On the second to last day in Tayrona, I decided to go to Palomina. A small village about an hour away. As I walked to the beach I saw a sign saying, ” dreadloks”! Since my first visit to Africa I have liked the Rastafarian people, peaceful and loving. No war would ever be started by a rasta! Never before my hair has been long enough till now! I was already half way there, my own dreadlocks started to form. Anyway, on the spot I decided that that is what I would do! Get dreadlocks.

Carmen and her husband, Fabian, run a small artisans an shop. Friendly, hospitable and extremely capable, I ended up spending more than eight hours here. Carmel chatted away, most of it much too fast. I could grasp what she was talking about, if she only would have slowed down, I might have understood her more!

How come my rasta friends never told me it hurts?? And it takes literally HOURS to do! Carmel started at about at eleven and finished five minutes to six. I had discovered that I didn’t have enough money on me, but promised that I would come back early the next day. That way she could finish the last three locks as well. As I was running to the bus, as the last bus left at six o’clock, and no other options to get back to the hostel, I saw it drive by. I was too late! I had to run yell for a motor taxi and yell the famous line ” follow that bus”!!! Ah Colombia, how I love Thee!

Palomino itself is full of shops, hostels and backpackers. It was chokkers! I am so glad that I stayed at El Viajero. Here in Palomino the beach was crowded, dirty and lots of hustlers. Nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to stay here. Mind you, to be honest I saw most of the Palomino life from Carmen’s shop! She started on me at eleven in the morning, after I came back from the beach! Finished just before the last bus left!!

Also nearby is El Rio, another backpackers place, a party place. All the young ones would go there for the evening. I stay away from places like that, because, although I have dreadlocks now, I am a boring old fart!!