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