Colombia !!

Minca!! What a place. Brace yourselves this is a long one (give me some credit am sat at the airport and haven’t been alone in 2 weeks- it feels weird). Did a trek that felt like we were trying to get past the challenges to get to the philosopher’s stone:

Challenge 1: ‘The Dog that has killed 4 people’ - after getting slightly lost on the confusing trails we decided to ask a friendly local for directions. We were told (en español) that the correct way was just over there, but be careful because there is a very aggressive dog that has killed 4 people! Um? No? Before we could turn back the lady looked at us pathetic Brits lost in the jungle and said just take a stick and it’s fine? Again um? No? But Liv had already taken off with her twig following the lady across the dogs path.

[Side note: on retelling this account to our fellows travellers at the hostel they said that perhaps Joe’s translation was not 100% correct as the word for kill (matado) and bite (mordido) sound very similar to the English ear :( ]

Challenge 2: ‘Liv and the venomous snake’ - about 5 minutes after the dog incident we were high on adrenaline and very jumpy, speeding through this jungle where nobody else seemed to be (were we even on a path? Who knows). Suddenly liv screams (not unusual when in the jungle - actually ever - but this time was fair game) and a snake slithers out from under her boot. Why step on the yellow and black snake liv? Why? It literally has a natural warning saying DANGER, but alas the walking boots came in great stead and we all came out unscathed. Praise be to the only pair of shoes that make sense to wear on a hike through the jungle 🙏

Challenge 3: ‘The bamboo bridge’ - our path through the depths of the jungle finally came to an end as we made it to the river. Assuming there would be a bridge we looked around for a bit - shock, there was not. Joe tried to insist that approx 1 stick of bamboo was a bridge, we disagreed and decided we had to wade through it. Current was strong but we pushed right through and made it to the other side. Felt like proper trekkers in that moment. Longest part was taking off and putting shoes back on but hey we’re learning (thanks crocs cldnt live without you at this point)

Challenge 4: ‘Downpours of doom’ - yes it rained, yes I know we’re British and yes I know I was told it was rainy season and still didn’t bring a waterproof but hey, it rained a lot. A LOT. We were all absolutely drenched through and it made challenge 3 absolutely pointless bc we may of well have just swam through the river). Actually don’t think I’ve fully dried off since then, soggy af

Ok so drama aside Minca was actually great, we swam in waterfalls (met someone from Dulwich in a literal waterfall in the middle of the Colombian jungle - can’t get away), met a lovely Irish couple, found out Liv is scared of cats, did a coffee scrub in a river w a hippie and won the quiz!! Have never won before so was gassed!!! And ended up getting drunk for no reason (v fun and yummy mojitos). Had the besttttttttt filled empanadas, almost threw up on the bus back (even had my tote bag ready) and onto Tayrona it is…Les mer