avatarPierre Matile

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t destinations for local visitors.</p><p id="46ff">I must have been fortunate because I met many friendly Colombians ready to do their utmost to support my travel. I had to fight back not to get small change when I wanted to leave a tip. When ordering a taxi at the hotel, I sometimes had to change my mind, and please take the bus, which is much more convenient, as mentioned by the hotel reception. I met taxi drivers who showed me the bus station instead of selling a trip. All the taxis I traveled with followed the shortest G-Map way to the destination. I had to be on time to catch the bus because they left on time.</p><p id="e825">Funnily, I spoke with a Colombian working in Africa who was back for the holiday season and had just been tricked by a French Taxi driver at the airport in Paris.</p><p id="842a">Like in an

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y country in the world, I had to be careful and not leave my stuff without supervision. I did not use Tinder and met strangers at night, at their private places (6 Americans have been killed lately doing that). I stayed at my hotel at night, as I woke up to the sun at 6:00 most days. In Bogota, I asked the hotel reception, a hotel situated in the middle of a quite hot zone, Candelaria, where it was safe to travel on foot. I checked around me. I just did all the things you normally do, when traveling in an unknown place with its own unknown rules.</p><p id="fc44">I was lucky yes, but not more, not less than I have been, traveling around the world during the past 30 years in Europe, North America, and Asia.</p><p id="16cf">Do visit this amazing country.</p><p id="8080">I wish you a great year 2024.</p></article></body>

Colombia, your next destination?

Photos: P. Matile

I just came back from 3 weeks backpacking in Colombia. Before I flew there, I heard and read terrible stories about kidnapping, extortion, thefts, loud music, freezing temperatures in buses, and salesmen who would harass you on the street and the beach and force you to buy from them.

I have visited large cities (Bogota, Medellin, Cartagena) and small villages (Jardin, Salento, Jericho, Villa de Leyva, San Gill, …), I have traveled by bus, plane, and truck on the murky roads in the mountains. I have stayed a few days in Playa Blanca, one of the most popular tourist destinations for local visitors.

I must have been fortunate because I met many friendly Colombians ready to do their utmost to support my travel. I had to fight back not to get small change when I wanted to leave a tip. When ordering a taxi at the hotel, I sometimes had to change my mind, and please take the bus, which is much more convenient, as mentioned by the hotel reception. I met taxi drivers who showed me the bus station instead of selling a trip. All the taxis I traveled with followed the shortest G-Map way to the destination. I had to be on time to catch the bus because they left on time.

Funnily, I spoke with a Colombian working in Africa who was back for the holiday season and had just been tricked by a French Taxi driver at the airport in Paris.

Like in any country in the world, I had to be careful and not leave my stuff without supervision. I did not use Tinder and met strangers at night, at their private places (6 Americans have been killed lately doing that). I stayed at my hotel at night, as I woke up to the sun at 6:00 most days. In Bogota, I asked the hotel reception, a hotel situated in the middle of a quite hot zone, Candelaria, where it was safe to travel on foot. I checked around me. I just did all the things you normally do, when traveling in an unknown place with its own unknown rules.

I was lucky yes, but not more, not less than I have been, traveling around the world during the past 30 years in Europe, North America, and Asia.

Do visit this amazing country.

I wish you a great year 2024.

Colombia
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