PBH / colombia (travelguide, pictures) / post

Road Block in Santa Marta

So my buddy comes with me for part of my trip to Colombia.
He speaks no Spanish, doesn't know local customs or what to expect from this trip.
I meet him in Cartagena at the airport and we proceed to have a blast all week.
Excursions during the day, drinking and dancing every night.
One more week in Santa Marta. Amazing time. Quite possibly the best trip yet.
The last night he needs to leave early out of Cartagena. We're told the last bus
out of Santa Marta bound for Barranquilla is at 9 PM.
Not so, it was 7 PM. Oh well, I find a van with passengers heading for Brq.
I arrange for the driver to take him (my buddy) to Cartagena for 40,000 pesos.
Great, problem solved..... or is it? He gets dumped out at Barranquilla and doesn't know shit!!! And to top it all off.... the driver takes off with his maleta.
He managed to make his way to Cartagena and catch his vuelo.
So, he calls me in Santa Marta and explains the situation.
My hot tempered ass goes to the exact place I negotiated with the driver.
I wait for 3 hours for this asshole and nothing.
Here's what impressed me; the police see I'm not happy. I explain the whole story to
a very sympathetic high ranking officer. He gets on a radio and next thing I know,
there are 4 motorcycle cops searching the carretera with a roadblock set up with 2
dozen uniformed officers genuinely trying to help! All that for a suitcase full of dirty
underwear!!! Damn! Colombia's getting better every day.
Gracias Adios!!!

By nueva york bombero on Jan 24, 2008, 07:52 in Friendly Talkzone.

lampltr says on Jan 24, 2008, 08:14:

Unbelievable haha, great post!! Glad your friend made it ok.

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tejasmarcos says on Jan 24, 2008, 08:20:

nyb - they have alot of incentive in that area to protect the integrity and safety of tourism. it will in short time (with luck) become their "gold coast". tourism will become one of the new main drivers of foreign investment in the next few years here.

trying to walk a straight line on sour mash and cheap wine...

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Catfish35 says on Jan 24, 2008, 09:16:

I concur. It was amazed at how attentive and friendly the Police were in Medellin. The people involved in the hospitality industry were very nice also and they were the ones that advised me about the passport/ No taxes promo for tourism.

"So many guns, and so few brains". sam spade

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Monpirri says on Jan 24, 2008, 09:39:

"He gets on a radio and next thing I know,
there are 4 motorcycle cops searching the carretera with a roadblock set up with 2
dozen uniformed officers genuinely trying to help! All that for a suitcase full of dirty
underwear!!! Damn! Colombia's getting better every day."

That was pretty damn funny jajajajajajaj

Annette Taddeo for US Congress 2008

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slguy says on Jan 24, 2008, 09:55:

Great post, nyb. gave me my chuckle for the day- especially the "My hot tempered ass goes to the exact place I negotiated with the driver".

I can relate.

Before you throw me out, make sure I pay my bar tab

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sloopskipper says on Jan 24, 2008, 10:11:

Yes, great post. Very encouraging.

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nueva york bombero says on Jan 24, 2008, 12:56:

Thanks! I've got a few other funny stories, but I don't want to bore anybody!

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RUV says on Jan 24, 2008, 13:28:

NYB,

So it take it this took place a while back. What happen to the maletas and your friend? Is it still missing?

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Mr. Hollywood says on Jan 24, 2008, 13:56:

I hope those weren't the maletas that turned up in Bogota with the dismembered body inside.

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Chriscan says on Jan 25, 2008, 03:51:

If only we had Colombian police in Canada

************* WARNING ************* my words often come from my ass

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nueva york bombero says on Jan 25, 2008, 04:36:

This just happened last week!!!
I think the only worthwhile thing in his suitcase was a bottle of Medellin ron!
The rest just dirty drawers!

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GregYohn says on Jan 26, 2008, 06:38:

Hola!

I had a run in with a bandida hotel manager en Cali. She wanted me to wait a day or more after I gave her money for a hotel room in advance. I needed to call her and wait 15 minutes for her to show up offsite. Then, she gave pesos for dollars to a leaving guest and had no money available. I said en Cinquo minutuos Policia! Claro? She found the money!

12VOIP.com gives free calls to Colombia.Greg

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