NYE cranked to 11 (guest post)

A blog about New Years in February you say? Strange is probably the word that springs to mind, but the truth of the matter is, I have only been able to appreciate the completely spectacular meeting of cosmic forces and people that was our Cartagena New Years from the new place I call home near on two months later. Let me take you on a journey…

The photo is time stamped 6:49 am 1st Jan 2017, I’ve just watched the sun rise over the rooftops of Cartagena with friends who were very much strangers less than 12 hours ago. So lets rewind.

It started three days earlier while I was waiting to board a flight from San Andreas to Cartagena when a girl and her Sherpa sat on the squeaky, blue plastic airport seats in front of us. My travel mate Rachel and I immediately fell into our standard game of “where are they from according to their footwear” and we were straight on the money with Auzzie and English (sorry AJ you can’t hide it). Needless to say with a big smile and a friendly accent and we got chatting but the highlight was frantically waving through the glass at Lisa and AJ’s beer can wielding mates on another flight. This was accidental meeting number one.

Accidental meeting number two came in Club Havana in an intoxicating blur of rum, live music and sweaty Salsa dancing. Digits were exchanged and invitations to New Years were extended. No recollection of this was had the following morning until I received this…

Accidental meeting number 3 was in the Old Town where a mutual love of Fiesta Earrings was established and after three run -ins with the big kids on their gap year, we were sold. New Years eve would kick off at their pad.

Arriving at the exquisite Air B n B frocked up and feeling fab was quite nerve racking. We were spending (what is often a hyped up but important night with a group of people we didn’t know). There was zero need for the nerves. The drinks flowed and the conversation positively cascaded! As two relative strangers in a group of such obviously close mates we were welcomed unconditionally and very quickly brought our own flavor to the group.

Now Constance Hall writes about Queens but we were faced with a full royal court. The ladies were the most inspiration, strong and passionate women I’ve met in a long time and the gents were Kings in their own right. As we sat on the roof and shared our highlights for 2016, it felt like we were sharing secrets with mates we had known forever. After some killer tunes, no lack of alcohol and a quick boy band-esk photo shoot it was time to head to the party.

At this stage of the night the location is kind of irrelevant. But we were greeted with a rooftop dripping in fairly lights, beautiful people and a countdown I will never forget. Sherpa kept his end of the bargain organising the drinks with a bit of bottle service and the night spun away in a mix of music and dance. Olivia and I even found a piece of street art that hit us right in the soul.

The trip home sounds like a page out of a modern day fairy tale but I swear it all happened. We walked the streets of the old town to the thumping beat of the Latin drum, stopped traffic at spontaneous street parties, were soaked in showers of Champagne and Grovsie and I danced all the way home.

Back at party HQ we sat on the roof having the blurry conversations of a magical night out and the uninhibited honesty of new friendships. As each of the group slowly slipped away, Rach, Ryan, Grovsie and I watched as the first rays of 2017 spilt over the rooftops of Cartagena.

In the weeks since, the conversations from the night and sense of love I had in my heart on the walk home have echoed through my new city, new home and new job. After a long history of terrible New Year’s, if such a thing as a perfect night exists, that was it. Happy New Years my friends I can’t thank you enough for the memories.