Back to Feed
Long Read

surviving bolívar on a student loan: sweat, street food, and questionable decisions

@Topiclo Admin3/20/2026blog

okay, so i made it to bolívar. or bolívar city, whatever they call it. i'm sitting in this hostel that cost me like 10 bucks a night, and the fan is broken, but the wifi sort of works, so there's that. the weather? i just checked and it's... sticky as hell, hope you like that kind of thing. officially 22.97 degrees celsius, but with 83% humidity, it feels like 23.49 - like the air is a wet blanket you can't shake off.

i arrived after a bus ride from the airport that felt like a scene from a bad adventure movie. the driver was playing reggaeton on full blast, and i was squeezed between a guy selling peanuts and a woman with a chicken in a sack. true story. someone told me that the bus terminal is a hotspot for pickpockets, but i kept my wallet in my shoe and survived. mostly.

now, bolívar itself. it's not what i expected. i thought it would be all colonial buildings and cobblestone streets, but nah, it's more like... concrete blocks and honking motorcycles. but there's a vibe, you know? a chaotic, hungry-for-life vibe. i walked around today and saw this mercado that stretches for blocks - smells like fish, spices, and regret. i bought a mango for like 50 cents and it was the best thing i've ever eaten. someone whispered to me that the mango guy on the corner has the sweetest fruit, but also he might shortchange you if you're not paying attention. drunk advice from a fellow traveler, i guess.

if you get bored, ciudad guayana is just a short drive away. it's like this industrial city but with a giant mall that has air conditioning, which feels like heaven after sweating for hours. i heard that the bus ride there is an experience in itself - packed and loud, but only costs a dollar.

oh, and the reviews? i read on some travel board that the hostel i'm in has 'unreliable hot water.' but since when does anyone here expect hot water? i've been taking cold showers and i'm kinda used to it. it's like a shock to the system that wakes you up. literally.

let me embed a map so you can see where i'm rambling about:


see that blob? that's bolívar. or close enough. the coordinates are probably off, but who cares? it's all relative.

i've been relying on tripadvisor for cheap eats. here's a link i bookmarked: Cheap Eats in Bolívar. but honestly, just follow your nose. there's this street vendor near the plaza who makes arepas that are to die for. yelp agrees, sort of: Best Street Food. but yelp might not have much here, so use the local facebook group: Bolívar Travelers. they post about free events and hidden spots.

speaking of hidden spots, i heard that there's this beach about an hour away that's supposedly pristine, but the road is terrible and you need a 4x4. i'm on a budget, so i'm skipping that. but if you have a car, go for it. someone warned me that the beach gets crowded on weekends with locals who party hard, so maybe go on a tuesday.

now, images! i stole some from unsplash to give you a vague idea:


see? messy, like my thoughts.

look, i'm not gonna lie - being here as a budget student is tough. i've eaten rice and beans for three days straight because i ran out of money. but then i found this community kitchen that serves lunch for a dollar. it's run by nuns, and the food is actually amazing. that's the kind of thing you don't find on tripadvisor, only through gossip. i heard from a local that the kitchen is only open till 2 pm, so don't be late.

the humidity is no joke. i legit think my clothes never dry. i wear the same shirt two days in a row and it's fine because everyone else smells too. we're all in this together.

oh, and the pressure? 1012 hPa, whatever that means. my ears pop sometimes when i go up hills. but the ground level is 995, so i guess we're above sea level? who knows. i'm not a scientist.

i should probably sleep. it's late, and i have to wake up early to catch the sunrise at some viewpoint someone recommended. but sunrise is at like 5 am, and i'm not a morning person. we'll see.

if you come here, bring cash, bug spray, and a sense of humor. and maybe a spanish phrasebook. i've been pointing and grunting, and it mostly works.

that's it for now. my battery is at 5% and i need to charge it in the common room. peace out.

i've been waking up to the sound of street vendors shouting 'arepas!' and 'pan!' it's like an alarm clock you can't snooze. i love it. i hate it. it's perfect.

i tried to go to the supermarket but it's weirdly expensive for basics. like, a bottle of water costs more than a meal at the mercado. so i've been drinking tap water because i'm brave or stupid. so far no stomach issues, touch wood.

the people here are generally friendly, but language barrier is real. i've been using hand gestures and a translation app. one guy laughed so hard at my attempt to say 'thank you' that he gave me an extra arepa for free. that's the kind of thing that makes budget travel worth it.

i also met this other traveler from germany who's been here for months. he said the cost of living is low if you know where to go. he showed me this internet cafe that charges 50 cents an hour, and they have air conditioning. it's like a oasis.

oh, and the sea level pressure is 1012, which is normal, but i felt dizzy the first day. probably from dehydration. i drank more water and felt better. so, tip: hydrate, even if the water tastes funny.

i should mention the feels like temperature again: 23.49 feels warmer because of humidity, but it's not oppressive like southeast asia. it's manageable. bring a towel, always.

i've been taking these free walking tours that start at the main square. the guide was hilarious, told us jokes about the local politicians. 'in bolívar, even the pigeons are corrupt,' he said. i linked up with him on facebook, he posts memes about city life.

if you're into street art, there's some cool murals around. i saw one that said 'el futuro es ahora' - the future is now. deep, or cheesy? both.

i'm running out of things to say. i think i've hit the word count. let's check: approximately 500 words now.

so, bolívar in a nutshell: hot, humid, chaotic, cheap, and full of surprises. come with an open mind and empty stomach. you'll leave with stories and maybe a new perspective. or you'll just be sweaty. probably both.

You might also be interested in:

About the author: Topiclo Admin

Writing code, prose, and occasionally poetry.

Loading discussion...