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Round the world 2016

November 2015 - August 2016
A 246-day adventure by Adventures With Nachel Read more
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  • Adventures With NachelRound the world 2016
    1
    Day 62

    At the Copa, Copacabana...

    January 30, 2016 in Brazil ⋅ ☀️ 34 °C

    We've had an exciting few days in Rio. We are staying in a hostel with many like-minded travelers who all enjoy to go on adventures together, plus there is a bar with happy hour in the hostel so it is very conducive to making friends. Last night we went out with our housemates in the Lapa neighborhood. It was quite an experience, and the group was out until 3 or 4 (some later!). There were several clubs crowded with people but also tons of street vendors for food and drink, and impromptu dance parties happening on the street. Imagine the party culture of Vegas but with way more people and more friendliness. Carnavale starts next week so we thought maybe there was more going on in preparation for that, but our hostel guide said that it is basically like this every weekend.

    Today we are hanging out at the beach with a new American friend. We have run into a few other hostelmates but the beach is so crowded and so huge that even though we were three blocks from our hostel (on a direct line to the beach), we couldn't find many peoe even when we tried. We did some body surfing and wave jumping as well as napped, read, and played cards.

    Now we head back to the hostel to make dinner and leave by 9:15 PM: taxi to the bus station, bus to São Paulo, flight to Santiago, bus to the bus station, bus to Valparaiso, Chile. We should be at our hostel in 24 hours. Wish us luck!    Read more

  • Adventures With NachelRound the world 2016
    Day 63

    Chile!

    January 31, 2016 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    We are SO excited to be in Chile! We arrived this morning and just boarded our bus to Valparaiso. Nothing to report yet other than high hopes - all the Chileans we met in Rio were extremely kind and eager to tell ua about their country.Read more

  • Adventures With NachelRound the world 2016
    Day 63

    El Gato de Casa

    January 31, 2016 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    We are at our AirBnB for the next few days in Valparaiso, Chile. Best news ever: there's a cat! His name is El Gato. We explored Valpo a bit today and bought some budget dinner at the neighborhood mercados, as well as a nice bottle of red wine for 1790 Chilean Pesos (about $2.50 USD). It is really delicious (not like two buck chuck).

    Here are some pictures from our apartment at different angles, as well as El Gato saying "hrmph, why aren't you sharing your chicken with me?!?!"    Read more

  • Adventures With NachelRound the world 2016
    Day 67

    Spiderman

    February 4, 2016 in Chile ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    Santiago, Chile is well known for its jazz clubs. On our way to one called Theolonius, we discovered the extent to which Santiago is also known for its street performances. We had seen some dancers and musicians during the day, but tonight we happened upon Spiderman. Spiderman danced in the street, including blocking traffic at times and efen dancing on a taxi (no one honked or seemed to mind much). Spiderman brought people from the crowd to dance with him in the street. Most bars had patio seating so there were hundreds of people cheering him on from their seats. He was a fantastic performer and definitely a crowd pleaser.Read more

  • Adventures With NachelRound the world 2016
    Day 68

    The Andes Mints logo is accurate.

    February 5, 2016 in Chile ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    As we drive over (through?) the Andes in a double decker bus from Santiago, Chile to Mendoza, Argentina, I can't help but think about how much those Andes Mints wrappers I know so well as special treats from my childhood with Grandma Jo are extremely accurate representations of real-life. (The photos don't do the comparison justice.) -RGKRead more

  • Adventures With NachelRound the world 2016
    Day 70

    Camino del Vino Mendoza (Uco Valley)

    February 7, 2016 in Argentina ⋅ 🌬 22 °C

    Today we had one of, if not the, best day of the trip so far. We set out from our hostel at 8:15 AM, with the guidance of Stephán, a 3-star Michelin-rated sommelier originally from Lyon (France), and Norma, our driver, who hails from Argentina with Chilean parentage. We visited three very different, very distinct vineyards:

    The first was an all-organic/biodynamic winery, with all-natural fertilization processes, irrigation, fermentation, etc. The grapes are hand-trimmed by the family (four brothers, their spouses and children), mashed by hand, and either bottled or barrel-aged, also using only hand tools and casks they made themselves. Gabriél, one of the four brothers, gave us a personal tour and guided tasting, and we were so delighted we decided to buy a bottle of his finest malbec (Nick's favorite wine). It was superb.

    It certainly didn't hurt that we were the only two people on the tour, which assured personal treatment and a very exclusive feeling to everything.

    We then proceeded to the Casa de Uco, which we later learned was one of Conde Nast's top 15 hotels IN THE ENTIRE COT DAMN WORLD. Casa de Uco is both a hotel and a winemaking complex, where aspiring oenologists can purchase tracts of land and grow their own grapes, under the watchful eye of Juan Pablo Nieva, the master vintner and an experienced hand at growing the finest vines in both France and Argentina (in addition to having regular rooms, suites, villas, etc.). There, we dined on a six-course lunch, complete with wine pairings and a special bread pudding for dessert, prepared specially for us as our guide is a good friend of the hotel's chef. It was, to say the utterly, very least, incredible. Rachel dined on sweet potato gnocchi and Nick opted for the filet (rare, of course), and they each also had delicious, fresh-baked bread, carpaccio con pesto, beef enchiladas, ensalada con queso, and a fried potato with ahi tuna marmelade. The best meal we have had, without a doubt.

    After some tea and a brief siesta, we moved on to Monteviejo, producers of the famed La Violeta Malbec ($180 USD/bottle) and the LindaFlor line of specialty wines (malbec, chardonnay, syrah blends, etc. that Nick is certain he has seen his mom buy), where we tasted four additional wines and received a tour of the grounds. Much, much larger than the other two vineyards, this was considered a medium-sized property and the actual grounds were quite beautiful. We sampled four additional wines here, before hopping back into our truck and returning to Mendoza city. As Nick writes this, Rachel is fast asleep next to him in the back of the truck, happy and relaxed from a full day of wine and food. We could not be happier.

    In addition, today it's crucially important for us to recognize Rachel's dad, Josh, and his wife Diane, without whom this incredible day would not have been possible. Josh and Diane, as a Christmas gift, provided us with the funds necessary to add this incredible, amazing excursion to our trip, and we could not be happier. Today was truly incredible, a day that neither of us shall soon forget. Dad and Diane, we owe it all to you. Thank you! :)    Read more

  • Adventures With NachelRound the world 2016
    Day 73

    Challenges

    February 10, 2016 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Hi all, this is Rachel (sans Nick's input on this post). We are currently laying in a park outside the American Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina. With the exception of the wonderful Sunday in Mendoza that included wineries, a 6-course meal, and a Peyton Manning Super Bowl victory, we've been having a rough go of it in Argentina. From major road closures and bus delays, to bus companies that took our money but then claimed we had no tickets when we arrived, and now to being mugged (of our wallets, my phone, my passport, and a significant amount of cash), let's just say we've had some blows to the morale this week. I'm writing this alone because I want to share how amazing Nick has been through all of it; I really feel lucky right now, despite everything that has happened.

    Those of you who know me well know I am not an overly sentimental person, at least on the outside. I'm corny at best when I try to express my feelings publicly. And while I certainly did my part to try to hold myself together yesterday, Nick was the rock that has pulled us through. He stayed calm as I cried and swore in the police station. He stayed focused and polite when dealing with credit card companies, and inspired me to do the same when I made my calls. When I was demoralized, exhausted, sweaty, and just wanted to give up, Nick stayed strong and motivated me to get it all done ASAP. He helped us persevere so there was nothing hanging over our heads when we laid down last night that didn't have to wait until business hours. When I panicked, he took over telling the police and our moms what happened. And on top of all of that, he held my hand and rubbed my back so I was able to calm down.

    Could I have done this had I been totally alone? Sure, I'm a strong, resourceful woman. But it would've been very difficult, and having Nick by my side helped me to not just survive but be able to bounce back quickly to my (relatively) normal self. To Nick's family and friends: thank you for shaping my husband to be the wonderful person that he is. To my family and friends: I hope you already knew this, but we are lucky to have Nick as a part of our team.

    As Nick keeps reminding me when I start getting down on myself with the would've could've should've's: we have each other, and our health. Nothing could be more important. We were not significantly injured or even threatened. We lost some money but we have each other. For a moment there the muggers tried to separate us and we both thought they were trying to take me. When it's just a bag with some stuff, and not your wife or your life, it feels like things haven't gone too badly. I have Nick to thank for having this perspective.    Read more

  • Adventures With NachelRound the world 2016
    Day 75

    Visiting Evita

    February 12, 2016 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 35 °C

    On our final day in Buenos Aires, we decided to visit the Cementerio de la Ricoleta, one of the most beautiful locations in the city and the final resting place of Maria Eva Duarte de Peron (better known as Evita). For those who don't know, Evita was the First Lady of Argentina in the pre-WW2 period, and, together with her husband Juan Peron, ushered in the first era of modern protections for working-class Argentines. On our walking tour of La Boca, we heard about how Evita fought for (and achieved) workers' rights such as a five-day work week, eight-hour work day, labor unionization rights, and was a catalyst for the rise of the first Argentine middle class. She is regarded as a heroine by all but the upper classes, and you'll find statues and graffiti in her memory all over the city.

    This, however, presents an interesting anecdote - the Cementerio de la Ricoleta is the burial ground housing most of Argentina's richest and most upper-crust families. It is considered a great ill by the working-class in the city that Evita resides here in death; in Ricoleta, the wealthy famously celebrated her death from cancer by throwing lavish balls and toasting "viva la cancer." How truly abhorrent this must have been to those masses who saw her as a messiah for their troubled lives.    Read more

  • Adventures With NachelRound the world 2016
    1
    Day 77

    Another day, another dune

    February 14, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Imagine you take a 13.5-hour flight across the Pacific (forget that it was delayed until 4 AM) to arrive in Auckland, New Zealand, having skipped February 13th entirely due to the international date line. If you're Nick, you got a solid night of sleep on the plane. If you're Rachel, you slept for 3 hours, too excited the rest of the time about finally coming to this country. You have a long day of immigration, customs, buses, grocery shopping, and driving out of Auckland on the left side of the road in a manual-transmission campervan (that one is alllllll Nick). You drive for hours on winding roads, over hills and through farms. You finally get to your destination....only to find out you're not actually there yet. You have arrived at the Kawhia (pronounced like coffee-ah) harbor and marina, not a westward facing shore. The beach you want is down a different road. "Just follow your nose," says a local.

    Okay, we say. Let's give it a shot. An easier directive would've been to follow the signs to Ocean Beach, but our noses helped in their own special way, I suppose. Unexpectedly, the road ends. You find yourself at the edge of where a mixed pine and deciduous forest meets a black-sand dune, with a few other cars parked on the grass. You hike up over the dune (large by New England standards, small in Michigan) and see native grasses, large white flowers, and a sign about nesting endangered birds in the grass (Nick saw one of these birds in fact!). Over the crest of the dune, you find a vast black-sand beach with only two other people in sight. Eventually, others come and dig large holes in the sand and sit in them because natural hot springs can be found at low tide. You open a bottle of Argentinian wine, and enjoy the sunset over the Abel Tasman Sea.

    Happy Valentine's Day!    Read more

  • Adventures With NachelRound the world 2016
    Day 80

    Ferry-Fi Updates

    February 17, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Hi everyone! We know our active blog-followers have been disappointed by the lack of updates lately, but we want you to know it's not because we don't love you :) We have spent the past few days traveling around New Zealand's north island in our campervan (which looks like an old VW bus, but has a futon, water tank, portable toilet, and a makeshift kitchen rigged up in the back). No wifi means no updates, so we're taking the opportunity to pass along a few notes on our travels from the comfort of the extremely large car ferry between the north and south islands. Here's some of what we've been up to lately:

    *We toured the famous glowworm caves in Waitomo, enjoying beautiful cavescapes and seeing the tens of thousands of bioluminescient green worm larvae which dot the dark cave ceilings

    *We went spelunking, floating on an underground river, over small waterfalls, and climbing through small cave tunnels in a way that made Nick realize he wasn't quite as claustrophobic as he once believed

    *We camped at a beautiful beachside overlook, atop sandstone cliffs and watched the stars. In the morning, we decided to clean off by swimming in the Tasman Sea, which was far warmer than either of us expected. We were alone, aside one sad lone surfer (there weren't any waves) and a couple horses.

    *We rented bikes and rode along the Whanganui river, past small homesteads, over rolling hills and alongside unique New Zealand flora, stopping only to marvel at the perfect, Shire-esque quiet of the riverbank, the hordes upon hordes of sheep, and the most emo horse either of us will ever see.

    Hope you've all enjoyed following along. We'll put up some pictures when we have better Internet. Talk to you from the south island!    Read more

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