Got a ticket on hold to Colombia.....

[Agent009]

Mighty travelers of stewbie land..... Convince me to go.
I would also like to check out peru.
Beaches and ruins are a must.

Departs july 14. Return is in 3 months..... If things go well ill ditch it and stay longer, tour the whole continent.

[Burma_Shave]

You should definitely go.

Colombia has pretty much everything you could want - great cities (Cartagena, Medellin, Bogota), stunning countryside and national parks (Zona Cafetera, Parque Tayrona, Amacayacu), beautiful beaches (Providencia, Islas del Rosario), interesting ruins and archaeology (Ciudad Perdida, San Agustin). It also has good food, friendly people and, of course, beautiful women

[cuchulainn]

Lucky cunt!

Get the fuck out of here and go!

[Harry Chorpita]

Lucky cunt!

Get the fuck out of here and go!

X2!

[Agent009]

See, this is what i came here for.
A kick in the a55!!!

I tell my real life, mostly non travel friends im off to colombia for a few months, maybe more, and they loook at me like the devil came out me mouth.

AA has some really cheeep tickets chicago to bogota right now.
Ive always wanted to travel south america, if not now, when?....
Right?

[golgo13]

Went to a wedding in Bogota some years ago (1996) and seriously regret taking my then gf. There was so much talent and that gf was on her way out the door just a few months later. What a fucking waste.

[northern_goddess]

Yes.. GO!!! I would love to go to Colombia.

And Peru is really fantastic as well. You can probably take a little jaunt down the Amazon from Columbia into Peru. While Macchu Pichu is really something to see I actually thought the Sacred Valley was much more interesting. Arequipa is also a beautiful city.

Ok, so the question is... Why wouldn't you go?

[Ian_in_DC]

Was there this past Nov-Dec. We went to Bogota, Medellin, San Gil/Barichara, Santa Marta/Tayrona NP, and Cartegena. Amazing trip, beautiful girls, great weather, and some fun outdoor activities (rappelling, white water rafting, etc.). Not once did we have any trouble although outside of Bogota, English speakers were hard to find. Oh, and the food is the typical bland fare that you find elsewhere in most of Latin America (not Mexico, Peru, or Brasil though).

[Burma_Shave]

Was there this past Nov-Dec. We went to Bogota, Medellin, San Gil/Barichara, Santa Marta/Tayrona NP, and Cartegena. Amazing trip, beautiful girls, great weather, and some fun outdoor activities (rappelling, white water rafting, etc.). Not once did we have any trouble although outside of Bogota, English speakers were hard to find. Oh, and the food is the typical bland fare that you find elsewhere in most of Latin America (not Mexico, Peru, or Brasil though).

I actually like Colombian food...but then I am English so I'm used to bland food.

[divrdoc]

i cant believe you would even ask. gooooooooo!!!!!!!!!! its awesome. sounds like Ian did my last itinerary there(without medellin, which i regret missing). and i like the colombian food too.

[Agent009]

Booooooooked!!!!!!!!!!!

[Agent009]

Im so pumped, ive wanted to go south of the equator for sooooo long.
Thanks for the words of encouragement. All i got here in middle yankburg were gawks and stares if i mentioned my plans.

I know that there is a wealth of knowledge here, so please dont be shy......
All ask some questions as i get more of an outline. Not leaving till early august...... return is end of october.
1st thing 1st, i shall need a new troll handle for the LPTTSA branch.
Hmmmmmmm.....

2nd...
Whats up with diving?

3rd.....
Ruins and colonial cities..... Whats the scooop?

[Harry Chorpita]

Im so pumped, ive wanted to go south of the equator for sooooo long.

Bad News-Most of Colombia is north of the equator-but don't let that stop you.

2nd...
Whats up with diving?

Nothing special unless you take a trip to that island off the Pacific coast-Malpelo I think it's called.

3rd.....
Ruins and colonial cities..... Whats the scoop?

Colonial cities/towns they got 'em-ruins are mainly Ciudad Perdida and the controversial San Augustin.

[Agent009]

Ya, i guess im gonna have to decide if i wanna hit peru or not.....
That way i know if i can get my ruins fix, and get south of the equator.
Ciudad perdida is on my list, im still kicking myself for skipping el mirador when i had the chance.

Im thinking i might kick it for a month in colombia, then fly to peru....
Or maybe fly straight to peru, and work my way back to bogota.

The diving thing is kinda a bummer, but i figured as much...
Oh well, that means more money for other stuff, as diving, no matter how cheeep, is still expensive.

One more thing... Any pretrip movie or boook recommendations would be koool.
A guidebook recommendation would be nice as well.

[divrdoc]

i have dove santa marta(taganga) as well as the islands near cartagena, and they were not bad at all. very warm water, good vis. good looking corals. nothing huge, but decent variety of fish. ciudad perdida? unless you drop the big bucks for a helicopter ride, figure on it being a few day trip. malpelo is supposed to be good, but not an easy trip to set up.

[Agent009]

Thanks divrdoc. Ive heard mixed reports about the diving.
Ya, its a 6 day hike to the lost city. Im gonna see how i feel about it when im near santa marta/tapanga. If i extend the trip, ill do it for sure. If i stick with the 2 1/2 month trip, i might have to skip it.

[Agent009]

I leave in 10 days!!!
Just in time for the inauguration!
Gonna kick it in bogota for a bit, maybe a few weeks in the surrounding area, then head to letecia and head up the amazon iquitos.....
Cruise down the andes checking inca stuff....
Then back up the coast.

Of course, i might just head straight to the beach. Im not much of a planner when it comes to this stuff.
Ive got a few things i wanna see....
The rest just happens.

Any and all advice is welcome....
I know a bunch of you are world cla55 backbacking looooo5ers, so kick down some advice, secret places, and other various faves.

Thanks in advance

[Harry Chorpita]

One piece of advice from someone who's Spanish is littered with colourful expressions from the Mexican idiom-Don't Swear!!!

Even a mild term like Cabron is seen as offensive by most Colombians.

[Agent009]

Thanks.....
Harry, being a fisherman...... You got any a good beach recommendations?

[Harry Chorpita]

Pacific-Nuqui/Bahia Solano.

Caribbean-not Cartagena or Taganga.

Tolu and Covenas are OK but not spectacular-I like some of the beaches east of Santa Marta but most are too rough/dangerous for anything but looking at.

[Agent009]

Sweeeet.....
I would love something cabana style like tulum.

Anyone think i should bother carrying a hammock/mosnet with me?

[northern_goddess]

Do you have a general idea of where you are going?