This is my first time in Colombia, I have some thoughts about it, curious to hear any of your reactions.
First off, I'm definitely in the minority here and several other country forums here. The general thing I've heard here from well traveled people, though curiously as well as from people where I'm from in the States, who've barely been out of their home country is that you just don't drive in foreign countries and in this case Latin countries in particular because the drivers are crazy.
I heard that first said very authoritatively to me in my 20's, after I would mention to people that I came back from a 4 month trips where I started from Northern California and drove with a friend one time and my girlfriend partner down to Costa Rica driving all over, both coasts. It was as if they couldn't imagine my experience was living proof of their fallacies. In some very remote cases such as the bad roads to Tikal, we'd ditch the car and take public transportation, in some rare cases we'd take chicken buses.
I spent the last 3 and a half weeks in the most beautiful coast I've ever seen in a region from about 100-300 miles south of Rio. I rented a car through Localiza for 21 dollars a day! I got the same rate in Mexico a couple of months back. Why anybody who'd want to venture any distance on a vacation and could drive wouldn't like something like that where you don't have to worry about taxis and transfers and can stop anywhere you want? I'm really a joyrider, a love that I see in the blood mostly from the U.S. and Canada, because driving in their own cars has been more of a part of our lives. I tend to study up on regions and explore them. It's true to say I'm not as much a big city dweller, though I have fun in most cities I go, and have made a number of good associations.My kids are grown and busy. I don't have a wife. I enjoy riding through beautiful country.
I'm sure people can instruct me as to better car rental deals. Colombia a little more expensive at 33 dollars a day also through Localiza. I drove yesterday from Bogota to Medellin. It wasn't easy getting getting out of Bogota as I usually rent economy cars that unfortunately don't come with gps, I should get a sim card for my phone. The trip was stunning, the countryside is drop dead gorgeous! There are elements of it that remind me of areas of California, Costa Rica , mountain Mexico, but the peaks from the mountains to the valleys which are more often foothills was a bit greater.
But I confess, I violated another cardinal rule and I ran out of daylight in a town called San Luis about an hour and a half short of Medellin.There is a lot of passing by big trucks. It's a bit more taxing at my age. I admit it was crazy and no fool should be out there late at night. And I won't be driving much at night, but I felt I had to make Medellin. It's no scientific test but I think emission standards in Colombia are even worst than Brazil, which I didn't expect at all, but maybe it's because I'm in a narrow path through the jungle, there's no place for that exhaust to escape.
Earlier in the day I got sucked up into safe passing through double yellow lines and even though I was much more sensible than the vast majority, wouldn't you know it I got stopped by a cop. I thought I could probably ignore his whistle, as it was late, but I thought better of it. I can say anything I want to say in Spanish but they usually assume I'm fluent and start to talk too fast. That can be a blessing. I of course acted very contrite. I wasn't sure how this was going play out. He mentioned a fine. I didn't play it smart and have funds in 2 places so I ended up fumbling through my wallet in front of him. At one point, in frustration he said, "money , money, money"!. I pulled out a 50 peso note and he scoffed. Then I pulled out another 20. At that point it almost seemed like a sea change as he pointed up at the" no rebase" sign to my right that was just coincidentally was perfectly where I pulled my car. He looked at me sincerely like, "Are you going to be doing this again?" Of course the truth is everyone was doing it including huge semis around blind turns. I watched a lot of drivers make a lot of stupid moves. To break the stalemate he finally reached into the car and grabbed my $70 pesos. I use to pay bribes many times in Mexico years back. I shrugged it off pretty quick, though I did remind myself, I've got be cool.
The amount is about what I saved in lodging in Bogota the 2 nights before upon my arrival from Brazil. Easily rationalized because wherever I stayed it was inevitable I was going to be miserable going from sea level in Brazil to 9000 feet. My nostrils were completely, stuffed, I had headaches, my skin broke out, I had flatulence, I was feeling really vulnerable, particularly in close quarters with this young banker woman who was nice enough to show me how to use the Colombian atm to withdraw cash. Does anybody have any experiences with paying off officials in Colombia?
I spent my first full day In Medellin today. Health reasons don't compel me to live in a large metropolitan area. But what a beautiful city! I've had a number of impressions about the Colombian people in my short time here. I'm always asking directions, not afraid to occasionally play the fool. And the Colombian people are very warm, very eager to reach out and help, including people who can't help much. But that's all right too. But I also had a similar experience in Brazil. Despite any repercussions on macro levels, in words or actions from Trump, I sensed people were generally very friendly and there is a feeling of commonality among the Americas. But that could be just me. I pretty much tend to get along with people wherever I go.
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