Almost a year and 9 months later since I canceled my supposedly 4th South America trip, I am finally giving Columbia a second try next week. Would I make it this time around? I sure hope so. It has been a crazy 2 years we ALL have had. The pre-COVID travels seemed like a lifetime away, I don't think this trip will be at all back to normal, but we have to start somewhere and hopefully within reasons, things can still be enjoyable. This is actually gonna my very first trip outside of US since COVID. To say I am absolutely not nervous, that would be a lie. But I am vaccinated, will wear mask among crowds and on the plane, use common sense whenever possible, I think I will be alright.
My original Colombia itinerary has changed quite a bit, instead of starting from Cartagena, I am actually going to Bogota first for a few days, then Cartagena, Medellin, and back to Bogota again before coming back to the US. I am no longer going to Santa Marta to see friends, since they have other plan already. Instead I am going to see some friends in Bogota and some friends in Medellin. That's actually a difference compared to my other South America solo trip, I am actually meeting a few people this time, some new friends and some old friends. I am kind of excited actually. Hopefully my friend in Bogota will show me around a little bit. At other times, I will just venture out and explore on my own as my usual self, head to some record shops, try my broken Spanish in restaurants, relax... I want some relaxation this trip instead of always go go go. I was told that it is raining season in Bogota right now. Normally, I would try all effort to avoid it, since I hate rains. But I don't even care about the rains, I just want to travel again.
How much the world has changed in these 2 long suppressing years? How much people have changed? How many people lost? How much pain has incurred? How much could I document in a small post... Personally, my mother in Hong Kong passed away during the COVID time, I could not go back to see her, not even to say goodbye at her funeral, or to see my aging father. Hong Kong, to this date, is still in lockdown and have very strict COVID quarantine policy, to a point of irrationality. The incompetent of the current Hong Kong government is unsightly. I hope I can finally go back in 2022, but we shall see.
Nonetheless, let's start from Colombia, shall we?
