Finding magic in unknown surroundings

I stumbled through the jungle of Colombia to find a tiny hostel 1200m high above the Carribbean Sea, amongst the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta above a town called Minca. Where you watch sunsets that sink into a horizon so high the ocean doesn't seem real, and the city lights far off in the distance twinkle like the countless stars of the milky way so perfectly visiable above you.

It's a place where I learnt to wield a machete at an unsuspecting banana tree to collect our free food for the day. Not only this but avocados, mangos, citrus fruits and all those special delights only Colombia has to offer. Climbing trees became normal, hiking daily to see snow capped mountains was a given, exploring new paths and canyons throughout the jungle and playing football on a makeshift pitch with local coffee farmers was just a standard day.

There was a specific magic surrounding Minca. The vibrations were high as I sat on the World's Largest Hammock. A 6mx6m net hanging off a cliff where you can lay and listen to howler monkeys in the distance, try your luck at spotting a toucan, an oropendola or any of the endemic birds surrounding the area.

Taking a walk down the side of the property and you are amongst the beautiful environment of the jungle. A place where quartz crystals can be collected and I was responsible for taking travellers from all over running along the river rocks and rappelling down waterfalls that fall so powerfully yet gracefully plummeting into the pools below. Nature's hidden treasures can be found here, and you only need a heart to explore. Snakes slithered carefully through the rocks and I placed my feet quickly, yet delicately upon the next green, moss covered stone.

The afternoon was when the clouds rolled in, like magical cotton candy dancing and weaving itself through us, bringing smiles that shone brighter than the sun. Dinner was when everyone would come together, there was a family feel with strangers you've only just met and perfectly cooked food was lovingly made in an earth oven dug out from clay in a cliff. The nights were a tranquil bliss and spent counting shooting stars and green flashes around the campfire, with a new traveller and a new tune on the guitar. It followed by simple sleep as we woke to the sun from the tent or a hammock to begin it all again the next day.

The magic is in the wind and it's calling me back to Casa Elemento.