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South America Adventure
  • The Adventure Squad
Mei – Jul 2023

South America Adventure

Lu and Angus take on South America! Baca lagi
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  • The Adventure SquadSouth America AdventurePengembara
    Iconic viewpoint over Copacabana3Sun Temple2Night sky from the hotelSunset over Lake TiticacaStatus of the first Incas

    Copacabana and Isla del Sol

    10 Jun 2023, Bolivia ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C

    We have arrived in Bolivia! We had heard getting into Bolivia across the border would be challenging but we had the easiest time getting across. We then took a taxi into the town of Copacabana... This is not the same Copacabana from the song but that did not stop me from singing 'at the Copa Copacabana' every five minutes 😂.

    Copacabana is located on Lake Titicaca, which is both the highest navigable lake in the world and an important place in Incan culture. The Incas believed that the origin of the sun and the first people on earth emerged out of Lake Titicaca. It holds a special place in their culture and is often still a place for worship. After being in Copacabana, I can understand why they believed this to be the origins of the sun. Since we are at such high altitude here, the sun is very strong and bright and it shines right over the lake. The lake is incredibly sparkly due to the sunshine and seeing it shine was beautiful. The sunsets here are also stunning as the sun sets right in the middle of the lake.

    We spent a lot of time relaxing, playing cards, and just enjoying the view from our hotel (which overlooked the lake). We hiked 45 up a large hill to a look out point surrounding the city. This hike is actually a religious pilgrimage and provides many places for worship along the trail. The views from the top were very stunning and we then got to sit back and watch the sunset!

    On our last full day in Copacabana, we decided to take a boat to the Isla del Sol (Island of the Sun). This island had amazing hiking and we were able to see some incredibly beautiful views from the miradors (look out points) throughout the trail. We also visited the Sun Temple, which is an Inca place of worship for the Sun God. Overall this was such a beautiful day.

    On our final morning we said goodbye to Copacabana and now are heading for a short put stop (1 night) in La Paz!    Baca lagi

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    La Paz

    12 Jun 2023, Bolivia ⋅ ☀️ 6 °C

    We were only in La Paz for about 24 hours on our way to Uyuni! That being said it was a very cool city to get a little glimpse of (though it was impossible to get a taxi to stop for you)!

    In this 24 hours we walked down what is called the witches cove, which is basically a very cool and nicely decorated touristy street. We also had a delicious curry meal which was so filling it was challenging to walk back up the hill to our hotel 😂. We also spent some time on the rooftop of our hotel which had an epic view of the city! All in all La Paz seems very cool and is a place to come back and spend more time in one day.

    At this point in the trip, Angus and I were both feeling ready to leave the high altitude and head to the warm beaches, thus, our time in La Paz was shorter!    Baca lagi

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    Salt Flats
    3Cactus IslandRed LagoonSalt FlatsWet Land Lagoon24Flamingos!42Me as a cactus 🌵Atacama DesertGeyers

    Salt Flats

    14 Jun 2023, Bolivia ⋅ 🌬 11 °C

    After departing La Paz, we stopped in Uyuni to book a 3 day tour of the Salt Flats and surrounding area. I didn't really know what to expect for this tour but it was very epic and stunning.

    The first stop of the day was at a 'train graveyard', which was basically just a lot of trains that were no longer in use that we could climb on. After that, day one was spent almost exclusively at the Salt Flats called Salar de Uyuni. These are the largest salt flats in the world and are such a unique site. It was so flat so it really looked like the salt flats went on forever. We took some cool perspective photos and then just got to enjoy the salt flats. We walked around and just marveled at the view. We also stopped at Cactus Island which was literally a random rock island in the middle of the salt flats that were covered in Cactuses... And these cactuses were massive. After exploring the island, we watched the sunset over the flats and then went to our hotel for dinner. We were staying in a salt hotel where literally everything (except the mattresses) were made of salt.

    Day two started around 6:30am as we departed the salt flats and headed towards the desert! This day has lots of stops to look at rock formations and stuff in the desert. We saw volcanic rocks, volcanoes, and lots of Lagunas. My favourite Laguna was the Red lagoon which really did look an epic red colour. We also saw lots of wildlife on this day. We saw hundreds of flamingos, 2 ostriches, dozens of vicuña, llamas, and chinchillas. The last stop of the day was at geysers which were cool to see but VERY stinky... like a strong rotten egg fart smell was in the air (it was so bad that it literally made one of the British dudes in our group puke 💀). We then headed for the hotel which was next to a natural hot spring. This was my favourite part of the day. We ran through the cold for about 5 minutes (and by cold, I mean it was -3°C outside) in our bathing suits down to the hot springs. We then enjoyed the very hot hot springs overlooking the stars. This was the most incredible night sky I have ever seen, we could even see the milky way. We saw this epic orange shooting star with a tail that went across the whole sky! Such a magical experience (the run back was cold though)!

    The final day had a few stops at some beautiful Lagunas and epic rock formations. My favourite spot was at this marsh look out surrounded by rock faces. It was a very cool spot. Most of this day was spent journeying back to Uyuni. We also got to see the Atacama desert today as we were right near the border with Chile!

    Overall this was an epic few days with some beautiful and unique spots that we visited. We are leaving Bolivia and overall, I really liked it here. The people were lovely and the places we visited were beautiful. That being said, we are excited to continue our adventure at a lower altitude and in a warmer location. Bolivia is definitely somewhere I will want to come back to one day as there is so much more I want to see!    Baca lagi

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    5Angus napping on the plane 😂

    Buenos Aires

    20 Jun 2023, Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Getting to Buenos Aires was a significant challenge. We originally were planning on bussing but after a short bus ride to a connecting town took 12 hours instead of 4, we opted to fly instead. Argentina is the most expensive country we have been in and thus, we decided to only spend a few days in Buenos Aires.

    These few days were lovely. We didn't do much other than walk and explore the city and try lots of bakeries and food. Buenos Aires is the city that felt most similar to Canada and we both agreed it would be such a nice city to live in. I loved our few days here and feel as though we only got a taste of what this city has to offer. When planning this trip, Chile and Argentina were places that we decided were more expensive and very long (longer bus rides) and consequently we decided to save them for a later trip. Having said that we had to go through Argentina to get to Brazil so we got a few days in Buenos Aires. I'm glad we got to see a bit of the city even though I know that I want to come back for more!    Baca lagi

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  • The Adventure SquadSouth America AdventurePengembara
    2222Coati!Toucan!1The Devil's ThroatMonkeys!

    Iguazu Falls: from Argentina

    21 Jun 2023, Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Today we visited the Iguazu falls from the Argentinian side. This was one of the places I was the most excited about and it did not disappoint. Iguazu is the most beautiful set of waterfalls I have ever seen and honestly one of the most stunning natural phenomena. This place should be on everyone's bucket list.

    On the Argentinian side of the falls there are 3 main hiking circuits to do. The first one we did was called the Devil's Throat and it brought you to the largest and most intense part of the falls. You had the option to take the train there and back but we decided to do the hour-long walk on the way there. Boy are we glad we did! On this walk we saw a beautiful toucan, coatis, and monkeys! The monkeys were so fun to see as they climbed so close to us that we could make eye contact with them! They were jumping between trees and climbing around! It felt like we were in an episode of planet earth. This trail was rarely walked so it was nice to have the whole place to ourselves (most other trails were a lot busier)!

    Arriving at the Devil's Throat was amazing. The amount of water pouring over the sides was crazy and you got to be right up close to it! We were so close that we were getting soaked by the mist the whole time! The special part of Iguazu is that it's not just one waterfall but dozens of falls. This meant that everywhere you looked you could see a stunning waterfall! After enjoying this viewpoint we continued back via the train (we were afraid we wouldn't have time to do the other two trails before they closed).

    The second trail we did was the lower circuit which gave panoramic views of the different sections of the falls! This was a very lovely trail with some of the best views of the many falls! We also got to stop at a few other falls that are not part of the bigger section on this trail. After this trail it started pouring rain for about 10 minutes which is officially the first time this trip we have used our rain coats! However, after 10 mins it stopped and the coats were put away for the rest of the day!

    Our final trail was the upper circuit! This trail allows you to access many different view points on top of the different waterfalls. It is a longer trail with many different panoramic views! There were in theory 2 other trails to do, one of them on the island near the falls which allows you to get very close to them; however, these trails were closed for maintenance while we were there. This gives us a reason to come back!

    Overall, I loved this day and being able to experience such a natural wonder was amazing. I loved how natural the falls still were... At Niagara I find it all so commercialized and while this is still touristy, there are so many hikes through a rainforest and wildlife and stuff to see. Can't wait to see the Brazilian side next!    Baca lagi

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    Iguazu Falls: from Brazil

    23 Jun 2023, Brazil ⋅ 🌧 21 °C

    Today we got to explore the Iguazu falls from Brazil. While waiting for the bus we experienced torrential rain (luckily we were under a covered shelter); however, the rain almost completely subsided when we started our hike (though this didn't stop us from getting soaked... more on this soon)!

    The Brazilian side only has one short hiking path and it is across the river from the falls. This means you don't get as close to most of the falls but instead you're rewarded with incredible panoramic views. One of the best parts of viewing the falls today, was that they were almost empty! The rain and poor weather (even though the rain had stopped) resulted in very few tourists. We had almost every look out to ourselves and just got to really enjoy everything. This was definitely a bonus compared to the Argentinian side, where there were tourists everywhere. The view points were very beautiful and at the end of the trail there was one lookout point on top of the falls. This is where we got soaked! The mist coming off this section of the falls was so crazy but it was definitely worth it for the view. We got this viewpoint to ourselves and got to appreciate the panoramic views of the falls up close.

    Iguazu is such a beautiful place and I loved that we got to see it from both the Brazilian and Argentinian sides. They both offered unique and epic experiences. The Brazilian side was more panoramic and way less crowded while the Argentinian side had so much to do and so many trails and vantage points and allowed you to get closer to the falls! Overall, loved it here and definitely want to come back and see it again one day. It is truly breathtaking!    Baca lagi

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    The smaller beachViewpoint of the secluded beach!2Selfie with an alien!2Sunset2The beach our hotel was on!Sunset over the lake!Little monkey things we saw on the hike!

    Florianopolis

    26 Jun 2023, Brazil ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    We spent the past few days in Florianopolis which is a beautiful city on the coast of Brazil! This means we finally are in a place with warm weather and beautiful beaches! Honestly Florianopolis really was like a stunning paradise. Our hotel was right on the beach and so we had a few days relaxing on the beach right there. We went for walks and played in the waves and just relaxed! We also explored two other beaches.

    The first other beach we explored was a casual easy hour long hike to a tiny little beach surrounded by rocks. This was a lovely little beach where we swam and played some cards while enjoying a picnic lunch! We then had a delicious fish dinner overlooking the lake (Florianopolis has a lovely lake right in the middle of it). We saw a beautiful sunset and it was a lovely end to the day.

    The second other beach was an hour long hike away and this one was an actual hike not a casual walk. We hiked up and down through the rainforest until we approached a stunning secluded beach. The best part was there were about 3 other groups of people here only; this meant we had almost the whole beach to ourselves. We played in the waves, played some cards, and just relaxed on the beach. We then decided to hike the very steep trail to the mirador lookout point. This was the steepest trail we have hiked thus far as some points we were scrambling upwards on all fours. Luckily we are at sea level, which actually made this steep hike easier than most of the other hikes we have done at high altitudes. We were rewarded with stunning panoramic views of the beach and surrounding area. It was a tougher hour of hiking but totally worth it. We then had one last swim before hiking back. This was my favourite beach in Florianopolis (although there were many more beaches we didn't get the chance to explore... maybe we will get to come back and see more one day)!    Baca lagi

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    2Can you spot me in this photo?2

    Ilhabela

    29 Jun 2023, Brazil ⋅ 🌧 19 °C

    We spent a few days on the beautiful island of Ilhabela (which literally means beautiful island). We got to eat some good food and do some relaxing. We had 3 main adventure days while in Ilhabela.

    Our first big adventure was to a lovely waterfall. We had only a short 30 minute hike from the bus stop to the waterfall. The waterfall itself was stunning and very unique. It looked like a giant water slide and I got to swim at the bottom of it! Midway through our journey to the falls we were treated with an absolute downpour. While the weather wasn't ideal it did mean we got the whole waterfall to ourselves. Honestly there was something really epic about swimming in a waterfall in the pouring rain surrounded by rainforest in Brazil.

    Our 2nd and 3rd adventure days were journeying to and from Bonete Beach. This is a beach rated as one the best ones to visit in Brazil; however, it is only accessible by hiking or boating. We decided to hike there and boat back. The hike was through the rainforest which made it very beautiful. That being said it was challenging as it was long. We hiked 2km to the bus stop, 2km from the bus stop to the trail head, 15km on the trail, and at least 1km strolling up and down the beach. After at least 20km of walking that day I was very tired but it was worth it. The beach was so stunning with a long stretch of soft sand surrounded by mountains and rainforest. It was also so secluded that you had the beauty almost all to yourself. We spent that night and the next day walking on the beach, swimming in the waves, and just relaxing. We then had the boat ride back which I pictured being a nice calm ride where I do some whale watching and take photos of the island from the water; however this was not the case. Instead, we had an adrenaline pumping thrill ride on this tiny speed boat where we were sitting on a foam mat on the floor. We were bouncy up and down on the wavy water, getting soaked by water splashing over the edge, and I was gripping the side of the boat for dear life. Angus didn't find it scary and the people driving the boat were very professional so we really weren't in danger. That being said, I still found it a very stressful ride so needless to say, no photos were taken on the boat and if med school doesn't work out, a backup plan of a pirates life will not be for me. Although the boat ride was intense, it was worth it for the views. Honestly some of the most stunning views of the island (just take my word for it)!

    Overall we really enjoyed Ilhabela and it was a destination we weren't originally planning to visit due to time constraints. Very glad we were able to adjust our schedule to fit it in because it is a truly special place.    Baca lagi

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    2225A snippet of us trying to free Angus!

    Paraty

    5 Julai 2023, Brazil ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    We spent a lovely few days in the beautiful city of Paraty. This place had such a unique vibe and aesthetic. The downtown core had all white buildings with splashes of bright colours. We spent some time roaming the streets and eating good food. Paraty had a lovely coast with some beaches to relax on and lots of stunning islands in view. Add that to many colourful and fun boats roaming the shores and you get a perfect little paradise.

    We did one bigger activity while here which was an island boat tour. This was such a fun day. We boarded this boat and peacefully sailed out to sea (this is what I pictured the Ilhabela Bonete Beach boat ride being lol). Our first stop was at this island with super clear water where we got to swim with fish! Angus decided not to join (the water was too cold for him) but I spent 30 mins swimming with fish! I have never been snorkeling or done anything like this before so it was very amazing to experience being up close to fish like that (can't wait to do more snorkeling at our next stop)! We then continued to a lovely little beach where we played in the water and walked along the beach. Our next stop was next to this island for lunch and we ended with one more beach before returning to Paraty. It was very beautiful and relaxing; what a way to spend a day.

    The other thing that happened was at breakfast that same day. Angus went to use the bathroom at the breakfast place in our hotel and the lock broke. He was trapped in the bathroom and couldn't get out. He texted me to come try and get him out but I could not so I had to talk to our hotel staff. In total it took 6 people and over 45 minutes to help him escape from the bathroom. All the while the staff were giggling about the whole situation (I joined them lol). It was a very funny and very awkward experience. Definitely a fun story to tell!    Baca lagi

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    Ilha Grande

    6 Julai 2023, Brazil ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    We spent a few days on the stunning island of Ihla Grande. This is an island off the coast of Rio and has no cars. Only walking, biking, and boating are used for transportation. This gives a very peaceful vibe to the area. We spent time walking the town and exploring the beaches along the coast.

    My favourite day here was a day boating tour of the surrounding islands. This was a snorkeling tour so I was so hyped as this was my first time snorkeling. Our first stop was Cataguás. These were two islands connected by a small beach. We walked around the beach and then snorkeled around the island. Here we saw flounder fish, small star fish, a butterfly looking fish, and a few other types of fish. Our second stop was Botinas island. This was an island surrounded by deep water. This allowed us to see even more marine life than before. We saw massive star fish, these massive blue and yellow fish, a cool yellow and black striped fish, and more. The best part of this island was how deep it was. You look below you and there was fish as far as the eye could see. It was such a beautiful spot! Our third stop was a stunning beach called Dentista. Here we had a picnic lunch and just walked up and down the beach. We also went for a lovely swim in the crystal clear waters. Our final island stop was Lagoa Azul. This was an amazing snorkeling spot that was also so deep. We saw lots more fish, sand dollars, beautiful coral and my favourite of the day... A SEA TURTLE!!! This was one of the most special moments on the trip. As someone who has always loved the water and the ocean, this was a dream come true. To swim so close to a beautiful sea turtle in natural habitat was just incredible. I swam alongside it for about 5 mins before I had to go back to the boat. There was one moment where it swam to the surface for air and then dove deeper below me. I was swimming on top of it looking down on it and honestly was one of the most beautiful experiences in nature. We didn't have an underwater camera so I can't show all the amazing things we saw but just know it was an incredible experience! Our final stop was at a small beach where you could get food. Here we tried a coconut which was yummy! Overall a very special day at a very beautiful island!    Baca lagi

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    Buzios

    12 Julai 2023, Brazil ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    We spent a few lovely days on the coast in the town of Buzios! This was a quiet paradise with beautiful beaches and a slower pace than some other cities we have been to!

    We spent each day on the beach walking, swimming, cards, etc and then each evening walked into town to try a restaurant. The main part of town is very cute with lots of little shops (I bought a dress)!

    We also had a day of surfing here. The conditions were the best for surfing as the area for beginners like us had very inconsistent waves. Sometimes we would be waiting 15+ minutes for a wave! That being said, it was lovely to just be out on the water looking at the beautiful view. It was peaceful and fun! We did manage to catch a few good waves as well (Angus caught one really epic one)!    Baca lagi

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    8Windy!!!Ipanema Beach11Copacabana Beach

    Rio de Janeiro

    15 Julai 2023, Brazil ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Our last stop in Brazil was Rio de Janeiro. This is a beautiful and vibrant city. We stayed near Copacabana Beach and our room has a lovely view of the ocean. On our first day after we arrived we walked from Copacabana to Ipanema Beach. Both of these beaches had lovely views of the surrounding mountains. That being said it was VERY windy during our walk... see hair photo (you'll know what I mean 🤣). For dinner we got Brazilian BBQ and acai for dessert. A very delicious and traditional meal!

    The next day we went to see our second wonder of the world: Christ the Redeemer. This massive statue is very impressive to see up close, although the best part was the panoramic views of Rio. Everywhere you went you could look over and see a different section of the city. It was very crowded but worth it for the views. We walked Copacabana Beach again in the evening and prepared for our last night.

    On our final day in Rio, we again, were on the beach in the morning... after having a crepe of course! The most epic thing on this last day was attending the FluFla game! This is when the local derby in Rio happens and Flumenese plays Flamenga. We decided to cheer for Flumenese and we were glad we did as they were definitely a better and more entertaining team. The game ended 0-0 but there were 2 disallowed goals due to VAR and a red card and a fist fight and 3+ bicycle kick attempts... Definitely enough to keep you entertained. The atmosphere at the game was amazing and the fans were yelling extremely passionately. Soccer is such a big deal in South America that it seemed only fitting to have this be our last hurrah!

    Leaving Brazil seems so crazy. While we still have a few days in Panama, the trip is coming to a close and we are leaving the continent of South America. Brazil has been incredible. It is such a beautiful country and I have loved every day I was here. The people have been kind and friendly, the food has been delicious, and the beaches have been stunning. This was a massive change of pace from a much busier, more jam packed, and hike intensive start to the trip and it was very nice. It really allowed us to relax more and unwind. This trip has been amazing and ending it in Brazil was the perfect thing. Now on to a few last days of adventure!    Baca lagi

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    Last photo of the trip!
    Spider MonkeyMe twinning with a frogBasically the only photo I took in Panama CityJaguarsTapirs

    Panama

    17 Julai 2023, Panama ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    To end the trip we had a few short days in Panama. We spent one day exploring Panama City. We then decided to head for two days to El Valley de Anton. This is a beautiful town in the mountainous rainforest area in Panama. We stayed at a beautiful hotel with a lovely pool and a stunning view. We visited a nature reserve and saw some wildlife. We had some delicious food (empanadas, arepas, and maracuya juice)! It was a beautiful spot to spend our last few days! Panama seems like a lovely country and definitely one to explore more in the future! I will give my concluding thoughts on the trip in my next post!Baca lagi

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    Tamat perjalanan
    21 Julai 2023
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