My travel experience in Colombia is quite different to that of Peru. In a way, it’s due to the fact that i am being brought around by my friends (and their friends). In these 3 weeks (19 days to be exact) in colombia, i’ve met great people (friends of my friends), who had gone all out to ensure my stay was comfortable, safe and pleasant. Despite the language barriers (especially at the beginning), our time together had been fantastic and these beautiful memories will surely reside in my heart for a long time to come. I would also like to give special thanks to the parents of alejo and felipe, who had provided excellent hospitality in their homes. I had been to great places, from the capital (Bogota) at 2600m, to the lovely tropical/amazonian city of Florencia, to the incredible carribean coast (Taganga, Tayrona and Cartagena), and each left a deep yet characteristically different impression. I swam in a river and natural pools, got dragged by the furious rapids, threw out after a few heavy shots at a house party, tried some amazing local food and fruits from the amazon (i missed the juices!), did my virgin dive in the crystal clear carribean sea and got awed by a turtle swimming beside me, cursed and swore as i tackled a humid and mosquito infested national park, and more.. Most importantly, after having received a heavy dosage of lessons on colombian economy, history and politics, i now have a greater understanding/perspective of this country, and too, the latin region.
In conclusion, i declare my graduation trip a huge success. Everything that could happen (expected/unexpected, good/bad) happened, making this once-in-a-lifetime trip a truly South American affair.
