Tayrona national park

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Feeling a lot better we set off for the national park. From the gate we had a 3.5 hour hike to our stop that night, Playa Brava. A secluded beach run by a bunch of friends. Really good food and very peaceful.  Bugs ramped up to 11 though. Lots of amazing nature and sounds all around. Sleeping arrangments is hammocks with Mosquito nets over them under a roof with open sides. Here there was about 10 hammocks. Right by our sleeping spot was a magrove full of life, the most amazing cacophony of what I am guessing were frogs rang out all night. Sleeping in hammocks in the heat was not as bad as I thought it would be. The hammock does not feel the cleanest as lots of people have slept in it before and it is hot! About 2am it starts to cool a bit though and sleep comes. 
 

We hiked to the main beach in the park the next day. This walkthrough of the jungle was very special. We heard the oddest sound, it was like ghosts on the wind. It was howler monkeys in the distance. We saw other monkeys and stunning birdlife. Stunning place but HOT! Hotter then the London tube on a summer day at rush hour! I do not think I have sweated this much before in my life! There is no breeze in the jungle either. It is a 2.5-hour hike to Caba St Juan (the main beach) I am really looking forward to getting out of the heat now and away from these bugs! The heatstroke is still there a bit so I am really struggling. Also, my gut is not great so I have to say I found this part quite challenging but so worth it. One more night in a hammock in the park. The Hammocks at Caba St Juan are even more grotty and we are hanging in an open-sided sort of longhouse with about 60 other people but that is part of the adventure I guess. The beach is stunning and the water is clear and warm. There is gold flecks in the sand so the water sparkles when it churns. We have one more night in another Hostel, with a bed thankfully and then we have a proper hotel!!! I am looking forward to aircon and a proper shower I can tell you. Feel pretty grotty through and through.

One more night on the coast at Costeno Beach, it is stunning here. Very basic, only power for a few hours a night but when the generator is not running it is so peaceful and the beach just goes forever.

Back to Santa Marta for a night, we booked a HOTEL!!! OMG!! It was amazing!! AIRCON!!! PROPER SHOWER!! WIFI!!! We really indulged ourselves. Sat in underpants in the cold air, binge-watched netflix, scrubbed ourselves in the shower and got our clothes laundered! HEAVEN! Off to Medellin today for our last stop in South America!