Central & South America, Colombia, Travel

2016 Columbia Spring Break: Budget Reflection

2016 Columbia Spring Break: Budget Reflection

This trip below was to visit one of my best friends, Beka, who was on a Fulbright Scholarship in Tunja, Columbia. Will and I figured what better time to go to Columbia than when we had free lodging! (we’ve always been frugal travelers) So that’s how we added Columbia to our adventures to the spring break my first year teaching.

Apparently I was not as good at keeping track of my budgets in our early travel days. This was before Will & I were engaged so we kept separate bank accounts and paid for things separately. Thank goodness things are much simpler now! Looking at my google sheets budget for a spring break trip we took to Columbia, I only put in actual costs for 2 days. Why?I have no idea! lol. Sorry but this budget below is JUST our estimates for 2 people in Columbia for spring break – I know that doesn’t help much!

JMF

P.S. you’ll see that on a lot of our trips we fly out of Ft. Lauderdale or Miami because my parents live down there and it tends to be much cheaper

Activity Location/Times Estimated Cost COP Estimate Cost USD
Thursday, March 12
Central Florida to South Florida
Drive from Orlando to South Florida (after work) Car snacks & supplies COP 0.00 $ 20.00
Spend the night at my parent’s house COP 0.00 $0.00
SUBTOTAL COP 0.00 $ 20.00
Friday, March 13
MIA to Bogotá
Flight: MIA to BOG COP 2,187,000 $ 900.00
Taxi from airport to hostel COP 26,000 $ 10.70
La Pinta Hostel 2 nights/check in 2pm/BEKA MET US FOR THE WEEKEND BUT THE HOSTEL DIDN’T HAVE HER RESERVATION SO SHE SLEPT ON THE FLOOR IN OUR ROOM COP 340,200 $ 140.00
Lunch COP 20,000 $ 8.23
Mercado de San Alejo M-F 8am-6pm COP 20,000 $ 8.23
Snacks COP 10,000 $ 4.12
Dinner COP 40,000 $ 16.46
SUBTOTAL COP 2,643,200 $ 1,087.74
Saturday, March 14
Bogotá
Breakfast COP 10,000 $ 4.12
Transmilenio (public transportation) COP 5,000 $ 2.06
Museo del Oro Tues-Sa 9am-6pm, Su 10am-4pm COP 6,000 $ 2.47
Lunch COP 20,000 $ 8.23
Walk around La Candelaria District FREE COP 0.00 $ 0.00
Church of San Francisco COP 0.00 $ 0.00
Snacks COP 10,000 $ 4.12
Dinner COP 40,000 $ 16.46
Miscellaneous COP 48,600 $ 20.00
SUBTOTAL COP 91,000 $ 37.45
Sunday, March 15
Bogotá to Tunja
Breakfast COP 10,000 $ 4.12
Transmilenio (public transportation) COP 5,000 $ 2.06
Check out of Hostel have them hold our luggage for the day COP 0.00 $ 0.00
Church & Museum of Santa Clara T-F 9am-5pm, Sa-Su 10am-4pm COP 6,000 $ 2.47
Lunch COP 20,000 $ 8.23
Transmilenio (public transportation) COP 5,000 $ 2.06
Tram up Monserrate OR walk Will made me walk up (& I thought I was dying the whole way)/so it was FREE COP 17,000 $ 7.00
Monserrate FREE COP – $ –
Snacks COP 6,000 $ 2.47
Tran for Monserrate OR walk FREE because we walked COP 17,000 $ 7.00
Transmilenio (public transportation) COP 5,000 $ 2.06
Bus from Bogotá to Tunja COP 40,000 $ 16.46
Stayed with Beka in her dorm/house FREE/4 nights
Miscellaneous COP 48,600 $ 20.00
SUBTOTAL COP 179,600 $ 73.91
Monday, March 16
Tunja
Breakfast COP 14,000 $ 5.76
Walk around Tunja COP 0.00 $ 0.00
Lunch COP 15,000 $ 6.17
Church of Santa Clara La Real 8am-12pm COP 6,000 $ 2.47
Casa del Fundador Suarez Rendon 8am-12pm, 2-6pm COP 4,000 $ 1.65
Snacks COP 6,000 $ 2.47
Dinner COP 36,000 $ 14.81
Miscellaneous COP 48,600 $ 20.00
SUBTOTAL COP 81,000 $ 33.33
Tuesday, March 17
Day Trip to Villa de Leyva
Breakfast COP 14,000 $ 5.76
Bus from Tunja to Villa de Leyva ~35 minutes/leaves every 15 minutes COP 12,000 $ 4.94
Walk around Villa de Leyva & Plaza Mayor FREE COP 0.00 $ 0.00
Casa Museo de Luis Alberto Acuña 9am-6pm COP 8,000 $ 3.29
Lunch COP 15,000 $ 6.17
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HERE just outside town???? COP 10,000 $ 4.12
Bus from Villa de Leyva to Tunja ~35 minutes/leaves every 15 minutes COP 12,000 $ 4.94
Snacks COP 6,000 $ 2.47
Dinner COP 48,000 $ 19.75
Miscellaneous COP 48,600 $ 20.00
SUBTOTAL COP 125,000 $ 51.44
Wednesday March, 18
Day Trip to Paipa Hot Springs
Breakfast COP 14,000 $ 5.76
Bus from Tunja to Paipa ~40 minutes COP 12,000 $ 4.94
Taxi to particular hot spring COP 8,000 $ 3.29
Paipa Hot Springs COP 40,000 $ 16.46
Lunch COP 15,000 $ 6.17
Bus from Paipa to Tunja ~40 minutes COP 12,000 $ 4.94
Snacks COP 6,000 $ 2.47
Dinner COP 36,000 $ 14.81
Miscellaneous COP 48,600 $ 20.00
SUBTOTAL COP 143,000 $ 58.85
Thursday, March 19
Tunja to Bogotá
Breakfast COP 14,000 $ 5.76
Bus from Tunja to Bogotá COP 40,000 $ 16.46
La Pinta Hostel Check in 2pm/2 nights COP 218,700 $ 90.00
Transmilenio COP 5,000 $ 2.06
Lunch COP 20,000 $ 8.23
Museo Botero 9am-7pm/FREE COP 0.00 $ 0.00
Plaza Bolivar FREE COP 0.00 $ 0.00
Snacks COP 10,000 $ 4.12
Taxi round trip to dinner WE DID NOT END UP DOING THIS TRIP COP 180,000 $ 74.07
Dinner/Andres Carne de Res, Chia WE DID NOT END UP EATING HERE – WILL WAS NOT INTO IT WHEN HE FINALLY LOOKED AT THE PHOTOS LOL COP 170,000 $ 69.96
Miscellaneous COP 48,600 $ 20.00
SUBTOTAL COP 657,700 $ 270.66
Friday, March 20
Day Trip to Zipaquira
Breakfast COP 14,000 $ 5.76
Taxi round trip to Zipaquirá MY ORIGINAL PLAN WAS TO TAKE A TAXI THERE BUT WE FOUND A MUCH CHEAPER BUS OPTION IN COUNTRY COP 180,000 $ 74.07
Tour of Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá COP 40,000 $ 16.46
Lunch COP 20,000 $ 8.23
Snacks COP 6,000 $ 2.47
Dinner COP 30,000 $ 12.35
Miscellaneous COP 48,600 $ 20.00
SUBTOTAL COP 290,000 $ 119.34
Saturday, March 21
Bogotá to South Florida to Central Florida
Breakfast COP 14,000 $ 5.76
Transmilenio (public transportation) COP 5,000 $ 2.06
Check out of Hostel COP 0.00 $ 0.00
Taxi to Airport COP 25,000 $ 10.29
Flight: BOG to MIA COP 0.00 $ 0.00
Drive from South Florida to Orlando Gas & Car Snacks COP 121,500 $ 50.00
SUBTOTAL COP 165,500 $ 68.11
ESTIMATED TOTAL COP 4,376,000 $ 1,800.82

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