Your year 2022

Some Colombia highlights for me in 2022

included...

Four... A stay at a building in Bucaramanga

that houses a major shopping mall, a casino,

a Holiday Inn with rooftop pool and easy

access to other commercial areas.

Three... Winning blackjack trips to

Medellin and Buca.

Two... Daily swims at the Holiday Inn

swimming pool or at the amazing

Dann Carlton Medellin pool.

And my fondest memory in

Colombia this past year...

One... three delightful dates with

a Paisa named Lorna vacationing

from Medellin, whom I met at a

Buca nightclub.

Rating 9 out of 10 nationally.

cccmedia

An unrated highlight was being

designated a Colombia expert

by Expat.com

There are no highlights for me to share. Mostly due to my defective hearing I'm mostly a recluse. I have no social life, no real friends here. I live here because it's not economically feasible for me to live in the US. Access to affordable health care is what keeps me here.

My highlights likely aren't what this thread was created for, but I have no others to offer. I've learned to live with and tolerate my limitations and do the best I can.

Being the first foriegner to stand on the summit of Pico Cristobal Colon , highest peak.in Colombia in 7 years and one of 3 foreigners ( and less than a dozen people, period) who have done so in the last 30 odd years

Well had a good 2022 after all Colombia is now "small" to me being that I have been traveling the whole of Colombia since my maiden visit in November of 1990 so now living full time in Medellin for the past 5 years and traveling on mainly road trips almost non-stop........my highlights for this year:

Spending a week in Valledupar and doing a "deep dive" into the vallenato music.

Last month getting a blessing from the Mamu of the Kogi tribe on my trek to the Lost City. He named me "The Wind" and it is very fitting as I go everywhere the wind blows.

In Bogota in October, a place I have spent considerable time in the past 3 decades and visit 3 times each year well in 2 days I visited 10 different museums.

Survived a surprise attack by a knife wielding professional thief (to my throat) in mid day one street over from the malecon in the Historic District in Santa Marta back in March 2022. Not bad after 32 years of exploring Colombia.

Sailed the islands of San Bernardo. Nothing like diving from a yacht at midnight into a pitch black Caribbean waters from a sailboat about a km off of the island Tintipan. Living large and letting go.

As an aside I had my mouth/teeth/dental basically rebuilt at a great office in Poblado by some very good dental doctors. The best 28,000,000 pesos I have spent in years.

Looking forward to the New Year so I can get back to exploring new places and doing deep dives to the many places I have been.

Happy New Year to all!

South American Voyager

Great post, great year, Voyager.

How did you survive the knife attack in Santa Marta?

cccmedia

A month and a half in Colombia, Sep-Oct. Went to Barranquilla and stayed at the Hilton for 2 weeks. 50 usd a day for 2 with the breakfast buffet. They are cutting corners with hot dogs and lunch meat. Spent a month in Funza, that is like 10 miles outside of Bogota. Ate at a lot of good places, the food was cheap and good, the safety was never an issue. Must have a good mayor there, that is what my wife says.

2022 saw a trip to Circasia and Armenia, Quindio; a new Colombian visa good till 2025; two weeks sick in Bogotá (bronchitis, not covid); enrollment in SURA EPS; witnessing the inauguration of President Petro and VP Francia Marquez; side trips to Chia, Cundinamarca and Paipa, Boyaca; a trip to Capilla del Monte, Cordoba, Argentina; a trip to celebrate the Day of the Dead in Oaxaca City; side trips to Cancun, Holbox Island, and Solferino, Quintana Roo, Mexico. Hope to do less travel in 2023. lol

Hello futuroexpat,

Your 2022 was indeed eventful

Thank you for sharing your 2022 with us.

Hope to do less travel in 2023. lol

And I hope to travel more in 2023

Cheers and happy new year,

Yoginee

Expat.com team

@CaliRay I can relate to your situation with your hearing. Over the Thanksgiving Holidays I contracted a cold and ended up with severe sinus blockage with the net effect that my already poor hearing was greatly further diminished. I recall telling my brother that I was becoming somewhat socially isolated. I was really embarrassed to continually ask people to repeat themselves and at times was nodding in response to comments that I did not actually hear. I did dig out the hearing aids and they helped as well as the congestion finally cleared up. Best of luck.

@nico peligro Why have so few make the trek? Is it that difficult or are there government restriction or some other obstacle?

elp

2022 was one of the worst years economically.. due to the markets downturn and global economy.

That aside, still had some small moments got to travel to Boyaca and visit Gustavita, and Villa de Leyva both which were wonderful. I plan on returning to Boyaca this year again and travel more extensively. Also went to Jericho Antioquia a beautiful pueblo that has both great attractions and gastronomy. Also got to visit the pueblo of Venecia Antioquia during Christmas time another hidden jewell close to cerro suso where you can do paragliding and hiking among other things.

I was thinking I would have touched ground in Colombia by now, either as a tourist (stamp) migrant (M) or visitor (V). However, due to market volatility, war and the lingering Situation, I decided to stay in Cuenca for now.  At a minimum, I would like to make it at least halfway to Colombia, arriving in Cumbaya (Quito) in year 2024.

@Lpdiver All of the above.

I should be doing trip reports of my adventures on the other site ( one everyone is leaving because of Mods) even doing talks at the Alpine Club in Canada..or here in Colombia..not just for mountaineering but trips in general.Like recent trips to Pasto and Providencia.

I dont even take the time to.post stuff on Facebook anymore.

Not much of a writer or photographer. Hate carrying a big camera around up and down mountains. Even my little GPS is a hassle.

Not that I dont have lots of time being retired..Just not that disciplined and efficient with my time.