Tayrona National Park

I don't think there are many better combinations in life than a beach and a tent.

And there aren't many better places to camp on the beach than in Tayrona National Park.

Getting into the park was a feat in itself. We hopped on a van that took us out of Taganga and into a larger city called Santa Marta, then a bus from Santa Marta to the park entrance. After waiting in line for each person’s passport information to be recorded (yawn), we took yet another shuttle further into the park.

Then came the walking.

Wild horse we saw along the way.

We walked for nearly two hours through the jungle – over rocks, across beaches, and in the mud. It’s no surprise Tayrona is known as one of the most beautiful places in Colombia. The hike was stunning. There aren't words to describe it.

The only problem?

The heat.

At nearly 38 degrees (about 100 F), and I would guess 100 percent humidity (okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but not by much), it was exhausting.

(Sorry to everyone back at home in Minnesota reading this. I’m not complaining, just stating that my body isn't used to the extreme heat this time of year!)

When we finally made it to Cabo San Juan – the main camping area – we were informed that they were out of tents and hammocks.

Crap! 

With a long line of hopeful campers behind us, the man at the desk made a call and announced that they would bring in more tents – but without any mattress pads. It was our only option, and we were taking it.

Cabo San Juan campground

After exploring, relaxing on the beach and enjoying a meal of beef jerky, Cliff bars, and dried fruit (food is ridiculously expensive to buy inside the park) we went to sleep on, yes, the ground. No sleeping bags, no mat or pillows. Nothing. I guess that’s part of the experience though, right?

Each time I woke up in the middle of the night and rotated – much like a rotisserie chicken – the sounds of the ocean would lull me back to sleep. No complaining here!

Our humble abode.

The view from our tent. Not too shabby!

Dinner: beef jerky, dried fruit and Cliff Bars. Yum.

Leaving the park the next morning was even more of an adventure than getting in. After hiking out, we took six modes of transportation.

1 shuttle

2 taxis

3 buses

Boys sitting next to us on one of our many bus rides. Too cute to resist!

Now we are home sweet home in Cartagena. We can’t wait for the adventures that this week will bring. 

More pictures from our time in Tayrona National Park:

We almost ran right into this guy...

If you are really lucky and arrive at Cabo early in the morning, you can score a hammock and sleep right over the water.

Breakfast spot

In love with Tayrona. (And yes, we like feet pictures!)

Taganga: A Dirt Road Paradise

The charming beach town of Taganga.

I think we've found paradise. 

A day after landing in Colombia, we made a journey along the coast to the town of Taganga. At one time a small fishing village, Taganga has recently become popular with backpackers and vacationing Colombians. It is unlike any place we have ever seen, which adds to its charm.

The main street in Taganga.

Taganga is a town with dirt roads, rows of juice stands, an army of stray dogs roaming the streets, plenty of deadlocked locals and tourists alike, reggae music blaring at 8 in the morning, and a perfect sunset-viewing beach.

The best part about the beach? You can order a beer from one of several stands lining the beach and they will bring it down to wherever you are sitting, taking in the sunset. Talk about paradise.

Beach beers. Can't get much better than this!

Taganga is also known as the cheapest place in the world to become PADI certified, which was the reason this town was a must on our itinerary. We didn’t want to make the commitment to get certified, as it was our first time diving and we weren’t sure how much we would like it. So instead, we had arranged to go on a day-long scuba trip with a company called Oceano. Our expectations were far surpassed.

Getting the boat ready.

After gathering all our gear and meeting the others who would be diving with us, including our guides, we walked down to the beach, boarded a boat and enjoyed a bumpy, high-speed ride to a small bay.

Ready to dive!

Our guide, Oscar, has been diving for 13 years all around the world – from Egypt to Indonesia. Even though he’s a pro, Oscar was extremely patient teaching us “newbies” how to use our equipment and how to signal underwater. He led us through the reefs, pointing out sea creatures along the way.

We enjoyed lunch in a thatched roof hut overlooking the ocean – sandwiches, fruit, and Coca-Cola of course (Colombians love the stuff!)

After our break, we got down to business – diving down 40 meters. And of course, just as we were really starting to get the hang of scuba diving, it was time to come back to the surface. 

Our lunch spot.

Aside from scuba diving, one of the best parts of Taganga was our hostel. The property was beautiful, and with a private room for just $26 per night, we couldn’t ask for much more. Victor, the owner of Taganga Guest House, made our stay fantastic.

Once on our way into town, he flagged us down from his car and drove us completely out of his way so we wouldn’t have to walk.

The second night, we stayed up late talking to Victor over glasses of wine. We talked about everything from the insignificant to his reasons for leaving the political unrest in his home country of Venezuela to start a new life in Colombia.

Our wonderful host, Victor.

When we said goodbye the next day, Victor reminded us that if we ever return to Taganga, we have a home with him. The people here are just so nice.

Taganga Guest House

Leaving Taganga was hard, but we are getting the feeling this might be a common theme on our travels. Just as we are starting to get comfortable, it is time to move on to the next adventure.

More pictures from our time in Taganga, Colombia:

View of Taganga from our hike.

Ben made a friend!

Kids, chickens and dogs playing in the streets.

Juice stands everywhere! 

Are we really doing this?

We are about to trade in our comfortable lifestyle for the life of a backpacker - everything we need for the next three months will be carried on our backs. We are beginning to say goodbye to our friends and family, and frankly, this is all a bit terrifying. It has us asking ourselves, “Are we really doing this?”

Well… we quit our jobs, have a one way flight, and need to move out of our apartment before the month is up, so I guess that means yes. Yes, we are really doing this.

Don’t get me wrong, most of the time we are psyched out of our minds. This next three months will be an adventure of a lifetime. We will undoubtedly become closer as a couple, and at the same time grow as individuals. We will be telling stories of this journey 50 years from now. Neither of us can imagine a more perfect way to spend begin our first year of marriage. But sometimes we freak out a little. 

Okay, a lot.

With all these emotions running through my head, the only experience I can compare this to is skydiving.

Now, I am no expert on the subject – I have only skydived…skydove…. errrr, well, I have only jumped once, but bear with me through this analogy.

I have dreamt of skydiving my entire life. I imagined myself bravely jumping from the plane with no trace of nervousness.

Similarly, dropping everything to travel has been a dream of mine for quite some time. A distant dream that never seemed scary until now.

In the days leading up to skydiving, I imagined everything that could go wrong… Even situations that are hardly possible. Signing the waiver was terrifying.

The first bullet point read, “Your parachutes were packed by humans. Humans make mistakes.” Not exactly what you want to hear minutes before you jump from a plane at 10,000 feet.

This is me freaking out.

What if we get sick in South America? Like really, really sick. What if we get robbed or run out of money? I could go on and on about all the ridiculous scenarios running through my head right now.

Now, I didn’t actually “jump” like I imagined in my head – standing up tall and leaping from the plane. Instead, the man strapped to my back helped me shimmy over to the plane door, and pushed me.

Sometimes you just need a push.

An incredibly cheap flight to South America and the click of the mouse can change everything.

One I was free-falling, it was one of the most exciting, exhilarating things I have ever experienced. Absolutely worth all the nervousness and second-guessing myself. It was even better than I expected.

My mouth was open the entire ride, but I couldn't make a sound.

Would I do it again? In a heartbeat.

My point is that, even though we are both scared out of minds right now, I have no doubt that this experience will be one of the most exciting, exhilarating of our lives.

Probably even more so than skydiving.

Note: Ben's fiery orange locks blowing into the mouth
of the man strapped to his back.

So whatever it is for you, whether it is buying a camper and road tripping to Alaska (Mom and Dad, this one’s for you!), or opening your own business, or falling in love… I urge you to ignore your fears and jump. Because the most incredible moments of your life come not when you are content, sailing through life; but rather when you are… well, pushed out of an airplane.

-k