On a sunny Wednesday afternoon, I took the metro to the northern bus station in Medellin and with a little hand gesturing and patience, managed to buy an overnight bus ticket to Barranquilla, a large city on the Caribbean coast which plays host to Colombia´s biggest annual Carnaval celebration. The one way ticket cost was about $40. Countless other travelers passing through the hostel had already confirmed for me that the long range buses were safe and comfortable. I booked a return flight on Avianca thanks to a promotional fare of just $53 (about half price).
The bus terminal seemed fine by day, but when I returned Thursday night, it had a more ominous and crowded feel (as bus terminals anywhere in the world often do). I kept my bags close, and after a thirty minute wait, boarded my 9pm bus to Barranquilla. The seats were amongst the most comfortable of my entire trip. The air-conditioning revved up and froze me to a degree reminiscent of my overnight bus in Laos, however I was prepared with long pants and a hooded sweatshirt.
The start of the 13-hour ride was nauseating as we wound up the curving mountain rodes out of the valley. It was dark, and raining, so visibility was limited to within the bus. A DVD of currently popular Spanish music videos began to play at an agreeable level. I managed to get a few hours of sleep during the journey.
Dave is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Go Backpacking and Feastio. He's been to 66 countries and lived in Colombia and Peru. Read the full story of how he became a travel blogger.
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