Earlier this summer, I added one more continent to my travel list: South America. The husband and I traveled to Colombia, a beautiful, lush country with amazing coffee. Our travels took us to Bogota and Medellín. Bogota is the capital of Colombia and is similar to any large city in the world. It’s hectic, has plenty of taxis and has an array of different types of food. Here are five helpful tips to remember when traveling to Bogota:

1) HILLS, HILLS, AND MORE HILLS: Now, lucky for me, we are from the Bay Area and have spent plenty of time walking up the hills of San Francisco. But, if you are not, be aware; Bogota is in between two mountains and is hilly. Bring your walking shoes and get ready to build up your calf muscles.

2) WEAR A LIGHT JACKET: Again, similar to San Francisco, Bogota is always chilly. It’s a good 50 to 60 degrees every day with a slight overcast. So, even though it was May, I was wearing a jacket and scarf.

3) WATCH YOUR STEP: Yes, it is a city, but it’s still building its infrastructure. You will find plenty of sidewalks; however, even the nice neighborhoods have some potholes and missing tiles. Be careful or you will trip.

4) UBER: There are not a lot of crosswalks or stop signs. They also don’t have a metro. There are buses, but the city is huge and you will find yourself in traffic. Be sure to download the Uber app and use it. It’s the safest and fastest way to get around.

5) HABLE ESPAÑOL: This is not a Mexican border town. Do not expect the people, even in the service industry, to speak English. Make sure you know a little bit of Spanish. You will find a few people that can speak some English, but do not count on them.

Now get your bags packed and head down to South America.