Återställ sökningen
Martin Hammerschmidt
Martin Hammerschmidt

Martin Hammerschmidt

Explorer and traveller at heart with 50+ countries visited so far. About to embark on the biggest adventure of my lifetime to see the world and ‘live a little’ 😉 Läs mer🇬🇧London
FöljMeddelandeStatistik
  • Martin HammerschmidtNairo2Rio - Around The WorldResenär

    Galapagos (III) - Last Stop: Santa Cruz

    21–24 sep. 2024, Ecuador ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Having said goodbye to my fellow travellers on the cruise (almost all of them just did the cruise, which I find a bit sad as Galapagos has so much more to offer than just 4 days), I took the morning easy before heading to Playa Tortuga Bay, which is a huge and long stretch of white sand - no sea lions here, though.

    As I had nothing else planned that day, I just sat down on the beach, read my book, thought about the cool cruise and simply enjoyed having an afternoon off. I was also getting ready for the next day, which I was hoping would be the icing of the cake of my time here in the Galapagos.

    I was hoping it, because that next day, I woke up early to go diving at Gordon Rocks, which is said to be one of the best spots in the Galapagos to see schools of Hammernead Sharks. The only thing I was worried about was underwater visibility, which so far on the Galapagos has not been great for me.

    So spirits were high as we drove out with the boat. At that point, I didn't even care that the water would be cold (like 18-20 degrees) and I had to wear not one, but two wetsuits, gloves, shoes and a hoodie. The first dive was not yet at Gordon Rocks and visibility unfortunately was terrible, so we hardly saw anything. It was a good one for me, though, to remind myself how to dive and it really was the first time diving in such temperatures. We also went down to 29m, by far the lowest | have ever been.

    Then came the second dive. All geared up, we jumped into the water in search of Hammerhead sharks. The current here is a bit stronger, which made the dive a touch more tricky, but a bit more fun as well. But I wasn't here for fun, I was here for the Hammerheads. A total of 44 minutes we were on the lookout for them, but with a visibility of just up to 5 meters, we were not able to see anything meaningful. We saw some big tuna fish passing us and apparently an outline of a black-tip shark, but otherwise just green water.

    I was deeply disappointed. Naturally, no one can control the diving conditions, but still, it was one of the animals I really wanted to see most - next to the blue-footed boobies. So I was very sad, when we got back on land without having seen them. But it is nature, I'd rather not see them in the wild than seeing them in an aquarium or in captivity.

    Anyway, on my last day on Santa Cruz, I took it slow, wandered around the small town, shared a bench with a sea lion, went shopping and thought about my time here. Apart from not seeing the Hammerhead Sharks (still gutted about it), it was exactly what I wanted out of the Galapagos Islands. A great mix of land- and sea-based activities, seeing tons of animals in the wild, and simple marvelling about the remoteness and rough beauty of the islands. A trip worth doing, even if the Galapagos are certainly on the expensive side.

    That also concludes my time here in Ecuador and all I can say is that it exceeded my expectations and was exactly what I needed after feeling a bit exhausted after Colombia:
    From being somehow surprised by Quito, to absolutely loving Cotopaxi and following in the footsteps of Charles Darwin to see the amazing Galapagos Islands (basically a giant open-air zoo). For that reason, Ecuador has positively surprised me and there are a few other places in the country that I want to explore next time. Ecuador, muchas gracias por todos - voy a regresar pronto!    Läs mer

    Se översättning
  • Martin HammerschmidtNairo2Rio - Around The WorldResenär
    2

    Galapagos (II) - Cruising Around

    18–21 sep. 2024, Ecuador ⋅ 🌬 22 °C

    For the next 3.5 days, I joined a cruise that would take me to some of the more remote parts of the Galapagos - namely Isla Española and Isla Floreana before dropping me off at the other main island, Santa Cruz.

    Once on board, we got a briefing about the first day, had lunch and then headed to our first spot - Isla de Lobos Marinos (island of the sea lions). We quickly changed into our wetsuits; jumped into the not so warm water and explored the underwater life. We spotted some sea lions playing in the water and quickly swam towards them. Upon spotting us, they swam over and we played together in the water - well, mainly them showing off their skills while we tried to keep up with their constant spinning and turning. It was really fun.

    In the afternoon, we then stepped foot on the island to spot some of the most interesting birds. For years, I wanted to see the blue-footed boobies and on that excursion we saw loads of them up close. Normally, I am not a bird person, but they look incredibly pretty. We also spotted some Fregates and of course some more sea lions and Iguanas lazing around.

    That night, when we set sail to Isla Espanola, the sea was again a bit choppy, but fortunately I did manage to fall asleep quickly. Others on the boat were apparently not so lucky.

    The next day, we made landfall on Isla Española in the morning to see the largest albatrosses in the world, as well as the Nazcar Boobies and some blowholes by the coast.
    In the afternoon, after an uneventful snorkelling gig, we went to what is dubbed the third most beautiful beach in the world, Gardner Bay. It was cloudy, unfortunately, so the colours of the water and white long beach didn't quite come out as nicely, but the place was nonetheless incredibly gorgeous and I could fully see why it is among the top beaches in the world. We walked to both sides of it, took some great snaps with sea lions - of course - and just enjoyed our time in this amazing place.

    On our last full day at sea, we drove to Isla Floreana overnight, and stopped at Post Office Bay in the morning. Its name derives from an old post office - basically just an old barrel on a stick - that pirates, whalers and other sailors used to stay in touch with home.
    Basically, you write a postcard, place it in the barrel and hope that someone else who lives close to where the postcard is to be delivered, picks it up and delivers it to the recipient. That is what we did and by the time of writing this, my parents told me that they actually received my postcard.

    Afterwards, we went on one last snorkelling trip with the highlight of it being seal lions that played with us again and one that even kissed my GoPro. For our last landing, we went to see the Galapagos Flamingos at Cormorant Point, which is also one of the very few beaches in the world that has some green sand - not much, though, and it's more of a black than a green beach.

    Anyway, that evening was our last dinner together and the crew said a heartfelt goodbye.

    The following morning, we arrived at Santa Cruz, disembarked and went to the Charles Darwin Research Centre, where we spotted the famous Giant Galapagos Turtles.

    At the end of this cruise, I was very happy with my time at Galapagos. I have so far seen: pretty much all animals that I wanted (except the Hammerhead, Galapagos shark and yellow land Iguana) and met some nice people on the cruise, who are also on around-the-world trips.

    The cruise itself was something I really enjoyed, as it took us to some more remote places, some cool snorkelling spots and allowed me to see Galapagos from a different perspective. Most of the time when we went snorkelling or did landings on the islands, we had it all to ourselves. And with a small group of just 11 people, it was the perfect size and allowed us to spend lots of time with the animals and get really close to them. I can only highly recommend doing it this way!    Läs mer

    Se översättning
  • Martin HammerschmidtNairo2Rio - Around The WorldResenär

    Galapagos (I) - Amazing First Few Days

    15–18 sep. 2024, Ecuador ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    So far Ecuador has given me city life and mountains, and now it's time to explore its amazing wildlife on the Galapagos Islands. I started off in San Cristobal, which is the oldest and easternmost island.

    Once I arrived at my accommodation, I took a brief nap and then headed to explore the beaches and the education centre to learn about the history of the Galapagos islands.

    I knew I would see animals, but I did not expect to see an abundance of them. That became very clear once I saw the first beach. Even though it was in town, seal lions were dotted all across the beach, playing, making weird sounds, walking around right in between us human-beings.

    The next beach I walked to was even more incredible, as it formed a half-moon bay facing the sunset and was again full of sea lions and the odd iguana. It was just the perfect spot to lay down for the afternoon, appreciate where I was and watch the sunset - surrounded by wildlife.

    The following day, I booked myself on a 360 boat tour around the entire island, which would take most of the day. The first 1.5h was riding the very choppy waves to the top of the island. But once there, we took a little dinghy to the beach, changed into our wetsuits and went snorkelling with sea turtles and white-tip sharks. I also saw blue-footed boobies for the first time (more on that in the next post).

    Anyway, when we hopped back on the boat, we were greeted with some delicious Sashimi and headed to our next spot. The sea became a lot calmer and thus the boat ride more enjoyable. On the next beach, we had lunch, and then jumped back into the water to swim with more sea turtles, the odd seal and watched some red-coloured crabs live their lives.

    Our last stop of the day brought us to Kicker Rock, which is essentially a big rock in the middle of the sea. It is known to have some good sea life and the chance to spot hammerhead sharks. Unfortunately, visibility in the water wasn't the best and the water temperature of just around 20 degrees made it a cold affair. We swam with some seals, saw colourful plants on the rocks and spotted a long sea turtle. No hammerheads, though.

    Back on the boat, we were heading back to port, when we suddenly saw Orca whales feeding in the ocean. What a sight that was and completely unexpected. It really rounded up a perfect day exploring the more remote parts of the island and its surrounding waters.

    On my last day, I headed to yet another beach that was dotted with sea lions and their young pups. I spotted one that was still connected to its mother via the umbilical cord, so it must have been a max of a few hours old. I could literally spend hours just observing them and admire how adorable they are.

    What an amazing start to my Galapagos adventures it all was. So much wildlife, so approachable at times and it was just great to see them live in peace and harmony with nature and humans. I couldn't wait to start the next day, which would have me hop on a cruise to the more remote parts of the Galapagos.    Läs mer

    Se översättning
  • Martin HammerschmidtNairo2Rio - Around The WorldResenär
    1

    Cotopaxi - A Place Like No Other

    11–14 sep. 2024, Ecuador ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C

    After some city life in Quito, I was heading to Cotopaxi National Park, home of the famous Cotopaxi volcano. My plan was to stay 4D/3N. I was also told that the hostel there might as well be the best one in the entire world - and I can say that yes, it is definitely up there.

    What made the hostel so amazing? The views are simply spectacular, you can constantly feed the llamas with banana peel, unlimited supply of fresh-baked banana bread, hammocks, cute dogs, no internet, jacuzzi, ponchos, etc. I could go on forever.

    Upon arriving, I quickly made a group of friends, and after we had lunch, we headed out for a little stroll through a nearby waterfall. In the evening, we took advantage of the things the hostel offered, played cards, and just sat around sharing stories.

    For our second day, we decided to climb up Pasochoa, which is a little hill, but still at an elevation of >4600m. While not a difficult hike, the altitude certainly makes this a bit more challenging as it would be lower down. The views, however, got better and better the higher we walked with more and more snow-capped volcanoes appearing in the background. We also had a bunch of dogs accompanying us the entire way. The trip took us around 5h return and once we got back, we took the rest of the afternoon easy, enjoying the incredible view of Cotopaxi from the hostel, ate banana bread, fed the llamas and soaked up the sun.

    On Day 3, four of us decided to go horseback riding. And oh my, was that just next level. It started slowly via riding the horse at a walking pace, getting to know the animal, enjoying the surroundings and stopping for some light snacks in the middle of the national park. Then the fun began.

    We crossed a little creek and in front of us unfolded the huge plains of the Andes. That meant one thing, the key thing why we decided to go horseback riding: Galloping.

    So, we lined up the horses and then were off to the races. A feeling of true freedom overcame us riding the horses through the wide plains, feeling the wind in our faces and leaving all the worries behind. We could not stop smiling afterwards. And to top it all off, when we slowed down, we passed a herd of 40-50 wild horses, grazing happily, looking at us 'strangers' and simply living their free lives. What an activity that was! Wow. It was simply incredible.

    On the last day, it was time for a physical challenge and we decided to climb up Cotopaxi until the glacier starts at above >5000m. Since we start at 4700m already, it wasn't really challenging as we were taking it slow, but still with a great feeling of accomplishment when we arrived up there. And again, the views were just fantastic.

    To top it all off, though, we opted to pack up some mountain bikes on the car to bike down the Cotopaxi volcano. Since I've never really mountain-biked before, I thought why not here. I gotta say, it really goes into the forearms and hands as I constantly had to use the brakes. It was such great fun, though, and a perfect way to end my time in the Cotopaxi National Park.

    Places like Cotopaxi and the Secret Garden Hostel are the reason why I travel. They exude good vibes, a great sense of adventure, invite amazing people to do all the things with and simply are full of energy. It is certainly a place I want to return to one day, as climbing up Cotopaxi to the summit would definitely be something I want to do.

    So far, Ecuador has given me a lot more than I hoped for and exactly what I needed.    Läs mer

    Se översättning
  • Martin HammerschmidtNairo2Rio - Around The WorldResenär

    Quito - New Energy

    8–11 sep. 2024, Ecuador ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    I did not have much expectations about Quito. After being in Medellin, I thought it was just another South American city. While that is true, I was surprised. Maybe not pretty per se, I saw a charm in it that I did not expect.

    Nestled similar to Medellin in a valley, the view over parts of the city from the rooftop of my hostel were stunning. The moment I saw it, some unexplained new energy rushed through my body. I quickly signed up for a free walking tour through the historical centre to get my bearings and learn about the history of the city - it was the first city in the world to be declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO!

    After the tour, our guide, her boyfriend and I went to eat Encebollado together, a local dish, which is essentially a hot fish soup and - yes, you read it right - raw onions, popcorn and chips in it. Weird, but hey, it actually works.

    Anyway, the rest of the day, I was wrapping my head around how to best travel through the Galapagos Islands and Cotopaxi and with my newly found energy and help from the hostel's travel agency, I managed to get that figured out relatively quickly.

    On my last day in Quito - I only stayed here for two full days - I signed up for the Middle of the World Tour, which is probably the most popular thing to do in Quito. So, we drove to the middle of the world, where the equator passes through. I mean, it is called ECUADOR for a reason. While nothing spectacular - after all, it is just an invisible line - we did some cool experiments such as balancing an egg, etc.

    That was already it. A quick visit to a city that sits 2850m above sea level and is in fact the highest capital in the world. For some reason, the city meant a little bit more to me than it maybe should. Possibly, because here, I found new energy and was really looking forward to my time in Ecuador, namely Cotopaxi and Galapagos. Let's bring it on!    Läs mer

    Se översättning
  • Martin HammerschmidtNairo2Rio - Around The WorldResenär

    Medellin - What A Place

    5–8 sep. 2024, Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    My plan was to take a bus to Bogota and then fly to Medellin. Theory. In practice, that was more difficult, as all the truck drivers in Colombia went on strike and blocked all roads in and out of the big cities all across the country. So no bus was running. I didn't know that until the morning, when I wanted to leave Villa de Leyva.

    At the bus station, three other people were facing the same problem. At some point, we were even considering taking a helicopter into Bogota, but it turned out that they were already fully booked for that day. Luckily, we found a private taxi that drove us, but the expected time he told us was anywhere between 3h-8h given the uncertainty how quickly we would get through all the roadblocks. Anyway, I turned out not to be too bad, and l even made my afternoon flight.

    So l arrived in Medellin in the evening and the drive from the airport to my hostel offered some of the best views I have ever had over a city. Medellin is located in a valley and the city not only stretches out for a large portion of that valley, but houses are also built up the hills on pretty much all sides. It really is a sight to behold.

    Anyway, I had three main objectives for Medellin during my 2.5 days here. Visit the infamous Comuna 13, party and go on a tour about Pablo Escobar.

    I started by visiting Comuna 13, once said to be the most dangerous area in the entire world. Nowadays, it is a quasi-open street art museum, with a happy and joyful vibe - people dancing, selling, some parties, and just generally having a good time in the absence of any danger. Our guide still lives in Comuna 13 and told us all sort of stories, including about the infamous military operation "Orion' in 2002, in which almost 100 people were killed. Nowadays, however, it is worth a visit as it holds so much truth about the development of Colombia since 1990 and serves like a microcosm into wider Colombia, its history and its society.

    That evening, I met up with an old friend, Naty, that I studied with in London and that I visited in Medellin a few years ago. Together with her boyfriend, we sat down for dinner at a bar, caught up about the old times, drank Colombia's no.1 drink, Aguardiente, and watched the Colombian football team. On the way back, we stopped at a few viewpoints to marvel at the amazing sight underneath us that was Medellin.

    I wasn't done for the day, though, as I signed up to go partying in Medellin. Specifically, with a party bus, or Chiva as they call it here. It was definitely an experience, even if the clubs we went to were mediocre at best. So it wasn't the full party experience, but it ticked two of the three things I wanted off the list already.

    The next day, it was time for the Pablo Escobar tour. Some people say it shouldn't be run while others say it is an important part of the city's history. Especially since Netflix's Narcos show sort of glamorised him. But who am I to judge?

    Anyway, it was a highly interesting tour, in which we visited important places where important events took place (bombing of the place he and his family lived, the jail he built for himself, a football field where he made big announcements and finally his grave). It put a lot of things in perspective, debunked some myths and our guide was very knowledgeable about Nettlix and Escobar that helped get a better understanding of not only Escobar, but also about how the people in Medellin felt.

    It was just the right ending to my time in Medellin and Colombia. It is a country that is really fascinating and that I definitely want to return to one day. While I couldn't quite connect with Medellin, I had a great time getting to know some more off-the-beaten path destinations in the country (Cabo de la Vela, Barichara, La Ciudad Perdida, Villa de Leyva) and learning more about its history and culture.    Läs mer

    Se översättning
  • Martin HammerschmidtNairo2Rio - Around The WorldResenär

    Villa de Leyva - Typical Colombian Town

    30 aug.–5 sep. 2024, Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    After the beauty of Barichara, I decided to change my plans a bit and instead of rushing through Bogota, Salento and Medellin, I decided to do a bit of a longer stop in Villa de Leyva, which is a beautiful colonial town in central Colombia.

    I also felt a bit tired and exhausted, so a few more days to recharge a little seem like the right thing to do. And this is what l did the first few days. Relaxing by the pool, strolling through town, catching up on some Spanish and not doing a whole lot.

    What Villa de Leyva is known for is its huge square (Plaza Principal), which in fact is the biggest in all of Colombia. Given its location in the hills, it's a perfect place for kiting and in the evening the best thing to do is just sit on the square and watch local families flying their kites in the sky.

    But, after a few days, I craved some action. Thus, I booked an ATV Tour - something I have never really driven in my life. While it was just on a dedicated dirt track, it was lots of fun and something I will definitely do again soon.

    I also opted for a little day tour to Ráquira, which is, hands down, the most colourful town I have seen in my entire life. Almost every building in this small town is painted in various colours or with various motives. It also helps that it is Colombia's pottery capital. I strolled through the town a little bit in awe of how colourful it is.

    That evening, back in Villa de Leyva, I passed by a bar that had chess boards available. So I sat down with the owner and played a game, before his more experienced friend took over. Unplanned experiences like this, i.e. drinking beer while playing chess with locals outside is exactly what makes travelling so fascinating, Plus, it is a perfect 'free' Spanish class, too.

    On my last day, I opted for a short hike up to a viewpoint to check out the town from above. It was a rather steep hike, but I had two dogs with me as companions, which made it less strenuous. Up on top, I did a little photo session and just simply spent some time up there to soak up the great views.

    With that, my time in Villa de Leyva came to an end. Taking it slow here allowed me to take a breath. Even after my time here, I stil felt a bit exhausted. I wasn't sure if it was from travelling or something else, but something in me wasn't quite satisfied.

    So off I went to my next destination, Medellin, which has its own kind of craziness.    Läs mer

    Se översättning
  • Martin HammerschmidtNairo2Rio - Around The WorldResenär

    Barichara - Colombia’s Prettiest Town

    28–30 aug. 2024, Colombia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Pocket-sized, brimming with colour and situated on sort of a hilltop has made Barichara being declared as one of the most beautiful towns in Colombia. Since it was only a short 40 minute bus ride from San Gil, most people come here as a day trip, but I wanted to properly check out the place and thus stayed for two nights.

    There is not a whole lot to do in Barichara besides strolling around the colonial town, getting lost amongst its beautiful houses and feeling transported back in time. Of course, I checked out the places with the most stunning views and did little photo sessions to try to capture the magic of the town. It is such a beautiful place that I was extremely happy to have put it on my itinerary. Really, really gorgeous and I can only highly recommend to make a stop here if in Colombia.

    I also met a few other travellers in Barichara and with one I went to a local bar that my hostel owner invited us to.

    A popular thing to do in Barichara, is to walk 1.5h through the countryside to another, even smaller town called Guane. Hence, I grabbed my backpack and went off for a walk. The walk offered fantastic views over the adjacent hill and was a nice stroll through the countryside.

    Once | arrived in Guane, I was surprised by its size. It was super tiny. Literally one square (like all towns in Latin America), 3-4 more streets and that was it. So, I sat down at a local restaurant, had my menu del dia, walked five minutes to a nearby viewpoint and then just sat in the park and watched life pass by. Basically, I was waiting for the bus to take me back to Barichara.

    That was it already. One thing I have to mention, in addition, is the hostel I stayed in. It was probably one of the most beautiful or cutest hostel I have stayed in. It really enhanced my experience, as it essentially was an old colonial house with two small courtyards, hammocks, antique furniture, and at the same time painted very tastefully with pastel colours - most of it blue. A perfect place to stay in a very beautiful town in the Colombian hills.    Läs mer

    Se översättning
  • Martin HammerschmidtNairo2Rio - Around The WorldResenär

    San Gil - Paragliding & Explosives

    26–28 aug. 2024, Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    My next stop in Colombia brought me to San Gil, a bit of an off-the-beaten-path destination in the country. The main reason for coming here was to go paragliding over the Chicamocha canyon. So, upon arrival at my hostel, I signed up for the activity the next day and just like that found myself on a bus with a few other people from the hostel.

    On the top of the canyon from which we would run and fly into the abyss, I was indeed a bit scared and asked myself why the hell I was doing this. Anyway, when it was my turn, I was quickly introduced to the 'pilot', strapped into the parachute and off we went into the air.

    The scary feeling quickly vanished and was replaced by the gorgeous views over the expansive canyon. Feeling the wind in my face, I took in the views and enjoyed the little chat I had with my pilot. It was indeed a bit shaky up there due to the wind, but nothing too crazy. He then asked me if we should do something for a bit of adrenalin, and I happily said yes. This meant we went up high in the air and then pirouetted down before coming to a smooth landing. I did feel a bit dizzy afterwards, but was very happy about the experience. Not sure, if I have to do it again, but let's see - hopefully life is long.

    In the evening, the entire hostel went to play Tejo, which is a traditional Colombian game including heavy stones, clay and gunpowder. Basically, you throw a heavy stone from a distance of c. 15m onto clay on top of which small paper packs filled with gunpowder are placed. If you hit the paper packs at the right angle, they explode with a bang. I have to admit, it was not easy to hit the paper packs, and only four out of 19 people managed to do it - luckily, I was one of them and even got it on film. I was so happy, haha!

    The following day, I explored the town centre in the morning, had lunch with a fellow traveller at the central market and then took the bus to Barichara, which is one, if not the, most beautiful town in all of Colombia.    Läs mer

    Se översättning
  • Martin HammerschmidtNairo2Rio - Around The WorldResenär

    Cabo de la Vela - A Different World

    23–24 aug. 2024, Colombia ⋅ 🌬 31 °C

    During my planning in Palomino, I decided to do a two day tour to the Colombian desert in the north of the country. The place I am talking about is Cabo de la Vela and is among the most northern points of South America. I thought it would be an interesting contrast to my time in the jungle and is in fact a place not many visitors go and experience.

    To get there requires a 1.5h drive to the tour office and another 3.5h drive with a 4x4 truck.
    The road to Cabo de la Vela is a mix of highway (paved and unpaved) and lots of very bumpy sandy paths that I wouldn't call 'road'.
    My group consisted of five Italians and me and our first stop were some salt flats that produce 70% of the salt Colombians consume.

    After 1.5h of more driving, we left the pathed highway and I felt we were transformed into a different world - more like how I imagine the African coasts look like. There was nothing here but a dry landscape and the ocean. It was also brutally hot (>36 degrees).

    All that said, people lived here but one could see immediately that they did not have much. Kids kept running towards our car with their hands streched out asking for anything from candy to water to money. Or, alternatively, they erect improvised road blocks and demand pay to pass through. I could not help but think that if you are born in a place like this, you kinda have lost the lottery of life. It must be extremely difficult to almost impossible to ever leave this place and have a comfortable future elsewhere. I obviously don't know how, but things work and my mind rests a bit in peace knowing that tourism might do its bit to develop this place.

    Anyway, we arrived just in time to have some delicious lunch (look at the fish in the pictures!) and then spend the rest of the day on two beaches before driving up to a lighthouse to watch the sunset together.

    After dinner, our group went for a couple of drinks at a nearby beach bar, before we called it a night and I got to sleep in a hammock for the second time in my life (first time was in Cambodia last year). It was semi-comfortable, but I got a decent night's sleep amidst the Carribean breeze that was blowing through the accomodation.

    Once we finished breakfast the next morning, we drove for a few minutes to check out a small dune and another viewpoint in the desert before spending the remaining time on another beautiful beach in the Carribean coast. It really was a picture-perfect definition of the phrase 'where the desert meets the sea' and we had a great guide as he got us to all the spots before any other tour arrived (not that there were many in the first place).

    Then it was already time to head back to Palomino. I really enjoyed this short trip as I got to see a different side of Colombia - one that not many people go and visit. It feels as if this is a forgotten region and I am very glad that I went. It's rustic, dry, hot, poor, sandy, but offers some very beautiful spots to spend time in.

    On the way back, I thought that experiences like these are the reason why I travel and why I keep enjoying it. To understand, to feel, to experience, and to learn about different places, different people and different cultures. It was a truly eye-opening tour!    Läs mer

    Se översättning
  • Martin HammerschmidtNairo2Rio - Around The WorldResenär

    Viva Colombia - La Ciudad Perdida

    13–18 aug. 2024, Colombia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Time to explore continent number six on this trip and it starts with Colombia. While not my first time in the country, there are quite a few things that I have on my list that I did not get to do last time. The first one being La Ciudad Perdida, or the Lost City. The Lost City was built in 700 by the Tayrona people and was abandoned in 1650, i.e. it is older than Machu Picchu.

    So, once I arrived in the country and my hostel, I quickly joined a tour and on the 15th August, we were off to find and explore the Lost City. It is not an easy feat to reach as it requires a 4-Day return trek roughly 55km through the Colombian jungle in 36 degrees heat, 70-80% humidity and total elevation gain of 2400m (lots of ups and downs). There is no train, car or bus service to get there, so the only way to reach the Lost City is to walk through that jungle - a true adventure.

    I am not gonna lie, it was definitely a tough hike with sometimes very bad paths, bridges that would not pass any inspections in Europe and hungry mosquitos. However, it was so worth it. Our guides (head guide + translator) were amazing as they brought the very interesting, bloody and drug-fueled history of this region and its inhabitants to life (farmers, guerrilla groups, drug traffickers, pirates, indigenous peoples). In addition, we saw all sorts of animals and jumped into natural pools or rivers whenever we had the chance.

    My group consisted of 8 people (5x French, 1x English, 1x Costa Rican and me) and during the first 1.5 days, we walked 26km to reach Camp 3 located at the base of the Lost City.
    While being a streneous walk, it definitely had some fun elements, as we crossed rivers on stones, enjoyed amazing viewpoints of the Colombian jungle and craved the delicious breakfasts, lunches and dinners that our chef prepared in the camps for us. Everyday, we woke up at 5am in order to take advantage of the cooler mornings on our hike.

    On the morning of Day 3, it was finally time to reach the Lost City. To get there from our camp required a short 30 minute largely flat walk and then a total of 1200 (!) ancient steps up to reach the city. In other words, just before 7am on Day 3, we reached the Lost City.

    Over the following 4h, we explored the ins and outs of it, listened to the fascinating story of its abandonment and re-discovery in 1973, took countless pictures and simply sat down at the highest point and soaked in the atmosphere.

    It truly is a magical place. Yes, it might not be as spectacular as other famous archeological sites such as Machu Picchu, but imagining the history and everyday life in the city unfolding in front of your inner eye and getting a sense of the soul of the place was truly awe-inspring.

    Sitting there at the top of the city gave me some inner peace paired with a sense of adventure. Experiences like these are the reason I travel the world. To get to know different cultures, different places and different lives.

    What was also a very good idea by our guides was to walk the loop around the city in reverse order, which means we had most of the places within the Lost City completely to ourselves - not that there were many people in the first place given the tough way to get there.

    After exploring the place in depth, it was time to walk this whole trek back - puta madre! I really did not feel that I have the energy to walk another 26km over two days through the Colombian jungle. But ah well, not that I really had a choice, I guess. We stopped in camp 2 for a night to break up the journey and on the last day jumped into a river to freshen up one last time before arriving back at the starting point. I was very happy, when I was back, but my legs were truly fucked - they continued to hurt 3 days later.

    Anyway, I am incredibly happy that I did it. After all, the Lost City had been on my list for several years now and after having done it I would recommend it to everyone that longs for a different type of adventure.    Läs mer

    Se översättning
  • Martin HammerschmidtNairo2Rio - Around The WorldResenär

    Antigua - You Have My Heart

    12 augusti 2024, Guatemala ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    Antigua. I didn't intend to come here initially, then booked for three weeks and ended up staying five. And it was the best decision I could've made. Learning Spanish, recharging my batteries and getting to know the town even more than before were my primary objectives when booking my trip to Antigua. I knew beforehand that I would have a great time here, given it was my fourth time visiting but I did not expect it to be this incredible.

    A big part of it has, of course, to do with Maria, who, as a local Antiguena, showed me a different side of Antigua. Or more specifically, we showed each other the way each of us see's Antigua through our eyes. She showed me the local side of things while I showed her why I love the town so much and what a typical traveler sees and experiences in Antigua.

    Its vibrant but not too busy vibes, an explosion of colours everywhere I look, a great palette of culinary options (local and international), photo opportunities around every corner, a condensed but fun-filled nightlife, a unique and absolutely stunning scenic backdrop (three volcanoes in sight of the town, one active) and the countless opportunities of things to do here from volcano hiking, to feeling like a hobbit, to rooftop hopping, etc.

    All I can say is that it was simply magical. Exploring old and new places, going to all sort of different local restaurants and bars, eating and drinking stuff that I had no idea existed (shrimps on a beer, carnitas, chicken with coca-cola sauce (tbd), etc) and spending a weekend in a cabin in the woods with a jacuzzi and fireplace together really made my time in Antigua incredibly special.

    I fell in love with Antigua even more than before and than I thought I could, lost a bit of my heart to Maria and will look back at my time here with a big smile, a happy and teary eye and a soul filled with countless beautiful memories that will last me a lifetime.

    So, thank you, Maria, for being you, for being such an incredible person that I had the privilege to get to know over four weeks and for letting me share my wonderful time here in Antigua with you. To me, you made Antigua even more special than it already was. I have definitely left some of my heart in Antigua with you.

    Sometimes, people ask me what my favorite place in the world is and why. And it is so difficult to explain or to put in words. I would describe it as being constantly in awe about it, lots of things to experience/see/do, feeling peace within yourself, finding people in the town that do not just merely exist/work but celebrate life, imagining what it would be like to live there (happily), maybe get a sense of familiarity/home, and wanting to come back here time and time again.

    For me Antigua is exactly that. And that is why it is my favorite place in the entire world!    Läs mer

    Se översättning
  • Martin HammerschmidtNairo2Rio - Around The WorldResenär

    Antigua - Beautiful Last Few Days

    8–12 aug. 2024, Guatemala ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    I booked my flight to Colombia, which meant I only had one more week left in Antigua.

    There were still a few things that I wanted to do and since Maria and I had such a great time together, we decided to do most of them together.

    So, on a Saturday, we decided to drive to Cerveceria 14, which is a local brewery but with a beautiful ground that hosts live music and from which you can see the volcano on a clear day. Joining us was Marre, Maria's best friend. While the day was nothing special, we sat there for hours, having drinks and playing cards until the live band started playing music. It was a great atmosphere and even though torrential rain had us all go inside instead of sitting and soaking up the sunshine outside, it didn't distract us from having a good time, laughing a lot and enjoying each others' company.

    The following day, Maria and I were heading to Altamira, a little theme park in the mountains. It doesn't have any rides, but lots of colourful and interesting sculptures (i.e. hands reaching out, paper planes, real planes, etc.) with views over the adjacent volcanos Fuego, Acatenango and Aqua. We took our sweet time exploring the place, snapping loads of photos, and at some point sitting down for a while to enjoy the absolutely stunning scenery and appreciate the place we were at.

    Next was a visit to Antigua's most famous church, La Merced, or more specifically, its roof terrace. Since it was only a short 3 minute walk from where Maria works, I picked her up during her lunch break and we went up to the church's terrace. Its yellow-white colour contrasting with the blue sky, Antigua underneath and volcano Agua in the background made this an absolutely beautiful location. Maria also pointed out the school she went to when she was a kid. It was a perfect little break and yet another tourist thing that I dragged Maria to see.

    In between these events, I sneaked in a couple of self-guided photo tours through Antigua, as I wanted to fully absorb the beauty of this town and take snaps that serve me as a memory for a lifetime.

    Then it was almost time to leave Antigua: Only one more weekend left. To celebrate our time together, Maria and I booked a cabin in the mountains/woods just a mere 20 minutes drive away from Antigua. We went grocery shopping before as I was tasked to cook while Maria made Sangria. The cabin also had a cute fireplace and, more importantly, a little jacuzzi. So after arriving, making Sangria and playing an extremely competitive round of Jenga, we switched on the fairy lights outside the cabin, hopped into the jacuzzi and enjoyed each others' company and the tranquility of the place. We reminisced about our time in Antigua and all the things we saw, experienced, ate or drank together.

    After a, sadly, failed attempt to light the fire, we cooked dinner, drank some more Sangria, and hopped back into the warm jacuzzi as it was getting a bit chilly outside. We continued to laugh, talk, fool around and enjoy the moment until well after midnight when we became too tired and went to bed.

    The following morning, we had one last breakfast together, one last drive back to Antigua, one last stroll to see La Merced and the famous Arc, one last photo and one last drink.

    Then it was goodbye, not just to Maria, but also to Antigua. I will do another blog entry about my time here, but I can say that I was incredibly sad saying goodbye.

    Antigua was exactly what I needed after feeling a bit exhausted from travel and the town and Maria gave me everything and more that I hoped for. I guess that is the dark side of traveling or staying in a place for a bit longer: Seeing amazing places, meeting incredible people, falling in love with both, but then having to say goodbye.    Läs mer

    Se översättning
  • Martin HammerschmidtNairo2Rio - Around The WorldResenär

    Antigua - Getting To Know Your Soul

    22 juli–8 aug. 2024, Guatemala ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    Coming back from Huehuetenango, I had one more week of Spanish classes. At the end of it, I think I made some decent progress in Spanish, but, of course, a lot more time and effort is required to get to even a remote level of fluency. After all, listening and understanding is the hardest part, in my opinion, and that cannot be taught in a text book. Especially, since Spanish is spoken more quickly than other languages.

    That said, even if my classes were over, I still had two more weeks in Antigua and I intended to make the most out of it. That includes continuing to learn Spanish (in particular vocabulary), walking through town, eating at restaurants, going to the market, checking out some bars, catching up on life admin, calling friends, soaking up the atmosphere in this colourful town and trying to get a better understanding of its soul. After all, it was and still is my favorite place in the world.

    Those two weeks, I spent a lot of time with Maria in the evenings or during her lunch break.

    For example, we went to the fun fair one last time to ride the most ridiculous attraction, checked out the pizzeria and speakeasy bar that she works at and drove up to Cerro de la Cruz to get a bird's eye view over Antigua. Basically, Maria told me that she felt like a touris in her own city - luckily she said it in a good way.

    The most dramatic event happened on a Thursday, however. It was a public holiday in Antigua as the town celebrated the 500th anniversary of something (I forgot what it was). This means that the town was buzzing with life and we watched a procession together and just enjoyed the atmosphere in the town that day.

    However, in the afternoon, Maria got a sudden call. Her workplace was literally on fire. A gas leak has led to a fire and we rushed to see the severity of the situation. The fire brigades of Antigua and surrounding towns were trying their best to extinguish the fire - with success even though it came at the cost of having water everywhere. It certainly was a real spectacle. Luckily, nobody got hurt and by miracle not much apart from the roof had been destroyed. In fact, they manage to repair it to a sufficient degree in order to open for business on Saturday - its busiest night.

    Anyway, those last 2-3 weeks, I got an even better feel for Antigua and fell in love with it even more than before. Maria and I only had a few more days left together and there were still a few more things we wanted to explore together.    Läs mer

    Se översättning
  • Martin HammerschmidtNairo2Rio - Around The WorldResenär

    Huehuetenango - A Weekend Like No Other

    19–21 juli 2024, Guatemala ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    After spending my first two weeks learning Spanish in Antigua, strolling through the beautiful town and trying to understand its soul, it was time to see another part of Guatemala, namely Huehuetenango.

    Valentina, who I met in Guatemala 1.5 years ago, her brother Carlos, her cousin Jose, his girlfriend, another friend of Valentina's and I packed our things on a Friday evening and drove to Huehuetenango, a city in Guatemala's mountainous north and home to Valentina's family. On the way to Guatemala City, where I would meet all of them to then drive to Huehue, I decided to extend my stay in Antigua for another 11 days. I was having such a great time here learning Spanish and exploring the town that I was not ready to leave, yet.

    Anyway, back to Huehue. After a loooong 8h drive to Huehue, we arrived at 3am in the morning, but after a good night's sleep our spirits were high and we were all looking forward to the next two days. We started the day by Valentina's aunt and grandma giving me and Valentina's friend a tour through the property and the four of us (Valentina, her brother, her friend and I) went to check out a cute river site afterwards.

    In the evening, the weekend really started. The main reason why they wanted to take me to Huehue was the local fun fair and since they also had some Rodeo on, we planned to check that out, too. I was excited. My first Rodeo. Brilliant. Firstly, though, we went to see some additional friends that were having a BBQ and we just sat there, talked in half Spanish, half English, ate some delicious food, laughed a lot and took a few photos with cowboy hats and what not.

    For the Rodeo, we took a big cooler box filled with endless cans of beers, drove 10-15 minutes and when arriving, we took the entire cooler box into the little pop-up Rodeo stadium. It was my first Rodeo and watching that in Guatemala, surrounded by friends and locals was just a perfect way to experience a truly local tradition/sport.

    Afterwards, we walked over to the local fun fair, where I expected to ride some of the attractions, but instead, we went to a tent that played music, drank, danced and simply had an amazing time altogether. I think at some point, we were a solid of 20-30 people and yeah, I was the only 'Gringo'. And yep, we were all quite drunk at the end, but hell was that evening a fun one.

    The next day, waking up with a slight hangover, we had a quick breakfast at the family's house before the original four of us went to check out a stunning viewpoint up high in the mountains. The view was gorgeous, helped by an abandoned house that served as a perfect backdrop for photos. I thought this was our last stop, before heading back to Antigua, as it was still 4h to drive back. But no, people here prioritise time together over heading back in daylight.

    So, we drove to a cute local restaurant, where we reunited with the friends from the BBQ the day before. And of course, they had a big cooler box filled with all sorts of beer and spirits. I couldn't help but laugh and the best cure for a hangover is to continue to have a few drinks.

    With two big cars and two motorcycles, we drove c.1h to check out a nearby lagoon. On the way, the music and our singalong were blasting loud out of the two cars as we were driving through the quiet countryside. I really felt people here are not merely living life, but celebrating it - esp when they are with friends and family. It’s what draws me to Latin America time and time again.

    Unfortunately, the weather wasn't the best when we arrived at the lagoon and we could not see the picture perfect vistas. That didn't stop us from having a great time, as the guys brought a portable speaker with them, one of the girls' backpack functioned as a portable bar and we were at some point more interested in a half-sunken excavator than the lagoon.

    With a heart full of memories, lots of laughter and new friends, we drove back to the house for some dinner that Valentina's aunt and grandma had prepared. And funnily enough, all the other guys joined in, which meant we had one last big dinner altogether. It was a perfect end to what was a weekend that I would never forget.

    What started with talking to someone 1.5 years ago on a beach in Guatemala, turned into one of the most memorable weekends of my life. I would've never thought that one day, I would attend a Rodeo show in Guatemala with old and newly-found friends, sitting on the back of a pickup truck driving through rural Guatemala singing to Raeggaton and finishing it all off with a dinner of local specialities. I thought to myself, this is why I travel and why I love it so much. To experience times like these. To celebrate live.

    And yeah, we did manage to get home that Sunday, although we only left Huehuetenango only at 9.30pm and arrived back at 2am.    Läs mer

    Se översättning
  • Martin HammerschmidtNairo2Rio - Around The WorldResenär

    Hola Antigua - Learn Spanish & Relax

    7–20 juli 2024, Guatemala ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    Ah, Antigua in Guatemala. My favorite place in the world. These days, I say that the Philippines have become my favorite country, but for years Antigua in Guatemala has been my favorite place. This is the fourth time I have come here and I was really looking forward to it.

    Antigua is a small colonial town, lined with cobblestone streets, colourful buildings, a bustling but not packed atmosphere, and is surrounded by rolling hills and three impressive volcanos - one of which is still active and you can see it emitting ash and lava on a clear day. The town has plenty of things to do, discover and try in terms of food and bars. I just love this place more than any other.

    Anyway, what brought me back to Antigua this time were two things. Recharging my batteries as I felt quite exhausted after Samoa and the US and learning Spanish.

    Regarding the first point. Since this is my fourth time in Antigua, I knew coming here that I would not need to do all the attractions that are basically a must for first-time visitors since l have done them already (i.e. climbing a volcano, going to the nearby lake, visiting Maya ruins). Instead, I was focusing on getting some well-earned rest, staying in a nice place with my own room/bathroom and just taking it slow and wandering through the beautiful town and discovering its vibrant soul even more so than during my previous visits. Plus, I knew a few people here already that I saw during my first week, which gave me a bit of a 'homey' feeling.

    Regarding the second point. As I would be traveling through South America for 7 months, I needed to seriously brush up on my Spanish. I might have gotten away with my current level, but in order to get a better experience, I wanted to improve my Spanish. So I booked myself some private lessons for 3 weeks (4h a day from 8am-12pm, 5 days a week). It was also very cheap at only USD 5 an hour. As my teacher Lucy did not really speak English, I was forced to use my Spanish pretty much the entire time. Exactly the way it should be, even if it can be quite exhausting. But that is the whole point and I was happy that we pushed through some grammar I wanted to learn and then focus on speaking and listening.

    During my first weekend in Antigua, I also got to know Maria who is from Antigua and who I spent some of my first weekend and evenings in the second week with. Next to checking out some local food places, we also went to a funfair here in Antigua that would run until the end of the month. I gotta say, it has been a while since I was at a funfair, but we rode a few of the attractions together, had dinner and really just had a great time in each others' company.

    Just being back here in Antigua reminded me of how much I love this place. It was exactly what I needed after pretty much 9 months of constant traveling. And meeting old friends such as Charlie who runs the pub crawl here or meeting new people like Maria made this place even more special.

    So special in fact, that I decided to extend my stay here. Originally, I planned to leave on the 30th July, but now I will be leaving Antigua/Guatemala on the 13th August.    Läs mer

    Se översättning
  • Martin HammerschmidtNairo2Rio - Around The WorldResenär

    Los Angeles/San Diego - USA Living

    2–7 juli 2024, Förenta staterna ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    After spending my first day in LA checking out Santa Monica Pier, the following morning I headed to downtown LA to go to the Central Market, visit Little Tokyo and just have a stroll around. Unfortunately, none of it was particularly appealing or worth visiting, in my opinion. Yes, some areas look nice, but really nothing to write home about.

    I was hoping that the following day would be better, as it was time to check out Hollywood.
    The night before, I met two other travelers and we decided to go together. Starting at Sunset Boulevard (another bit of a disappointment), we walked over to the Walk of Fame. That was quite cool and buzzing, but that was already it. It felt very touristy and I did not really connect with the area. Even taking the bus to the Griffith Observatory to get a view of the famous Hollywood sign was nice, but not something very memorable.

    In the evening, I suggested going to a LA Dodgers baseball game. So we left Hollywood and took the bus to the stadium. It was a good game (Dodgers lost but we saw quite a few home runs) and I had fun sitting there, watching the game, the people, the food and everything else. We had some cheese nachos and figured out that it had a total of 1600 calories per portion!!!

    The next day was the 4th July, i.e. America's independence day. So in the early afternoon, we headed to Venice Beach, walked along the beach and just sat down, had a couple of drinks, watched people and life pass by and simply soaked in the atmosphere. It was busy, but the beach and its surroundings had a good vibe and people were happy and out and about in the sunshine having a good time. It was a good afternoon.

    In the evening, we, of course, watched the fireworks on the beach, which I would describe as the most chaotic firework I have ever seen. There was absolutely no coordination and people set off fireworks from literally everywhere - the beach, the car park, the pier, from rooftops, among cars, among people. I would be surprised if there were no accidents. Don't get me wrong, I thought it was quite fun - even if dangerous - and some of the fireworks were really beautiful, but what I will take away from it is the chaos. Even the police showed up, but I think they had no idea how to handle the situation and looked pretty lost. A funny way to end my time in LA.

    The next morning, all Germans in the hostel watched Germany play against Spain in the Euros. At the end of the game, I was picked up by Faith, a travel friend I met in Antigua Guatemala 1.5 years ago and who lives in California. After drinking the biggest Margaritas that I have seen in my life, we drove to her family close to San Diego, chilled out during the day and in the evening went to see an open air oldtimer exhibition and ended the day with some delicious pizza.

    The next day was Faith's birthday, and we all celebrated it by driving to the pretty Seaport Village in San Diego, drinking beers, eating some very delicious tacos and admiring the atmosphere by the water. It was a sunny day and we laughed a lot, enjoying each others' company, talking about all things travel and just living life in general.

    It was a really nice last full day in the US for me. Yes, I obviously have not seen a lot of California and could've spent loads more time there to explore. But the US is expensive, I was there during the middle of a heatwave (>40 degrees), I still felt exhausted from my travels and the US is a place that I have on my list for when I am older. After all, it has amazing national parks that are probably still going to be there in a few decades - I hope. They were simply too expensive for me this time.

    But yeah, I enjoyed my time with Faith and her family much more than the few days in Los Angeles and it is a city that I do not necessarily need to go back again. San Diego might be worth another more in-depth shot, but I was glad to leave the US and continue my travels.

    Especially, as my next destination is my favorite place in the entire world and I cannot wait to go there again - Antigua in Guatemala.    Läs mer

    Se översättning
  • Martin HammerschmidtNairo2Rio - Around The WorldResenär

    Hello USA - The Longest Day Of My Life

    1–2 juli 2024, Förenta staterna ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Even though I had passed the half-way point of my big adventure, it was only now that I felt half of it was over. Maybe it was because I was crossing the pacific and fly to the US, leaving the 'right' side of the world (i.e. east of Germany) and flying to the ‚left' side of the world (i.e. west of Germany).

    Leaving Fiji and arriving in the US was also the farthest I would travel on a single day during my trip (>10h flight time). But that was not all. It is a day I certainly would never forget for the rest of my life because it would turn out to be the longest day of my life.

    Here is why. In the previous post I wrote about my last day on Fiji, i.e. waking up for a beautiful sunrise on the beach, going snorkeling with reef sharks, watching the sunset and saying goodbye to the Yasawa Islands and taking a flight to the US. In other words, I woke up at 6am in the morning on Kuata Island and left Fiji by plane at around 9.30pm in the evening.

    However, since I was crossing the dateline flying to the US, time just got very weird and I lost complete track of it. Essentially, I left Fiji on 1st of July at 9.30pm and arrived in Los Angeles on 1st of July at 2pm, i.e. the same day just earlier. That meant that I still had a few hours to explore LA on the same day that I snorkeled with reef sharks - so weird.

    Anyway, once I arrived in LA, I took the bus to my hostel in Santa Monica and then made my way to the famous Santa Monica Pier. While it was busy and a stark contrast to my peaceful time in Fiji and Samoa, I actually liked the atmosphere (music playing, waves crashing, sun shining, wind blowing, buzzing with people) and spent a solid couple of hours there soaking it all in. I also felt as if I was in Latin America when it came to the people on the pier as l heard far more people speaking Spanish than English. Anyway, I was mainly waiting for the sunset so that I could say, - yep, the second sunset of the day for me. And with that, the longest day of my life came to an end.

    So yeah, that is me in the US. A bit of a strange feeling being in a massive city again as I did not get the feeling of being an ‚adventurer‘, more like a typical tourist (which, of course, I am, but still). The plan for my US leg was to be here for roughly a week (4 days in Los Angeles and 2 days visiting a friend in San Diego). It’s only a week, as otherwise my budget would be totally destroyed by prices here.

    Admittedly, I already came with the expectation that I will not be blown away by LA or San Diego, but since I had to do a stopover in LA, I thought I might as well check out the two cities for a bit.    Läs mer

    Se översättning
  • Martin HammerschmidtNairo2Rio - Around The WorldResenär

    Back to Fiji - Last Snorkel With Sharks

    29 juni–1 juli 2024, Fiji ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Since there is no direct flight from Samoa to the US (my next destination), I had to fly back to Fiji for a layover. That said, the layover would have been 10h and when I booked the flight, I decided I did not want to just sit around in the airport for that long - especially when I am in paradise. So I decided to stretch out my layover and stay two nights.

    Why two nights? Because there were two more things that I wanted to do. The first one was one last dive in Fiji, and the second one was to snorkel with reef sharks. Both these things I could do on Kuata Island (the same place where I did the bull shark dive).

    However, once I landed in Fiji in the evening, I realised that I made a big mistake. I actually did not book an accommodation for the first night. So I quickly booked some random place/homestay on booking.com, hopped in a taxi and prayed that it was a decent accommodation. The place existed on the website, but not in real life (luckily my card was not charged). But I had no place to stay. So the taxi driver - very friendly indeed - offered that I could stay in the spare bedroom in the house his wife and he lived in. I gladly accepted.

    But, in a great turn of events, I had two travel friends (Meshi and Tijman) that I met in Vietnam staying at the port where I would take the ferry from the next morning. While they did not have a free bed or couch, they told me to just stay over with them and we all would figure something out. So, I stayed the night with them and it was nice to catch up with them, relive our times in Vietnam and Laos together, talk about all things travel, life, and so much more. What started as a disastrous night turned into a very lovely one. Again, it is nice to have 'friends' all over the world.

    Anyway, the next day I hopped on the ferry to Kuata Island. And again, at the port I randomly ran into another travel friend who I met on the 3-Day boat expedition in the Philippines. He was also heading to Kuata. How small the world is.

    So, Kuata. I obviously was here before for my shark dive, but this time, I wanted to do a
    'normal' dive. So I signed up for the afternoon slot. We were a total of three divers and just had a short boat ride to our dive spot. Essentially, we were diving along the reef wall of the island with its colourful corals, beautiful fish and wonderful underwater wildlife. Even spotted a turtle in the distance. While not spectacular, it was a very lovely last dive in Fiji and I was very happy to have done it.

    The rest of the day, I just spent chilling out at the resort, reading my book, talking to people, and really enjoying my time in Fiji. I simply love this place. Also, the travel fatigue took a pause as I was full of energy and enthusiasm to be in this place again.

    The following day was all about snorkeling with reef sharks. It was the main reason I extended my layover. So in the morning, we again hopped on a boat for a short ride, and jumped into the water, where the reef sharks were already swimming around. These types of sharks (black-tip and white-tip sharks) are not dangerous and one can safely snorkel in between them. With only limited feeding to prevent the sharks getting used to it, we were in the water for a solid 35-40 minutes with the sharks swimming around, through and with us.

    My heart and my soul was filled with happiness and gratitude. Being among the sharks, observing and snorkeling with them was just the best thing that I could imagine for a 2-day layover. I was in awe and smiling to myself about the fantastic experience, location and creatures. I never wanted it to end, so fascinating I found these animals. What a brilliant thing to do.

    Once back at the resort, I relaxed, processed what I just did, had lunch, and then went for one last snorkel off the beach. I practiced a little bit of free diving (something I wanna learn next year) and in an amazing stroke of luck saw another two reef sharks during that last snorkel. I couldn't believe it. Ah, what a really brilliant way to end my time here in Fiji.

    I have said how I feel about Fiji before and the short layover only reinforced my newfound love for the ocean. What a place. Paradise. I need to come back one day. For sure!    Läs mer

    Se översättning
  • Martin HammerschmidtNairo2Rio - Around The WorldResenär

    Bye Samoa - Paradise at World’s End

    29 juni 2024, Samoa ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    After two weeks it was time to say goodbye to Samoa. A country that I didn't plan to visit in the first place turned out to be a great decision to visit. The friendliness of the people, the slow pace of life - especially on Savai'i-, its natural beauty and the colourfulness of its villages truly felt like paradise.

    I vividly remember one day when I was driving the scooter through Savai’i and thought how far from home I really was - according to ChatGPT roughly 15,600km. But I was happy scootering through the country, mesmerised by its beauty and somewhat not believing that this is real, that this was my life at this stage. It shows that there is so much more to explore than just what is in front of your doorstep or what is familiar. No, it made me realise even more that there is a whole new world out there, ready for me to explore, to discover and to fall in love with.

    Moreover, the accommodations were truly unique. While very basic in nature, the beach fales were an interesting and brilliant concept. Essentially, you sleep in your own hut (on a mattress on the floor or in a bed with a mosquito net) literally right on the beach with few or sometimes no walls. In other words, you don't even need to lift your head when you wake up, but just open your eyes and you can see the beach and the ocean. With breakfast and dinner included for £30 per night, this is truly an adventurous but fantastic option that I thoroughly enjoyed.

    On a more serious note. As I have always tried to be honest in these post, there is something in my last few days in Samoa (mainly once I arrived in Upolu) that I really felt for the first time on my trip: travel fatigue. It wasn't as if I was homesick, no. But I felt exhausted after what was 8 months of constantly traveling. Of staying in a place for 2-4 days max most of the time. So I realised that in order to continue my travels, I needed to slow down. Since I always want to do everything in a place or in a country, and suffer a bit from FOMO (fear of missing out), I knew I had to change my pace/approach a little bit.

    For that reason, I decided that after the US where I would stay for a week, I would not go straight to Colombia, but instead going to Antigua Guatemala for a few weeks, learn Spanish there instead of Medellin and just slow down. After all, Antigua is my favorite place in the world and I felt it was the right thing to do for me to recharge my batteries and then look forward to go backpacking through South America again! And, since this is my trip, I can do whatever I want, so yeah, I’ll be heading back to Guatemala soon!

    Anyway, finishing up on Samoa. It is a fantastic place that I can only recommend visiting when someone is already in Australia or New Zealand. It's different, it's unique and esp my time on Savai’i - people call it the 'real' Samoa vs Upolu - was just living the island life in paradise. A truly different style of living and a destination that I will never forget.

    So long Samoa. You were awesome to me. Fa’afetai and thank you very much!!    Läs mer

    Se översättning
  • Martin HammerschmidtNairo2Rio - Around The WorldResenär
    2

    Upolo - Nature At Its Best

    25–29 juni 2024, Samoa ⋅ 🌬 27 °C

    I left Savai'i with a big smile, because I had such a great time there. To get to Samoa's main island, Upolu, I took a rough 2h ferry ride before jumping on a local bus to take me into the capital, Apia, where I rented my scooter for this island. My first impression of the island was that the pace of life was faster and busier compared to Savai'i and the houses and villages were a bit less colourful.

    Anyway, to get to my beach fale in Faofao, where I would stay for four days, the ride took me 1.5h through hilly but lush green terrain. When I arrived, I didn't do much today, but just lounged on the beach and in my fale.

    For my first full day on Upolo, I decided to go waterfall hopping. So after breakfast, I jumped on the scooter and checked out two of the main waterfalls on the island. They were gorgeous to look at, but unfortunately, there was no opportunity to swim at their bases as the viewpoints were at eye-level to the drop-off with no path down. I did, however, stand right on top of one waterfall, which was great - of course at a safe distance to the drop-off. On the way back, I did a little detour drive along the southeastern coast, before spending the rest of the day on the beach, reading, taking a few photos and just chilling out.

    On the second day, I followed a recommendation to go and pay a visit to the Giant Clams Sanctuary on the other side of the island. So I drove a bit more than an hour to see them, and boy was that worth it. During all my diving and snorkelling in the previous weeks, I haven't really seen a clam underwater. So I was excited when I put on my snorkel and swam 50m to the point where they could be found.

    Basically there were two types of clams: the giant ones and the 'normal‘ ones. The giant ones were huge and impressive (c.1m-1.5m long), but mostly greenish-dark. By contrast, the 'normal' clams were stunningly beautiful with shiny shades of turquoise and bright green. I knew clams existed, but I had no idea that they were this amazing. I was truly mesmerised and duck dived many times to see them up close.

    Then it was already my last full day in Samoa and I kept the best for last: The most photographed and popular spot in all of the country - the To Sua Ocean Trench. It's basically a sinkhole with sweet and salty water that, due to its vicinity to the ocean, rises with the tide.

    A couple of people I met at my beach fale and I decided to get there early to avoid the crowds and we did indeed manage to get the ocean trench all to ourselves for a while. It really is a beautiful and unique spot (a bit like the cenotes in Mexico) with green surroundings and a beautiful setting. We jumped in, swam for a bit, took plenty of photos, lounged in and around the trench and really admired the place we were at. It really is a lovely place that I thoroughly enjoyed and a perfect end to the sights Samoa has to offer.

    For lunch, I was heading to a beach restaurant. While I had expected to just eat lunch there and then go back to my beach fale, I ended up chatting to the restaurant's owner until 6pm. We ended up talking about his life story (involves homelessness, riches, fishing and a suicide), customs and traditions in Samoa, beach parties, business and what not. I think by the end both of us had 8 beers each and I still had to drive back with the scooter in the dark (luckily just 10 minutes on empty roads). But yeah, that was my final day in the country.

    The next day, I headed back to the capital, dropped of my scooter, took the local bus to the airport and flew out. Just like that, my Samoan adventure was over. In the next post I will do a little recap of my time here, but I can say that I was very glad that I ended up going to Samoa. It's a beautiful country, where life just follows its own pace. It has enough things to see and do, is not overwhelming and leaves plenty of time to slow down and live the famous island life.    Läs mer

    Se översättning
  • Martin HammerschmidtNairo2Rio - Around The WorldResenär

    Savai‘i - What a Beautiful Island

    22–25 juni 2024, Samoa ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    Heading to Falealupo took me 1.5h with the scooter, but driving through the paradisic island and the colourful villages made it a beautiful drive. Once I arrived, I met up with Fernando who was already there and we checked out a nearby old church that was heavily damaged by a hurricane and subsequently abandoned in the 1990s, I believe.

    Afterwards, we took advantage of a gorgeous day and headed for some snorkeling right outside our beach fale accommodation. Since beach fales are literally on the beach, snorkeling really became a daily habit again - similar to my time in Fiji. Anyway, the snorkeling was beautiful, with a colourful reef and plenty of fish.

    By the time dinner was ready, Ares and Anna from Manase had also arrived and we sat there and chatted for a couple of hours before heading to bed. Since we were the only guests at the beach fale, we had the entire place all to ourselves.

    The next day was Sunday, i.e. church day in Samoa when an already slow life grinds to an almost complete halt. So, we all dressed up a little and went to attend a church service. While the service was in Samoan, occasionally, the priest switched to English and at the end he blessed our travels in English and he and his wife came over after the service to thank us for stopping by and to have a little chat. It was a beautiful start to the day.

    Even though it was Sunday, we were nonetheless yearning for some adventure. So we hopped on our scooters and headed towards a cave we saw on an old-school physical map. It wasn't easy to find and we needed the help of some locals to get to it. When we arrived, the owner of the property on which the cave is located, took the time and guided us towards it. While the first cave was not really great, the second one was really cool, with a hole in the roof that lets sunshine illuminate the cave. We walked through it, said 'hi' to some bats, took some pictures and generally enjoyed the time together.

    By the time we left the cave, we were all hungry. But since it was Sunday, lots of places in Samoa were closed. We found a restaurant by the beach, however, that was open and so we drove there, had lunch, rented some snorkeling gear and went into the water again. It was a decent snorkel with some distant turtle spotting, but nothing really to write home about.

    Fernando and I did want to do a sunset snorkeling at our beach fale as well. So we drove back and went straight into the water again. Yeah, it pretty much was a day that I would summarise as follows: Church, Caves and Snorkels.

    Since it was our last evening together, we had dinner (still the only guests), sat on the beach, watched the stars and talked for hours about life, adventures and travels. We had such a great time together and being with the three shows that travel is not just about seeing things, but meeting people from all walks of life and experiencing adventures together.

    After saying goodbye the next morning, I was heading to my last stop on Savai’i and to the main attraction of the island (although for me, the shipwreck dive is difficult to beat) - the Alofaaga Blowholes. Essentially lava flows have created a series of tubes connecting a flat clifftop of lava rock with the ocean below. Waves breaking against the lower end of the lava tubes send water at high pressure up through the tubes, creating fountains that spray every few seconds - these fountains of water go up as high as 40 meters. I spend at least 40 minutes there to soak it all in - also got soaked by the water and wind. It truly is a phenomenal feat of nature and I can see why it is regarded as the highlight of Savai’i. Truly spectacular.

    With that, my time here on Savai'i has come to an end. After a night in one more beach fale, I rode my scooter to one more little beautiful waterfall that cascades into the ocean, before returning it, walking to the ferry and heading back to the main island, Upolu.

    I will give proper feedback on Savai’i and Samoa after my Upolu adventures, but I can say that Savai'i was pure blizz. Colourful villages, incredibly friendly people, a laidback vibe, awesome diving, beautiful snorkeling, interesting nature, fascinating history and great beach fales. This is what I will take away from my time here in Savai’i. I've had a really fantastic time. It reminded me why I travel and why I travel far - to experience places like these.

    I am happy.    Läs mer

    Se översättning
  • Martin HammerschmidtNairo2Rio - Around The WorldResenär

    Savai‘i - Exploring and Diving

    19–22 juni 2024, Samoa ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Riding my scooter for about 40 minutes, I arrived in a small village called Manase. I checked into my beautiful beach fale accommodation before heading off to check out some nearby lava fields.

    Savai‘i‘s black and dried up lava field has existed for more than 100 years and came into being by a volcanic eruption in 1905 that lasted over six years. Walking on the lava fields, I explored a church that was destroyed by the lava flow, snapped a few pictures and generally just took a stroll on some 100 year old lava. With probably a lot of stuff in Samoa, it is not something very spectacular, but it is a nice excuse to leave your accommodation, drive around, explore the beautiful island and just soak in life in paradise.

    On the way to the lava fields, I booked myself a dive for the following day, as I researched that one can go dive in a shipwreck here in Samoa. So this is what I did the next day.

    Waking up rather early, I headed to the dive shop at 8am, signed all the waivers, geared up and headed out to the dive sites by boat. I signed up for two dives. The first one being a dive through a reef, canyons and below an arch while the second dive was to the shipwreck.

    During the first dive, we didn't see much sealife (we did see a clownfish though), but it was the first time diving through a canyon, underneath an underwater arch and along a reef wall. It took a few minutes until we reached that point and I was already a bit disappointed, but then the dive became really cool when we reached the underwater canyon! Definitely a highlight and a good appetizer for the shipwreck dive, which turned out to be freaking awesome.

    Basically, once we got into the water for the second dive, we could immediately see the shipwreck as it was positioned in the water in a way that the front of the ship was down only
    2-3m but the end of it was in more than 22m depth. So we basically dived along the entire ship for a good 30 minutes. The ship used to be a missionary ship that hit the reef and sank in 1948 and was a, I believe, three mast ship. Exploring its ins and outs was simply amazing. From seeing an old lantern over finding a telephone to diving through the ship's skeleton, I would do the dive again in a heartbeat. After exploring the shipwreck, we continued our dive along a beautiful reef where we spotted multiple sea turtles and other colourful corals. We were down there a solid 50 minutes and our oxygen was slowly getting empty, so we ascended back to the surface. Next to the shark dive, this certainly was the best dive I have done so far! So happy I did it. Thinking back, it still puts a big smile on my face.

    Once back on shore, I took it easy for the rest of the morning and early afternoon, but grew restless at around 3-4pm and took my scooter to drive aimlessly to the next village. When I stopped to take a picture of a colourful church, a local woman said 'hi' and we sat down and chatted for a good 1.5h about Samoan traditions, village rules, the importance of the local chiefs and all things Samoan. This way, I learned a lot about the culture here, which is something I always want to get out of a place when I visit it. It is not just about 'sightseeing' to me, but equally important about the way of life in a place I visit. Hence, it was a perfect end to a really great day in Savai’i.

    On my last full day in Manase, Fernando (Spanish) - a guy I met in my accommodation - and I chilled out on the beach, tried and unfortunately failed to harvest some fresh coconut from a tree and drove to have lunch at a local small BBQ shop. There we met Aris (Spanish) and Anna (German) who volunteered at the shop for a few weeks. As we were heading in the same direction, we made plans to meet up at the next place - Falealupo Beach.    Läs mer

    Se översättning
  • Martin HammerschmidtNairo2Rio - Around The WorldResenär

    Hello Samoa - Colourful & Friendly

    17–19 juni 2024, Samoa ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    The next country on my adventure is Samoa. Initially, I did not plan to come here, as l wanted to check out Vanuatu. However, as the local airline in Vanuatu went bankrupt the day before I wanted to buy the flights, I had to change my plans and am now in Samoa instead.

    To start with, Samoa mainly consists of two islands, Upolu and Savai’i, and I will spend 9 days on Savai’i and 4 days on Upolu. After arriving late at night in Upolu, I spent the night in a terrible hotel, took the ferry the next morning to Savai’i, rented a scooter and was off to explore a new country.

    My very first impression of Savai’i was how incredibly colourful it was. Only a few minutes on the scooter and I was stunned by how almost every building was painted in a different colour. In addition, when I was driving to various villages, it felt as if every fifth building was a colourful church. I loved it.

    The people seem to be extremely friendly here as well. Riding my scooter along the ringroad (the only road on the island) and passing village after village, pretty much every second person I saw walking on the side of the street was greeting me with a smile and a wave. Even though it was cloudy, I could immediately see the beauty of Savaii.

    It was while riding here that one thought crossed my mind: how far away I was from home, but at the same time what a beautiful place this seems to be. Island life was seriously about to start and cruising on the island with a scooter was as good as it gets.

    Anyway, the next day, I was set to explore the beautiful nature that Savai’i has to offer.
    Namely, checking out the Afu Aau Waterfall. While nothing spectacular, I had a great time, jumping into the base of the waterfall, going for a little swim, taking some pictures and enjoying my first full day on the island. On the way back, I bought some delicious BBQ at a random house and ate it in an abandoned airport.

    In the evening, my beach fale (i.e. my accommodation, more on that later) hosted a small cultural night with traditional dances and a fireshow, which was a nice conclusion to my first couple of days in Samoa. I was ready to explore more over the next 2 weeks.    Läs mer

    Se översättning
  • Martin HammerschmidtNairo2Rio - Around The WorldResenär

    Bye Fiji - Fell In Love With The Ocean

    16 juni 2024, Fiji ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    My time in Fiji has come to an end. Not really knowing what to expect when I arrived in the country, the beauty of its islands, the resort life and especially the ocean has simply blown me away.

    It was on one of the last ferry rides that I was standing there on the rail looking out into the distance and the ocean that a particular thought entered my mind and my heart:

    "Fiji has really made me fall in love with the ocean".

    Now, I was never really a person that enjoyed going into the ocean a lot and I preferred to be on the beach and lounge around. During my time in Fiji, however, it was the opposite. I think I have made it abundantly clear in my posts that I went snorkeling at pretty much every opportunity I got (i.e. daily) and every time I went into the water, I saw something new that made me appreciate life in the ocean.

    In addition, having learned how to dive opened up a whole new world to me. The vibrant colours and shapes of the thousands of corals and creatures that call the ocean their home is simply awe-inspiring and fascinating - at least to me.

    Moreover, there was, of course, one of the biggest highlights of my life: diving with bull sharks. I did not even know how to properly express my feelings and thoughts about this experience, but it showed me what an otherworldly place our ocean can be.

    I think this is the biggest takeaway from my time in Fiji. A newfound love for the ocean, a desire to explore more of the underwater world and an appreciation of the sea life that I never thought I would have (don't worry, I am still gonna eat fish :-) ). Yes, Fiji is literally at the other end of the world, but I am sure that one day, I will come back to explore some of the same place, but also lots of other places in the country.

    Fun fact: On my second to last day, when I was planning my next steps and booked my flight to the US from Samoa (my next destination), I actually decided to extend my layover in Fiji (no direct flight from Samoa to the US) by two days to experience one more cool thing. More on that later.

    With that, I can only say one more thing: "Vinaka Fiji and thank you for making me fall in love with the ocean".    Läs mer

    Se översättning
  • Martin HammerschmidtNairo2Rio - Around The WorldResenär

    Nadi - Last Days on Fiji

    13–16 juni 2024, Fiji ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Having completed my island hopping adventure through the Yasawas, I had three full days on Nadi, Fiji's main island before my flight out. I split this time as follows: On the first day, I went to Malamala Beach club, on the second day I was doing nothing and simply planned my future travels and on my third day, I was doing a sailing trip through the Mamanuca Islands.

    So, Malamala Beach Club. It was included in my package and is the world's first beach club that was set up on an island. It was only a short 45 minutes ferry ride away and upon arrival, I found myself a sun lounger, read my book, watched the ocean, reflected on my time in Fiji and was generally just enjoying some me-time. There was not overly much else to do there.

    However, it does have a cool infinity pool and a long pier. It is basically a small but beautiful island that I started to explore a little bit after lunch.

    And by explore, I mean walk around it in like 15-20 minutes. And since it is a beautiful island and I had not much else to do, I, of course, took my phone and tripod and took some lovely pictures of the island, jumped off the long pier and generally had a good time. Towards the end, I was chatting with a staff member about the island which was a nice end to the day.

    I have to say, I did not expect much from Malamala Beach Club, but it positively surprised me and the vibe, staff and island was really lovely. It wasn't a party atmosphere but still buzzing and I found it easy to spend the day there and just enjoy the small island.

    On my last day in Fiji, I joined a sailing tour through the Mamanuca Islands on a catamaran. It was a sunny day and I simply hung out on a bean bag and let my thoughts wander. I actually developed the idea of a book about sharks in my head - this much in deep thought I was. Let's see, maybe one day, I actually get to write it.

    Anyway, at the halfway point during the day trip, we stopped at a sandbar in the middle of the ocean, and went snorkeling. And as with all snorkeling, I saw something new. A black and white sea snake making its way through the ocean. Otherwise, the snorkeling was average, but once we tossed our snorkels back on the sailboat, we slid down a slide into the water and swam to the sandbar where cold beers and drinks were waiting for us.

    That said, I was a bit disappointed that we did not really do much exploring, but simply sailed to one spot, stayed there for 2-3h and then sailed back. It was advertised as a bit more exploratory. Nevertheless, I was in such a happy mood that I still had a good time and enjoyed the sailing trip.

    It started to rain towards the end, so I took that as a sign that it was time to say goodbye to Fiji and its beautiful islands, friendly people and amazing sealife.

    I’ll do a recap about my time and how I felt about Fiji in the next post, but I think I have made it clear that I really enjoyed my time in the country and will be forever grateful about my experiences here.    Läs mer

    Se översättning

Få din egen reseprofil

Gratis

QR code

FindPenguins för iOSFindPenguins för Android

  • 2025© FindPenguins
  • Hem
  • Om oss
  • Spåra gruppen
  • Press
  • Villkor
  • Integritet & Cookies
  • Hjälpcenter
  • Avtryck