Feliz Año Nuevo desde Colombia

Holiday Greetings from Cartagena Colombia!

It’s difficult for me to believe sometimes, but it’s been three years since I started this blog post. Fifty eight posts from 33 countries (18 of which I had not been to previously) and 6 continents. At times, traveling continuously has been a real challenge. Many a morning I’ve awoken and had no idea what country I was in (don’t be too concerned – by the first cuppa’ I always figured it out). Often alone or surrounded by strangers that I didn’t know a week ago and in a week would never see again. And the airports. Only those who haven’t traveled could possibly think of the long lines, bad food, unannounced delays, and crying babies as romantic.

But at other times – and those are easily in the majority – I wouldn’t trade my life for anyone’s. The sound of the surf as the sun rises over the ocean. The stunning vista from a high pass. The campsite by the burbling brook. The adrenaline rush of summitting a high peak that few even attempt. Yet another day spent out in nature rather than stuck in an office! All this with friends and family only a phone call, email or text away though I may be half-way around the world.

For this coming year I have decided to set myself another challenge, not physical this time but more mental. My goal for this coming year is to attain a total of 100 countries visited. With Colombia I have traveled to 80 so far, leaving 20 for 2020. While the number is arguably arbitrary, it nonetheless strikes me as a milestone. It is the quality of the time spent in these different countries and not just an opportunity to check another box that will guide my plans. I will post blogs of hikes, treks, and walks, (though probably not any climbs) from at least 15 of these countries. I also plan to blog from countries I have already visited – some many times – such as Spain, England, Italy, and France. As much of my time will be in Europe, visiting cities and seeing cultural sights will also be a part of my program, though largely outside the scope of this blog.

During my more than a month in Lanzarote in November and December I spent a large part of my time planning this coming year. The Calendar Tab on the upper right gives an outline for the next three months. After Colombia it includes Nicaragua, El Salvador, La Gomera (Spain), Cape Verde, and Jordan. Although I have already planned the large majority of 2020, I will update the Calendar Tab on this blog site quarterly as I decide the final details.

My next blog (or two) will be about some of my many outdoor experiences in this wonderfully diverse country of Colombia. In the mean time, I wish you all a happy 2020 enjoying the outdoors.

The Vagabond Hiker