Unemployed & Unimpeded: Palomino

Leaving the high altitude behind, we traveled once again to beaches farther up the Colombian coast. Most travelers make their way into Tyrona National Park, however, a friend we met in Minca told us that Palomino, a small coastal town near the Venezuelan border, is less crowded and cheaper. We took off after a quick pit stop in Santa Marta, and two hours later we arrived in the laid back beach town of Palomino. We still had a 30 minute walk ahead of us, but on our way to the Tiki Hut we met a Colombian who was driving to the beach to watch the sunset. Since our hostel was on the way, he offered us a ride. And given the fact that we were still a bit sore from our last hike with the packs, we gladly accepted the offer! He told us that he lives in Santa Marta but often takes weekend trips to Palomino to enjoy the beautiful beaches and sunsets. After our quick chat with him, we were eager to check in and get to the beach as well. Unfortunately, the waves are so high and dangerous that it is highly advised not to swim too far out. After soaking up some sun at the beach the next day, we decided to go tubing. I was excited to see how tubing the Palomino River in Colombia compared to the Russian River in California or the San Marcos River in Texas. There was one HUGE difference: we were the only ones on the river! Well, not the only ones, but the only tourists. We met some local kids along the way who were more than happy to see us. Not too long after, we noticed that Phill's tube was deflating quickly. Needless to say, Phill had to walk the remaining mile down the river. That setback aside, it was still a relaxing day on the river. When it was time to leave the Tiki Hut, we ran into the owner drinking with his buddies by the bus stop. He insisted we have a beer with him, which then turned into hours of drinking and learning local Spanish lingo. That was by far the highlight of the trip.