Colombia Forum

CAtoMDE
Joined 2016
Posts: 420

5 years ago

2 weeks & 2,875km road trip, nice to be home in Medellin

5 years ago

I returned last night, on the road for 2 weeks and traveled 2,875 km.

As expected my KIA Picanto performed well and in the past 6 months since I purchased her I just turned 14,000 km which is basically the result mainly of 5 long road trips.

I covered a great deal of ground and so many experiences. Brief summary:

Tolls - 28 tolls in total which cost 312.600 COP.

Gas - Almost 7 tank fulls which cost approx. 500.000 COP

Infraction - Was busted for passing a slow truck (was in a group of 4 other cars but was singled out as I had Medellin plates and I am the sole gringo) on Route 45A about midway between Bucaramanga and San Hil. Cost me 415.000 COP (310 mil to transito in San Gil and 105 mil to the drivers license school) and never thought that I would spend a half day in the school on my 1st return to San Gil/Barichara in 9 years, urrrrr.

General route of travel:

MDE - Tamalameque - Rodardero - Santa Marta - Tayrona - Riohacho - Maicao - Valledupar - Aguachica - Cucuta - Bucaramanga - San Gil - Barichara - Villa de Leyva - Puerto Berrio - MDE

Too many great experience to try to relate but my highlight was indeed the 4 days spent in CUCUTA.

I stayed in both higher end hotels costing up to 200.000 COP per night down to the truckers hotel stops costing 35.000 COP per night.

I need to mention that I traveled with a costena friend from Medellin so what a very interesting observations I had in the coastal areas. I have never kept any secrets of my opinions about the attitudes (crappy/unfriendly) of almost every costeno that I come into contact with BUT what a difference when I am with one of their kin-blood, they respected her and so the typical sh*t attitudes towards me the gringo/tourist was manageable. Interesting social behavioral and reverse racism study in the making, jejeje

I could speak for hours about my interactions with the Venezuelans I came into contact with in Cucuta and elsewhere. I did volunteer with a group in Cucuta and spent a few days with Venies ninos, if you let it it could break your heart, got so much out of those few days, wonderful kids with absolutely nothing.

So I had planned to spend this month of April down in Ecuador exploring it more from my last visit right after this past New Years BUT the road is still closed. Hope it opens soon and the situation gets resolved.

I hear all the horror stories about people being robbed, it gets down to 2 things, the first is how you carry yourself and secondly these fools even though they are banditos are not stupid as they always look for the mild and weak to prey upon, they think twice about the 6'-7" 280 lb gringo, hehehe

Glad to sleep in my bed last night and enjoy the thunderstorm while I am in my home and not driving on the road as what did happen a week ago.

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