Getting to Colombia was quite the long adventure. Unfortunately (or fortunately) my trip to Galapagos left me with no time to get to Bogota overland and since I looked into an airplane ticket too late, flying from Quito to Colombia’s capital was quite expensive. So, instead, I bought a ticket from Pasto to Bogota with enough time to trek on the same day overland from Otavalo (Ecuador) to Pasto (Colombia). I saved quite a bit of money, but in a way it was torture. I woke up at 6am to get on the first bus from Otavalo to Ibarra (35mins). In Ibarra I waited like an idiot for a bus to Tulcan. Noone at the station knew when the bus would arrive and after an hour someone told me it was behind schedule and that it would be best to grab a cab to some curb and hitch a ride on one of the buses coming from Quito (2.5hrs). In Tulcan, I hopped on my second cab of the day to the border. I had run out of dollars, so I paid the guy with dollars and Colombian pesos. At the border, I walked to the Ecuadorian immigration office for my exit stamp, crossed a bridge (the border) and walked through a parking lot and into the Colombian immigration office for my entry stamp. I could have easily walked into the country without stopping there, but you never knew. At the border, I caught a short ride on a van to Ipiales. I was a bit behind because of the time wasted in Ibarra, so I ran to look for a van to Pasto and managed to get on the first one leaving (1.5hrs). On the way to Pasto I was told the airport wasn’t really within the city, but a good hour away. I swore I wouldn’t make it to my flight, but the van driver said he knew of buses that passed by the airport’s entryway and that he would take me to them. In Pasto, I got on a really packed bus and was seated on the front seat, next to the driver. He was a bit of a jerk and wanted to charge me $4,000 more than what they initially had told the van driver it would cost me. Luckily, his copilot was the one collecting the money and he asked for less. It felt like that bus stopped every 5mins to pick up someone. At some point, the copilot brought out folding chairs and placed them in the hallway in order to fit more people. I couldn’t wait to get to the airport. I was dropped at the entryway and told it was a half a mile walk. When I finally got to the counter, I was told the payment for my ticket hadn’t cleared and that it had been cancelled. I nearly ripped the guy’s head off. Luckily, they still had room available and at a lower price, so I calmed myself down. I landed in Bogota, where I had to catch my final cab of the day to my parents’ hotel. FINALLY, I had arrived. SO, LET’S RECAP: from Otavalo to Bogota required 3 taxis, 5 buses, 1 flight and 12 hrs. PHEW.

That night, my parents and I headed to Zona Rosa and ate a steak while we enjoyed the crowds outside. My dad also had his first taste at yuca fries (he was convinced). Full and happy, we headed back to the hotel to rest for the next day’s adventure: THE COLOMBIAN AMAZON.