Madrid to Medellín

Our last night in Madrid was all about tapas bar crawling and learning Spanish. We took it to a next level by talking to anyone, including the Romanian hookers in front of our hotel who usually formed a front line to catch paying customers. Oh yes, Patrik Metropol which is a hostel with private rooms rather than a hotel, was right at the corner of Gran Vía and Calle Montera, a famous place for the finding these ladies. Unfortunately they wanted more than just speaking so our fluent Spanish conversation came to a close after a while.

Avianca (Colombian Airlines) didn't let us check in online, so adding this to the news of 50% flight cancellations at Barajas Airport and the lazy striking Iberia staff made us a bit worried.

Everything turned out just fine and took off with a half an hour delay. The flight from Madrid to Bogota was about 10 and a half hours, long long hours but Koppany made me, himself and a Colombian girl sitting close to us entertained by trying to communicate with her in writing with the help of two weeks of Spanish knowledge, his Android notepad, dictionary and Latin-American phrasebook. He got her number Facebook profile, eventually. Congratulations, and welcome to Colombia!

Landing at 9.40pm local time made it a bit tricky to catch our 10:44pm flight to Medellín, especially that we had to cross immigration checks, pick up baggage, check-in and drop-off bags again, etc. Thanks to the casual South American spirit being late was no problemo, the lady at the check-in desk just waved at us and started running while inviting us to join doing so. So we started to run and she led us to the transfer bus that takes people to the plane itself on the runway. Huh, we made it - we thought but the bus driver looked a bit puzzled and showed this by honking at everyone asking for directions. Lol! After a 180 degree turn we got back to the terminal and continued our seek for the plane on foot. Reaching the plane with all our bags and baggages it didn't seem awkward that the steward there told us with a huge smile that "No way you take those onboard!". Straight away showing the laid back attitude he ensured us he would put them on the plane himself...right. And he did! Even bringing our baggage tickets to our seats. Security checks? Oh come on! Baggage drop-off? Never mind, no time! I wonder how possibly could have this happened at Heathrow or anywhere in the UK?! ;)

Arriving at Medellín airport accompanied by all our luggage, surrounded by keen taxi drivers we organised a quick tender for the cheapest price for a ride. We were not so sure about our professional process of selection when even after half an hour of driving on a main road in pitch black and pouring rain, especially without seeing a single house or too many other cars. But at the end we were not taken to the woods and robbed and killed but we started to see Ciudad boards and the first city lights in the valley.

Opening an ice cold Colombiana kola flavoured soda and crushing on the bed in the hotel was the best part of the day it seemed, but hey, we've just arrived to Medellín!