After finaly getting the visa sorted it was time to make the overnight bus trip to medellin, with its promises of amazing night life, beautiful women, and sunny skies..
My bus arrived 9 hours late due to the many landslides that were blocking the road along the way..sustained periods of rain and wind combined for some epic slides, with the most memorable being one that caused an entire semi trailer to flip onto its side.
That afternoon we just spent cruisig around the hostel, playing a bit of basketball and relaxing..we had beers in the bar that evening and met some nice colombian girsl, played some pool and just relaxed..the hostel we were staying at had been billed s a massive party hostel but the vibe was subdued and even a little strange..
The next day we went to the former home, grave, offices of the famous Pablo Escobar and even met his nephew (whos credibility was cemented by the 3 bullet wounds in his stomach). THe highlights of the tour icluded seeing a bullet proof chevvy truck and a 1950s harley davidson. we filled the afternoon with stories of the man and his escopades and crimes, some positive but most negative.
That night we met some cracking english guys and girls and we partied at te hostel well into the evening before deciding to go out and check te clubs..however, given the fact tat it was easter thursday almost everthing was shut, accept for one extremely strange little club..unfortunately it didnt live up to expectations and at the risk of sounding superficial the women were less than impressive..it turned into an all nighter as we decided to make our own party back at the hostel, retiring to the hammoks to watch the sunrise..
We slpet through till 5 the next day and that night we again partied at the hostel with the english guys and gals, chasing the dragon. THis time we didnt bother leaving the hostel (gpood friday) and it turned out to be a cracking night of cards, banter and hammoks..
On saturday we decidid to hit the road (the partying had taken its toll) and all of us caught the bus up to the coast..Unfortubnately it rained the whole time we were in medellin and given the fact that it was the easter weekend we didnt really get the chance to make the most of the night life or the women, but as always we gave it our best crack and left nothing in the tank.
Finally the coast again!!!!!!! Cartagena is a beautifl city, sunny and vibrant. It has what i would assume to be a cuban feel, the locals are a little darker and the buildings colorful. We are staying at an awesome hostrel (possibly the best yet) with an awesome pool and bar, as well as a roof top terrace.
THe first afternoon we walked to the beach and had a swim whihc was awesome, back to salt water. Its not the nicest beach but there are a few beautiful ones not far away which we are going to sample in the next few days. WE also went to a volcano that you sit in the top of and float around in mud. It was surprisingly really cool, the best way to describe the feeling would be to say it feels like floatig in space, acept the air is thick mud, surreal..after getting bathed by the local women in the lagoon we cooked up a massive BBQ with our english mates had beers and retired to bed, for the first time in a lonng time, at a reasonable hour.
The sleep did us well and ensured we were primed for ANZAC day..we started drinking in the beautfiul sun around 12 and kept going throughout the day, movin between the auhentic corner store, the pool, roof and bbq area. It was one of the englich girls birthday as well so that night we had a cake and went to a cool little club..we salsaed..we chilled in the pool and strolled the streets, often being followed by hordes of drug dealers and hookers, keen to shovel off what ever crap they could to the stupid gringos..All in all a funny night, culminating in a comploetely platonic 3 way spoon..
The next day we chilled in the sun, went out for lunch and read our books and swam in the pool..a very relaxing day indeed..finished up with a delicious woodfire pizza at a beautiful little outdoor eatery around the corner from the hostel..
On wednesday we decided that it was time to step up the cultural activities so lach and i hired push bikes (girls bikes with a basket on the front) and went cruising around the city..cartagena is truely an amazing city, with a section of what is now known as the old town completely surrounded by a fortress built up in pre colonial times..Theres these massive cannons and turrets and the only way in and out is through these amazing gated entrances..i mjanaged to sustaina flat tire towards to end of the ride which meant pushing the bike all the way home in the scaslding heat..on a positive note it opened my eyes to the delicious fried chicken shop just up the road from the hostel, one that i would visit many times in the days to come...
Wednessday night was party night at our hostel (all the other hostels converge)..2 for 1 cocktails all night on the roof top terrace..there was no need to go out and sample the locaal night life as the set up at the hostel was amazing..met a few nice aussie girls and swindled the night away..
