Twists and Turns: Of Colombian Roads and Life

As I get off the bus, a man asks me where I am going

Támesis: Room View

I have gotten off at a juncture that most foreigners usually do not. However, I missed the 7 am Chiva to my intended destination, partly by choice and partly because my alarm did not go off.

I rarely wake up early for something, especially if I know there is most likely another option. However, no one told me the option, and I had to hope I did not have to return to Medellín a three-hour ride just to take another 3-hour ride only a bit south.

I did not.

As I disembarked, the man wanted to take me to a stop up the road and told me it was more secure. He alluded that this location might not be the safest for me, a gringa.

I declined and asked around if the bus for Támesis passes by, and they all agreed it did, but no one had any idea at what time.

I walked by a table full of men drinking beers and the campesinos enjoying their Sundays off. I went into the tienda, bought a Bretaña Soda, and sat at one of the tables.

I placed it in my earbuds and continued listening to my book. If anyone I asked what time the bus was correct, it would arrive within 1–2 hours. I was prepared, the phone fully charged, and a table in the shade.

It did not take 1–2 hours.

Within 15 minutes, I was rushing to the bus, asking if it was going to Támesis, and it was.

I got on and sat in the back. Shortly after, I regretted my decision as the twists and turns of these mountains would make even the strongest stomachs turn sour. Luckily, I still had my soda, which I finished on the ride, and survived the turns.

The road was semi-paved, and some parts were only dirt, leaving me to close my windows or be covered in dust, which did not help the heat or my stomach.

I focused on my book, and eventually, the pavement returned, and I opened the window.

The mountains of Antioquia are enchanting, even magical. Even the signs say Antioquia is Magic, and it is. When the bus stopped, I had to walk uphill and then up a flight of stairs with my backpack to my hotel.

Yet the view is magical, the mountains in the distance, the sound of the river from my balcony. Now that it is later, the sun's heat has gone away, and it is the perfect temperature, just enough for a light jacket.

The town is full of locals enjoying their Sundays, sitting in the square with their friends and families. The men in the local bars played billiards and, of course, loud music playing. The tuk-tuk men are waiting for a customer to need a ride; they all sit on the sidewalk outside their vehicles.

The lush green of the mountains is all around this tiny off-the-beaten path.

I want to continue south in a few days, hoping my luck with transportation continues. I will exit the region of Antioquia and head south to Caldas.

Hoping to avoid going back to the city to change buses, yet I think I can figure out how to get where I want without going back. There are always motor taxis around, and my thumb works.

The mountains are magical: Támesis

I have about ten days left on my tourist visa, awaiting my extension to be approved; otherwise, I will have to exit Colombia, a visa run. I can then return for another 90 days or apply for a Digital Nomad Visa, yet I am now uncertain.

My life is one of uncertainty until I am sure. I had a small bump in the road; I was thrown off course, and course correcting will take time.

XOXO

S

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