Intensely tense in past and present tense.

When people at the office ask me about my trip to Colombia, I say “intense” and stare at them intensely.
“In what way?”
“Ah, just in every way.”

I got mugged once, sick twice and annoyed any number of times. Like the time the AeroRepublica woman at Bogota airport insisted I hadn’t paid for my flight and they had no record of my reservation. Or the time I got sunburnt and my back ached for three days. And just for added fun, I spent more than 24 hours travelling on buses through mountain passes that felt like a rollercoaster ride for my stomach. Jetlagged like hell, I smiled for photos and made polite conversation when all I really wanted was sleep.

Intense.

I also got a kiss from a devil in the Andres restaurant in Bogota, danced on top of the bar in a salsa club in Cartagena, slept outside in a hammock on top of a cliff at sea for three nights (and had all sorts of crazy dreams there). I went rafting on the Fonce river in San Gil with four strangers and even jumped into the river fully clothed. I got by without using English for several days while travelling on my own to villages in Santander and Boyaca. I enjoyed many random acts of kindness by various strangers and friends. I tasted the best hot chocolate ever and over-ate everything everywhere, especially steaks.

Intense.

When I came back to London with a two-hour delay (courtesy of Air France), it was raining. I would have been surprised if it had been any other way ... London, London, you rainy grey bitch, I’m back. What did I miss, who missed me? One voicemail, 3 text messages on my mobile, 98 emails in my inbox at work, 11 junk mails and leaving drinks for five(!) colleagues who quit the company.

Intense.