Day 8 - much return to 'civilization'

We both slept really well in the hammock. We didn't expect that, but we were lying diagonally 😜

The boats were supposed to leave at 4:30 am (!), so we had to get up early in the morning again. Down to the boats and quickly I stood up to my knees in the sea. Let's say it was a mixture of stupidity and not being able to see anything. Of course, I didn't have flip-flops, but sneakers. The microclimate in my shoes was like a greenhouse all day long. Fortunately, socks are part of my extensive 'disposable collection'. I have some clothes with small holes or other wear and tear that I dispose of here bit by bit so I don't have to walk around dirty with them.

At 5 am we actually started. The same way back as yesterday. However, it went faster because there were fewer waves.

Then we were sorted into cars again and back to the chaotic village of Uribia. On the way, we hooked up a Jeep with a broken engine with a rope that is usually used to secure luggage on the roof. We dragged it behind us for about 1 hour at speeds of 80 to 100 kilometers per hour - on a sandy and gravel path, mind you. Unthinkable in Germany, but the norm here.

With a colectivo and a bus, we then continued to a beach that was recommended to us - Costeño Beach. Just to give you an idea, today we have already been on the road for 8 hours. You have read how time-consuming this detour was because the entire infrastructure is currently lacking. Julia and I agree, though: It was absolutely worth it, and we would recommend everyone to take the tour. But we wouldn't do it again ourselves.

On the way from the main road to the beach, an SUV picked us up. The driver was Canadian and it turned out he was the owner of the Costeño Beach hostel. You could tell right away that the place was well-organized and someone finally worked with a system and all the methods of profit optimization. The Colombians, who are currently experiencing a real boom, have to (unfortunately) be careful not to let the gringos take the best parts. But I'm afraid that's what will happen.

After check-in, we moved into our bed in the dormitory. Just imagine about 15 bunk beds in one room. Everyone gets a locker for their things - done. I wouldn't want to stay there permanently, but on a trip like this it's okay, especially since I can sleep anywhere anyway and Julia is used to it.

Then two hours on the beach, finally rested. After dinner, it rained continuously for almost two hours. We quickly had a complete power outage. Others said that this had been happening for the past few days. But if you're sitting under cover, it's not a problem because it's still around 25 degrees Celsius. So the climate is similar to that in my sneakers today 👟. Unfortunately, these are ideal conditions for mosquito breeding. However, we haven't been bitten much so far. Let's hope it stays that way.

The audience here at the hostel is international. Europeans are clearly the majority, but there are also Australians, Asians, and Colombians. Strangely, there are few Americans. In terms of age, the focus is between 20 and 25 years old, very few are over 30. So as an old guy, I'm raising the average age here quite a bit.