Taking an 8 hour bus trip from Jardin to Salento was a different experience. I wasn't sure what the conditions were going to be like, or how many buses I was going to have to take, but thankfully only had to change buses once (and stopped about 5 times). Thankfully all the buses in South America have windows you can open at your own disclosure, but not all have air conditioning. Being in the moutains definitely helps as there is no need for air conditioning. As a backpacker, you truly have to experience the different scenerios to understand how to do it better the next time. I mean you're pretty much in "survival" mode the entire time. I'll never forget sitting in the front seat of the bus on the way from Medellin to Guatape and I was one of the first passangers on the bus so I thought I was lucky to be able to sit in the front (even though there were others in the middle, I didn't think twice). My thinking was that I could see out the front better, and get more circulation. BUT that wasn't the case. More and more people kept piling on to the bus and turns out I barely have any leg room because and mom and her daughter were sitting in the "seat" infront (imbetween the driver and passanger seat) craming in as many people as possible. Well, I learned my lesson that day. I've also found it important to check each seat to see if they recline or not, and if the window is accesible-those are the two main factors (in the middle or back).

Anywho, I finally arrived to Salento around 5pm and my sim card data wasn't working so I couldn't find how far my hostel was to the bus station (and maps.me wasn't working). So I got a taxi and arrived at this beautiful country-side garden feeling hotel with an amazing view of the city and fireplace. I knew I needed to book my tours for the next day so I checked in and talked with the hostess for a while about what to do. I went into town, walked around and it was actually pretty crowded because it was a Saturday night, the last weekend of Colombian "Summer" so it was high season and the streets were crowded. I got a coffee and sat in the square to people watch and it was great. I walked around a little bit more, bought some earrings and then went to the restaurant the hostess recommended. Got terriaki and a bottle of wine to bring back with me. Asked the hostess to turn on the firepit and sat and finally caught up on "computer things." It was a nice relaxing night. Got up early so I could do that Cocora Valley hike with enough time to go on a coffee tour in the afternoon. I got up to have a nice breakfast with a view of the town and went on my way. Rode in another jeep and finally got to hiking! It was a nice hike at first, not knowing where to go because it wasn't a realy "trail" but a path after you pay the entering fee of $4000 pesos. Thankfully there was a couple ahead of me most of the way up and ran into other people as well. The wax palm trees were so different and cool looking because of how tall they were, it was a spectacular view of the moutians with them on top and surrounding - nothing I had ever seen before! At the top, there was a hummingbird house where you could get coffee with chocoloate and cheese. The cheese was so salty, someone said you put it in the coffee and then it finally made sense. It was delicious and so worth the extra hike up. It was supposed to take 5 hours but it took me 4 and that's pretty impressive due to the fact that it was muddy from all the rain. I really enjoyed the personal time in nature, it was everything I needed after being on that bus for so long. And I have another one coming up. Anyways, I got back to the square and booked the coffee tour (went to Las Acacias Coffee Farm), it was a quaint little house with a nice farm and the tour guide was a great guide, got to know more about Colombian coffee (been around for 100 years and the entire industry more than 500 years ago). The coffee industry isn't doing so well so they're trying to grow other things. It was only me and this other German girl and the three of us mostly talked about languages and the differences between all the South American countries. When it was time to go, the guide wasn't sure when the jeep was going to be back but told me to just wait by the road (could be an hour). I waited next to this guy who I saw had a motorcyle, and turns out I got a ride back with him :) was all in my internal plan hehe. I walked back to the hostel, did some yoga, showered, went to this viewpoint at the top of the hill of the moutains/town and then got a delicious trout meal with 2 cocktails and a side salad for like $10. It still boggles my mind how cheap it is here! Sat by the fireplace again and had a relaxing night, waking up in the morning to go to Popoyan for another 8-9 hour bus ride. Yippee!

I ended up seeing the same French ladies that I had taken the bus from Jardin to Salento with on the Cocora Valley hike.Anywho, I finally arrived to Salento around 5pm and my sim card data wasn't working so I couldn't find how far my hostel was to the bus station (and maps.me wasn't working). So I got a taxi and arrived at this beautiful country-side garden feeling hotel with an amazing view of the city and fireplace. I knew I needed to book my tours for the next day so I checked in and talked with the hostess for a while about what to do. I went into town, walked around and it was actually pretty crowded because it was a Saturday night, the last weekend of Colombian "Summer" so it was high season and the streets were crowded. I got a coffee and sat in the square to people watch and it was great. I walked around a little bit more, bought some earrings and then went to the restaurant the hostess recommended. Got terriaki and a bottle of wine to bring back with me. Asked the hostess to turn on the firepit and sat and finally caught up on "computer things." It was a nice relaxing night. Got up early so I could do that Cocora Valley hike with enough time to go on a coffee tour in the afternoon. I got up to have a nice breakfast with a view of the town and went on my way. Rode in another jeep and finally got to hiking! It was a nice hike at first, not knowing where to go because it wasn't a realy "trail" but a path after you pay the entering fee of $4000 pesos. Thankfully there was a couple ahead of me most of the way up and ran into other people as well. The wax palm trees were so different and cool looking because of how tall they were, it was a spectacular view of the moutians with them on top and surrounding - nothing I had ever seen before! At the top, there was a hummingbird house where you could get coffee with chocoloate and cheese. The cheese was so salty, someone said you put it in the coffee and then it finally made sense. It was delicious and so worth the extra hike up. It was supposed to take 5 hours but it took me 4 and that's pretty impressive due to the fact that it was muddy from all the rain. I really enjoyed the personal time in nature, it was everything I needed after being on that bus for so long. And I have another one coming up. Anyways, I got back to the square and booked the coffee tour, it was a quaint little house with a nice farm and the tour guide was a great guide, got to know more about Colombian coffee (been around for 100 years and the entire industry more than 500 years ago). The coffee industry isn't doing so well so they're trying to grow other things. It was only me and this other German girl and the three of us mostly talked about languages and the differences between all the South American countries. When it was time to go, the guide wasn't sure when the jeep was going to be back but told me to just wait by the road (could be an hour). I waited next to this guy who I saw had a motorcyle, and turns out I got a ride back with him :) was all in my internal plan hehe. I walked back to the hostel, did some yoga, showered, went to this viewpoint at the top of the hill of the moutains/town and then got a delicious trout meal with 2 cocktails and a side salad for like $10. It still boggles my mind how cheap it is here! Sat by the fireplace again and had a relaxing night, waking up in the morning to go to Popoyan for another 8-9 hour bus ride. Yippee!