Mud, Beaches, and Bug Bites...oh my! (by Kim)

Parque Nacional Tayrona

Oh, the funny things that happen in South America… We stayed in Santa Marta, a small coastal town that serves as a sort-of backpacker’s gateway to Tayrona, and were happy the hostel offered a bus service directly to the park for 10,000 pesos, about $5. After unpacking and repacking backpacks to accommodate the food we were bringing in, and loading Jason up with the heavy heavy pack once again, we were ready to go. Some talkative brothers from Chicago would be joining us on the bus. The “bus” pulled up to the hostel – but, Wait! – they forgot the bus, instead sending a dilapidated old taxi for us 5 passengers. We made the best of it, squishing me, Beth, Jason, and our new chattering companion Mohammed in the back seat. He filled our time with fascinating stories of staying in 4-star hotels in Colombia, food misadventures, and musings on his inability to take a year off of work to travel.

When we arrived at the Park we prepared for a muddy hike from the first beach and place to stay, to our camping destination of Arrecifes. Actually, I should say Beth and Jason prepared for that hike while I jumped on a horse and heartlessly left them to fend for themselves against the mud, the trek, and the two loquacious brothers. As my horse plodded along slowly, sometimes in mud up to its knobby horse knee, I contemplated Beth and Jason’s hike – and was glad not to be on it. The horse didn’t turn out to be much faster than those on foot, and we reunited at La Finca Paraíso – where we were greeted by the gorgeous site of the beach cove, hugged by the jungle and palm trees, the sea strewn with huge boulders – it was beautiful. Unfortunately, there would be no swimming the first day, as the currents at this beach were very strong, as were the many signs warning of the tourists that had drowned there. We wisely rented our hammocks for the night in the hut surrounded by mosquito netting, though I would not know just how wise that decision was for a couple of days.

Hammock-crazed dreams ensued for me the next three nights. Dreams of falling, of being lost, of other people falling~ The next day we hiked to the main camping destination for backpackers, San Juan del Guía. We started along the amazing beach cutting through inlets of warm Caribbean sea and up through the forest to avoid the huge coastal boarders that stood watch over the inaccessible portions of the beaches. About half way there the trail cut up through the forest again, and here was my first experience with mud hiking. Our sandals were quickly pulled off and carried as we settled our (I settled my) unsure steps into the squishy mud, sometimes barely hitting the tops of our toes, sometimes swallowing our feet whole. It was disgusting at first, but it shortly became just another part of the adventure and if you didn’t think about what else is mixed up in the muck, it can feel pretty good – well, interesting, at least.

We arrived at the campground a bit underwhelmed with the site, but grateful for the swimmable and gorgeous beaches. We rented our hammocks (this time there was no portion with mosquito netting) stored our stuff and headed to la playa. Due to the rainy season, the water was not the crystal-clear blue we had hoped for, but it was warm and refreshing, all at once. The day was hot and humid, the waters inviting, the sun shining – most of the time. The funny thing about the tropical climate is that you can be baking in the sun one minute, feel a couple unthreatening drops, and if you don’t book it out of there, you will get soaked in a minute as the sky opens up and pours down on you. It’s pretty cool actually. Then came the night… we played cards, I finally drank the national Colombian liquor of Aguardiente (anise-flavored) and had a great time. We drifted off to sleep to the sound of reggaeton and loud drunken campers, and I had my usual weird hammock dreams, waking up hearing the occasional buzzing in my ear, but too brain-dead to realize what that meant.

The next day was spent lazing on the beach, dipping in and out of the sea, and running from the thunderstorms when they appeared on the horizon. The lightning shows were amazing! Another amazing thing – but not in a good way – was what had happened to my face since the previous night. I felt some bites on my forehead on the beach, and didn’t think much of it. Then I accidentally spotted my face in a mirror by the bathroom. My forehead was beginning to resemble a slightly less-severe version of that kid from the movie Mask. Do you remember that one? With the kid with the fucked-up lumpy face? That was me. I had at least 50 bites on my forehead alone, which were teaming up in order to form a super-mass where a forehead had once been.

Jason and Beth told me it was not that bad – what sweet liars – while I worried if I would need to wear bangs forevermore if my forehead scarred. As we trekked back to our original campsite, through piles of mud that had grown deeper and mushier over the rainy night. I took on those mud piles like none other, leading the pack for the first time ever, being sufficiently distracted by the mess on my face to consider much the mess under my feet.

We arrived back at La Finca in record time, played cards, ate and talked, while Beth and Jason continuously reassured me that the bites would go away, and I tried not to look in any more mirrors. And I distracted myself by petting the sweet cat that lived there whom I had made friends with. And then it bit me. My worries about my forehead bites floated away, as I considered the new possibility of some kind of jungle-housecat fever….

Anyway, I am alive and well. The bites on my forehead were gone just in time for work, so whew. I do not appear to have rabies or any strange cat disease, and again, all these experiences just add to the adventure and uniqueness of the trip.

A HUGE THANKS to my wonderful sister and to Jason, who were the best hosts ever and really helped me to enjoy the entire experience, and ease me into the quick-paced travel I had set up for us. And thanks to them for livin’ large with me with private rooms, and another thanks to Jason for being my personal leftover-food-disposal system. I probably helped him gain a couple of those pounds he had lost along the way. It was such a wonderful, fun trip, especially because I had you two to share it with!!! I love you!

our feet, after hiking through the mud.