Catching Our Breath in Santa Marta
Our new hostel in Santa Marta is in a beautiful restored colonial mansion with balconies overlooking a swimming pool in the courtyard and a rooftop overlooking the city. After our trek, air conditioning feels like a gift from the Gods. It’s owned by two American brothers and has a very American vibe: a pool table, a beer pong tournament on Saturdays, a television in the bar and a movie room. 
When we arrive, the first thing I do is shower. The second is take a three-hour nap. By the time I get up, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, Nate and Courtney are a bit less so, having been at the bar the whole time. I grab a margarita to catch-up, which I know I will do quickly when our bartender Ke$ha asks, “is this drinkable?” We order dinner from the seriously good Mexican restaurant next door and hop into a game of trivia.
There seem to be two themes to the people we talk to: they have all just done or are considering the Ciudad Perdida Trek and they are all incredibly drunk. There are a few things to see in Santa Marta, which we visit the next day: the gold museum, which gives a bit of history on Teyuna, and Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino, the death place of Simón Bolívar. Otherwise, it’s a laid back town where folks chill out and party between trips to other places.
