After several police stops and checking of the passporte which seems to be the norm here is Colombia we arrive in a very busy Cartegena of which the taxi driver doesn't really know where he is going and we go around in a few circles before finding the Chill hostel as recommended by the hostel in Taganga. On arriving we have to pay upfront for our 3 nights stay which is a little strange but seems to be what most hostels do in Cartegena. That evening we drink cold beers outside in the beautiful old town colonial buildings and watched the street entertainers try their best to get our money in a variety of ways from miming, street dancing, doing strange things with hats or one guy had an outfit on that made him look as he was riding a horse like Bernie Clifton and the ostrich. This guy had the movements down to a fine art. He had obviously spent a lot of time looking at how horses move as his movements were very specific for walk, trot and even kicking his back leg out at unaware pedestrians passing by giving them a scare. He even charged at a passing policeman with dog. Absolutely brilliant.

The next day we wandered more around the old town which is probably one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. We then headed off to the Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas. This is a big fort. The tunnels within the fort were impressive, winding and dark. Later we go out for a few drinks with Leah and Kev from our hostel and their friend Ed. Care has to be taken where you sit so birds roosting in the trees above don't drop a present for you whilst you sup your Club Colombia. Andy was the first to discover this. That night back in the hostel the air con in our dorm was set to 28C. Andy asked if the air con could be turned down but was told that 28C was fine. No one in the dorm slept that well that night due to the heat and the music that was playing just outside the dorm till 4am.

The next day Andy and I head for out for the mud volcano Totumo. A little afraid of volcanoes from our experience in Banos I'm unsure if this will be good or bad. We arrive to a mound of mud 15 metres high with a wood staircase to the top. We strip to our swimmers and make our way slipping and sliding up the muddy wooden staircase to the top. At the top there is what looks like a pool of mud and suddenly we are surrounded by flies so are keen to escape them in the mud. Whilst Andy is cursing under his breath about the flies I gingerly clamber down the steps into the mud pool. A man in the pool comes over to ask If I want a massage but I decline. Once in the pool it's the oddest sensation. You can't reach the bottom and just bob about on the surface at chest level. Like being suspended in nothingness. I felt a little like the wobbly clown from the old children's tv program Playbus. Or described by a fellow traveler it was like we were marshmallows bobbing about in a mug of luke warm thick hot chocolate. It was very difficult to move about whilst resisting falling over. Once tired of bobbing we headed down a slippy muddy path to the lake to wash off. The local ladies follow you and ask if you need washing. I was happy to wash myself in the murky water. It took a while to wash off the mud and we were warned not to go out too far out into the lake as it's "Peligro" which means dangerous. Nobody seemed to know why. Afterwards we were taken for a lovely lunch of whole fish, rice and salad by a quiet beach. I was loving the fish in Colombia! Once back in the hostel late afternoon the music was already on full whack and with no where in the hostel to escape. After a few hours we along with Leah and Kev went to a nearby bar to be able to chat in peace. Late in the evening we head back and it's all very loud and busy. We fear that sleep will be far off again this night but to our surprise the air con is on low and the party animals happily move from our beds to the main area out side of the dorm. It's still difficult to sleep and the hostel makes me think of halls back at university. We feel old. Donned with magical ear plugs most of the noise is gone and I dont fair too bad. The cramped nature of the dorms, lack of bathrooms, la-de-dar staff, and music all day and all night means this hostel has to be one of the worst I have been in for the whole trip so far.