Tag Archives: hammock

Palomino

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Another day, another beach, another hammock. This time in Palomino, a sleepy village further up the coast from Tayrona. With no ATM, and having been paying for paradise, I was on a budget. Luckily my hammock was cheap, I grabbed a bargain ‘menu del dias’ and found a man selling big bags of mangoes for about 60p. I bagged a free ride back from the village on the back of a motorbike, driven by a man with a huge machete strapped to his leg (still not really sure how that came about). My finca (hostel)’s health and safety advice was to beware of falling coconuts, and my biggest concern in the world was how I would get the mango string out of my teeth. Sleepy with the sea air, I got an earlyish night in my new fave sleeping device.

Waking early to the sounds of the sea, seems to be a catalyst for an unusual hunger for running. Barefoot again I bounded away, into blue skies, gold sands, with the sun on my back. The beach was already dotted with other early birds, some fishing (for that worm maybe), some strolling and some swimming. I ran for a little while to where the mouth of a river meets the sea. It seemed to be a little hub of activity for the locals, and a very pretty one at that.

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After a short paddle I turned and retraced my steps to the finca. The sun was hotting up despite the young day and I had a splash and dip in the sea to cool down. That primal feeling was back and I’m wondering what could beat it. I might have to find a coastal tribe to join. Happy but tired from the taxing sand running, I was ready for my mango breakfast and another lie down in my fave place.

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All this hanging in hammocks and hitting the beaches has me sleepy and siesta-ready at most hours. The Caribbean Colombians sometimes have a reputation for laziness and just not really getting much done. But really when there are beautiful beaches to behold and so many hammocks to be lain in, teamed with the tropical heat, I can kind of see how that could happen…

Tayrona National Park

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People who know me may be aware of the recent development of my passion for hammocks. It’s quite lucky really, as the travellers’ trail is bountiful when it comes to hammocks. So the prospect of sleeping in one, on a beach in a National Park, which is only accessible by a two hour trek through the jungle, is something I have been looking forward to especially. Tayrona National Park is a popular destination for adventurous tourists and travellers from across Colombia, South America and the World. After some hours travelling I arrived at the campsite and was assigned my bed for the night, in a hut with 45 other paradise seekers. After a few shots of aguardiente on Saturday night I slept like a baby, gently rocking in her crib (and sometimes rocking into her neighbours).

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I woke bright and early to the sounds of birds singing and waves lapping the shore. I donned the bare essentials and ventured out to find the lesser visited beaches around the next bays. Barefoot running on golden beaches and through tropical jungle feels pretty primal and exhilarating. I could totally be a tribeswoman. Emerging from the jungle I was greeted by a long stretch of glistening beach, blue sea, virgin sand and not a person in sight. I may not have believed it this time last year, but waking up at 6.30 does have its benefits.

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After running the length of the two beaches beyond the busier beaches at the camp, including the (empty) nudist beach, I turned back and re-entered the jungle. Hearing a loud rustling on the forest floor I stopped to spot the culprit and saw a strange pig-rodent creature a few metres away. On googling ‘pig rodent’ just now, it seems I might have seen a ‘Capybara’. The strange creature didn’t hang around for long and I continued on my way. Taking a different path I suddenly popped out on the shore again, this time over high rocks, the Caribbean Sea crashing against them below. Feeling so excited and exhilarated by my whole morning run experience, it was the first time I have ever been compelled to take a selfie on a run. I clearly just wanted to capture the sweaty, magical ecstasy of the moment.

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After 2 nights, paradise was getting a bit costly and it was time to move on. I made the trek back to civilisation alone and early, a combination I seem to be enjoying at the moment. Since the jungle route wasn’t so busy I was lucky enough to spot a family of monkeys, who also came to take a look at me walking past. Leaving the beaten track certainly has its rewards sometimes.