What are the odds of being struck by lightning? 1/700,000. What are the odds of a foreign tourist being kidnapped in Colombia? 1/234,000 What are the odds of drowning in a given year? 1/80,000 What are the odds of dying in plane crash during your lifetime? 1/5000 What are the odds of dying in [...]
Posts under ‘Colombia’
Intrepid Traveler Dispatch: Cartagena, Colombia
In this Intrepid Traveler Dispatch contributor David Dudar shares his experiences and vivid photos of Cartagena, Colombia. With direct flights from the U.S. and low fares, there’s more reasons than ever to visit this historic city. By David Dudar WHY: Colombia is a country of vast riches, and the travel situation has improved greatly. Even [...]
Ranking Government Corruption in Latin America
The anti-corruption group Transparency International annually publishes a “corruption perceptions index,” which measures the level of government corruption in each country. In the latest index, which was released in November, the majority of the 180 countries analyzed scored below five on a scale from 0 (perceived to be highly corrupt) to 10 (perceived to have [...]
An Interview with a Latin America Travel Maven
The South America Travel Tips is one of the most informative blogs about traveling to Central and South America. Its post tend to be well written, concise and full of practical information. In this interview with the blog’s creator–Chris Harydment–he tells us how he acquired his expertise. He also explains why he likes Colombia so [...]
Guatemala, Colombia, or Mexico City in 2010?
One of my 2010 blogolutions is to take a trip to Latin America this year. Last year, I traveled with my family to Mexico. We spent about 10 days in Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta. We all had a wonderful time, but my wife and kids have had their fill of Latin America for the time [...]
A Simple Rationale For Saying ‘No’ to Drugs
The handsome baby boomer-aged couple smokes a joint behind the bushes outside a graduation party. When they return in their altered state to the gathering awkward moments and hilarity ensues. This was a scene in the movie It’s Complicated, starring Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, and Steve Martin. It seems harmless enough. The pot, we are [...]
Super Journalist Maureen Orth’s Passion: Bringing English, High-Tech Skills to the Children of Colombia
Award-winning journalist Maureen Orth has lived a fascinating life. One of the first women hired by Newsweek, she’s interviewed pop stars such as Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen. She is currently a special correspondent for Vanity Fair magazine, where the topics she covers range from Obama’s White House to the “Craigslist murder.” Her family life [...]
Going Sola: A Gringa Finds Courage in Colombia
In this guest post, Lauren Quinn –the creator of Lonely Girl Travels –shares her experience traveling alone in Colombia at a time when most tourists were afraid to go there. Lauren was one of Lonely Planet’s Featured Bloggers for 2010. Besides being an intrepid traveler who has also made sola visits to places such as [...]
Key to a Good 2010? Pack a Bag, Wear Red Undies
By Jennifer Lubrani I am not superstitious. I especially don’t follow all those silly New Year’s rituals that so many perform year after year. That is until one member from the Colombian side of my family turned me into a New Year’s superstition believer. You see, in Colombia, there’s a tradition that when the clock [...]
Intrepid Traveler Dispatch: Colombia
“The only risk is wanting to stay,” Colombia’s new slogan says. David Lee—creator of the blogs Medellin Living and Go Backpacking— tells us why the country’s sights and people make the slogan ring true. (Follow Dave on Twitter at @rtwdave). THE TRIP: 5 1/2 months living in Medellin, Colombia, plus 2 weeks in Bogota, Cartagena, [...]
