Travel to Colombia

[Doe Be Doe]

Hello.

 

Several months ago, long before covid, I started chatting, texting, video calling, etc. with a young man in Colombia. I have now reached the point where I would like to go visit him. It appears that Colombia has just opened up for Americans who can provide a copy of a negative covid test within the three days prior to arriving in Colombia. I am still checking on any requirements that the US might have upon returning home.

 

Has anyone been to Colombia? Specifically Medellin? The travel costs seem modest. Unfortunately most of the flights seem to Medellin seem to take off at 6:00am or late night. Any thoughts on the flight schedule?

 

Thanks.

[Luv2play]

Hello.

 

Several months ago, long before covid, I started chatting, texting, video calling, etc. with a young man in Colombia. I have now reached the point where I would like to go visit him. It appears that Colombia has just opened up for Americans who can provide a copy of a negative covid test within the three days prior to arriving in Colombia. I am still checking on any requirements that the US might have upon returning home.

 

Has anyone been to Colombia? Specifically Medellin? The travel costs seem modest. Unfortunately most of the flights seem to Medellin seem to take off at 6:00am or late night. Any thoughts on the flight schedule?

 

Thanks.

I’ve only been to Brazil in SA and then with a small group of friends to Rio. I took a 3 day side trip to SP by myself during the vacation of 10 days overall and was comfortable being there alone. Of course Brazil is familiar to many gay North Americans but Colombia less so I would say. The questions I would ask are have you been there before? Have you been to other S American countries? Are you familiar with the language? Would you be staying with this young man or at a hotel? That city is a well known drug capital. Are you familiar with the local conditions. I’m assuming there’s is an American Consulate there. Have you checked the local travel advisory at the State Department. How long would you be going for. How good a feel do you have about this young man. Has he been open about his circumstances. Are you convinced?

[JayCeeKy]

https://www.companyofmen.org/threads/colombia-guys.135745/

 

https://www.boytoy.com/forums/topic/23958-medellin/

[Kevin Slater]

Was there a couple year back. Had a great time. Not sure if you're gringo, but if so, you're in luck: they love gringos.

 

Kevin Slater

[Luv2play]

I checked with our (Canada’s) travel advisory on our government website for foreign affairs this morning and the advice they give for Medellin is that theft and petty crime occur in the city Center and areas not covered by the metro system. “Express” kidnappings are frequent and often occur in affluent areas. In these episodes the tourists are taken off the streets or from taxis and forced to withdraw funds from ATMs and can be held overnight so that another withdrawal can be made the next day. Street crime is common, particularly in the larger cities such as Bogota and Medellin. Armed robberies occur even in the safer areas of cities and may occur on streets, in buses and taxis. Avoid flagging taxis in the streets. And a host of other concerns. Here in Canada, we are being advised to avoid all non-essential travel abroad, even to the United States. The US is different and you should be guided by your own authorities. After all, if something bad happens, you will turn to them to try to help you. God Bless!

[+ Pensant]

Sounds as if Medellin has taken a turn for the worse☹️

[Guest]

Sounds as if Medellin has taken a turn for the worse☹

 

I concur. What a crying' shame.

[Luv2play]

Just for fun I checked all the travel advisories on the US Dept of State website. They have 4 levels going from 1 (normal caution) to 4 (Do not travel). Colombia is a 4. But so is the Bahamas. Canada a 3. A lot of it is as a result of Covid. But the same cautions re crime are listed as on the Canadian site for Colombia.

[Doe Be Doe]

Thanks for the replies. Lots to think about. This man seems nice and I think he is nice . That said should I hire a Medellin investigator to check him out? I don’t think that’s necessary but maybe I should. The information that I’ve read about Medellin is that crime is present but it’s not like it was.

[Luv2play]

Thanks for the replies. Lots to think about. This man seems nice and I think he is nice . That said should I hire a Medellin investigator to check him out? I don’t think that’s necessary but maybe I should. The information that I’ve read about Medellin is that crime is present but it’s not like it was.

I think that’s true about crime in general. Wrong place/wrong time. When I was in Rio nothing happened to me over a 10 day period. My nephew, who is much younger and 2 inches taller than I am, at 6’ 1”, was robbed at knife point in broad daylight right outside the Palace Hotel at Copacabana. That happened three weeks after I was there. Had it been the other way around, I can just imagine what my brother would have had to say about it. LOL (Note: my nephew is straight. I am the gay uncle.)

[+ Lucky]

So much depends on chance. It also depends on the tourist, how he carries himself and where he goes. Drugs should be avoided, as well as the areas where they are sold. Flaunting money or valuables is not a good idea. Anyone can be robbed, but the odds are that someone more vulnerable will be robbed first.

[+ Pensant]

Risk mitigation is the name of the game.

[SirBillybob]

To attempt to answer the question, I was in Bogotá for the first time last September for a week, loved it, and had no problems with safety and security.

 

My concern about Medellin today would be that it is one of Colombia’s epicentres of Covid-19 and the “department” Antioquia is trending these days at about 1/50 persons potentially Infectious carriers, adjusted for 2-week contagion period and for estimates of undiagnosed ‘under the radar’. The official reported rolling average is 32.8/100,000 daily new case incidence. If Antioquia were a nation unto itself it would rank about 12th globally in new cases. For good info on the pandemic and ‘new normal’ ... www.medellinguru.com

 

In terms of flights, my thinking had been that if I were to go to Medellín I would not rule out transferring in Bogotá, particularly if options were good in terms of flight times, to fly to the city airport in Medellín (Olaya Herrera) as I understand the ride from the international airport in Antioquia is apparently harrowing.

Edited October 19, 2020 by SirBIllybob

[MscleLovr]

Over the years I’ve spent a lot of time on vacation in Latin America @Doe Be Doe and I feel a lot of good advice has been provided here for you.

 

Colombia would in normal times prove a very interesting destination. I think, however, what we may all be underestimating is the extreme economic stress that the countries are experiencing due to the pandemic. I‘ve no direct knowledge of Colombia currently but I doubt that conditions are any better than in Peru. I know that in Peru, and I’ve confirmed this with friends there, the economic hardship is very great as unemployment has soared. Unsurprisingly crime in Lima has increased a great deal as many people have no income and are hungry.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

No guts, no glory.

 

Long-distance travel is an inherent risk, but statistically safer than getting into your vehicle to drive crosstown to Costco.

 

An intrepid traveler is always observing how locals behave, how they speak, how they carry themselves. If one can convincingly do so, monkey-see-monkey-do is a smart and simple ideology that's served me well all over the world.

 

Just like you shouldn't take sex advice from virgins, don't let the untraveled give you reasons to stay home

Edited October 22, 2020 by Benjamin_Nicholas

[Doe Be Doe]

Thanks again for all the advice. I’m also thinking of asking him to meet me in Mexico or even Cartagena for a beach holiday. As nice as I think he is going to Medellin would put me alone in his world. I do trust him but still.

[MscleLovr]

Do you speak Spanish well @Doe Be Doe ?

[Doe Be Doe]

I speak no Spanish at all

 

Are there apps that do instant translation?

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

I speak no Spanish at all

 

Are there apps that do instant translation?

 

Yes. Apple just added one in their latest update (iOS 14.1). It's called 'Translate' and it's fantastic.

 

Google Translate is also strong.

[CuriousByNature]

Just like you shouldn't take sex advice from virgins, don't let the untraveled give you reasons to stay home

 

@Benjamin_Nicholas, I hereby solemnly promise to not give advice relating to activities of the carnal variety... ?

[marylander1940]

Was there a couple year back. Had a great time. Not sure if you're gringo, but if so, you're in luck: they love gringos.

 

Kevin Slater

 

Certainly!

 

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[+ BenjaminNicholas]

I hereby solemnly promise to not give advice relating to activities of the carnal variety... ?

 

Woah, woah, woah... Wait a sec. I heard all the hot, slutty stories about you just last week and now you're virginal?

 

That musta been some Sunday service.

[CuriousByNature]

Woah, woah, woah... Wait a sec. I heard all the hot, slutty stories about you just last week and now you're virginal?

 

That musta been some Sunday service.

Hahaha! If only!

[MscleLovr]

I speak no Spanish at all…

 

I strongly suggest you start studying Spanish now (online with Duolingo perhaps) and have some basic vocabulary before you go @Doe Be Doe. At least enough to say Please, Thank you and I’m sorry I don’t speak Spanish, do you speak English?

 

You will be able to do some activities independently and get so much more out of visiting Colombia and other Latin American countries if you learn some Spanish

[Doe Be Doe]

Gracias mi amigo!