Grateful for the stopover in Medellin, we arrived in Cartagena with me believing we were due some good karma and hoping for a nice time as my last visit here was somewhat tainted by a couple of bad experiences.

Thankfully the overnight bus had been pretty good and we checked in to a really cool new hostel which was set in a tastefully restored old colonial building, and which had it's own pool and roof top terrace from which you could see the entrance to the old town.

Due to the presidents policy of putting policemen everywhere, Colombia now feels one of the safest places we have travelled through, and this definately helped in Cartagena as the edge I had felt fom last time just wasn't there.

We explored the old town during the day on Wednesday & Thursday and it really is gorgeous, especially when the sun shines, and I enjoyed it so much more. Every street is like a picture postcard of the old colourful colonial architecture with balconies, and you could just enjoy get lost wandering around. Coupled with the old city wall built to protect the old port town from pirate attacks, and it really makes for a gorgeous place. Particularly so at night, when the old town is lit up dimly by the street lanterns, it feels like you could actually be back in time in a Caribbean coastal village.

The tropical weather had really upped the temperature and the days were really muggy, and in the evenings we were often treated to spectacular lightning which we could see out to sea from our roof terrace.

On Friday we then did a day trip to Islas del Rosario and Playa Blanca which for most of the day just involved leaning over the side of the boat enjoying the warm sea breeze reading Shantaram and laughing at a local guy who would annoy us all day long!

When we got back I thought it would be a good idea to go for a run along the city walls and through the old town, and although I got to see a gorgeous Caribbean sunset over the sea from the top of the walls, I then proceeded to get lost and ended up running around aimlessly back and forth in the town for over half an hour!

As we left Cartagena on Saturday morning for some beach time further along the coach, I felt quietly content that I had got to see the 'real' Cartagena and had had a really nice few days.