I had this idea to give up my apartment in Denver and go meander around South America because it started to snow in Denver and I hate the snow.
Some friends from the States were hanging out in Colombia for a while and I finagled an invitation to join them.
I texted friends who live in Brazil and Uruguay and they expressed excitement at a visit. I have a 10-year visa to Brazil that was a pain to get, so I like to use it; and Uruguay is just a delightful country that beckons me back. After that, I figured, I could go to Bolivia and take Spanish lessons and try to cross off the Learn Foreign Language Bucket List item.
So, I gave notice that I wouldn’t be renewing my sub-lease, put my furniture up for sale, and made plans to leave Colorado at the end of November.
A week or so before I was set to leave, I decided that that was a stupid idea.
I like Denver! It’s nice having friends you see regularly. I really adore my closet of clothes. I have 34 dresses to choose from. 34! And ordering books from the library is the best invention in the history of inventions. I go online and request books on my list and make weekly trips to retrieve and drop off the loot. It’s heaven.
I’ve already done the whole long-stretch, slow-travel wandering around South America thing and I don’t want to do it again. At least not yet. Not alone.
Since my landlord hadn’t rented my apartment yet and I hadn’t closed the deal on any of my furniture, I extended my stay in Denver for another six months and settled on traveling for only two weeks in Colombia.
After I typed all that out, I realized it was all unnecessary backstory. Sorry.
Here’s my Colombia bucket list.
Colombia Bucket List
1. Get a haircut.
Getting haircuts in different countries feels extravagant when the exchange rate is on your side. You can go to the fanciest salon you can find and then look at your credit card statement afterwards and see it only cost $18. Oooh.
2. Cook a lot.
Two cool vegetarian, retired, nomad friends and I rented a 3-bedroom apartment in Medellin and two other friends rented a 2-bedroom elsewhere in the city, so it seemed like a swell opportunity to cook a bunch. Dinner parties!
But I don’t actually enjoy cooking, so when one friend took charge and did most of the heavy lifting for making the meals, I grinned and said thanks. I don’t get credit for crossing this off.
3. Do a 14-day fitness challenge of some sort (yoga? pilates? street boxing?).
My friends and I did some butt activation exercises regularly, but not every day, so I don’t get to cross this one off.
4. Explore a grocery store.
Easy-peasy. And delightfully peasy.
5. Take Spanish lessons.
I’ve been practicing Spanish on Duolingo daily since September 2018 and that continued in Colombia. I also tried to practice with every Uber driver.
Me: Que tal?
More than one Uber driver: Si la policía nos detiene, diles que somos amigos. No soy conductor. [If the police stop us, you’re my friend and I’m not an uber driver.]
Me: Uh.
6. Visit some hot springs.
Didn’t do. Sad face. Two weeks is so much shorter than you realize.
7. Take public transportation.
We took some buses between cities and rode the fantastic gondola metrocable, but mostly we took ubers because they were cheap and easy and apparently legally limbo-ish.
8. Bond with friends.
Check, check, and check. We walked around and we went dancing and we ate falafel at two in the morning and we saw the sites and we played chess and we drank* beer with salt and lime juice and we chatted and we bonded. It was lovely. A couple of friends traveled with a dog and I spent more than a bit of time cuddling with him.
This was one of the best trips I’ve ever taken. I love traveling with fun people that I already know. It’s way better than solo travel and I highly recommend this country. I always felt safe. Although I read a headline couple of days after I left Colombia about a Canadian who was murdered in Medellin, so maybe my advice is suspect?
9. Get a pedicure.
Getting pedicures in a foreign country is fun for the same reason as bucket list item number one above. The exchange rate meant a pedicure at a posh place set me back $5.33.
10. Visit a finca (farm).
We didn’t do this.
11. See the christmas lights in Envigado.
Okay, Colombia really enjoys Christmas. Everyone goes all out and puts colorful displays up. It’s the country of color and lights.
12. Take a trip to Guatape.
Guatape is an adorable little town about an hour or so from Medellin. I highly recommend this place, too. There’s this large rock you can climb and, when you get to the top, there’s a gift shop that sells fake poop. Capitalism.
13. See some salsa going down.
Didn’t do.
14. Take a picture of a cat.
I’ve stopped Instagramming, but here is the picture I would have posted there if I still Instagrammed. My account was basically cats around the world and pictures of my abs.
15. Go paragliding.
One of the friends on this trip is a paragliding enthusiast with his own gear that he lugs around the globe while looking for hills to jump off. Go handgliding or paragliding, one of the glidings is a life bucket list item, so I jumped at the chance. So fun!
From most exhilarating to least, in my humble opinion:
Bungee jumping > sky diving > paragliding > roller coasters > sitting on your couch
*First time drinking alcohol in sixteen months. Last time for a while.
Glad you enjoyed your stay here. We’ve been living in Medellin Colombia for about 13 months now. We leave next month for some place else. We sold everything in the US about 4.5 years ago to travel. It certainly has its ups and downs. But it is better when you have someone to share it with. We are a family of 4 (w/2 kids). So that helps.
I’ll bet you’re missing out beautiful weather these days. 😜
Love reading about your “retired” adventures. Keep up the great work.
World-schooling, right? 🙂 And you’re absolutely right about the weather. Snow and I don’t really get along.
I spent over a month in Bogota way back in the day and it was one of the most exciting times of my life. When they close the streets down on Sunday for bikes – it’s THE BEST! Everyone is out having fun, minimal cars, tons of great food. Have fun!
That does sound crazy fun!
I would love to have you as my guest in Hyderabad and watch your reaction to Hyderabad traffic and heat 🙂
Probably not anytime soon!
Hi, keep the “unnecessary background” coming. Your writing stands it up and adds to the transparency and human connection. You have the same struggles (including wrestling with choices) as everybody else but you make the choices that set her apart for those of us who are working on the courage to move beyond the hesitation.
I appreciate you saying that!
Another great trip (and great recap) on the books for Thrifty Gal! Thanks for sharing so that those of us working can live vicariously through you.
I was really glad to read the backstory on your decision to stay two weeks in Colombia — it’s been really interesting following your FIRE journey, and how your pursuit of a fulfilling life has developed during the RE part of it. I’m really grateful for your full disclosure and frankness re: nomadic versus more sedentary life, and have been thrilled to see how you’ve successfully “settled down” in Denver. It’s been great to hear about your experience re-integrating into the lifestyle afforded by living in a single place, including friends and the use of remarkable institutions like the library 🙂
Please keep writing, I always look forward to your posts! Hopefully it is as therapeutic for you to write them as it is for me to read them
I really needed to read that. Thank you!
Totally agree. I find your stories (good and bad) encouraging. For those just starting out, it helps to see what the life of FI can look like…
You’re only limited in your FI life by your imagination. And your funds, I suppose.
Have you written about why you’ve stopped instagramming? I’ve been questioning my social media habits and I’m curious to know!
I read a book called The Art of the Good Life.
He gave me permission to quit social media as it invites envy and wastes time. I agree! I deleted instagram and installed facebook feed eradicator. Life is better.
I love reading your blog! Thank you.
You’re so sweet!
Colombia is high on my “where to go next” list, so I really enjoyed this trip recap! Thank you for candidly sharing your adventure.
Theory: Everywhere in South America is delightful. Maybe not Venezuela right now.
You confuse exchange rate with cost of living. These are two vastly different concepts. Things cost less there because labor costs less. Your economic vocabulary should be more concise.
That is an excellent critique and you are absolutely right.
Whee — I’m glad you’re posting about your adventures again (and that you’re going on adventures again!) You’re my inspiration for what to do when I retire 🙂
I appreciate the use of “whee” 🙂
Cool update! You sound really happy and that’s wonderful. I’m struggling with lots of ideas in my head and making a choice = feeling petrified (literally like from Harry Potter) haha!
I am going to Colombia (with family and friends – yes travel with fun people is the best) the day after tomorrow and can’t wait to leave the snow behind. I am especially looking forward to our coffee region adventure and maybe get up close and personal with a hummingbird or two. Yay!
Ooh, I didn’t know that hummingbirds were a big thing there. Have fun!
I just found your blog (I started with a post from 2013 by chance). I’m so glad you are still writing and I look forward to catching up on everything!!
Welcome! What post sucked you in from 2013? 🙂
Lots of fun to follow your post-retirement adventures (and cooking… haha… just kidding) here in the blog. I’ve been following you since back when you did your interview with Mr Money Moustache… and it’s been consistently great!! I haven’t commented before but when I saw the post about Colombia I couldn’t resist a note to say that it is really cool that you went there! The perception that Colombia is unsafe for tourists overall is a shame… I am American (actually in the US Navy)… but I own a condo in Cartagena and I love it there!! The people.. the food… the culture… the everything! Nothing like grilled fish on the beach with a cold beer. Ahhhh… I’m traveling there gain soon with my sister… so I ave Colombia on the brain. Haha. On a related side note, I really appreciate the courage it took for you to retire early. You know what I mean. I am getting ready to retire from the Navy after a brief 23 years… and even though I’ll have a pension and have purchased rental properties and have money put aside, etc… there is something a little intimidating about saying, “Yeah… I am DONE working!”
Thanks for the inspiration and the continued fun posts!
My best,
Drew
I really appreciate you taking the time to write this comment! I’m jealous you’re going back to Colombia. I had a blast there!
Absolutely my pleasure to comment! I’m impressed with your storyline! I do want to ask though… since it’s come up in your recent posts. You noted that after 1.5 years of retirement and wandering you’re kind of over that phase… Pardon the overly simplified summary 😉 Anyway, SO many people have asked me, “Won’t you get bored?” when I tell them my plans to retire and never work again. I always answer, “Never! How could I get so bored that would want to set my alarm clock at 0500 again?” Haha. But, the idea that being retired so young would lead to me being somewhat alone has crossed my mind… since everyone else my age is working, or has a family, etc. etc. You’ve alluded to this in a number of posts.. but I would love to hear more… Not trying to pry. But since you’ve “been there – done that” I am rather curious as to your thoughts…
My best,
Drew
PS – and yes… Colombia is SO wonderful! The ability to write off two trips a year on taxes under the heading “checking my rental priory” is definitely a major plus!!! 🙂
I’m almost never bored, but I do get lonely. I think it would be a lot easier to retire if you had a family or a significant other. I’m sure they face challenges, too.
I’m writing more about this, but I don’t have all my thoughts in order quite yet.