stronger than usual and there were also some random whirpools that you could potentially get caught in! We almost got caught in an whirlpool but she paddled us out. Someone actually told me one of their friends almost was pulled underwater by one of these whirlpools last week!

A few times we hit the sides of the river, it was never hard or painful, you would just get some tree branches or bushes brushing against you…

Well Obiwan, one of the times I was the one closest to the side when we realllly got into some branches. The branches were green and soft but it was at least a solid 7 seconds (count slowly, that’s long) under them. I made it out, all was well.

Until…I looked down thinking I felt a branch tickling my thighs. And it was A BUNCH OF BRIGHT BLUE AND GREEN HUGE SPIDERS RUNNING ALL OVER ME and onto the tube or drowning in the water!!! I screamed and just flailed around like a lunatic. I didn’t wanna fall into the water and somehow I didn’t! But Jesus Obi, it was TERRIFYING. also my scream was really high pitched? Why did that happen? Ha, I’m laughing at myself and getting the feeling of spiders all over me right now as I write you!

But, I survived the spider attack. Sadly the spiders all drowned. After this I said my goodbyes and headed to Merecumbe Tayrona Hostel and Beach Club. I just found it on Hostel World. It looked like a private resort but with hostel prices!

Took a motor bike there and it was a beautiful and fun ride. Then I took a shower in this HUGE beautiful shower that had a monsoon shower head and was attached to the dorm but was outside so you look up at the stars as you shower! I then went to bed around 830 due to extreme exhaustion.

Look at the view from the motorbike!:

Till tomorrow Obiwan, please kill some more spiders than usual for me!

Love your Mama cat,

Carly

Tuesday, October 16th

Moved to The Dreamer hostel

Dear Obiwan,

Today made up for last night. Today was a relaxing beach and pool day with a fun night to end it!

I left Prima Luna hostel after breakfast and headed to The Dreamer hostel! It was the same woman who had to turn me away last night. She was so happy to see me! Her name is Jenny and my middle name (Jennifer) for some reason came up as my last name so she was even more excited to meet me since we had the second name!

This hostel was very pretty! Beautiful pool and it was right on the beach! Which also meant super sandy everywhere.

After getting situated I went to the beach. The water was crazy rough and full of brown stuff due to the storms bringing stuff to the shore. The first thing I saw was a woman almost getting knocked over and her top flying down! She had her whole family with her and everyone just laughed so hard at her, it was hilarious. I eventually headed back inside because I was very hot and needed to dunk in some water.

Before getting in the pool I went to the bar for some water, Jenny was there with an American guy. They were having a competition of who did the best pouring of a beer into a plastic cup. I arrived at the perfect moment for both of them to ask me who was better. Jenny’s had a lot more foam (or more ‘head’ right? That’s the term?) So I immediately said the guy, but then Jenny looked and me and said, “Carlyyyyyy my sister with the same name come on look again!” I quickly changed my answer because she was right, we have to have each other’s backs! So I changed it and said she did. Then the guy jokingly lost it and introduced himself, his name was Cesar.

Moments later in the pool I’m swimming around and see Cesar at the end of the pool with another guy moving to some music from a portable speaker. I swam over and met Troy, at this point I thought they were surely messing with me, Cesar and Troy?! What is this some 60’s sitcom?! But no, it’s for real. They’re from NYC and grew up across the street from each other. They we’re hilarious and warm and so much fun.

I then heard my name and there was Ana(from Prima Luna hostel last night)!!! She came! She was sitting with a large group of Israelies! We all chatted and they we’re friendly and pretty hilarious.

Later during the day Magella found me, she came too! And so did Drew! Casas Viejas reunion!

The night ended up with a few more people joining us, a guy from Holland that Magella and Drew met and a few others. It was a great and chill night. We got a beer pong game going with Troy and Cesar and Magella and myself. We lost quite badly but the balls were these large styrofoam balls so it’s the balls fault for sure!

Here are a few pictures from today and tonight…including a video of Troy being pulled away to dance with this woman who was very into him, she took him to dance while he was still eating his french fries! But she wouldn’t take no for an answer😆:

Well off to bed, love you lamb chops,
Carly

Monday, October 15th

Day 4, last day, at Casas Viejas

Dear Obiwan,
Today was a mixed emotions day. It was my last day at Casas Viejas and I truly felt sad to go. It’s been such a safe haven and place full of incredible people that I hope to see one day again.

The day started off relaxing with some breakfast and hanging out with Marcela. I missed yoga by accident by sleeping past 7:30 (when it stated) Claus was kind enough to show me some moves and techniques for me to practice on my own!

I tried to do some yoga on my own and I was half successful but got very distracted by the thoughts in my head. I found it kind of interesting that when I tried to be mindful and focus on just my breath and body my mind moved to some challenging thoughts. I definitely want to keep practicing.

I then had to say my goodbyes and left for Minca to connect to my next place.

Here are the last photos of Casas Viejas, look how gorgeous it is Obi!:

😭Adios Casas Viejas! ¡Hasta la Vista!

I took a motorbike down from Casas Viejas to Minca. I love motorbikes so much Obi! It was so bumpy and wild it’s a rollercoaster ride almost every time!

I then got a bus to Palomino beach, a beach and river town that’s supposed to be beautiful, fun, and chill. Omer said I had to go to ‘The Dreamer’ hostel in Palomino. So I booked it! (Or so I thought 😖…)

The bus had no AC and at first it was only me and a few others, at first I thought it wasn’t that bad! Welp, more and more people got on until every seat was full and the aile was full as well. And someone told me it was “an hour” which turned into about 2.5 hours! It wouldn’t have been that bad if it didn’t start monsoon raining outside. This resulted in everyone closing their windows 🥵. So now Obi, it was about 90 billion degrees. And we had to drive real slow because of the condition of the roads!

Then it gets worse Obi!

The bus drops us off on the road where some people were using computers inside this little shack…? Half of the people from the bus dispersed and the rest, even people from Colombia were left standing there scratching our heads. It’s super dark and raining. I’m so tired and missing Casas Viejas more than anything. I ask the Colombian group of friends and they didn’t know what to do. I then asked an American who spoke Spanish and she also didn’t know what to do. So then I began to look around. I was very confused why motorbikes weren’t swarming us like usual! I then saw people getting picked up by the bus stop across the street by motorbikes! Ah, ha! I told the American woman and we headed over. She got the first bike and I got the second motorbike.

My hostel ended up being a 7 minute bike ride up the road right in front of me, but in the rain it was horrible and the road was so muddy it probably would have taken at least 25 minutes to walk it.

Well, Obi, I would have rather walked in the mud for an HOUR. This bike driver was awful. He asked me if I was married and I said no, then realized quickly I need to always say yes. He then kept trying to look at me, while driving in the pouring rain through a ton of mud and a thousand pot holes. He then proceeded to hit on me and by saying “I love you” in English! I then yelled at him and said in Spanish “you love me? You don’t even know me! I have a boyfriend he lives in Santa Marta and will be here in the morning and my friend is waiting for me at the hostel, now go!”
He made me so uncomfortable but I made it Obi, all is well.

But I now know, from now on I will say I have a boyfriend waiting for me who is very big and strong and Colombian! (This driver said I need a Colombian boyfriend when I told him I had a boyfriend in Santa Marta 🙄).

I then walked up the path to the hostel and it was all mud up to my ankles.

Finally I reach ‘The Dreamer’ hostel. I was so relieved Obi, I wanted to hug the person at reception…but this all quickly faded.

Because, I booked the wrong hostel Obi! I booked The Dreamer hostel IN SANTA MARTA. I asked if she had anything, she said NO. I told her that I’d sleep on the couch right behind her at the bar. But she had already called a hostel 2 minutes up the road and they had vacancy. She gave me directions…that I somehow messed up. I went left out of the driveway and then the road went from having a few dry patches to a complete flood, so I just went through it, the muddy water was almost at my knees!!!

I ask someone if I was going the wrong way, and of course, I was, then I turned around and went right back through the massive mud puddle.

FINALLY. I reach Prima Luna hostel. It looked super cute downstairs. The storm was so bad they couldn’t even use the credit card machine but they of course still let me stay.

I then showered and met a nice British woman who as also traveling on her own that shared the same room as me.

I also met Ana at this hostel! She is this super friendly and funny woman from Spain! She lives in Madrid. At this point I had booked ‘The Dreamer’ hostel for tomorrow because someone told me it’s better than Prima Luna. I told this to Ana and she said she might do the same!

I had a top bunk which always means I might die cause I’m so clumsy I almost fall a lot…but it was fine. The room was impressively hot but the dinner wasn’t too bad! I went to bed early and fell asleep so quickly.

Love you lamb,
Carly

Day 13: Sunday, October 14th

3rd night at- Casas Viejas, Minca, Colombia

Dear Obiwan,

I slept so well Obi! I actually had to de-sock! After a lovely breakfast I sat at the beautifully made wooden tables and wrote and drank some La Victoria coffee.

Oh, I made a cat friend…don’t be jealous, we would NEVER replace you!:

After this a group of is went on a waterfall hike! It was led by one of the hammer nail game guys! He’s so nice and funny, only speaks Spanish but we would always end up somehow understanding each other.

The hike was called Caminata hike it was 20 pesos (little less than 7 bucks). “Waterfalls and rivers of the Sierra” which included watefalls that only people who know the land and the neighbors can go, so they were private waterfalls! It was 3 couples from the large group of friends from Colombia and Omer, Robert, Penny, and me. AND three doggies from the hostel! One is terrified of people and doesn’t let you touch him, one is pretty friendly and tough, then the third is my favorite! Pictures to follow soon!

He’s SO SWEET. And after bonding the first day he will random sit with me at the hostel.

The hike was amazing! And not too difficult 👍😁.

One waterfall was you just dunk under, look at the picture!:

Here’s me and Omer! (from Israel):

There Andreas from our hostel was chilling! He told us that during to the rain the waterfall was much bigger and more beautiful than normal.

Here’s some more pics:

We then hiked some more to next waterfall, where we were told by others at the hostel that it’s FREEZING but as Claus said “you’re there, you have to!”

(Dog update, scared-y dog was following us at a distance in the trees, bigger doggy came with us to the next waterfall, my favorite girl didn’t join us 😣)

Welp, Obi, here I had some challenges and a moment of drowning and utter panic.

First-OBI it was so cold! But once you dunk your head it isn’t as cold. But wow, the current was so strong! And our tour guide and a few of the Colombians we’re sliding down this natural slide and we wanted to try so I asked our tour guide if I could to. He asked ‘can you swim?’ I said yes, nervously, then he gestured for me to follow him under the water fall. I follow and there’s a huge current that almost pulls me under water! But he catches me then he keeps going, I follow, with waterfall water pounding on our heads, then you make it out to the other side which is calmer. After that you climb up some slippery ass rocks then he told me very seriously, in Spanish how, to slide down. And then he just goes. I nodded like I understood him and I follow but right before I get in the water someone yelled at me in Spanish telling me to stop. Then he explains more explicitly, in Spanish but with gestures, that I need to use my left leg as an anchor, by folding it, to make sure I’m facing the right way, then just slide! He showed me what to do and went first. Finally I go and you fly off this slippery rock and there’s a few feet that you’re airborne then you drop! But the current then THROWS YOU FORWARD and I fly forward and slammed into the guy who just showed me what to do and right when I reached him the current dragged me under water! I start to swallow water for a second and then boom he pulls me out and puts my hand on something to hold on to…in other words Obiwan this man probably saved my life!

Above is Mr. Serious doggy, he came with us across this rough water!(well our guide carried him)

Below is my girl staying behind!:

And then…Obi you know how much I HATE SPIDERS. Well, all around the hostel are these HUGE green and pretty spider in webs. Welp we passed one and our tour guide rips it out of it’s web and hands it to us, me and Penny lost our minds but Penny was worse than me! She just walked away!

Two people calmly held the spider! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON, isn’t every part of your body and brain yelling “AH LARGE SPIDER RUN RUN DON’T TOUCH IT MIGHT KILL ME!”?!

Well, here are photos and a video 😫:

Aaaah honestly just shuddered and died a little even posting those pics of the monster spider 😭.

After that adventure we dried off and my favorite doggy from the hostel was waiting for us! I was so happy to see her! And scared-y dog kept randomly popping her head out of the bushes then ran off.
We then ended up at La Victoria! I had the same delicious sandwich and we all had coffee.

Oh here is Omer loving this coffee cake so much and asking for a photo so he can show his mom “better” coffee cake then she makes! 🤦

Welp, guess what was next. That damn hill. Rupert, Penny, and I thought it would be easier the second time around but NOPE we were wrong. I think it was because it was hotter and sunnier?

But we eventually made it back. I showered in the HOT SHOWERS and met up with some amazing people.

I met Marcella today from Colombia, she lives in Barranquilla, a beach town near Santa Marta. She’s incredible. She’s one of those people that are incredibly warm and it’s actually real.

Dinner tonight was BBQ ribs and it was delicious!

I also met this hilarious and friendly woman from the UK or Netherlands and we had wine. Then Magella, Marcela, and Drew joined and we stayed up by the fire having wine and talking and laughing for the evening.

What a wonderful day Obi!

Love you,
Your Mama, Carly

Oh, and some final photos including a huge praying mantis!:

Saturday, October 13th

2nd night at- Casas Viejas, Minca, Colombia

Dear Obiwan,

Today was my first full day at Casas Viejas. The breakfast was amazing! Then I didn’t know I was supposed to sign up for Yoga and showed up. Clauss from Germany was the yoga teacher and he said he would let me join him! I told Denise and we both did yoga with Clauss, he asked which kind we wanted to do and we both said the ‘more relaxing’ option which was ‘Yin’ yoga.

And it was so great. I was following his words on letting go, focusing on the ‘now’ and letting go of anger. It helped me resolve some things in my head and also gain some clarity.

Denise then had to go 😭

Bye Denise! Hope our paths cross again soon!

After yoga I headed to the coffee farm right below Casas Viejas, La Victoria. I went with Rupert and Penny from England, who so fun and awesome to be with. On the way there, it was a crazy steep route down. Andreas at the front desk told us ‘15-20’ minutes, and Obi, what did I tell you? 15-20 minutes actually meant 40!

Well we eventually arrive at La Victoria and one of our hostel workers works here! He gave us a tour and it was so fascinating. I had no idea how complex making coffee was! In my head I thought coffee beans grew on bushes or something. But the many plants we passed with green and red colored berries were coffee! Rupert called it when we were hiking down! But on the tour we were told that during coffee picking season (starts in a week) the coffee pickers get paid by the amount of berries they pick. So what ends up happening is that many unripe berries (the green) get picked, so one of the many machines (oh all machines were from 120 years ago and from England and the US!) sorts the ripe and unripe berries.

Here are photos from the tour:

Also our tour guide showed us how there are three different kinds of beans, and the best are EXPORTED out then…I forget what happens to the second and third but either the second or third is what Colombia uses! So the coffee you causally drink actually is NOT the best, you have to be on a coffee farm for the best! So Casas Viejas gets La Victoria premium coffee 💙.

After the tour we had sandwiches and coffee and it all was so delicious.

Then, my gosh Obi, the three of us had to hike back up. It was grueling. SO fricken steep Obi. We had to take breaks. And it was muddy and slippery at times due to all the rain. As we we’re hiking we saw one of the guys from our hostel making some steps which made that part so much safer and less slippery.

Later during the day I met these amazing sisters from…Holland I think. We we’re hanging out and watching the employees of Casas Viejas, the ones from Minca, play this game.

Okay ready Obi? Here are the rules. There are two tree stumps/logs put on top of each other, then there are nails lightly nailed into the log- each nail for each player. Then they pass around a hammer and you each get one slam per turn. And the LAST person to get his or her nail in has to buy EVERYONE playing a beer!

The Dutch sisters and I asked to play and they were very welcoming. You know how competitive I am Obi…and man, did I suck 😫. I ended up spending 40,000 pesos on beer for everyone! (40,000 / 3,000= 13 USD) but it was 10 beers.

Oh also, the guy who was making the path on the steep hill was playing! And he was so nice. One of the best parts of the game is that you can sacrifice your turn to help someone else. So throughout the game the guys would look like they were about to hit their nail and then would hit one of ours! It helped us play longer and the three of us ladies would do that too and help them sometimes, the game is half cut throat and half really thoughtful!

Here are some photos from the game!:

After this there was happy hour all night due to there being more Colombians than foreigners at the hostel tonight. Monday is a holiday so many Colombians are vacationing this weekend.

I ended up going to bed early and I got an extra blanket and slept so much better than last night.

Alright my dear Jedi, sweet dreams, hope you are catching all the mice!

Love,
Carly

Friday, October 12th

1st night at Casas Viejas, Minca, Colombia

Dear Obiwan,

Welp, I woke up promptly at 5am to darkness all around and pouring rain, so, alas, we all went back to bed and didn’t hike to see the sun rise :/.

A few hours later, the sky finally cleared up and you could see the incredible views at Casa Elemento Obi! I laid in the two hammocks where you can see the views, one was a HUGE SWING HAMMOCK! The other was just the biggest hammock I have ever seen and you hang over the jungle, it’s so incredible! I also saw the American guy I met on the boat to the island off of Cartagena!

Here are some pictures of dogs and Javier while we ate breakfast!

Anywho, there is an even larger hammock a little but into the jungle, but it was so wet there was no way I was gonna get on a soaking when jungle hammock, so I didn’t go.

Javier had to go to work back in Santa Marta so he left, but we made tentative plans to go meet up at Tayrona National Park later this week!

Here are some pictures of hostel Casa Elemento:

A little bit later I headed to my next hostel, Casas Viejas, Javier told me to go there and said don’t stay another night at Casa Elemento, he told me Casas Viejas is much better and his favorite in Minca (he didn’t have to tell me twice!).

So, Javier told me this hike was ‘very up hill in the beginning then all down hill after’ and I think he said something about it not being that hard.

Welp, LIES OBI. I have learned that if anyone that lives here says “the bus will take 1 hour!” Or “the hike is not too hard”…add at last 2 HOURS to everything.

Anyways, this hike was so hard. The beginning was so steep and just jungle walls, there were so many parts where it was a narrow path with 8 feet of jungle walls around you…so all I was thinking as the clouds got darker was if it rains…I’ll drown and be washed away!?

Oh also, this was pedestrian only, so no motor bikes to save you…

I kept going and the steep took me so long, finally it started to go downhill…but Javier was WRONG. It went down for a while, but then it surely went back up! But…it was mostly downhill after, and pretty steep at times. Towards the last 45 minutes you end up back on road, I saw an army base, or just some army men patrolling the road, they were very nice!

Below is me dying:

Below here is my face when it finally went down hill!!!:

Water system?! Below:

Sooo foggy!

Creepy abandoned building!

This dog found me and walked me to the hostel!!!

After almost 3 hours (was told 2!) I made it to Casas Viejas!

It was the most beautiful hostel I have every seen!

It’s a true paradise Obi!

They staff were so warm and kind, and the SHOWERS WERE HOT OBIWAN. I didn’t care about the cold showers everywhere until Minca, it’s colder here, so to take a freezing cold shower when it’s cold isn’t too comfortable.

Also, had a bathroom in my room! No longer having to hike to the bathroom like I had to at Casa Elemento! (Hike as in about 2 minutes but to pee in the middle of the night and run out in the cold is just, bleeeh).

At Casas Viejas I met this wonder trio of people, Denise and these two guys from Ireland. I loved Denise so much. She’s from Germany and also traveling on her own and was so FUNNY and fun. We hung out all night, it was wonderful. The food was INCREDIBLE, they’re Chef was so nice and amazing.

Here’s me and Denise!

I went to bed a little early and was so cold at first but eventually warmed up and fell asleep.

Goodnight my Jedi,

Carly

Thursday, October 11th

Casa Elemento, Minca, Colombia

Dear Obiwan,

Well rested and almost stomach bug free I was ready to finally hike! I headed off with my bags on my front and back. I was told it was a very difficult 3 hour hike to Casa Elemento from El Rio Elemento.

But I believed in myself Obiwan! I thought I have hiked for longer and have done some trying hikes in my life!

Here are some pictures of the beginning of the hike before it got difficult.

Welp, I was wrong. It. Was. So. Difficult. Also- I had bags on my front and back so I was all off balance. As you hike many motorbikes pass you honking to offer you a ride. Eventually, as I was huffing and puffing, possibly weezing?- I finally said yes to a motorbike.

And this bike looked like if I sat on it, it would tumble. And the driver looked about 17 years old. But man, this bike was tough and so was the driver!

His name was Jesus and he said he was 24.

Here is a video of what it’s like! (Somehow I did this without dropping my phone!)

But…about 20 minutes into the ride it started to rain…first it was light. But then Jesus paused, asked if I wanted the poncho, I said no cause I had my nifty REI rain coat.

Well, I chose wrong.- again Obi! This poncho meant business and my rain coat didn’t comprehend monsoons.

He puts the poncho on, and honestly I’m glad he took it!

The rain was madness. Absolutely pouring buckets. It was like in Cartegena the other night. Just SO MUCH. It was so much rain I couldn’t see most of the time. The road became so wet and slippery and mud everywhere. I kept thinking, “should I get off and walk?! WHAT’S SAFER?!” and someone who worked at the last hostel said something about walking being way safer.

But then I also kept thinking, “you’re gonna die walking in this, have you seen yourself walk?” Like I trip and fall daily when the ground is smoothe…Motorbike wins!

Eventually we made it!!! I was so grateful of Jesus after. Wow, amazing job.

Finally arrive at Casa Elemento and the guy at the front desk didn’t want to show me my room due to the sky raining buckets…all I wanted was a shower and to dry off. I ended up meeting two really nice and funny British guys, John and Brian I think, they showed me to my room. John lives in Bogota! I walk in and Hermela and Olivia were there! Olivia was leaving and Hermela was staying for one more night.

Anywho, I ended up being in the same room as the British guys and we hung out for a little- played pool and had some beer.

And Obi, it was just so cold and miserable. We were in the mountains so its cold and the rain never stopped, so no point in showering (also you had to walk in the pouring rain to even get to the showers). I was feeling pretty miserable but they had just finished hanging up a TV by my room and I sat down next to Javier, this really nice awesome guy from Venezuela! He looks 22 ish but actually is 18! He and his ‘sister’ had blankets and were watching one of the super hero movies. They invited me to watched and we all got under blankets sand watched movies. It was everything I needed!

(This is me with one of the cute doggies!)

At one point a group of people vetoed the movies and forced us to watch the Colombia vs US soccer(futbol) game….me and Javier and his sister wanted to still watch ‘The Mummy’ (one of my favorite movies!) but the game actually ended up being so much fun to watch!

I went to bed early and me and Javier and the two British guys planned to hike at 5am to see the sunrise…

I’ll tell you what happened with sunrise in the next entry Obi!

Love you!

Your Mama-cat,

Carly

P.S.- oh, if you didn’t figure it out yet, no hammock yet, it was pouring rain and miserable!

Dear Obiwan,

The next two days were peaceful…and full of tummy aches.

Day 1 at El Rio Elemento Hostel
Tuesday, October 9th

So it happened Obi. In a moment of desperation in Santa Marta I took 1 sip of water from the sink tap.

And, I know I know Obi!…but it messed me up pretty damn good. But not as bad as the Central America stomach ache me and Lani got 5 years ago, (and Lani had WAY WORSE) but still. It just takes so much out of you.

But finally we left Santa Marta, me and Kiki and the German sisters all had the same stomach ache while Herme felt fine! She went off to dinner in town and I had dinner at this new hostel.

Before I ate dinner I had to shower and the shower wasn’t at full speed and currently was one line coming out of the shower head. And this one line was the speed of a bullet and it stung your skin when it touched you. Oh! AND- it was freezing.

Here is the shower:

Besides the shower I loved this place!!!

I met Jay, the current chef as of this week due to their normal 5 star or something chef who broke his shoulder. Jay is from Fiji and is warm and funny and outgoing. The kind of person I could talk to endlessly! He has amazing stories and also actually listens and cares about your stories! (Some people who like to tell stories don’t like to listen, ya know?)

Any who, he made this amazing pasta carbonara and as we were chatting this other guy from Toronto joined us who also was super interesting and kind and amazing to talk to. We all chatted for a long time, and I randomly would cringe in pain but they 110% understood. I called it a night pretty early got some rest!

Day 2 at El Rio Elemento Hostel
Wednesday, October 10th

Obi look at this map El Rio had of Minca! It shows all the trails!

Me and the German sisters were staying stomach sick the next day. I thought I was going to hike around Minca to a waterfall but my stomach kept me at the hostel.

But man, I love this hostel! It’s so beautiful, look!

I had breakfast in town at this lovely place that also was a store that sold herb and local soaps and stuff.

The walk from the hostel to town

Minca is this small mountain town full of warm people. It was everything I wanted and more after Cartegena and Santa Marta. Slow pace, relaxed, welcoming, COLDER, and beautiful.

Hermela headed to Casa Elemento and me and the Germans stayed hugging our tummies.

The 3 of us headed to dinner and a new woman from our hostel, Sally, from Englad joined us. She was also traveling alone, for almost a year at this point! She wanted to share a lot of advice.

And she told me the BEST NEWS.

I DON’T HAVE TO SPEND $750 FOR MACHU PICCHU!!! I was legit having to move around so much of my trip to maybe get this $750 Inca trail trek in November. But she told me about The Jungle Trek! It’s only about $160 USD!!! And it doesn’t get booked!

AND THE BEST PART (YES, it gets better)
You don’t have to hike for 4 days and poop on poop mountains (as Jay was telling me when he went- there are these toilets but the ground changes mud color…and he asked why is the mud a different color and the tour guide told him it’s because it isn’t mud…🤮🤮🤮)
Any who- this trek is shorter, you stay in hostels or homes and instead of only hiking there is a ZIP LINE, WHITE WATER RAFTING, and biking!!!! So much more fun and more for me! Yay can’t wait!- you don’t see ALL of the Inca stuff but you still see Machu Picchu!

After dinner I chatted with Jay and a few others then we watched Pulp Fiction! It was on some random channel. Then I went to bed early again :).

Goodnight my love, hope you are getting all the snuggles from your Grand-cat-parents!

Love,

Carly