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The Americas

February - May 2024
A 81-day adventure by Jarrod Read more
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  • TravelerThe Americas
    Day 21

    River Tubing

    March 14 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    We slept in as we didn't have a lot planned for today before going and getting some breakfast. Although it was OK, the food here wasn't great during our stay. We checked out and made our way to Rio Hostel, where we would be spending a couple of nights. When we arrived in Rio, we were disappointed to hear that our aircon room wasn't available, but luckily they gave us some free meals, a discount, and a smaller room in compensation. A worthy and suitable compensation. Although we were early, they allowed us to check in and prepare for the river tubing. This is where you grab a six-pack, walk upstream, and jump in a tube to float down the river. It was actually a lot of fun, you could admire the dense colombian rainforest, look out for wildlife, get drunk, and meet new people. It was a very good way to meet people since you never knew who you might float into and spark up a conversation. This went for about an hour, and some parts you would float down quite quickly, making it more exciting than I expected. We were even lucky enough to finally see Howler monkeys in the trees above the river. We had heard them many times but I had finally seen them. We stopped for some rope swings and some cliff jumps before finally arriving back at the hostel. We drank quite a bit and had more tequila shots than I would like. But Sarah and I were still pretty gassed from the last week or so that had been quite busy. We headed to bed at about 11:30 with the anticipation of a big night tomorrow (Saturday). Rio is a huge party hostel so we were keen to make the most of it. Although being a party hostel, it was still very nice, and the food was incredible. They had a pizza place, a cafe and patisserie, a main restaurant, pool tables, volleyball court, ping pong table, fuseball, and much, much more. It was unbelievable.Read more

  • TravelerThe Americas
    Day 22

    Eco tour

    March 15 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    We woke up, and I nursed a minor hangover, likely the result of the tequila and going to bed before the alcohol had fully absorbed into my body, before getting breakfast. I enjoyed a very nice smoothie bowl. We then were surprisingly productive and booked a bunch more of our Peru trip before retiring to the bed to try and secure a little nap. But, as we were in a topical jungle, it was fucking hot. This meant the nap was sweaty and I woke up feeling worse than when I went to bed. I think the last week or so was getting the better of me and I was starting to become run down. Nonetheless we had an eco tour to complete. This was a 4 hour river cruise where we would spot camen, monkeys and enjoy a beer at sunrise. In the end we probably spent more time on the beach then on the river, but there was a nice little bar where we could buy beers and the guides told cool stories about the indigenous people and the local myths and legends. When we spotted our first camen he stopped the boat and we got out to pursue the animal on foot. We were shocked but we chased it for a while before giving up, assuming he had run back into his little den under the riverbank. We saw howler monkeys and lots of cool birds. On our way back, when it was now night, we once again attempted to spot some camen getting up close and personal with them. He even managed to catch a baby with his hands, allowing us to get a good picture. It was actually kind of cute too. This ended our tour and we eventually got driven back to the hostel. Unfortunately, by now I was very run down and sick. Because we got back late, we had a pizza and a couple drinks before just going to bed to get some rest. Despite being incredibly loud, the sickness meant I slept perfectly fine and recovered quite well. It was a shame to waste a night in a very cool hostel but I knew if I pushed it I would have ended up much sicker. It was the right move but a shame nonetheless.Read more

  • TravelerThe Americas
    Day 23

    Cartegena

    March 16 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C

    We got a good sleep last night, and I began to recover well from my sickness. Today would be pretty relaxed too so I could rest still. We packed our bags and checked out of the hostel. We then walked about 20 minutes to the main road where our shuttle would drive us to Cartegena. It was a very comfortable and cruisy drive, despite taking about 6 hours. It just meant I could catch up on admin. When we arrived, we were finally somewhere quiet enough to Uber and got to our hotel for about 3 dollars. This meant it was about 4:30 when we arrived and we headed to the shops to gather the things for a few days of cooking. Today, we would make a little makeshift chacuterie board. We had a nice little airbnb so we could watch the sunset over the water while we enjoyed some snacks and a wine. We then watched netflix and fell asleep early.Read more

  • TravelerThe Americas
    Day 24

    Sweat and Sloths

    March 17 in Colombia ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    We had a 10 o'clock walking tour today, so we had an easy morning before beginning our walk toward the historical centre of town. Although only about 20 minutes, I was already dripping in sweat. It's not a good start when you are going to spend the next 3 hours walking around the sun. The tour was good but nothing amazing, we learnt a bit about Cartegena and its origins, the slave trade, and the fight for independence. It's quite funny that the full name of the town is Cartegena de Indias. Dating back to when the Spanish had thought they had travelled to India before discovering the America's. We explored some of the plazas, the parks, and the historical monuments. Toward the end of the tour, we ventured toward Getsemani, the historically poor suburb for those who count afford to live in the walled city of Cartegena (historical centre). On our way, we wandered through a park that is known to house a sloth family of 8, and we were lucky to spot one. It was super cute and a bucket list item of mine to see one in the wild. Though it's barely the wild. Getsemani was beautiful too, with lots of artwork and colourful graffiti, it made the city so nice to walk through. This is where the tour ended, and Sarah and I quickly had to find some aircon to cool down. We headed back to the historical centre and found an Irish pub. Yet because it was Saint Patty's Day (without us knowing), it was hard to get a table. Even when we got one, though, the meals looked average and were expensive. We made a great choice by heading to an Asian place for some sushi. It was amazing. We got a lychee lemonade and plenty of sushi, and it was all so incredibly nice and refreshing. After this, we walked around the city walls that encapsulate the old town and explored the old streets. After some more time, we found a very busy but cute little street where locals were drinking cocktails. Each was very strong and equivalent to about 4 AUD. They tasted good enough for the price, and we were very drunk by the time we left. We explored the streets a bit at night and took in the atmosphere. The city is even more beautiful by night as the lights lit up the colourful buildings and show off the vibrancy of Cartegena.Read more

  • TravelerThe Americas
    Day 25

    San Filipe Fort

    March 18 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C

    We had a food tour booked for the afternoon, and the typically hot weather in the region meant we didn't want to do too much before a lot of walking. We did, however, want to explore one of the militaristic artefacts of the city and saw the San Filipe Fortress. This was a colossal concrete monument that shadowed the ancient city and protected its citizens from attack from the sea and land. Although a brutal walk during the heat, the size and height of the fortress meant that you got a great view of the city of Cartegena. As well as providing fantastic defensive structure during the colonial periods. Defences that extend all the way around the city through the city walls that are still present. Unfortunately, we didn't get much about its uses due to being mostly in Spanish. The fort was last used during the 16th century, and the structure was, of course, not overcome. As you explored, you can see why. Multiple levels with many cannons meant any attack from any angle would face endless cannons fire. Along with it was a seemingly endless maze of alleyways and hidden corridors. Whether for defence or just liveability, I don't know, but it was interesting to walk through. After this, we were desperate to escape the heat and found a nice cafe for some coffee and juice. This killed some time for a while before we decided to explore Getsemani some more and see the other parts we missed. They ended up being some of the most beautiful. We explored some beautiful street art, colourful buildings, and streets before eventually going back to the sloth park to kill time. We saw another 4 sloths and many monkeys again and watched them for some time until the tour started. When the food tour did start, we started as it began to cool down, which we were very thankful for. We tried 9 different types of local food. Although all were good, some were much better than others. The attached photos are the highlights. Ceviche-type dishes, arepas, and patacones were the best. But to go with this was different fruits, sweets, juices, and soups. Overall, it was very interesting. We finished off with an ice cream and headed home for some drinks. We found a sports bar, and we got to watch some NBA and enjoy a few more drinks before getting Hungry Jack's on our way home.Read more

  • TravelerThe Americas
    Day 26

    Cartegena museum

    March 19 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    Today was our last full day in Cartegena, and although we thoroughly enjoyed it, we felt we had already made good use of our time. This, plus the fact we had a big day yesterday in the hot weather, as well as a big night of drinks, we gave ourselves a sleep in. The day followed a similarly relaxed theme, and we took some time to get back out into the world. In fact, we started about lunchtime by going back to our favourite sushi place and enjoying some more Asian. After this, like yesterday, we just explored the parts of the town we may have missed, this time in the old town. As we wandered, we came across the museum of Cartegena. It did a good job of explaining the full history of the city. But, as we had to translate each piece of information, it became a bit of a hassle, and by the end, we rushed through. We still enjoyed it, we were just tired and keen for an easy day. As such, we headed home, and although briefly stopping at the shopping Plaza to wander, it rounded out our time in Cartegena. It is a great city with beautiful people, architecture, and history.Read more

  • TravelerThe Americas
    Day 27

    Hola Salento

    March 20 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Our day started with an early flight. Luckily, being domestic, we didn't have to get there too early. That being said, our last nightmare meant I wasn't taking any risks and we still arrived 2 hours before take off. 2 flights later we arrived at Armenia airport. Not the country but the small region outside of salento. Unfortunately, we then had the next problem, getting to the city of Armenia and on to Salento. We knew there were buses but we couldn't find much information online, due to being small towns and airports. We went to the information booth, and the guy didn't speak any English, but was nice enough to take us to the bus stop and even wave down the bus for us. Although kind, we needed cash, but given we didn't know when the next bus was, we jumped on. Luckily, we had enough for this bus, but when we arrived at the bus terminal for our connecting bus, we were sure we would definitely need more money then. However, once again, we had a local person helping us on our way, and the language barrier meant that we could hardly explain the situation. We figured he could walk us to the bus, and we could then escape to get cash. But then the people at the bus stop were telling us to board. I could do little more than show them all my cash and ask if it was enough. Through a pretty well sized language barrier, they (I think) ensured we had enough. Everyone was super friendly, and we provided the entertainment for the day as our stressed and confused state made them laugh. When it came to paying, halfway through the trip, the man said we needed more than what the men had indicated. I pulled out all that I had left. About 800 pesos. He took 400 of those, and we really barely scraped by on our journey to getting to Salento. For perspective. 400 pesos is equivalent to about 20c AUD. I had no idea what would have happened had we not enough. Luckily, we just scraped through. Once again we were reassured by some people on the bus and a nice man helped explain the bus stops when we arrived in town. Had the locals not been so nice, we may never have arrived, or at least arrived much later and with more greater difficulty. Finally, though, we arrived and could check in, drop our bags off, and explore the colourful city. All through colombia had been incredibly colourful, but Salento took the cake for most vibrant. Each building is a plethora of subtle tones, highlighted with multiple brother colours and pretty plants and flowers. Although tiny, it makes for a nice walk. All the stores are small but make their own items, creating an amazing experience that felt authentic and supportive of local people. After some time, the lack of food caught up to us, and so we headed off for dinner. Sarah had found a very nice restaurant for us. We clearly didn't get our Asian fix, as we found some more very good Japanese cuisine. We are shocked with how good it has been given where we are in the world. We got some ramen down and headed to a nice cafe for dessert before going back for bed.Read more

  • TravelerThe Americas
    Day 28

    Coffee Tour

    March 21 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Today began with a trip into the mountains around Salento to begin a coffee farm tour. Although I had already done one in Africa, this was promising to be a new experience where we learnt the traditional techniques for harvesting, and I could evaluate how it was different to those done in Uganda. The greatest differences arose in how the plant grows and the supplementary crops they utilise to provide different flavours for the coffees in such high altitudes. The harvesting started off quite similarly by removing the red coffee seed from the tree and taking it to the farm for refining. It is then crushed in a machine to extract the husk. Where it can then be dried. After drying, it is once again crushed to provide the coffee seed where it is roasted into coffee. The machines utilised, although traditional, are more elaborate than those used in Africa. Nonetheless, the process is very similar. In the end, we enjoyed our coffee and admired the beautiful little farm where the coffee plantation was situated. After this, we began the hour walk back to town because no Jeeps came by to pick us up, but the views were incredibly nice and made for some great photos. By this time, it was afternoon, and we relaxed for a bit before going to play a traditional game of Colombia, Tejo. Essentially, like cornhole but with explosives, it was a lot of fun and exciting. We had some drinks, threw rocks at explosives, and had a fun night. I must add, despite dominating all night, Sarah came back at the end to win our only game. I got complacent. Although a lot of fun, this was the end of our day as we grabbed a quick dinner and headed to bed.Read more

  • TravelerThe Americas
    Day 29

    Cocora Valley & Hummingbirds

    March 22 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    We woke up nice and early and prepared for the main reason we visited Salento, the Cocora Valley. Known for the 50 foot tall palm trees and hummingbirds, it makes for a very interesting site and racks up plenty of tourist activity each year. As such, we jumped in the Jeeps and began the 30-minute journey. Despite getting lost at the beginning, we hustled up the hill to get to the viewpoints before the clouds smothered our views. We made it in time, and we could continue uphill, but it was brutal and long. Many go to the viewpoints and go home, occupying maybe a couple of hours, but we were determined to find some hummingbirds. There is a reserve right atop one of the overlooking hills, and we continued the brutal journey to find them. Given that it took many hours, we grew anxious that we might not see any, but asking some passer-bys on our way up, we were reassured you would see them. Upon arrival, you are flooded with the sight of buzzing hummingbirds, the sound of hundreds of little wings fluttering at 4000 wingbeats per minute, resonating a thick background hum, and the beautifully coloured creatures erratically jumping from perch to perch. We spent quite a bit of time here trying to get the perfect photos and videos, and we got some golden ones, making it well worth the time and effort. Then, it was time for the 5km walk down the valley, along a river, and back to the starting point. We were tired and starved by the time we got back, and we didn't want to risk shitty food, so we once again got Japanese and enjoyed some good ramen to warm our bodies after a cold and wet day of walking. Of course, afterwards we went to sleep very early and slept very well.Read more

  • TravelerThe Americas
    Day 30

    Shuttle on Colombia Time

    March 23 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    As a travel day, today was pretty chilled. We woke up and bought some gifts we had found the days prior, then went up to a viewpoint to overlook the city before we left. It is a small city, and although colourful, it is difficult to see it all from so high up, so it wasn't incredibly exciting but worth doing nonetheless. We then boarded our afternoon 6-hour shuttle to Medellin. Though, forgetting we were running on colombia time, we didn't arrive until 10pm, making it an 8 hour journey. To make things worse, this ruined our chances of going out that night as we had booked a party hostel and was keen to meet people, but this never materialised as we were too tired. There was always tomorrow, though that would be a Sunday.Read more

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