The Wild

I arrived in Bogota at about 4:30 am. The first thing I noted was that Canadians must pay an entry fee that it seemed no other nation was subject too. The sum was not insignificant at $80.00 but the other part of the process was that all Canadian travelers had to enter a separate line, which moved at a fraction of the speed of the standard line. It took myself and my fellows more than an hour to clear customs. On the up side the customs agent was both beautiful and charming, a real pleasure to speak with.

My general approach when arriving in a new country is to spend some time in the airport just watching the goings on. Call it a meditative break, I find it helps to find somewhere quiet to sit, and clear my mind before jumping in.

When I was ready I found it easy to get an Uber. The driver did not speak English, but between my rudimentary Spanish, and the Uber application we managed to connect. Uber is a little more expensive in Bogota, but the trip to my airbnb cost just under $10CDN. To me this is more than acceptable. An equal trip in Canada was $45 when I ventured out during a layover in Montreal. The Uber driver was great, and even waited to see that I got into the building. I also had the opportunity to test the Uber safety features. It was a surprise to me when I got a text about five minutes into my trip from back home. The person I listed to get updates about my location was checking in to see if I was ok. Perfect. In addition the pin number and recording all worked right off the go.

Other things of note: the altitude of Bogota hit me hard. I will adjust, but the four flights of stairs up to my place left me winded, despite my attempts to prepare for the altitude. At over 2000 meters it is not uncommon for newcomers to experience some altitude related symptoms. Overall quite manageable.

I have walked around the Chapinero area a couple times, and found the essential services. Grocery store, bank, pharmacy. People seem friendly, and the entire area is nice.

One of the things I most want to experience here is the fruit. In my home city it is literally impossible to get good fruit. Since the pandemic the quality has continually declined, while the price has sky rocketed. When I purchase fruit at home it is about a 50/50 chance that it wont even be edible. My absolute favorite is pineapple, and I wont buy one at home. My other favorite is papaya, which is exactly what I picked up for my first meal in South America. Absolutely delicious.

Ironically I seem to have decided to quit drinking coffee. This has probably contributed to my feelings of lethargy, but it will be a nice break. I a hoping that in a few days I will feel 100%. Until then I am working on my Spanish with Duolinguo.

So first impression: very nice. Columbians are gracious and helpful hosts, the city is beautiful, costs are affordable, and the fruit is amazing. I feel lucky, especially with my choice for a first airbnb stay. My host is excellent.

The sun is setting on day two, and what a beautiful day it was. I have already met some outstanding people, and it is great to fall back into this lifestyle.

Stay Wild!