Sept 3rd.
\nFrom Santa Marta to Taganga, only a quick bus ride away. Grab one of the blue local buses for 1,400p for about 15-20min and your there. A small town set between the hills right on the beach. I head to my hostel Villa Mary. The place is chill and about 25,000p per night for a dorm. There are many hostels in the area, walk around and check it out. My quest...to find a job or volunteer position. Villa Mary is decorated with hammocks, so my place. When I arrive I'm early, check in is at 3pm so I head out to check out the town. About a 3min walk to the beach. I stop off at several dive shops to see about working as a dive master. Unfortunately it is low season so no one is really needed at the moment. Although I still get to dive tomorrow with Reef Sheperd. The owner is super chill and invites me to dive with them tomorrow morning. I'm in, finally get to be back in the water. It's been a few months since Galapagos so I'm itching for some sea creatures. I feel like rewarding myself and head to the beach. Where I spend the rest of my day chilling with people I've met. I hang out with Reema, another solo traveler. She has been at it for 8 years, this blows my mind and gives me hope. How amazing...out to see the world for 8 years. Makes me look forward to my future. We chill, catch some sun, swim and hang out with the locals. Finishing my evening with street food. An arepa for 3000p and then basic Pollo dish for 7500p. Heading back to my hostel full filled I catch up with friends then head to bed early. Early day of diving tomorrow.
\nSept 4th
\nRise and SHINE IT'S TIME TO DIVE!! Getting in a dope breakfast I head to the dive shop by 7:30am. We get the gear together and head out to dive in front of Tayrona park. Both dives take place off the island just on the coast. The water is warm, I wear my lavacore top and that's it. The dives are simple and relaxed. We spot trunk fish, bat fish, Angel fish, lion fish, spotted eels, and much much more. It's just nice to be back in the water. Mermaid for life. Between dives we are provided snacks and some beach time. Making our way back to the mainland I catch lunch then check out some places for volunteering. Moringa is one of the dopest hostels I've ever seen. A mansion over looking Taganga, set up in the hill. The view is priceless. I decide to stay here for the night. Taking a hammock for 20000p a night. The afternoon is spent by the pool. I pass the time with 2 guys from London, watching the people in the bay. It's Sunday so the beach is crowded. It's funny, only a few people ever dare to swim out further then 10m. Mean while there is a birthday at our hostel. One of the girls that works here is turning 30, friends and family fill the place. Free drinks and shots for everyone. So awesome. The boys and I get hungry so we make our way into town. I take them to this local joint I found the other night. Super cheap and the amount of food is unreal. A plate of chicken with fries and a salad is 7,500p. The place is located at Carrera 2 and Calle 11. See the image included. Go there, the boys were highly impressed. Never be afraid to try local street food, it will blow your mind. When we finish we are full, and slowly make our way back. But for first I need a street jugo, natural juice. The fruit is fresh and the juice costs 3000p. For a $1 I could literally have 5 of these a day. I pick up a mango juice and off we go. When we get back we crash on the couches. Super chilled out we spend the night passing out in hammocks and the couch in the common area.
\nSept 5th
\nWaking up early in Colombia is the the way you start the day. It is hot and the humidity has already set in. Unless you have AC or taking a hammock in a breezy location, sleeping in and be quite difficult. I start my day with some coffee, power bar and a like body weight workout on the patio. It has been a few days that I've gotten any exercise in, feeling sluggish. So I go to work, kicking my own ass in the heat. I prefer to get in some fitness in the morning. Good way to get good energy flowing through your body. Finishing I am so sweaty, I promise you I sweat more than any other person I know. Showering and taking breakfast before I head north to Buritaca. My usual breakfast while traveling consists of oats and protein, oats and yogurt or huevos.
Time to make my way north before mid-day, when the heat really sets in. From Moringa you can walk up the hill to the main road and catch one of the blue local buses that goes back to Santa Marta. The ride costs 1,400-2,000 depending on where your going. Let the driver know you want the bus terminal for Tayrona park/Palomino. The ride takes 15-mins into Santa Marta. Where you are dropped off to catch another bus. This bus is mostly white with some green and blue. There is a sign on the front that states Palomino, that's your bus. I'm heading to Buritaca so I tell the driver. The ride can take anywhere up to an hour and costs 8,000p. Unfortunately for me the bus drops be off further then where I need to be. So I chill road side with some locals until I catch a bus going back. When traveling around the area your bus trip from hostel to hostel or town to town should only be 2,000p. I make it back to Buritaca, which looks nothing much of a town. A few road side stands and a motorbike taxi or two. If you are heading to El Rio hostel, catch the motorbike to the hostel. The cost is 4,000p and about a 5 min ride. It's not worth it to walk all that way in the jungle with your large backpack. El Rio is a developing hostel. A friend of mine, Maurice, is staying here with friends and volunteering. My hope is to do the same, we will see. I arrive and it's great to see Maurice. It's been a couple months, always a joy to reunite. I drop my things and head to the kitchen to chat with the owner Ben. He has been working on this project for a year now, it has come a long way. We sit and have coffee, talk about the possibility of volunteering. Right now there are people coming and going so I should be able to squeeze in somewhere. I spend the rest of the day checking out the place and chilling with people.
So this time of year the rainy season has started. Usually the rain comes at night or late evening, but today it starts early. It pours the whole afternoon into the night. The river, located next to the hostel, runs wild and water level rises several metres. We pass time watching the rain, catching up and eating dinner. When you volunteer here there provide you with 3 filling meals a day. Yes filling and the food is DOPPEEE. So good and made by the volunteers on rotation. Tonight we have salmon Alfredo paired with salad. My plate is over flowing, I literally couldn't finish it. I feel bad because I usually eat everything, my stomach has shrunk in size by now. By the time dinner comes to an end we all head to bed. Everyone has an early start to the day, which I enjoy. Morning time is my favorite. I love being able to wake and just enjoy food, coffee and a hammock for a couple hours before I get to anything. I will be sleeping in a hammock for the next couple of weeks. Now with the hammocks, the owner has replaced them and tied new ones up. Well it seems he needs to work on his knot skills. A girl from earlier warns us there is a possibility of falling, so we put pillows below us and test them out. I mean OF COURSE I would fall straight to the ground not once, but TWICE. Lucky for me I was prepared for the first, but not the second. The pillow broke my fall for both but on the second I was higher up and nailed my elbows on the way down. I say FUCK IT and put up my own reliable hammock. Finishing the evening with a girls chat and some quick reading. The night air is cool and there is a great breeze, this will be a magical sleep.
Sept 6th
Awaking refreshed from a good night's sleep I head to the kitchen for breakfast. Grabbing some oats and then head to the river. The plan for the day is to chill, get in some yoga by the river and head to La Brisa Tranquila for some wifi. Unfortunately El Rio has no wifi, which is nice but sucks when your looking for work/volunteering. I pass time in the afternoon reading and relaxing by the river. Catching up on me time. Really nice to be one with nature. Helps calm my mind and soul.if you find yourself in the northern region check out some of these hostels: La Brisa Tranquila, El Rancho Relaxo, and El Rio. All chill places. The price for a night runs between 15,000-30,000p depending on what your looking for. For the rest of my day I will spend it at the beach, doing this writing thing and work hunting.