cartagena sweatbox: a broke student's humid nightmare

okay, so i'm melting in this hostel in cartagena, fan blowing nothing but hot air, and i just checked the weather app - it's 29.96 degrees but feels like 32.56, humidity at 59%, basically i'm a human puddle. hope you like that kind of thing.

first, the map so you know where i'm suffering:

. that pin is my current hell.

neighbors? if cartagena's old town buzz gets too much, barranquilla's carnival madness is a few hours by bus, or santa marta's beaches for cheap vibes. someone whispered that the bus to santa marta gets sketchy at night, but i think that's just drunk gringo hype.

reviews from the grapevine: i overheard some brits raving about a pizza spot called la piccola, went and it was mid. but the ceviche at the market? a local warned me about the ice, but i risked it and no regrets. check this yelp cheap eats guide when you're starving.

for a budget student like me, packing is simple: shorts, tees, and a water bottle i refill everywhere. hostelworld has dorms from $10, but book fast. also, tripadvisor lists free walking tours that save cash and teach history.

here are some snaps from my phone:

bottom line: cartagena's a sticky, chaotic blast if you can hack the heat. i heard from a vendor that november's cooler, but i'm here in july and surviving. hydrate, haggle hard. for more broke student tricks, peep this budget travel blog. later.

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