MEDELLÍN

A city that has been pulling itself from the rubble and devastation of its brutal historic past and is now blossoming into one of the greatest cities on the planet. Driven by Colombian people with true pride, passion and determination—to not let previous decades of suffering that seemed to define their country continue into their future. It has become one of the most highly visited places in South America, and for good reason. The rolling hills that it stands on, despite being chaotically crowded by bunched together buildings that are seemingly overlapping one another, are now home to opportunity, creativity and happiness.

Before I arrived in Colombia, it was hard to ignore the stigma that surrounds the country, the majority of which comes from the mouths of people who have never visited it. There is no denying the tragedies that happened during Pablo Escobar's reign as the Druglord in the 80's and 90's, which made Colombia one of the most dangerous places in the world at the time. That being said, it's incredibly unfair how undeservedly deformed its reputation remains because of the misunderstandings of certain idle minds.

Luckily for myself and the majority of people who explore the world, we fly to new places with wanderlust-tinted glasses and few expectations, ready to be surprised and mesmerised. Rumours, bad vibes and stigma don't scare me or put me off. In fact, if I hear that a country is 'dangerous' or 'difficult to travel' —I'm more curious to get there and find out for myself!