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

Day 5, 6, and 7: Santa Marta- The Black Hole

Day 1 at La Brisa Loca- Saturday, October 6th

Dear Obiwan,

OBI. I’m so sorry. I had no service for the last 6 days! I had internet randomly but never enough to write you. But my gosh Obi, the next 3 days deserve one entry. This hostel was supposed to be a one night stop before heading to either Minca or Tayrona and the surrounding beaches. Hermela and I arrived around 9-10pm, showered and got ready and ate some street food then headed to the BIGGEST party in Santa Marta on Saturday nights- our hostel! People come from all around, the roof is HUGE. Covered in vines and counches swinging by chains.

THE FIRST PEOPLE WE SEE ARE CARLOS AND EDUARDO! We met them in Cartegena!

Sadly the moment we got there the cops came. We we’re told that about once a month the cops bust this party. Of course that happens the we arrive! So there we are, ready to dance, and we met someone who worked there, Raul, who took us to a fun club in Santa Marta to dance to reggaeton and salsa and other music at. Sometime around now we met this amazing English woman, Olivia! She is so funny and fun and just all around fabulous.

Once the club closed around 4 am we all hung out at the hostel until sunrise! Here are 2 pics, 1st is me Hermela and Olivia, second is sunrise-ish from our hostel:

Day 2 at La Brisa Loca- Sunday, October 7th

Today I slept the day away, and now begins the cycle of death sleep (going to bed at 8am) and waking up at 2.

Had street food with Herme. We we’re now friends with many hostel workers and volunteers since we partied with them till morning. They told us that Sundays are very calm.

We relaxed and drank at the middle bar most of the night. Ben who we met in Cartegena was staying at another hostel and joined us! He said he could only come for 1 drink since he was starting the Lost City Trek tomorrow (4 day hike in the jungle in Colombia, supposed to be super beautiful but incredibly difficult and HOT)

Eventually we played this wheel game they have at the hostel. Here are some pics:

Pretty much the wheel’s goal is to destroy everyone. Some things are just a free drink, but most require you to take a shot or chug a beer or put on a costume or worse. Since it was Sunday night the crowd was calmer which was amazing because at one point I landed on the one that if you are a woman you have to strip and if you are a man you have to put your man parts between your legs and run across the room…it’s the worst one OBI!!! But luckily only one person saw and he and I both quickly moved the wheel one click over to just get a free drink and no one cared.

Here are some pictures from the wheel game!:

We then partied almost till morning again with everyone!

Day 3 at La Brisa Loca: Monday, October 8th

Today I only slept till 12! We met up with Carlos and Lucha and a few others from the hostel headed to the beach!

Every local told us that Santa Marta had an ugly beach, I kept saying that they need to see the Jersey shore where the ocean is black and the sand it’s rough!

Any who, the beach was lovely! Carlos and Lucha are both so nice and funny and incredible to be with. Lucha makes fun of my Spanish speaking skills and Carlos encourages me to keep trying! This amazing woman from France was there who was smart and funny and had a huge heart. We talked for a while about life and solo traveling and I am so grateful for her.

Here are photos from la playa:

Look this is called La Tortuga because it looks like a turtle!!!:

Oh Obi- someone from the hostel help me make this!!! My finger hurts so much less now!

We later headed back to hostel and had a calmer night but still stayed up till sunrise!

The next day I had to leave. I slept for about…2 hours and made sure I got the hell out of there.

Santa Marta was a beautiful black hole full of dancing and partying and new friends and beautiful sun rises. But, I needed to get out! And finally I did. Headed to Minca with Herme and our 2 new German sister friends who we partied with over the last few days.

Good night for now Obiwan, love you!

Love, tu Madre,

Carly

Friday, October 5th- Cartagena, Colombia

Dear Obiwan,

Today was a beautiful and chill day.

Here are some photos of the beautiful hostel we have been staying at ‘El Viajero.’

They have events every day and you can organize little day drips, diving, etc. from right in the hostel. They had parties every night, but they were always pretty tame.

Also, here is an updated pic of my pinky injury, Obi DON’T LOOK if injuries gross you out:

My day began by some simple hostel breakfast (toast and some ham and cheese and coffee) then I went for a walk around the town. Today is my last night here, unless I come back!

Here is what it’s like walking around the walled city of Cartagena…

OH WAIT. Obi! History lesson ready? The reason this city is walled is because back in the 1500’s they we’re decimated by PIRATES 4 times!!! Finally they had enough and made this fortress with cannons on the walls and then they were not sieged anymore!

Okay here are some pics:

Here’s the wall!

I then went to Cafe Del Mar, which is the place you go to have a kinda pricey meal but beautiful sunset! I was at first by myself and it was glorious. But then Hermela messaged me and then she joined me <3. We had a wonderful time and got amazing photos!

I bought this hat! And ruined it the next day 🤦

These plantain chips and dip were so amazing!

I ordered 1 drink, and it was almost as big as my head

Hermela looking gorgeous!!!

We also were sitting next to some BEAUTIFUL men. One of them was honestly, the most beautiful man I have ever seen. LIKE, EXCUSE ME, WHAT?! We eventually started talking to them and they were from Brazil.

Obi, you know how I told you I was going to skip Brazil? I think I have to change my mind. Not just because of these men but everyone keeps telling me how amazing it is and how I can’t miss it!

Anyways, we got talking with them and we ask them about them and they tell us that they’ve been dating for 6 months and this was their first trip away together. They were incredibly nice and welcoming and we might meet up with them later tonight.

This evening we walked around in big group from the hostel again. Before leaving the hostel we met 2 Colombian DJ’s who were staying at our hostel. They joined us going out and invited us to see them play in Barranquilla some time this week (a cool beach town north of Cartagena).

Before I meet up with everyone I couldn’t find my driver’s license, which I brought to Cafe del Mar for some reason. So I went back at night on my own. And I have to tell you Obi how safe I felt walking alone. I already knew I would feel safe but actually doing it, it feels so much safer than walking around some parts of Philly! I mean of course sometimes it’s a little sketch but just walk confidently and it’s all good.

Here are some pics of the streets at night:

I got back to Cafe del Mar and they didn’t have my ID… but found this cutie!

(Oh…found my ID later, I had put it in my gum pack for safe keeping…so when I frantically searched for it missed it earlier 🤦)

I met up with the hostel crew as they were finishing dinner.

Uhh Daan had a hat with an Emperor penguin!!!

We went to 2 places and due to the large amount of sex workers we ended up back at the same place we have been the last 2 nights.

I walked in and the first people I see are the boys who helped me with my finger, we waved and they laughed…😆👍.

It was a fun night and many of us women got to truly understand how forward some Colombian men are.

But one of the coolest parts was it MONSOON RAINED. It currently is the rainy season here. And I’ve never seen rain like this. The square below literally had waves! It became an ocean! Here is a video of people who stayed out in the rain.

I ended up standing spending time with Daan (from…Sweden or Switzerland) and Ben (from Australia) from out hostel a lot, they’re both really nice and funny guys… and they also observed some of the Colombian men intensity and we’re watching out for all of us ladies (as we’re all the guys!).

Eventually me and Ben wanted venture in the rain so we stood out and in only 10 seconds we were drenched. But it was so warm it was refreshing!

Finally we had to leave, we waiting for the rain to end, took at least an hour, then walked back into a flooded city. The water was up to my calves!

Once we were back a few of us hung out then I realized it was almost time for sunrise. So me and Ben walked to see it. It as for the first time NOT 86 with 1000% humidity due to the rain! And where we were in Cartagena is perfect for sunsets but, we couldn’t really see sunrise. However, it was so beautiful to be in the city with NO ONE ON THE STREETS. No one asking you a million times to buy a bracelet, no tourists, nobody. Just the brighly painted buildings and the sky getting brighter and brighter. It was beautiful! Here are some pictures.

And that was the end of that night!

Hopefully I’ll get some rest soon Obiwan.

Love you lamb,

Carly

Dear Obiwan,

OBI. There is a cat here. I have pet him a lot. Please don’t hold it against me. HE IS NOTHNG LIKE YOU. But, he is almost all white, but he doesn’t have your sass or my love!

Well my dear son, I have injured myself AGAIN.

But before getting to injury #2 of this week (and hopefully for the rest!) I first wanted to tell you that my eye felt better today!!! It feels back to normal, but I will still do the drops 3 times a day today to be safe.

Here are some pictures of this unbelievably beautiful city that you see just walking to get coffee:

So today was my first time at the beach yet on this trip!!!

We took a speed boat for 15 mil a piece. (15000/3000= 5 USD) to go to a island about a 15 min ride away.

We as in- me, Hermela, Andrew, Matt, Dan, George, and Ben! Ben, Dan, and George are traveling together, and they are hilarious and so much fun. Dan and Ben are from Australia and George is from Yorkshire England which meant I couldn’t understand sometimes. Matt and Andrew were goingtraveling alone like Hermela and myself and Matt is from England as well and Andrew is from Australia but was raised in the US? I think that’s all correct!

Andrew lived in Mexico so he is fluent in Spanish which is like having a secret WEAPON in a gang fight. We all look prettttty foreign and people try to rip us off but no BOOM THIS GRINGO KNOWS HIS ESPANOL.

We had so much fun on this island! We chose to walk away from the people onto the other side and had a beach side to ourselves! It was beautiful and the water was…easily at least 80 degrees or maybe even warmer.

Hermela is just amazing. She is so warm and funny and kind but also a badass and doesn’t take no shit :D. So excited for our next adventures to come….

Here are some photos from our island trip!:

A

Any who. After the great day on the island. The same crew today with a few other new people from our hostel- 2 Colombian DJ’s who are so cool and funny and just down for anything. Alma, one of my dorm room mates, she is from El Salvador and is so kinda and witty and fun. And Daan, tall blonde-y from Switzerland…I think, super nice guy and pretty hilarious.

Then we headed out!

T

he DJ’s knew where to go, but the first place had AC and was cool and clubby and cool music, but, you look around and it was all prostitutes. The city has so many, it’s really sad. A lot of them are from Venezuela, it’s some of their only option.

Any ways we didn’t want to be there so we left. Then the 2nd place was trying to charge us 20 mil each, even though we were 15 people or so. So our group leaders chose not to.

So then we ended up at the same club we ended up last night, Eivissa. Rooftop bar with no cover!

And then.

Your mother is a klutz Obi…we were sitting on the roof, 86 degrees and 90 billion percent humidity and I sat myself in front of a fan. Then I looked over at Alma and moved the fan to face her so she would get some of the air, and some how my right hand pinky finger slipped into the back and got DESTROYED.

At first I just held it thinking it was a jammed, but then I looked down and there was blood everywhere! So I run down the steps to the minimal bathroom to wash it with the no soap they have. Alma appears moments later and saves the day. She left and got help and then minutes later these two guys that worked there, and looked about 16, came with a first aide kit. Which consisted of that water that oxygenates or something and the brown stuff that cleans your wounds? So they just pour these on my finger each twice. Neither burned! But they definitely cleaned it out. Then they had no bandaids or anything so we made a makeshift tourniquet.

Here are some photos…

I ended up leaving early, which was 3am, with a throbbing pinky.

Welp gotta go. Love you tons!

Love your mama cat,

Carly

Dear Obiwan,

Obi today was truly amazing! Minus an extremely painful, clumsy injury.

Met a bunch of people at the hostel from all around the world. I chose to go to a Volcano that’s about an hour bus ride, the hostel helps arrange the tour. There were about 7 of us from our hostel going so we all stayed together throughout the day trip and it was so much fun and hilarious.

All it is is this active-(ish?) volcano that you walk up some steep steps to. Then it is a large-ish mud pit that goes like, 2000-3000 meters DEEP or something! But you just float! Then there are a bunch of men sitting in the mud and if you want you pay 5 mil- (less that 2 American dollars) for a massage. -also you can say no if you don’t want one.

Also 5 mil for a local guy to take pics with your phone.

Also 5 mil for these women in the water to bathe you!

But it was SO MUCH FUN. The temperature of the mud was perfect, warm but no too warm, and some how the air there was a little cooler than Cartagena. And the massage was lovely cause you are SOAKED in this mineral enriched volcanic MUD! Then we all hung out and I guess it was supposed to be for 30 mins, but one of the massage men was like “no, 20 mas minutos!” And we didn’t realize that we were I guess in trouble by our bus drive when they came and were like demanding us to get out quickly, which is hard while you’re floating in mud.

But after you climb down the steep steps, covered in mud, they guide you to some water with a bunch of women waiting by the water with little plastic bowls. One woman just warmly pointed “me and you!” Then shoved me down and started bathing me, like how your Grandmom bathed you when you were a little kid making a mess of yourself and you wanted to say “ow!” But didn’t? It was actually super lovely. Yes kinda rough as they just scrubbed this mud off of you. The most hilarious part was they just strip you naked without warning! I was in the water up to my neck and my bath lady just without warning unties my bathing suit that washing it out. Then demands me to take my bottoms off. I look around all of us are doing the same thing, just kinda sheepishly handing over these women our bathing suit bottoms and giggling. But the water was murky so it was ‘G’ rated don’t worry Obi!

LOOK AT THIS ONE BELOW. This is Oscar, he’s from Sweden, he said after seeing this photo ‘I look like the Orc from Lord of the Rings!’ HAHA! So accurate!:

After this on our ride back we got to see a beautiful sunset over the ocean.

then before dinner all of us volcano people had to shower…

And OBI, I injured myself in the shower!

I was using the ‘Dr. Bronner’s’ 14 in one shampoo, body wash, face wash, ETC. And I somehow, I like VIOLENTLY flung the soap directly into my right eye ball. It was so bad. It reminded me of the scene in ‘Fly Away Home’, the geese movie with Anna Paquin, and she gets soap shot into her eyes in the shower and just SCREAMS bloody murder.

So I run out, find Lea, this incredible woman who has been traveling with the Aussie and Brit crew for a few weeks. I knew I could run to her in a towel in a panic. Also, about 10 people were all chilling with Lea. And I run to her and she helps me clean out my eye with water then grabbed some eye drops and put them in my eye. She saved me!…I then still went out but…OW.

Jesus, Obi it was so bad. I never had an eye injury this bad before. It was half shut and tearing the whole night…so about 7 hours! And it kept filling up with this gooey stuff that would create a film over my eye ball and I’d just be blind out of that eye every half hour or so. By the end of the night I had to go to a 24-hour pharmacy and the pharmacist gave me cortisol eye drops and they felt AMAZING.

FYI- I woke up the next day and its like all better!

Any who, then for dinner I went out to eat with 4 people from today and Tom joined us as well- this awesome guy from the Bronx from our hostel. I had some spicey chicken and rice and vegetable dish that I loved! Then we headed back to the hostel and went out as a group of 15 people in Getsamani Cartagena where a lot of the fun bars and clubs are.

The night was a blast! We also met 2 guys who live here who danced a bunch and joined us for the rest of the night, they were so nice, funny, friendly and great dancers! Also got close with Hermees tonight! She’s from DC and we just hit it off!

View from bar!

Me, Hermees, Keltie, Lea

New friend from Colombia!!! (Also look at my eye injury)

Lea killing it on the dance floor

Buenas Noches!

I was told Cartagena was a ‘4 am city’ and man is that true. It was 3 am when I called it a night, luckily a few other people were as tired as me. But half of our group stayed out till 4 and were up even later. AND IT’S Wednesday. It’s just normal here :).

Alright my lamb.

I need a nap.

Love you so much Obiwan Kenobi Stanton,

Carly

Dear Obiwan,

OBI.

The my first day had some unfortunate events but hey, those parts of the trip make the incredible parts even better!

In summary, the first thing that happened was in Philly, my phone stopped working full stop. No internet or phone capabilities and I couldn’t even get onto the free WiFi at the airport. I COULDN’T EVEN CALL VERIZON TO TELL VERIZON THAT MY PHONE WASN’T F*CKING WORKING.

And then.

So I was told that I need a return ticket for most counties in South America, since I only got a 1 way ticket to Cartagena, I have been planning to get my return ticket, but these last few weeks just have been so crazy. So, my plan was to buy one in the car ride over to the airport-but my phone seized to exist!

So…I finally get to the check-in counter and Jet Blue told me that I CAN’T GO TO COLOMBIA WITHOUT a return ticket! I told him that I would buy one right now but my phone had imploded.

For a moment I thought, “welp, guess I’m not going? This is over before it began?”

But then he said I could buy a return ticket from him…for $900 :(. But I had no choice, and bought it with a credit card. And it is 100% refundable.

So, was able to go! Then called my parents from his cord phone! And they called my brother…who fixed it all. So thank you family!!! (Verizon reset my pin for some reason which results in total SHUT DOWN, great job Verizon 👏)

Any who. Then it was a flight to Fort Laurderdale, Florida. Then a flight to Cartagena, Colombia! Had to wait in the customs line for over an hour. Spoke to a really nice couple with the wife being from Colombia who told me some amazing places I have to go to! Then finally got to the cab.

Then…Obi.

Obi you would have sliced this guy with your nails like a boss.

Then I kinda got robbed? NOT REALLY, don’t freak out.

But it was honestly bizarre. I got in a cab. He drove me to my hostel. Then I get out and, you know I have been practicing my Spanish with those Spanish Apps, but man do they speak FAST HERE. And it was my first HOUR being here. And I couldn’t understand he was saying 15 (quince) mil (thousand) I thought he was saying 50 (cincuenta) mil…okay yes they sound different.

And also their money being in ‘mil’ or a thousand has been confusing at first since ‘mil’ sounds like million.

Anyways, so I was standing there, exhausted. And I’m handing him a 50. And he’s saying ‘no!’ Then this man comes up who speaks some English and says, “he is saying it is 15, not 50! He’s an honest good man!” Then the guy takes my 50 mil and convinces the cab to take it and give me change, then he gives this random guy my 35 mil in change back and then, ready?

…he takes 15 and hands it to the cab and says “he deserves a big tip, he could have taken your 50!” THEN TAKES THE 20 LEFT AND POCKETS IT, and goes, “and I get a tip too for helping you!” Then walks away…if I didn’t have a 50 pound back pack on my back I would have yelled or something? But, its okay, 50 mil translates to about 17 American dollars.

Any who. Went to hostel. Had one roommate in my female dorm room that sleeps 6. Her name was Rachel and she’s from Texas. She works every 2 weeks then travels every 2 weeks, for the last 2 years of her life! She’s leaving tomorrow but we might meet up in Ecuador or Bolivia! She was so nice and fun and easy going, and what an incredible life she’s living!

Here is a pic of us out to dinner!

After dinner we hung out at our hostel with a bunch of people. Met a group of guys from England and Australia, an amazing woman who was half French and Spanish. I was so tired but so excited ended up staying up a little late with them.

Also here is a pic of one part of the hostel, more pics to come!

Finally went to bed and the hostel at night puts AC on and it’s glorious!

Till tomorrow, love you Obi!

Love,

Your Mama, Carly

Dear Obiwan,

I left you today. To go to South America!…but it was so hard saying goodbye. I could not have squeezed you any tighter and you were looking at me with that, “MOM, STOP, UGH FINE,” face, but you let me snuggle you so hard- so thank you.

I won’t say much today, but I wanted to post one of our favorite pictures together! This was us about…3 years ago? I don’t know what we will do without each other, but don’t worry, if you miss me or want to know what I am doing, I will be writing to you here, posting videos mostly, and some pictures as well!

Love you lamb,

Carly

P.S- Just in case you forgot, I call you lamb sometimes ever since one of my friends commented on this pic below and said, “is that a lamb?”