Cartagena

I wasn't sure what to expect from Columbia, like many I only knew if from its turbulent drug history. I soon learnt there was so much more to Columbia!

I've started my travels in the coastal town of Cartagena. From the moment I set foot outside my hostel I was hit with the sights and sounds of South America - Latin music playing in the streets, street vendors, the smell of new food and lots of Spanish.

Cartagena is a wonderful old colonial town. I came here for one reason and one reason only - to get my open water PADI licence. Having fallen in love with diving in Borneo earlier this year I was keen to get some more dives in - unfortunately diving spots in South America are limited and this is one time I'm not afraid to admit I am a warm water only diver! Anyway, following four days of theory, pool practice and four open water dives I'm proud to say I took to diving much more easily than I took to skiing and am now a qualified diver. Diving in Cartagena was good but not amazing (but then when you do your DSD near Sipadan I do think your ruined for diving for life!) I did however enjoy exploring the shipwrecks and sunken car, it was just lacking a little in marine life. That said I did see both a seahorse and two lion fish in one dive which was amazing.

While diving has been the main focus of my time here I have also found time to explore Cartagena. It's like two worlds have collided here - on one hand you have Centro (within the walls of the old town) which is where you will find all the colonial architecture etc. On the other hand you have Bocogrande which is full of high rise hotels and condos overlooking the beach with a distinct Miami feel.

I've spent most my time in the old town starting with a free walking tour which was fantastic and a great way of orientating myself. I quickly followed this with a chiva (bus) tour around the outside of Cartagena including San ...... and La ..... Unfortunately the whole tour was in Spanish so 99% of it was lost on me. But I enjoyed people watching and visiting the sights. Other than that I've been keeping busy with general walks around the area and spending time lying in the beach.

Cartagena has reminded me of two of my obsessions. Firstly hammocks - I seem to have lost hours lying in the hammock at my hostel planning my days or relaxing in the evening. I sometimes feel guilty for the amount of time I spend lying there, but then remember I am on holiday. The second is my love affair with doors in Latin America (yes you read that right!) I love the ornate doors found all around the historical area with their many different colours and embellishments. I'd often wondered why these grand doors had smaller doors cut into them - thanks to the free walking tour I learnt that the large ornate doors required 2-3 slaves to open and close them. When slavery was abolished and was no one left to open the doors they cut small, lighter doors into the frame.

Anyway I finish this post from a plane. I am currently on route to Medellin, Columbia's second largest city. I had the option of taking a 13 hours bus for £20 or a one hour flight for £20. It really was a no brainier...

Setting the scene

Today the adventure starts. One continent. Eight countries. One hundred and nineteen days.

Setting off from home

That's about the extent of my planning so far. As someone that is slightly anal-retentive and loves a good spreadsheet that scares me slightly. It also presents an opportunity for great freedom. I know that if I'd thought this through more, researched it more, then I would probably wouldn't of gone. So I've decided when it comes to the big and small decisions, especially those involving changes, think less, act fast. There are no bad choices. Or no choices so wrong you can't figure a way out of them. There are only missed opportunities.

I plan to take all the opportunities presented to me on the road. There are some 'must-sees' of course! But other than those I'm free to travel where my mood, weather and new travel acquaintances take me. How often in life are we given this level of freedom?

Freedom does have a price though, and that price was my job (and hopefully not my career). Four months ago I started a new job, leaving behind a great team for a new environment and more responsibility, steps I thought I needed to take. After all, yours 20s are all about 'more' - more money, more responsibility, more work, more recognition, more challenges. By the end of day one I knew I had made a mistake. By day two I wanted my previous job back. Week eight, while in the back of a minivan in Borneo, I came to the easy decision I had to leave. I handed in my notice and a month later I was free.

I may not have been in my job long, but it's left me jaded and a little sceptical. I'd always made such good career choices, how did I get this one so wrong? What is going to stop me making the same mistake again if/when I return to work? Where do I go from here? In true 'Natalie style' I decided the only way to answer these questions was by packing up my life and going travelling.

So this brings me to today and I am writing this on my flight to Columbia where I will be spending the first six nights in the beautiful costal town of Cartagena. After that, who knows!

Queing on the runway at Madrid airport

A side note on safety - tell people your going traveling around South America and you get a look of concern. Tell people your going travelling around South America alone and the stay safe lectures pour in. Is South America safe? Well I don't think it's un-safe. Nowhere in the world is truly safe as humans have a long history of doing not so nice things to other humans. But I have common sense and knowing I managed south east Asia as a naive 21 year old fills me with some confidence for this trip. So in answer to all your questions - yes I'll be safe.