I already wrote about how I was done with Barranquilla, and had made the decision to leave that close-minded shit hole town (yes, I said what I said – don’t @ at me) 😠

However, due to several delays – including one more failed attempt at having a legitimate relationship with a Costena – I was not able to pull the trigger for a long time…

Until I was 😃

After over 18 months of self-isolation and thinking about this sh!t, I felt that I could be more coherent about my trials, tribulations, and decisions regarding getting the fuck out of that garbage town. So instead of repeating myself, I updated the previous article with a LOT more detail.

Meanwhile, if you’re curious about my moving process, read on!

Moving Company

I was having a hard time even knowing where to start to find a moving company. However, a Colombian friend living in Cali made some calls and found Mundanzas Virrey. She got all the prices, negotiated, and forwarded me the information. Eventually, I paid the required 50% deposit (800,000 COP) via Bancolombia transfer, and we set the moving date.

Which happened to be on a Sunday.

Apartment Building Rules

Here’s a “fun” fact that literally no one tells you about: Most apartment buildings in Colombia don’t allow moving in or out on Sundays. Also, residents who are under a property management company, must get prior authorization from the management company in order to carry out large items (furniture, appliances, etc) for sale or as part of moving out.

I wish I had known these things ahead of time, because my move was scheduled for a Sunday. The truck came, but the portero would not let them into the building – understandably, he was afraid to lose his job. So my dear friend in Cali had to call the moving company and reschedule the pickup for the following day. Meanwhile, while stressing out with high anxiety, I messaged the fuckin’ property management company and asked for the authorization. I fully expected them to ignore my messages for days (as they normally did, historically), drag things out, and fuck up all my planning.

Fortunately, this time they didn’t pull that delay tactic shit 🙏

The following day (Monday), they acknowledged my message and request. Within a couple of hours they gave the authorization to the portero, who informed me that I was free to carry my things out. Within another couple of hours, the moving van came back and they started loading.

The timing was a bit too “close”, but it worked out.

Loading, Transport, and Delivery

I had already packed and packaged everything I could, leaving very few “loose” items. On the new moving day, the truck crew showed up a bit early (I gave them a nice fat tip as a “sorry about yesterday, thanks for your patience” gesture of goodwill, which they appreciated). The workers were efficient and semi-professional, and their job was pretty straightforward, since I had already neatly packed and secured 95% of my stuff.

Because I had luggage locks on my big suitcases, they informed me that there’s a non-zero chance that they might get pulled over by the police, my locks would be cut, and that my belongings might be searched. If that were to happen, the moving company would send me a photo or video of the situation.

Fortunately, that didn’t happen – no police went through my belongings.

About a week after the pickup, while I was still in Lima, my belongings were safely delivered to the destination. According to my local friend, all my stuff looked fine. I had paid for insurance too (280,000 COP) but I ended up not needing it. I paid the remaining 50% (800,000 COP) to the moving company, and we were all good to go.

What Did I Learn?

I learned a few things from my very first full-scale, cross-country relocation within Colombia:

• Moving companies exist in Colombia, but maybe not in Barranquilla or other small towns. However, they might have truck drivers and crews that can pick up things for relocation.
  
• You can move your basic 2-bedroom apartment from the north coast to Cali for 1,600,000 COP (about 410 U$D when I wrote this article) without insurance.
  
• If you live in an apartment building, you cannot move on Sundays (sometimes exceptions can be made, but they are rare).
  
• If you pay rent to someone, you must get authorization – ideally weeks ahead – before moving.
  
• On the highways of Colombia, the police might stop trucks and examine the contents (presumably they are looking for contraband, illegal drugs, etc). You’ll have to trust the moving company with your luggage lock keys/codes, or accept the risk of your luggage locks being cut by the highway police or anti-narcotic teams.
  
• It’s super-important to read and analyze the apartment lease contract – preferably with the help of a lawyer – and get all questions answered BEFORE signing it. This will minimize the number of “WTF” or “gotcha” moments later.

Hopefully this information helps you out if you ever have to do a cross-country move within this lovely country. Cheers!