Colombia, here we come!
First trip to South America and traveling amid the pandemic, we were a little unsure about whether we had all the things we would need for the trip. Since our flight was from Baltimore airport at 6:30am, we decided to stay overnight near BWI to make it easier for us to get to the airport on time.
It’s not easy to travel as a family of 5 and try to minimize the amount of luggage we travel with, and honestly, we learn new things each trip about things we should/shouldn’t have taken with us! Since we were traveling domestically within Colombia to multiple cities with various climates, we had to make sure we packed appropriately. From the hot tropical rainforests of the Amazonas to the cool climate of Bogota, it was not easy to pack for 5.
We ended up with 4 check in suitcases, and looking back, we should have reduced this even further. Since we were flying Spirit, our only carry on was our backpacks. Each of us always has a backpack for any trip. The kids love having their own bags to pack some snacks, their kindles, some puzzle books and playing cards and Satish always carries his trusted High Sierra backpack with the photography equipment. (This backpack has gone on multiple trips with us and I literally feel like there is so much space in it even with all the camera equipment!!!) We also use packing cubes to help us stay organized and I can’t recommend them enough to everyone. They are a life saver when travelling with a family of 5 to keep all our clothes organized! In terms of suitcases, I highly recommend Samsonite suitcases. Highly durable, lightweight and sturdy. We’ve been using the same Samsonite suitcases for almost 10 years now!
Anish had his first band concert this evening, so after that was done, we packed up the car, and started driving to Baltimore and didn’t reach until around 11pm. Immediately went off to bed, as we had to get up quite early. We stayed at the Hyatt Place BWI which also allowed us to park our car there for the duration of our trip.
One thing to keep in mind is even though Colombia doesn’t require a COVID test to enter the country, travelers need to fill out the Check-Mig (Migracion Colombia) prior to entry into the country. I would highly recommend this be completed at least 4 hours before your flight time. It does take a little bit of time so try to get it done before you go to the airport.
