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traveled in 14 countries Read more Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland
  • TravelerWorld trip
    Day 205

    Back home in Antarctica - christchurch

    June 11, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    It was for so many reason the right decision to pick New Zealand as my final destination of my world trip. Not knowing beforehand that Christchurch is another gateway to Antarctica I coincidently booked a plane ticket to this part of the South Island. The plane going from Honolulu to Auckland was a little scary since we were mostly surrounded by water and in case of an emergency would not have any possibility to land. I don’t think I ever had such a weird feeling in my stomach on a plane which also did not change when we had turbulences 4,5 hours in and still 4,5 hours to go.
    But I made it safely to Auckland, stayed there for one night and then took a place directly to Christchurch, which is the biggest city on the South Island - little did I know at the beginning of this trip that I would visit this city 5 times in total.
    The first day in Christchurch I went to the Antarctic center and I loved it! They really wanted to make this experience as true as possible. Watching all these movies about this amazing place and talking to a lot of people there I just felt at home and actually felt like I experience the trip to Antarctica once again. Also I had the possibility to sign up to win a trip to Antarctica worth 35,000 dollars for two people so wish me luck :D
    They also have a room that simulates a snow storm in Antarctica which is pretty cool and pingu found a new friend called little blue. Christchurch itself is surprisingly a very modern and clean city. Most buildings don’t seem to be that old because they had a very bad earthquake in 2011 and it took a while to rebuild the whole city! I also had a look at the art gallery and enjoyed the botanical garden since Christchurch is also known as the garden city of New Zealand. Overall I had a great time here!    Read more

  • TravelerWorld trip
    Day 192

    Aloha to Maui 🌺🌺

    May 29, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Time to relax on Maui! Some people say it is their favorite place on earth and I must say it is definitely a wonderful place! Robert and I spend 2 weeks here and it was truly amazing! We both learned how to surf, spend time at gorgeous beaches, snorkeled with sea turtles 🐢, drove the road to Hana, went on a volcano „hike“🌋, ate some delicious banana bread, enjoyed the beauty of Hawaii 🌺 and met wonderful people along the way. If you ever go there you have to spend some time with „bob“ or Richard or whatever his name is. It is an app to download and it is a true experience driving the road to Hana with him. He gives so much back ground information about the people, the history and the culture of Hawaii which is very very interesting and made this trip even more special. (Credits go to Dominic who highly recommended it to me!).Read more

  • TravelerWorld trip
    Day 189

    Yosemite National Park

    May 26, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    After spending 3 days in SF it was actually Dominic’s idea to travel to Yosemite National park over Memorial Day weekend since most people have time off and he and his friends wanted to go Rock climbing there. We therefore headed that night to his grandparents cabin which is located about 2 hours from the park! The next day we got up early and spend most of the day in Yosemite! And wow this National park did not disappoint! I was a little critical at first since I have been to so many countries already, saw amazing landscapes and also so many waterfalls.. but the waterfalls in Yosemite were outstanding! This year the park is especially beautiful because it was cold for a long time and the snow just melted.. making the waterfalls even bigger but also flooding the park.. so we were also lucky to be able to go there since the park is often closed due to the flooding. I have never experienced so much water in my life and when Dominic, Robert and I did the hike to the Vernal falls we truly experienced how much power the water has.. we also got soaked.. but it was an amazing experience!
    That night we also met some of Dominic’s friends which joined us for the weekend at the cabin. The next day we went all together to a huge and impressive cave and then drove to see the giant redwood trees. It was such a fun day! Oh and not to forget I almost beat the champion Dominic in Minigolf :D
    Since he and his friends all do rock climbing they all brought the gear with them so that Robert and I were also able to get out of our comfort zone and try rock climbing ourselves. It was soooo much fun and so rewarding! Loved it!
    I will for sure treasure this time we spend in Yosemite since it reminded me so much of the many USA road-trips we did with my parents many years ago. Dominic did an amazing job of showing us all the highlights the park has to offer and even though it was sometimes a lot for Robert and myself (we were pretty tired once we landed on Maui) I’m so happy that this trip brought back many memories of my dad and the many trips we experienced together! So thankful for all the thoughts and effort Dominic put into planing this and making our trip amazing on top of driving the whole way there and back! I can’t wait to go back one day, beat him at Minigolf :D or rock climb again. So happy we stayed in contact over these past 5 years and hope we will see each other again sooner and don’t have to wait another 5 years :D    Read more

  • TravelerWorld trip
    Day 186

    San Francisco

    May 23, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    After being on a high after Dallas i thought it would be so difficult for any other place to continue with this feeling.. but oh boy did San Francisco and the Bay Area not disappoint! The main reason why I wanted to go there was to visit my good friend Dominic which I met randomly at a food stand 5 years ago in Prague. I was in Prague over a long weekend to spend some time with a friend from Canada and he was traveling for one month around Europe. After Prague we stayed in contact and always wanted to see each other again - haha I actually thought he would come sooner back to Germany than I would fly to the States.. but the pandemic postpones many of his and my plans and so we didn’t see each other for 5 years and basically became great Skype friends :)
    As I didn’t want to go to Hawaii on my own after SF I asked Robert my friend from university if he wants to come too! That was back in January.. and coincidently we have been friends for 5 years too! So Robert and I met in SF and spend a week there. As I arrived a little earlier than Robert I was able to check into the hostel beforehand which had an amazing view over the Golden Gate Bridge! It was sunny but sooo windy and way colder than expected coming from Dallas, however I still enjoyed the view just by myself for more than an hour.
    Almost frozen to death I then picked up Robert from the bus station. That evening we drove with Dominic over the Golden Gate Bridge, had in-n-out for dinner (can you tell how excited I was? :D) and spend some time „hiking“ to an amazing view over the Bay Area (great insider spot).
    The next day was fully packed with touristy things. First thing in the morning Robert and I took the trolley downtown, walked crazy steep roads, went to the biggest and most authentic Chinatown for lunch, saw the pained ladies, went to fisherman’s Warft and also did the night tour around Alcatraz. Dominic also made time to join us on that tour! Overall San Francisco was amazing and it did not stop from there. Dominic was all along an amazing tour guide and was able to give us a wonderful glimpse of how life could be in SF especially he showed us many places „off the beaten track“ which I loved.    Read more

  • TravelerWorld trip
    Day 181

    Dallas Cowboy feeling

    May 18, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Couldn’t imagine a better place to start my United States trip than spending time with my amazing friend April in Dallas! So I traveled from Valladolid to Cancun and then flew directly to Dallas! April and I met 6 months ago where my journey started in Antarctica sharing many wonderful memories on the ship together (also seasickness unfortunately :D) and connecting through our love for penguins! As time passed we stayed in contact and it seemed so natural when we decided that I would visit her over a long weekend in Texas. Actually April was the one that told me she would save the dates right away in her calendar which made me book my flights too! And I really appreciated some girls time. We did so many fun things kicking off the weekend just right with a magic mike show that we did not plan before but turned out to be one of the most fun nights! The next day we went to a rodeo which is apparently a must do thing in Texas! We also had some Texas barbecue including deep fried pickles (weird at first but very tasty after) before the rodeo and then enjoyed the cowboy show which was apparently also the championship of rodeo - such a coincidence!
    The next day we walked around Dallas which is actually a very nice city! I was also impressed on how clean the city is and how much green spaces there are! One additional highlight for was the Aboretum. Unfortunately April had to work that day so I had to explore this huge botanical garden on my own but I really loved the landscaping and all the blooming flowers. For me as I have never been to Texas before and hearing all the stories about guns I must say I still felt really safe there and did not see one gun the whole time I was there.. luckily I must say.. to be honest i felt way more unsafe in Brazil.
    Also I‘m so grateful April hosted me the whole time, she is truly an amazing woman and I‘m impressed by all the strength she has! Also it filled me with so much joy that Penny and Pingu were finally able to meet for the first time.. we were talking about this all the time during our trip to Antarctica! Overall I‘m so happy and amazed how a 10 day trip and a connection over penguins can result in such a great friendship! Hope to see April in Germany one day - or anywhere else in the states once I come back :)    Read more

  • TravelerWorld trip
    Day 179

    Valladolid - Cenotes

    May 17, 2023 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 34 °C

    After spending 3 days in Bacalar I still wanted to go to Valladolid. The one thing this city is known for are the amazing cenotes! A cenote are water-filled sinkholes that naturally occur in limestone rock when an underground cave collapses in on itself and exposes the groundwater underneath. In Mayan times a number of the cenotes were used for sacrificial purposes and objects such as gold, pottery and even human and animal remains have been found at the bottom of some cenotes. Apparently 6000 of the worlds 10.000 cenotes are in the Yucatán peninsula of Mexico.
    People therefore told me you cannot leave this city without at least visiting one of the cenotes! So the first day I went and looked at the Secreto Maya cenote which was amazing to swim in! Definitely a pro tip to come here early because we had the place almost completely to ourselves!
    Valladolid itself however is also a very pretty town with cute colorful houses and lots of music on the streets. We were even able to witness a traditional Mexican dance when we passed the main square. On my last night on Mexico I had to try the traditional lime soup which is known for Yucatán! And wow that soup did not disappoint. Also the tacos I ate were amazing! Mexican food was definitely one of the best on this trip so far! We all just had a wonderful night, especially after me and one girl from Switzerland and another German girl were invited to do a Tequila tasting! Haha the guy in the shop poured us about 10 different types of tequila and mescal with flavors ranging from mango, over passion fruit to coconut! All of them tasted good - obviously.. and for some reason they got better and better over time :D Once we had dinner (which we desperately needed after the tequila tasting) we ended the night by looking at the daily Lightshow Valladolid has about the history of the city! I really enjoyed it, getting some background information and seeing the church light up in so many pretty colors!    Read more

  • TravelerWorld trip
    Day 176

    Bacalar - carribean feeling in Mexico

    May 13, 2023 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C

    Bacalar - also called the Maldives from Mexico is definitely worth a visit! Even though this place what not initially on my list and also pretty far from everything else i really enjoyed my time there! The crystal clear water with its different shades of blue is just picturesque and the Lagunes are amazing to visit and just enjoy some time with friends or family! I got a recommendation for a bike ride from one of the hostel people in Mérida and really looked forward to the idea of being active, and hoping from one Lagune to the other! Little did I know that the way to get there was very exhausting because there was not exactly a bike lane and we all had to ride our bikes right next to a highway! Thankfully I didn’t have to do this craziness on my own, as I met two girls and a guy who were equally crazy and joined me on this adventure! Not to forget the girls and me were already pretty exhausted because we spend the whole morning stand-up paddling on the Lagune to see the sunrise! Which was amazing, but imagine doing a bike ride the same day for another 8 hours. I was just so tired once we came back. But it so was so worth it!
    Other than that I did not do much in Bacalar, just enjoyed the Lagunes, which is also the one thing you must do. In total I spend 3 days there and then took another „wonderful“ bus ride over 7 h to get to the harbor of canotes Valladolid.    Read more

  • TravelerWorld trip
    Day 171

    Mérida - the safest city in Mexico

    May 9, 2023 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 38 °C

    I really enjoyed Mérida. The hostel i stayed at was amazing. They offered lots of different things to do so on the first day I signed up for a empanada cooking class! Loved the concept of learning something new and having a great and free dinner! Mérida is the largest city in the state of Yucatán. Apparently Mérida is one of the safest cities in Mexico which is due to the fact that most gang bosses have there families here and they wanted to create a safe space for them - at least this is what our guide from the free walking tour told us. Also Mérida is supposed to be one of the pretties post-Colombian cities with lots of colorful houses. One of the most things to do in Mérida is to have a look at all the museums. One of them the casa de Montejo was originally housing for soldiers, but was soon converted into a mansion that served members of the Montejo family until the 1800s. Today it houses a bank and museum. I also had a look at the cathedral on the main square which is not only one of the oldest cathedral in the country but also contains the largest Jesus cross in the whole world. And of course one should not forget about the food in Mexico! I just loved tacos and could seriously eat them every day! Soo good! And like any good mexican city there was so much party and dancing going on at night! We were able to witness traditional dances on the streets and later also joined a salsa class organized by the hostel! Haha so much Salsa along the way I should actually be a pro by now 😅Read more

  • TravelerWorld trip
    Day 167

    The hidden gem - Campeche

    May 5, 2023 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 35 °C

    Not knowing what to expect from Campeche I started my journey from Palenque which was a 6 hour bus ride and got to the Melisa hostel at like 2 pm. Obviously this has been the best hostel on my journey so far. :D This hostel was seriously so wonderful. The people were very sweet and it is really clean and just the outer area was very nice! Also Campeche is a beautiful and charming little city. And because it is mostly skipped by tourists on the way to Palenque or Merida it is not very crowded and can truly be seen as a hidden gem. It’s the perfect place to relax and spend some time to refill your batteries. I even went to the beach there which was a perfect day to relax and just enjoy being in Mexico for the first time! I‘m pretty sure this place will be crowded at one point so if you even have the chance to visit this hidden gem please do! I just loved it there!Read more

  • TravelerWorld trip
    Day 164

    Searching for more Maya ruins - Palenque

    May 2, 2023 in Mexico ⋅ ☁️ 33 °C

    And when one Maya ruin is not enough you just visit multiple. When talking to several people in Guatemala they all said that the Maya ruins of Palenque, which are located in Mexico are equally nice! That’s why on a very sunny day I left Flores, little nervous but also excited to cross the boarder to Mexico. Luckily everything worked out and crossing the boarded was more relaxed than I expected.
    On my trip to Palenque I then met two guys from Spain - one who is very passionate about Mayan culture and the history. They told me about this hidden place where you can only go by boat to see Maya ruins in the jungle. Me seeking even more adventures I then asked them if I can join them! And wow it was so worth it! We went to Yaxchilàn and Bonampak which were equally beautiful! The tour was going the whole day but I was so ready to learn more about Mayan culture and history! Apparently, Yaxchilan, located on the banks of the Usumacinta River in the Yucatán peninsula of Mexico, was an important Late Classic Maya centre. The Maya dated the founding of their city to 320 CE, but Yaxchilan flourished between c. 580 and c. 800 CE. Bonampak, which means “painted walls” is known for it’s highly detailed frescoes —drawings telling the history of the people who lived here— painted on the inside of the walls and roofs of three buildings, which make Bonampak a true experience and major attraction for archaeologists and visitors alike. The frescoes are incredibly well preserved and the highlight of a visit to Bonampak. I just loved strolling around those archeological sites and seeing something so completely different. Once the boys and I got back to Palenque we went out for dinner and grab some drinks! So happy I could join both of them and really dive into the Mayan culture! Especially because all the tours were only offered in Spanish they helped me with translation and were the sweetest always making sure I understand. So thankful for that!    Read more

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