Why are you going to Colombia?

Good question. We've been asked that a lot lately. We've had a few wise cracks about picking up packages and hanging out with drug barons, but mainly people have just given us funny looks. Why are you going there? A few reasons:

• Do a Google Images search for Colombia. Go on....! It looks like a gorgeous country. Who wouldn't want to go there!
• We've always wanted to go. I think I trace my interest back to an international exhibition I went to in Valencia around 1995. There were beautiful posters on the "Colombia" stand, friendly people, and I think we even tried some Colombian food
• We travelled for 8 months in South America, but never made it further north than Peru. It's my favourite continent, so this needs to be rectified.
• I learned salsa for a while in Abu Dhabi. It's great fun. Salsa is really big in Colombia.
• I long to speak Spanish again.
• I have only been on a Caribbean beach once when we were in Mexico. Shocking. This needs to be rectified. I'll never forget how sugar-soft that white sand was.
• I have always wanted to see the beautiful colonial city of Cartagena.
• I love the novels of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Imagine going to the place where "El amor en los tiempos del colera" was written!
• I have sponsored children in Colombia for about ten years so I feel a connection with the country
• The flight was reasonable. We got a good deal with Air France via Paris.
• It's apparently not as dangerous as it used to be.

11 damned good reasons for going. I'm so excited!