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Andreas and Whitney
Andreas and Whitney

Andreas and Whitney

This is the travel page of Whitney and Andreas. We love to see the world. Weiterlesen🇺🇸Solana Beach
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  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney

    Trip Reflections

    23. Mai 2018 in den USA ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    And just like that, it's over! After 374 days and 28 countries we made it to our final destination, San Diego. It's been about a month since finishing up and we've started to settle back into our routines and reunited with friends and family. Conversations with loved ones have helped us to reflect on our epic trip and listed below are some of our thoughts in no particular order.

    We have a new appreciation for:
    -Drinking water from the tap
    -Silence (the world is so loud!)
    -Clean air
    -Paved roads with wide footpaths 
    -Access to education and healthcare
    -Access to sanitation
    -Keeping all of our products in the shower without them being taken 

    Things Whitney didn't want to do but was so glad she did:
    -Jumping into freezing water in Bariloche and off high things
    -Mountain biking down Peruvian roads on the way to Machu Picchu
    -Becoming advanced SCUBA certified
    -SCUBA diving with sharks and also through caves
    -Walking the jungles of Nepal to seek out tigers, rhinos, and elephants with only sticks to protect us
    -Scooter riding 
    -Most of our bus rides. One of my biggest fears on this trip was plummeting off a cliff on some small mountain road on a packed local bus 

    Not all of this trip has been beautiful views and magical adventures. We have definitely had our lows:
    -We both got food poisoning on Koh Phi Phi island making us miss our rock climbing adventures in Railay
    -Lots of “gastro” issues in less than ideal places 
    -Feeling that people are constantly trying to scam you and get something out of you. It can make genuine interactions hard in more touristic places 
    -Stress and the instability of constantly moving your life every two or three days 
    -India's sensory overload. The honking, smells, noise, masses of people, and lack of personal space bubbles. Specifically the time I was overwhelmed and cried on a packed six hour bus ride in India. They put both Andreas and I into a small compartment made for one person fondly known as “The Coffin”
    -The time I sat on the floor of the Bogota airport and just cried while eating my food quietly. This was after a stressful airport experience and there were no chairs for us to sit on. I admit it was a little dramatic
    -When I injured my knee in Switzerland and how difficult it was to treat on the road.
    -Access to healthy foods 
    -The occasional pointless argument Andreas and I got into because we were hot, tired, hungry and always together... It's funny how these stopped as soon as we took a little space
    -Animal cruelty and human suffering that we couldn’t do anything about 
    -The difficulty of maintaining relationships with the people we love and missing important events like the birth of my niece Gracyn, Chelsea and John's wedding in San Diego, and Jess and Brook's wedding in Auckland 
    -One night in Malaysia when I was SO HOT I couldn’t sleep. I took about six cold showers that night while Andreas slept like a baby 

    We had countless high points on this trip which unquestionably outweighed the bad:
    -Meeting incredible people from all over the world (fellow travelers and locals)
    -SCUBA diving off the coast of Malaysia and Columbia as well as the Gili Islands
    -Sleeping in a treehouse deep in the jungles of Laos at the Gibbon Experience 
    -Visiting ancient wonders such as Angkor Wat, Sigiriya rock, the Taj Mahal, the Burning Ghats, the Sagrada Familia, and Machu Picchu
    -Hiking for eleven days through small villages in Nepal to the Annapurna Base Camp
    -Visiting an elephant sanctuary in Chaing Mai
    -Our overnight camel adventure through the desert of northwestern India
    -Extreme sledding in Switzerland
    -Hiking in the snow in Switzerland with Andreas' aunt Fran. We made a fire on the snow to cook sausages
    -Our three day jeep tour through Bolivia to the Uyuni Salt Flats
    -SCUBA diving with sharks in Columbia

    Thank you to the friends who encouraged us to pack very light, this was the best advice we had. We each fit our lives for a year into a 46L backpack.

    Our most used item:
    Whitney - $10 cheetah print scarf from Kmart (it’s a scarf, a sarong, a shirt, sun protection, and headwear for temples)
    Andreas - Sunscreen, a year in the sun is hard on the skin

    Our most superfluous yet loved item:
    Whitney - Four bottles of nail polish. This made me feel somewhat pretty during a year of no makeup, dirty clothes, and constant sweat
    Andreas - Ukulele until it broke in two just before a live performance at our hostel in India

    Our stupidest item:
    Whitney - Andreas would say it was my bluetooth selfie stick... however I would say a money pouch to dangle around my neck. We kept a normal wallet in our bag and we stayed aware of our surroundings
    Andreas - My belt with a secret money pouch sewn into it. Never used it, not sure I even had pants that needed a belt

    Our year of travel was an unbelievable experience. Andreas and I feel so lucky that we were born in countries where we were able to work hard, save our money, and experience our world.    Weiterlesen

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    1

    Tayrona National Park, Columbia

    20. Mai 2018 in Kolumbien ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    Tayrona National Park was the final destination of our trip and it did not disappoint. This park is on the north coast of Columbia and is replete with monkeys, birds, and iguanas. After provisioning in the nearby city of Santa Marta, Whit and I travelled by bus to the park's entrance and hiked for about an hour to our first campsite. Here, we discovered that the promised kitchen facilities were nothing more than a spot to make your own fire and a few dirty old pots; lucky we only took cookable food with us... After a few failed attempts and some support from a local (it was already going when he helped) we managed to cook our dinner the old fashioned way. The following day we walked for about an hour to the most popular campsite in the park which sits right on the beach. Here we slept in hammocks on a mini peninsula jutting out from the beach. At high tide, this crag briefly became a tiny island as water swallowed the spit of sand connecting it to the main campsite. While it took some time to get comfortable, it was a fantastic spot to sleep. You'll be happy to know that we didn't attempt to cook dinner that night, instead we decided to buy it from the campsite restaurant like every other normal person. From here we hiked to a beachfront campsite toward the entrance of the campsite and, because we are masochists, attempted to cook dinner with similar 'kitchen facilities'. It didn't go well but I guess it's all part of the experience.Weiterlesen

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  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney

    Minca, Columbia

    17. Mai 2018 in Kolumbien ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C

    We had our first major oops of the trip. At the end of a five hour bus ride Andreas shook me awake and said, “Whitney, where’s your passport...” it turns out we left my passport at our previous hostel! They always make a copy of your passport when you arrive but the receptionist never handed it back and we got distracted. Luckily two girls from the hostel happened to be heading our way later that night and they got it back to us. Hooray, crisis averted!

    In the mountain town of Minca, electricity only works about 50% of the time. There is not much to do but hike. We hiked three hours in the mud to the famous Casa Elemento. Once there we enjoyed the sounds of the jungle while sipping Columbian coffee. I braved the giant hammocks that jutted out over the valley. We were feeling lazy so we opted to take moto-taxis on the way down. This turned out the be a crazy adventure in itself as it had been raining all day and it was muddy and slippery. We put our trust in our drivers and made it down alive!    Weiterlesen

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  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney

    Cartagena, Columbia

    15. Mai 2018 in Kolumbien ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    Can you believe it?! One year ago, Whitney and I set off on our world adventure. Since I was a teenager I dreamed of doing a trip like this but the reality of doing it completely dwarfs the fantasy. We've seen amazing places, met wonderful people, and had some of the greatest experiences of our lives so far. As we are close to, but not at the end of our trip yet, I'll save the reflective/sentimental post for then. Nevertheless, I felt that this milestone needed a tiny bit of recognition. To celebrate this moment we had some cocktails with friends on Cartagena's fort wall during sunset. It was stunning.

    Cartagena is a vibrant city on the north coast of Columbia. The 'Old City' (tourist district) is encircled by an ancient stone wall and the beautiful Spanish buildings inside are jammed together like sardines. While there isn't much to do in Cartagena, getting lost in the Old City is almost a tourist's rite of passage which Whit and I comfortably achieved. Our other activities in Cartagena were visiting the mediocre Inquisition museum (don't go) and watching street performances in a popular city square whilst drinking cheap local beer (do go).    Weiterlesen

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    Casa en el Agua, Columbia

    12. Mai 2018 in Kolumbien ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    Two hours off the coast of Cartegena is Casa en el Agua, a hostel on stilts in the middle of the ocean. It's a travelers paradise: Swimming, snorkeling, paddle boards, and plenty of hammocks. We planned to stay for three days, however shortly after arriving things took an interesting turn:

    We were asked to be models for a huge house nearby. With the promise of free beer and food we quickly agreed. Along with two other couples, we made the short boat journey to the house. As we were motoring away to an undisclosed location by random Columbian guys and being bribed with beer, alarm bells started going off ‘...is this it? ...are they going to harvest our organs? ...wow, we are pretty stupid.’ Luckily that was not the case! We made it to the gorgeous house on the water! They are trying to rent the house and want to show couples having an awesome time... so that is what we did. We jumped in the ocean, sampled delicious cocktails, went tubing, snorkeling, and sailing. Our direction from the photographer was “act like your having a lot of fun.” News flash Oleg... we are having a ton of fun!

    After a day of shooting, we went back to the Casa en el Agua for a night of salsa dancing. Andreas and I were both amazed with how fast the Columbians can move their hips!

    The photographer told us they have another house in the area they wanted pictures of. We did some negotiating and agreed we would be their models if we could stay in the big house! So early the next day they collected us as well as the two other couples and we went to the new house. After a day of relaxing and a few close-ups, we went back to the original house and had a great time playing a traditional Columbian dice game called Concho. The guys were really cool and it was super interesting to talk to them about their lives. We also met two other great couples. It proves that sometimes you have to be spontaneous, throw your plans out the window, and say yes to strange adventures.    Weiterlesen

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    1
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    Providencia, Columbia

    9. Mai 2018 in Kolumbien ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    From San Andrès we took a three hour ferry to get to the less-touristy and smaller island of Providencia. The ferry crossing was pretty awful with more than a few passengers losing their lunch during the crossing... Whit included.

    On Providencia we stayed at a beachfront homestay run by a fabulous Caribbean mother/daughter combo. It was a week of birthdays at our homestay and each was accompanied by a Caribbean-style party. We were kindly invited to both parties and enjoyed the traditional food (conche ceviche with tomato sauce and a huge boil-up soup over an open fire), music and dance, and island drinking style (numerous whiskey and rum shots). Our favourite quote was "there ain't no thieving here!" said with a thick Caribbean accent by the owner of our homestay when Whitney attempted to lock her bedroom door.

    Our activities on the island included beach hopping on a scooter, kayaking to a small island off Providencia and snorkelling in its crystal clear water, and climbing the highest peak on the island to get a 360 degree view of the place.

    The highlight of Providencia, and a clear top 5 favourite of our entire trip, was SCUBA diving with its local inhabitants, grey reef sharks! From the moment we started our dive we were surrounded by these majestic animals, some up to 2.5m long. At one point I counted eight circling us with some being less than a metre from me. While we knew we would see sharks whilst diving here, we found the experience unnerving especially when starting our dive. However, by the end of our dive, both Whit and I began to feel a degree of comfort despite their presence. An experience neither of us will soon forget!    Weiterlesen

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    San Andrés, Columbia

    1. Mai 2018 in Kolumbien ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    750km (470mi) off Columbia's north coast lies the tiny Colombian island of San Andrés nestled in the Caribbean Sea. Andreas and I stayed in a secluded jungly hotel with open walls and mosquito nets. As we were the only guests, the owner Diego spent a lot of time showing us around the island and his favorite dive spots. He told us about his time as a teenager smuggling drugs into the US through Miami in the 80s and the hardships that came with living in Columbia during that time.

    A two minute walk from our hotel produced some of the best snorkeling we have ever done. In the bathtub warm waters, we saw coral forests, hundreds of fish of varying sizes and colors, and dove through caves. We also had one of our top SCUBA diving experiences. We again saw hundreds of fish, dove through caves, posed with underwater statues, saw an old shipwreck, and were startled by a huge barracuda (all with no wetsuit)! We spent our last day riding bikes around the island with another couple, stopping along the way for cold beers and dips in the ocean. The island is truly a beautiful tropical getaway.    Weiterlesen

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  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney

    Medellín, Columbia

    25. April 2018 in Kolumbien ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Whit and I agree with the hype, Medellín is fantastic! The people are friendly, the public transport is efficient, and the city is stunning.

    We spent most of our time here staying with Esteban and his family; a Columbian underwater hockey player I met while playing in the South Africa Worlds in 2008. In Medellín, I was lucky enough to play an underwater hockey game with Esteban's club against some of Columbia's players. Despite being out of breath for most of the match, I had a great time. Also, because the pool had underwater viewing windows, Whit managed to watch her first match!

    While in Medellín, we also took the Metrocable (basically a gondolla) up into the hills for panoramic views of the city and visted a great farmers market. On another day, we travelled two hours by bus to the quaint resort town of Gautape. Near Gautape looms a huge granite slab called Piedra del Peñol. We climbed hundreds of stairs built into its side to reach the summit. The views from the top were outstanding.    Weiterlesen

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    Presidential Palace

    Bogotá, Columbia

    21. April 2018 in Kolumbien ⋅ 🌬 20 °C

    We made it to our final country! Heading into Bogota, Andreas and I heard mixed reviews about the Columbian capital. Although it's huge (8 million people), Andreas and I both enjoyed our time there. We stayed in a cute hostel that was a converted old villa. It was a great place to relax and recharge. We did a walking tour one day which we both agreed was the best walking tour we have done. We saw major sights (many of which we recognized from the TV show Narcos), sampled local fruits (we loved lulus - they taste like a passion/kiwi fruit hybrid), chewed coca-leaf tea, drank Columbian coffee, and had chicha, a fermented corn alcoholic drink. I finally replaced my broken flip flops and Andreas bought some much needed new underwear. Next stop, Medellin!Weiterlesen

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    1

    Lima, Peru

    18. April 2018 in Peru ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    After leaving the beach house behind, we drove north to Lima. Andreas and I were pleasantly surprised by Lima. It is right on the coast with big cliffs (think Southern California cliffs). It is full of good restaurants and large public spaces. Our first night we went to Jose’s house and indulged in something we have really been missing... SETTLERS OF CATAN! Andreas won of course, but I was a very close second. We spent the next day lounging by the pool at an exclusive sports club and Lima’s only private beach! Thanks Samoa for getting us in. We spent another day on a walking tour that took us to a rooster breeder for cock fights (they don’t fight them there). Apparently the winners sell for around $2,500 USD! We do not support cock fighting... but those were some pretty huge and mean looking roosters. Our last night in Lima we went to the movie theater and watched Ready Player One (in English with Spanish subtitles). It was great catching up with Jose, getting to know Samoa, and experiencing Lima through the eyes of a local.Weiterlesen

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    Lunahuaná, Peru

    15. April 2018 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    We met up with an old friend of mine from high school, Jose Visconti and his girlfriend Samoa who both live in Lima. It was great seeing a familiar face and catching up with Jose who is now a chocolatier! He sources his beans from deep in the Peruvian jungle, and it is very delicious (shout out to Elemento chocolate). We stayed in the popular Peruvian tourist town of Lunahuana. We drank wine by the pool and chatted about life. Next we went north to Jose’s family’s beach house (30 minutes south of Lima). It was inside a gated community and a very different way to see Peru. It was a beautiful community where everyone spends the day on the beach and rides their bikes from happy hour to happy hour. It felt very much like San Diego. We had a wonderful dinner filled with wine, pisco (Peruvian liqueur), guacamole, and ice cream with Jose, Samoa, and his parents.Weiterlesen

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    Huacachina, Peru

    13. April 2018 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Picture a desert oasis and you're probably envisioning the tiny tourist town of Huacachina. There are palm trees, a small lake, and massive, looming sand dunes on all sides. Needless to say, it's an extremely picturesque spot.

    The main tourist activities here are dune buggy riding and sandboarding. Naturally, we did both. We started by hiking (struggling) to the top of a nearby dune for some sandboarding lessons (side note - Whit and I thought this dune was big but compared to what we boarded later, it was but a wee baby). After a few practice runs (including one where I used my face to decelerate) we started to get the hang of it. Basically, in comparison to snowboarding, you have to lean back further with fewer, less acute turns, especially near the bottom of the dunes. This is because sand is denser than snow and gets harder packed at the bottom of the slope making the front of your board feel like a constantly applied handbrake. To combat this, sandboards (modified snowboards) have a layer of Formica (compressed wood) on the bottom and you wax the board with a candle before every run. Following our practice, we were picked up by a dune buggy and zipped deep into the desert. The buggy basically acted like a rollercoaster chairlift, picking us up at the bottom of a massive dune, driving up, down, and around imposing mountains of sand, then depositing us at the top of another, bigger, dune. We had a blast but by the end of it, we were both absolutely covered in sand. I think I prefer snow.    Weiterlesen

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    Cusco, Peru

    9. April 2018 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Cusco is a great jumping off point for Machu Picchu and other adventures. The city itself is surprisingly beautiful. It's full of old, well-maintained buildings with red tile roofs. The main square is pedestrian-only and full of cute shops and locals selling “original” prints and massages. Cusco is famous for its rainbow trout ceviche which did not disappoint. As the city is at an altitude of 3400m (11,200ft) and full of very steep streets, we definitely felt out of breath the majority of the time we were here.

    We went on a day trip to the famous Montaña de Siete Colores (Rainbow Mountain). As the mountain sits at a whopping 5200m (17,000 ft) we loaded up on cocoa leaf tea before - a Peruvian altitude sickness trick that packs a kick and makes your lips tingle. As we heard from friends that the hike is a killer at that altitude, we opted to ride horses up. This turned out to be a fun adventure in itself. We rode past beautiful landscapes and grazing llamas. The local men led our horses up the mountain in sandals, amazing as it was snowing! We still had to hike up the steepest parts of the trails to give the horses a break. When we made it to the top, we saw the beautiful multi-colored mountains. We enjoyed the view for awhile and then headed down the mountain to get out of the cold and back to a more reasonable altitude!    Weiterlesen

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    Machu Picchu, Peru

    5. April 2018 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Another place struck off the ol' bucket-list; welcome to Machu Picchu, one of the seven Wonders of the World! Whit and I joined a jungle trek tour package and spent an action-packed four days getting there. This trek included some seriously fast down-hill (on a paved road) mountain biking, hiking a panoramic section of the Inca trail, lounging in hot springs next to a turbulent river,  zip-lining across gorges, and, of course, a 4:30am jaunt up to Machu Picchu. We missed the sunrise because of fog, however, this cleared off by mid morning uncovering unbelievable views. Even though the ruins of Machu Picchu are insane, for me, it's where they are located that is most impressive. The ruins are nestled on a mountain ridge between two peaks, about 400m above the valley floor. On one side of the ancient town is a steep drop to the valley below, while the side we hiked up is definitely not a gradual slope. Machu Picchu was discovered by an American Yale historian turned explorer (Hiram Bingham) in 1911 while he searched for a different ancient city. Apparently he was led to the ruins by a local farmer and initially thought he had found an already discovered Inca site. Only after reviewing his pictures of the ruins whilst back in the US did his discovery dawn on him. He returned a short while later to excavate the site and, according to our guide, smuggle some of the discovered relics back to the States (great guy).

    Machu Picchu marked the last of our trip's big ticket items. Seeing it makes us all the more aware that our adventure is nearing it conclusion. It's a bitter sweet feeling but we are excited to embark on the next chapter of our lives.    Weiterlesen

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    Isla del Sol, Bolivia

    31. März 2018 in Bolivien

    After staying the night at the lakeside town of Copacabana, we took the ferry to Isla Del Sol, a Bolivian island rising out of Lake Titicaca. Lake Titicaca is the largest lake in South America by volume, with a surface area of just under 8400km squared. After a week of nonstop travel, it was a much needed escape. The island has no motorized vehicles and all the hotels are located up 200m of steep steps; at 3800m above sea level, these were quite a challenge. The island is full of flowers and picturesque veggie gardens. For 60 bolivianos ($9 USD) we had a bungalow with a panoramic view of the lake from our bed. We did however have to compromise on the running water/toilet situation. We spent most of our time on the island reading, tasting the local trout, and napping to the sound of donkeys and birds. We also hiked up to ruins on the top of the island to watch the sunset. Leaving the island on a local ferry we felt well rested and ready for our next adventure in Peru!Weiterlesen

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    La Paz, Bolivia

    28. März 2018 in Bolivien ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    We made it to the dirty, grity, and yet surprisingly likable high-altitude city of La Paz (3640m)! We stayed at an infamous party hostel and while fun, upon leaving La Paz Whit and I desperately needed some R&R.

    We took a walking tour of the city, learning about Bolivia's recent political history, strange cultural customs associated with the witcher's market, and the infamous San Pedro prison which, according to our guide, has a cocaine factory running inside. While Whit relaxed in our hostel, I braved the Death Road by mountain bike, the world's most dangerous road. The scenery was amazing and the sheer drops on one side definitely got the adrenaline pumping. La Paz is implementing a public transport gondola system to get around the city. While a few lines will be completed late this year, those that are up and running are fantastic, and make for a great way to get around the city. We used these gondolas to ascend to La Paz's hills for some stunning views of the city.    Weiterlesen

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    Jeep Tour: Salt Flats

    23. März 2018 in Bolivien

    On the final day of our tour we set off at 4:30am and drove to the famous Uyuni salt flats. During February and March the rains cause the salt flats to flood giving it a spectacular mirrored effect. After driving over the flooded parts, we made it to the expansive white salt flats. They are 12,000 square km wide, 70 meters of salt deep, and 98% salt. We had breakfast in an old salt hotel and spent time playing with the perspective on our cameras. It turned out that it is much harder than it looks to get a classic salt flats photo. Covered in salt, we briefly visited a train graveyard before parting ways with our tour group in the tiny town of Uyuni.Weiterlesen

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    2

    Jeep Tour: Hotel de Sal

    22. März 2018 in Bolivien ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

    During our second day of the jeep tour, we visited the seven coloured mountains (I counted only four), a rock in a strange tree-like formation, several stunning high-altitude lakes each with a colony of flamingos, beautiful quinoa crop fields coloured vibrant greens, yellows, and reds, and  a mountain perfectly framed by a nearby rock formation. That night we stayed in a hotel made almost entirely out of salt. As about 90% of Bolivia's population is Catholic, Whit had to flash the hotel's proprietor her engagement ring so that we could share a room.Weiterlesen

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    Jeep Tour: Laguna Colorada

    21. März 2018 in Bolivien

    We have heard from a lot of travelers that the ‘thing to do’ is a three day Jeep tour through the Andes from Chile into the Bolivian town of Uyuni. At only $170 for all transport, food, and accommodation, Andreas and I were in. We have been traveling with two kiwis from Auckland and an American from Seattle, so we all decided to go together. Our first stop was the Bolivian border, a small hut in the middle of the desert. We have heard the border crossing can be difficult for Americans (we have to pay $160 US while everyone else is free), however, I had no idea just how difficult it would be. While everyone else got a smile and a stamp, it seemed I was being punished for all the wrongs America has done in history. Although I had all my paperwork in order, they still yelled at me in Spanish, ripped one form I had in half, and refused to accept my pristine US dollar bills. After a lot of stress and bonding with the other Americans being abused, we made it through and we were ready to go on our way!

    From then on, the trip was a wonderful experience. We have split the trip into three post as we have the most unbelievable photos from each day.

    After meeting our driver David, a 50 yr old Bolivian man who did not speak a word of English, we set off on our adventure. We drove by reflective lagoons, snow capped mountains, and endless desert landscapes. We stopped at natural hot springs on a huge lagoon full of flamingos. Despite the beautiful weather, it was cold out and it felt great to relax in the warm water. Everyone in our group started to feel dizzy and short of breath while we were in the hotpools... turns out we were at an altitude of 4800m! The top of Annapurna Base Camp was only 4130m. We drove on to our accommodation for the night; a small hotel with dorm rooms, no showers, and limited electricity. Before dinner, we set out again to watch the sunset at the most spectacular place I have ever been; a red lagoon full of pink flamingos, mossy green shores, and grazing llamas. The pictures do not do this place justice.    Weiterlesen

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    Atacama Desert, Chile

    20. März 2018 in Chile ⋅ 🌙 14 °C

    Thirsty much? Welcome to the driest non-polar region on Earth, the Atacama Desert! This arid hotbox definitely lived up to its name.

    We stayed in the small dusty desert town of San Pedro in a Burning Man-esk hostel straight out of Mad Max. Despite it being a desert, for some reason we decided to hire bikes and pedal our way to Valley de la Luna (valley of the moon) in the mid-afternoon heat. During this 35km/six hour suicide mission, we ran out of water and didn't get back into town until nightfall. Nevertheless, the desertscape was surreal and it actually looked like we were on Mars. We also spent an evening stargazing, learning about the constellations and viewing various nebula through high powered telescopes. Last but not least, we met a 19 year old English chap named Guthrie Ruby who casually implied that his guacamole is unrivalled. Naturally Whitney took this as a challenge and a heated guac-off ensued with me being the judge... poor me. Astoundingly, Whitney was convincingly trounced (she concurred with the judge's careful deliberation) and we learned Guthrie's tricks of the trade. Look out San Diego, delicious guac is coming for you!Weiterlesen

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    Santiago, Chile

    18. März 2018 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    We made it to Santiago, Chile’s capital. After a quick exploration of our area, Andreas and I discovered the most delicious taco place right across the street from our hostel. They only have three items on the menu: Beef, chicken, or slow roasted pork tacos. So good! As I picked up a small cold, Andreas went solo and hiked to the top of a nearby hill to get a good view of the entire city. Later in the day, Andreas and I went on a walking tour of the city learning about the Pinochet dictatorship. Next, we are skipping the 24hr bus ride and flying north to the most arid non-polar desert in the world.Weiterlesen

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    12

    Valparaiso, Chile

    15. März 2018 in Chile ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    After a stunning bus ride through the Andes, Whit and I made it to Chile and back to the Pacific Ocean! Our first stop was the artsy coastal city of Valparaiso, think Wellington or San Francisco. The 'cerros' (hills) of the city, where most of the population live, rise up out of the ocean and are remarkably easy to get lost in - both literally and metaphorically. The narrow cobbled streets wind their way upwards while hundreds of twisting and turning walkways and staircases give you picturesque views of the coast. There are colourful graffiti murals around every corner and buskers fill the streets with their Spanish music. Valparaiso is a wonderful place.

    We did a walking tour of Valparaiso, learning about its history as a key port town during the California goldrush. We also spent a day on the beach relaxing, watching a sea lion colony fight amongst themselves, and an evening out singing karaoke. We now head to Chile's capital city, Santiago.    Weiterlesen

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  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney

    Mendoza, Argentina

    12. März 2018 in Argentinien ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    We are engaged!!! Mendoza is famous for its beautiful vineyards and wine tasting! Andreas and I rented bicycles and planned on a day of riding from vineyard to vineyard. We went with a group of people from our hostel.

    To the good stuff, how he popped the question! At the second winery (MEVI Bodega Boutique) after a delicious tasting, Andreas suggested we go on a walk through the grapevines. Another girl in our group said “let’s all go,” but Andreas said "no, let’s go just us." I thought that was a little strange, but agreed. As we were walking down the steps Andreas was acting a bit odd and I thought this is it! Because I am a crazy person, I immediately did a sneaky check of both of his front pockets for a ring box bulge. I didn’t see one so I thought okay, it’s not happening, enjoy the walk. As we were walking through the vines and I was busy commenting on grapes, Andreas said “Whitney...” I turned around and there he was... on one knee in the dirt holding out a ring. My jaw immediately dropped. He said “... I forgot what I was going to say... I love you! Will you marry me?” Obviously I said “YES!!!” Andreas knows I am super observant, so he hid the ring in his back pocket! We went back inside the winery and everyone was cheering for us! The owner gave us two glasses of very special wine to celebrate! We ended up buying two bottles, one to drink now and one to mail home (great sales tactic). We were on cloud nine for the rest of the day! Andreas later told me that he bought the ring back in Zurich airport and that the ring box has been hidden in a sock in his bag our entire time in South America. Sneaky boy!

    If traveling has taught us one thing, it is that Andreas and I can get through anything together and we have a ton of fun doing it! I didn’t think it was possible, but our bond and love for each other is so much stronger now than when we left (aside from the occasional argument when we are hungry, hot, and tired). He proves time and time again what a loving, strong, intelligent, funny, and beautiful person he is. I am so overjoyed that we get to spend our lives together. I am honored to be his FIANCÉ!    Weiterlesen

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  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney

    Bariloche, Argentina

    10. März 2018 in Argentinien ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C

    Bariloche is a beautiful little adventure town in the north of Argentina's Patagonia region. It sits next to a glacial lake surrounded by the Andes. Just out of town is the well-known Chico circuit - a 22km road threading its way between lakes and mountains. We hired scooters and biked around this circuit with friends we met at our hostel. The circuit is unbelievably picturesque and we all had a refreshing dip in the lake.

    The town of Bariloche was abuzz with athletes due to an Ironman event happening during the weekend. Totally unexpectedly, I ran into an old Argentinean friend named Luca who was in town to compete in this event. Luca went to my high school in New Zealand in 2007 as part of an exchange programme and we hadn't seen each other since. It was great to catch up with him over a drink (me beer and he lemonade)... such a small world!    Weiterlesen

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  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney

    Buenos Aires, Argentina

    7. März 2018 in Argentinien ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Buenos Aires is a vibrant, huge city that reminds me a lot of New York. We started traveling with a friend we met from New Zealand who is traveling the world in search of the ultimate party. Per his recommendation we stayed at the ‘best party hostel in Argentina,’ Milhouse. We explored the city by day and tried to keep up with the partiers at night, but failed miserably. In Argentina people do not go to the clubs before 3:00 am!! This is way past Andreas and my bedtime. We did manage to hang in there until 1-2am. However, I didn’t mind when we saw people coming HOME from the club while we were eating breakfast at 9am!!!

    We had a great night at a tango show. It included a three course meal, unlimited wine, tango lessons, and a spectacular tango show. The costumes, music, and dancing blew us both away. We even got certificates to show that we passed a basic tango course... if you are lucky we will show you our new skills. Another day we went on a bike tour of the city and the famously colorful La Boca area. It is clear that football (soccer) is life here. We met one fan who is so dedicated to his team that he had the La Boca stadium tattooed on his back. We experienced this passion first hand at a football game! Getting into the game was an experience in itself. We walked through multiple security checks and passed rows and rows of police in full riot gear. Once in the game we sat behind chain linked fence topped with barb wire. Alcohol is also banned in the stadium. Obviously these games get pretty out of control. The game was fun and full of spirit (we tied 1:1). Fans even climbed the fence and shook the barbed wire to show their support!

    On a side note, we had an attempted break in of our hostel locker. The lock was very bent, but it held. Luckily nothing was taken. A reminder that we need to be diligent of theft in South America. Next stop we head south to Bariloche, the top of Patagonia.    Weiterlesen

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  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney
    1

    Iguazu Falls, Brazil and Argentina

    1. März 2018 in Brasilien ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Iguazu falls, running along the Brazil/Argentina border, is amazing. It is the largest waterfall system in the world with between 150 and 300 waterfalls flowing at any one time. The falls span 2.7km (1.7mi) with an average flow rate of almost 1800 cubic metres per second! Whit and I visited both sides of the falls. I was more impressed by the Brazilian side because you got the full panorama of the falls. Whit preferred the Argentinian side as you got to stand on the walkways above them. Either way, the experience was spectacular and a must-do on any South American excursion.Weiterlesen

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