Jet Lag, Bike Boxes & The Great Arepa Discovery

“Babe, wake up! We need to go to breakfast!”

That was how I was yanked from the depths of jet-lagged oblivion on my first morning in Cartagena. The promise of an included buffet breakfast had us scrambling, only to discover that, in fact, there was no buffet. Just a menú del día, which was non-negotiable. And, plot twist—it wasn’t even available until 9 a.m. It was 8:30.

So, there we sat, trying to keep our sleep-deprived rage in check, sipping what could only be described as black tar disguised as coffee. Eventually, our eggs arrived, and with them, a renewed sense of purpose. Today was bike-reveal day.

Just Like Christmas Morning.
Our bike boxes had clearly been on their own adventure—one we suspected involved rough handling and possible smuggling activities. We opened them with the anticipation of children on Christmas morning, but with the realistic expectations of long-haul travelers: What’s missing?

Miraculously, the bikes were intact, all their bits present and accounted for. The only casualties were Maree’s power bank and my spare camera battery—minor losses in the grand scheme of things.

Feeling victorious, we spent the morning in full mechanic mode, reassembling and tweaking.

Old Town Free Tours & Beer Economics
Once our trusty steeds were whole again, we ventured out on foot to explore Cartagena. The Old Town, with its colorful colonial charm, was calling. We joined a “free” walking tour that cost 50,000 COP (classic), but it turned out to be worth it—we got a crash course in Cartagena’s past and crucial intel on where to buy the cheapest beer.

At this point, it had been several hours since our last meal, a trend emerging as a defining theme of this trip. Enter: arepas. These glorious corn-based, cheese-and-meat-stuffed parcels of joy instantly became my new religion.

As the sun set, Cartagena transformed into a full-blown fiesta. Music exploded from every direction, party buses crammed with dancing tourists hooned past, and the streets pulsed with energy. Maree and I, still lagged and longing for our beds, passed up on a party bus experience in favor of glorious sleep.

https://colombia.travel/es/encanto/minca-colombia-capital-ecologica-del-paisThe Breakfast Buffet Mirage (Part Two)
Jet lag demanded a sleep-in. When we finally surfaced, we were greeted with a fresh round of breakfast-related misinformation. Today’s story? Breakfast was only available until 9 a.m.

We sighed, accepted our fate, and trudged down the street in search of sustenance, eventually finding more eggs and yet another impromptu DJ battle between competing cafés.

Logistics, Test Rides & Sloth Square
With breakfast drama behind us, we sat down for a logistics meeting—i.e., a semi-coherent discussion about how the heck we were getting to Minca, where we’d camp, and how much food we needed. The final verdict:
✔ Route sorted
✔ Supermercado run planned
✔ Camping? We’ll wing it!

Our Cheesy Ride!
Then came the fun part: test riding the bikes. Except we hadn’t factored in Cartagena’s peak-hour traffic. A thrilling, mildly terrifying gauntlet of taxis, motorbikes, and pedestrians ensued. Probably not our smartest move!

We eventually made it back to a place we dubbed Sloth Square (yesterday we’d seen a sloth there, so obviously, it was now official). The reward? More arepas. The best dinner ever: sitting on a park bench, watching Cartagena life unfold, sipping beer, and stuffing our faces with cheesy, meaty goodness.

The ride back to the hotel was blissfully quiet. With full stomachs and mostly dialed-in bikes, we packed our bags. Tomorrow, the real adventure begins. We ride.