This video takes place on my second day in Cartagena, Colombia. I know there are a lot of people want to travel, but perhaps they are alone & they think what am I going to do alone? How am I going to travel alone to another side of the world? You can do it! Never be scared to travel alone when you stay in a hostel. In this video, I share my day travelling around Cartagena with 2 other backpackers I met at El Viajero Hostel. We had so much fun together, although we just met. This is the backpacking spirit! We visited Makuto Chill Out Hostel, El Media Luna Hostel and Santo Domingo Hostel. We walked inside the wall city through colourful streets. We visited Plaza Santo Domingo where we were bombarded to buy souvenirs. We had delicious fruit from a lady with a fruit basket on her head – La Palanquera, We took lots of pictures. We laughed! We had an amazing time. This is our experience as backpackers connecting through travel. If you like this video please comment, like & subscribe.
Backpackers Taking Pictures
La Gordita - Fernando Botero, Plaza Santo Domingo, Cartagena
Pool at Media Luna Hostel
Vegemite - An Essential Australian Backpacking Item
Vegemite, an Australian essential to pack when travelling for long periods of time abroad. While staying at El Viajero Hostel in Cartagena, Colombia, I met two Australian ladies who brought with them 4 tubes of Vegemite. I never knew there were travel sizes for Vegemite, but the tubes apparently are better for packing. Unfortunately, they lost 1 tube! Was it lost or was it stolen by another Australian who was nostalgic for some Vegemite? That will remain a mystery!!!! Luckily, they have a friend who will be meeting up with them from Oz and she will bring another tube! lol Love it!
Vegemite On Toast
In the video below we have two Aussie’s, a Norwegian, and myself ( But hey, I have an Aussie passport too!!) from Canada having Vegemite at breakfast.
Describing Vegemite:
Thomas: “Awful”
Bev: “Perfection”
Elaine: “This time doesn’t seem super gross.”
I might not like Vegemite, but I’m still an Aussie!!!!! Here is a picture of me modelling some Aussie Pride in Adelaide. 
G'Day Mate! Heyyyyy
For Life Coaching services please email me at elaine@fabulouslivingcoach.com.
Las Palenqueras - Fruit Basket Ladies
Plaza Santo Domingo, Cartagena
Buying Yummy Fruit in Santo Domingo from a Palenquera
It was here I learned that not only do Las Palenqueras sell yummy fruits to tourists like me, but they are more than woman wearing vibrant coloured dresses carrying fruit baskets on their heads. They come from a city called San Basilio De Palenque which is an hour away from Cartagena. These woman represent the difficult times in history as they were slaves and the Black Cimmarones who escaped from their owners. How terrible to think people had owners. 
Unfortunately, it’s true… San Basilio De Palenque was the first city in South America of free slaves. Las Palenqueras preserve their African culture and traditions to this very day just as their ancestor did several centuries ago. When you see them now, think perhaps the word freedom will come to mind. 
Delicious Fruit Sold By A Palenquera, Cartagena
Beautiful Palenquera, Santo Domingo, Cartagena
For Life Coaching Services please email me at elaine@fabulouslivingcoach.com
Coaching sessions are in phone/Skype/person in Toronto and internationally over Skype.
No Gracias
Do you want a statue, maracas, jewellery, cigars,sunglasses paintings, fruit? NO GRACIAS! Ok, well the yummy fruit I wanted in Cartagena, Colombia.( I had the yummiest Mangos!) Tourists are bombarded by locals asking if they want to buy souvenirs. What they don’t realize is that it gets annoying very fast. What happens is when someone approaches you, automatically you start saying “No Gracias” even if you really want whatever it is they are selling. Some of the stuff really is beautiful, but you start getting defensive and “No Gracias” just rolls off your tongue. Perhaps if they changed their strategy they’d sell more? Not sure! I had fun with the No Gracias and could not stop laughing at how much we were approached. In this video I have Brie, a backpacker from Melbourne, Australia being asked non-stop to buy anything you could name!
Lots more travel videos from Cartagena to come!
Thanks for watching!! xx
Elaine Sarantakos,
Fabulous Living Coach
For Life Coaching Services please email me elaine@fabulouslivingcoach.com
* Life Coaching is offered in person in Toronto/Skype & offered internationally over Skype.
Colombian Flag
Although Colombia has gotten better in the last years of cleaning up it’s reputation, there still is a stigma attached of being a dangerous place to travel to. It hasn’t been until the last year that I have seen Cartagena marketed as a tourist package with Air Transat Holidays in Canada. Not a lot of people I have spoken to when mentioning I was going to Colombia knew anything about how it actually was as a tourist destination. As more people travel, especially now since we have packages and chartered flights, I hope Colombia’s reputation becomes more positive because it truly is a great destination and one of my top trips I’ve taken.
Local Selling Fruits in Beautiful Cartagena
Enjoy! – Elaine
