7 Days Until Colombia — 54 & Globe-Trotting Begins!

"Me. My suitcase. Cuba. The globe-trotting era begins long before Colombia. 😄"

Thanks for joining me on my adventure. 

54 & Globe-Trotting.

Real. Messy! No AI. 

Straight up. 

I am so excited to be leaving for Colombia!

In 7 days!

This 4 week yoga training has been a dream of mine for almost a year now. 

And now… My biggest preoccupation is ... not my yoga!

It is packing my suitcase. 

I know, typical girl thing to say. 

I always get a bit anxious about my suitcase. 

Packing the right things. 

And not forgetting anything.

But yet, not packing too much.

Because I know that packing too much is a hassle (and I never wear it all anyways).

This is obviously a yoga certification so my yoga gear takes precedent!

The weather is a KEY factor in packing

It is summer in northern Colombia - average temperature, 32 degrees and humid.

Shopping for clothes in nicely air-conditioned stores in Canada is misleading!

NO polyester clothing!

All cotton, breathable, or linen. Natural fibres. 

Cotton underwear - I love the La Sensa Cheeky. 

A woman’s private parts need to breathe. 

Or my sports gear - made for sweat and comfort - I own Old Navy, Lululemon and whatever I find in thrift stores. I buy tank tops and just cut them if they are too long. (Lululemon is expensive, but I love how my shorts and tops feel.)

I have learned from my 16 trips to Cuba and my 5 trips to Barcelona in the full heat of summer, that natural fibres are better. 

Tons of tops

Shorts

Then, 

Safety first - have all my insurance (travel, etc) - double-checked and emergency numbers ready. 

Meds. Ah. Traveling when you are in your fifties (and in menopause with body aches that I didn’t have when I was 20 and traveling through Europe!), is not the same. 

Gotta be flexible. 

Half my bag is medication and supplements. Obviously, I am not going to pack my creatine and collagen powders. Going through Customs in Colombia. Let’s not invite trouble. LOL.

I am a writer - my computer. 

I also journal - not the same craft - my favourite Lafontaine Journal (super silky soft paper from France) + my favourite fountain pen with extra cartridges. (That is my super nerdy side, proud of it.)

My insoles - yes. They fit in my sandals and my running shoes. My insoles SAVE my right knee. I have advanced arthritis from multiple injuries. My insoles are a game-changer. I can walk, dance, and now globe-trot.

My dancing shoes - because after the yoga certification, I have 5 days that I will invest in dancing. I wear Fuegos - they have this little plastic circle underneath the ball of your foot, so you can spin, and not hurt your ankles and knees. They were designed for street dancers, break-dancers and well, now, 54-year-old women! LOL.

NOT dancing in Colombia, would be like not having a croissant in France. Inconceivable! 

My knee braceS - Yes, I have 2.  

My passport

My phone + charger

A few dresses 

Bathing suit 

My school, Akasha Yoga School, is a beautiful home and they have a pool!

Hat

Bug spray

Light clothes - white (fends of the bugs)

And I will be packing a checked suitcase. 

It is just easier with all my things. I am gone for just over four weeks. 

Ultimately, it is what I pack in my carry-on that are my essentials.

Passport

Phone + charger

Sun glasses

One outfit for yoga (tank top + shorts)

3 underwear

1 dress 

My computer + charger

My journal

My pens

My books for yoga and … fiction - my guilty pleasure. 

My knee brace - they will look at it through security, guaranteed.

MY Meds - my estrogen patch and my progesterone, mental health medication and my supplements (too many to list here). 

My toothbrush + a tiny tube of tooth paste.

A tiny container for my face cream + one lip gloss 

My waterproof mascara. 

US dollars - to pay for my cab when I get there.

My belt-bag - you can fit so much in there.

Reading glasses

My bottle of water that fits perfectly on the side. 

My eyelash curler

My tweezers (my eyebrows grow in places, I didn’t know… As well as my nose hairs… Gross). 

Bug spray - a small container.

My nail clipper.

Socks for the plane

A hoodie - it is often cold in planes.

EAR PLUGS!

Of course, Visa. 

Everything fits in this my little backpack. It has travelled all over Europe (summer 2023), Cuba (last 6 trips), and now, it will come with me to Colombia. It fits perfectly under the seat of an airplane - I use it as a foot rest.  

Everything else is fluff!

Because I am going to Colombia - I can find what I need there in case I forget something.

Okay, that's it for today!

I am going to do some studying and… do some SHOPPING!

7 days. Let’s go!!