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  • Andreas and Whitney
  • Andreas and Whitney

World Adventure

From New Zealand to San Diego in a year. The adventure of a lifetime. Read more
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  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney

    Agra, India

    November 11, 2017 in India

    Whit and I partially escaped the Delhi pollution by catching an early morning train to Agra. The Taj Mahal is Agra's main tourist attraction. We woke up at dawn to beat the crowds and watch the sunrise. However, a pollution/early-morning-mist combo forced us change our plans and we instead had breakfast at a bustling and dirty street market. We were the only westerners in sight and our cheap and tasty breakfast included the best chai teas we've ever had.

    We checked out the Taj Mahal at mid-morning and were stunned by its size and beauty. We had to fight crowds of people for prime photo spots but it was all worth it for the snaps we got. As we are westerners, our tickets cost far more than indian tourists' tickets ($20 vs 80cents) and we were considered  'high value ticket holders'. Being highrollers, we were entitled to skip huge lines extending around the Taj's perimeter and head directly inside. The Taj's exterior is currently being cleaned and in one of the pictures below you can clearly see the difference the cleaning makes. With one World Wonder ticked off our list, we head to Varanasi next to the Ganges to the mecca of culture shocks.    Read more

  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney

    Varanasi, India

    November 13, 2017 in India

    It's difficult to describe our Varanasi experience. Some words that come to mind are bizarre, amazing, unique, and weird. It was by far the biggest culture shock we have had so far. It was truly an oppressive assault on our senses.

    Varanasi is considered the oldest living city in the world. People have been making the pilgrimage to Varanasi for 4,000 years to burn the bodies of their deceased relatives and bathe in the Ganges river to 'wash off their sins.' People believe that burning a person's body beside the river stops the reincarnation process. If you are a baby, pregnant, or have committed suicide, your body is not cremated but put into the river so you can be reincarnated again. If you have the time, look up Varanasi and the Aghori people. These people live along the river banks of the Ganges and cover their bodies head to toe in human ash. The Aghori also follow cannibalistic practices.

    Andreas and I walked along the riverfront and watched the bizarre happenings. We had a few up close and personal encounters with dead people. It seemed that everywhere we went along the river people were carrying around the bodies of loved ones. We can now say that we have witnessed a cremation. It is both horrifying and fascinating to be a part of this ancient tradition (understandably photography is not allowed).

    It was both interesting and gross to see people bathing, washing their clothes, and brushing their teeth in the water right next to where the bodies were burned. I cringe to think what a microbe slide would look like taken from that water. Most horrifying were the hotels washing all their linens in the river (we used our sleep sacks).

    Andreas and I both decided that Varanasi is a place we don't want to go back to, but think everyone should go to see at least once in their lifetime. This is truly a place we will never forget.    Read more

  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney
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    Jaipur, India

    November 14, 2017 in India ⋅ 🌫 25 °C

    It's official, Whit and I have been traveling for half a year and have visited 13 countries! Among countless experiences, we've partied on the Gili islands in Indonesia, scuba dived in the crystal clear waters of Malaysia, zip-lined through the jungle in Laos, meditated at the temples in Cambodia, sung Karaoke in Japan, and hiked the Himalayas. Despite the trials that come with long term travel (mostly missing all you wonderful people), this adventure has been life changing. We are truly blessed to have had the opportunity to do this trip and I couldn't have picked a better partner-in-crime to do this with.

    Back to business as usual, Jaipur was a nice first taste of India's Rajasthan state. We stayed in a flash social hostel, meeting lots of other travelers and went out for the evening to an Indian club offering free alcohol to the ladies. Jaipur's main attraction is the Amber fort, an immense castle and walled city. While we didn't want to front up the extortionate prices to head inside the fort, Whit and I hiked up (for free) the ridge opposite the fort to watch the sunset. It was a lovely way to spend the evening.    Read more

  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney

    Pushkar, India

    November 16, 2017 in India

    After a few near-death experiences on a crazy local bus, we safely arrived in the hippie-haven of Pushkar. The city has less traffic than our previous destinations with only one main road lined with shops. The old city and temples surround a small lake where people bathe in its holy waters. We spent most of our time in Pushkar relaxing at a beautiful rooftop cafe by the lake. We enjoyed watching a family of monkeys jump between houses, people worshiping the not so pristine lake, and the colorful sunsets. Andreas and I feel recharged and ready for our next adventure.Read more

  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney
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    Jodhpur, India

    November 21, 2017 in India ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Like all of India, the blue city of Jodhpur was noisy, bustling, and dirty. It is situated deep within the state of Rajasthan, so it was our first experience of a classic Indian desert city. The buildings are all side by side, square, multi-levelled, and usually painted light blue (hence the moniker 'the blue city'). On top of a hill overlooking the city is the Mehrangarh fort, a huge arabianesque castle. We spent one afternoon exploring this beast and visiting the museum inside.

    Other highlights of Jodhpur were the beautiful blue buildings (often with turquoise doors), a brilliant cafe serving the best coffee we have had in ages, and the local goats dressed in sweaters. Yep, you read right. Goats wearing sweaters... My favourite was a fiesty hipster look alike adorned in a cardigan and enthusiastically attempting to headbutt Whit (check the pictures).    Read more

  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney
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    Jaisalmer, India

    November 25, 2017 in India ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Indian thanksgiving! While exploring the beautiful sandstone fort of Jaisalmer, Andreas and I met a fellow American at a cafe and we decided to have an Indian thanksgiving. At the restaurant, our dinner for three combined with a birthday party and turned into a huge thanksgiving feast complete with tandoori chicken, mashed potatoes, and mixed veg curry. It's hard being away from family and friends during the holidays, but our feast made it feel like home.

    The next day we fulfilled a personal dream of mine to go on a camel safari. We went with a couple we met the night before from Australia. We instantly hit it off so it made for a great time. We took a jeep for one hour and then rode camels for about 1.5 hours into the Thar desert. On the way we stopped at our guide's village to meet his baby camel that was born the night before. Meeting this beautiful alien-like baby was a very special experience. Riding camels was a lot different than we expected. They are a lot taller and a lot bumpier than we imagined. We arrived at our camp just in time to watch the sunset. We were only 40km from Pakistan! After two weeks of sensory overload, it was surreal to have complete silence. We ate curries around the campfire and stargazed from our beds.

    We woke up to breakfast in bed and were pleased to find two cute dogs from a local village sleeping under our beds for warmth. After the guides rounded up the camels, who were grazing during the night, we rode back to civilization. This was definitely one of our top experiences.

    Next we head south to the beaches of Goa for a little R & R.    Read more

  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney
    1

    Goa, India

    November 30, 2017 in India ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Whit and I enjoyed our time in the beachy southern state of Goa. It reminded us of south east Asia which was a welcome change to the cold and chaos of northern India. By chance, we met a fellow kiwi from Wellington (Mark) at the airport and spent our time in Goa with him visiting nearby beaches (sometimes on motorbikes), perusing the goods at a large flea market, lazing on various loungers by the beach, drinking fruit juices and beer, and eating the delicious southern Indian food (fish curry and masala dosa).

    We now head to Sri Lanka to travel with my parents for three weeks! Goodbye India!    Read more

  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney
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    Negombo, Sri Lanka

    December 1, 2017 in Sri Lanka ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    We found Andreas' parents (Jon and Barb) in Sri Lanka!

    We will be traveling with them through Sri Lanka for the next three weeks. Our first stop was Negombo. Our first few days were full of rain. We don't mind because it means cooler weather. We did however have to wade through water whenever we wanted to leave our Airbnb. We explored the windy beaches in our rain coats and had fun catching up with each other.Read more

  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney

    Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

    December 2, 2017 in Sri Lanka ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    We all had mixed feelings about our time in the ancient ruin-rich city of Anuradhapura.

    Anuradhapura is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities of the world and its main attractions are three giant dome structures called Stupas as well as a sacred tree that dates back to 245 BC. The Stupas measure over 60m (200ft) high and over 90m (300ft) in diameter with the oldest dating back to the 1st century BC. While we visited these attractions and found them impressive, we felt that the $25 USD entry fee was too steep, especially given that no one checked this ticket when visiting two of the Stupas as well as the sacred tree. On top of this, despite the attractions being busy, we barely saw anyone else buying these tickets, making the expensive price seem like a scam. Nevertheless, as you can see from the photos, Anuradhapura had a lot to offer and we enjoyed ourselves.Read more

  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney

    Sigiriya, Sri Lanka

    December 4, 2017 in Sri Lanka ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Polonnaruwa, a village near Sigirya, is beautiful and quiet, surrounded by rivers and rice fields. After a long sunset walk, we went out for a unique dining experience at an organic farm/restaurant. There was no menu, we just sat down and the owner started bringing out the food. 21 dishes in total! It was delicious, healthy, and all for only $9 NZD a person.

    Next we headed to the famous Sigiriya. An awe-inspiring rock/volcanic plug that seems to protrude miraculously from the jungle below. On top of it are ruins from an ancient city. Because we are on a tighter budget than Jon and Barb, we let them climb to the top by themselves, while Andreas and I hiked a nearby mountain that gave us a spectacular view of Sigiriya. Rain had been looming on the horizon all day, so we waited until the last moment to climb down the mountain before the skies opened and it started pouring. We took shelter in a sacred cave until it stopped. Next stop, Kandy!    Read more

  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney
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    Kandy, Sri Lanka

    December 7, 2017 in Sri Lanka ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    We spent most of our time in Kandy strolling through the botanical gardens which seemed like an oasis in the middle of a busy and dirty city. The highlights were the giant bamboo, the avenues of palm tree varieties, the cooks pine (a tall wispy tree with what looked like a crooked spine), double coconut trees (coconuts so big there may have been two in each pod!), a tree with a cactus epiphyte, the beautiful flower gardens, and the orchid garden.

    We also visited the Buddhist Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. This temple opens the doors to the tooth chamber three times a day (dawn, noon, and dusk) and there was a huge queue to look through the tiny doors and view an aisle of elephant tusks leading to a small golden Stupa supposedly housing the sacred tooth. While we opted to skip the line, Whit managed to snag a picture of the inner sanctum while struggling past the huge crowd.    Read more

  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney

    Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka

    December 9, 2017 in Sri Lanka ⋅ 🌬 10 °C

    The trains are on strike! We had grand plans to ride the world famous Sri Lankan railway through tea fields into the mountains. Instead, because of the pesky strike, we took the much cheaper, faster, and less scenic local express bus. In Nuwara Eliya we stayed in a lovely guesthouse overlooking a quaint vegetable farm and Sri Lanka's tallest peak (Pidurutalagala at 2524m or 8281ft). Given the rural landscape, we decided to rent scooters for two days and explore the town and its surrounding areas. The first day we went on a long windy ride to a local tea plantation. Here we had a free tour of the factory and learned all about various types of tea and how it is made. We finished the tour with a complimentary cup of BOP tea, a medium-strong black tea that you drink without milk... of course. On day two, we rode in the opposite direction through farmland that reminded us of New Zealand to Horton National Park; in fact, one of these dairy farms is partially owned by a NZ company! While we hiked for three hours to 'World's End' (described as a sheer cliff edge dropping down 800m), the valley was completely clouded in when we got there. Nevertheless, it was still a beautiful and scenic walk. Next stop Ella; the trains are still on strike, so it's the crowded local bus again.Read more

  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney

    Ella, Sri Lanka

    December 11, 2017 in Sri Lanka ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

    Shortly after arriving in Ella we could understand why most people describe it as a highlight of their Sri Lankan adventures. Being up in the mountains, the temperature was cooler and the atmosphere seemed to be more relaxed. We spent three days here sampling the numerous restaurants and reuniting with Australian travellers we met in India (Will and Emma from our camel safari). We spent one day climbing up to little Adams' peak which overlooks the valley of Ella as well as a number of tea plantations. We hiked to a large nine-arch train bridge and, as the trains were still cancelled due to the strike, walked back to town on the rail tracks.Read more

  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney

    Yala National Park, Sri Lanka

    December 12, 2017 in Sri Lanka ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    We left our hotel at 4am to go on a Jeep safari of Yala National Park. The park is famous for its leopards and elephants. We lined up with about 80 other Jeeps waiting for the gates to open. Once it was our turn we took off at speed to be one of the first into the park and get a good look at the animals. We were lucky enough to see two leopards lounging in a tree. We were on the lookout for more animals when our guide got a phone call and started racing across the park. When we arrived we saw a family of four elephants that came right up to our Jeep. One was a tiny baby drinking milk. It was a special experience. It was however a bit shocking when 20 more Jeeps showed up to get a glimpse of the elephants. A little later we saw a different family of four elephants swimming in a pond. We had a very up-close experience when the largest elephant came up to our Jeep to investigate us. It was pushing our car and sniffing us with its nose. We told our driver to get out of there! We also saw peacocks, monkeys, wild boar, water buffalo, and a ton of interesting birds. Other than the mass of people it was a great experience.Read more

  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney

    Mirissa, Sri Lanka

    December 15, 2017 in Sri Lanka ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Beachy Mirissa is a popular tourist haven on Sri Lanka's south coast. We spent three days here enjoying the sun, surf, and late afternoon thunderstorms which cleared before dinner. Breakfasts were usually at upmarket tourist cafes while dinners were fresh snapper at beach front restaurants for cheap ($15nzd for two people). An Australian friend struggling to catch a crab on the beach had us all in hysterics, especially when he attempted to sell the crab to a crab vendor on the beach front.

    During our time in Mirissa, we took a three hour voyage out to sea to view the biggest animals ever to grace the face of our planet... blue whales! They were immense. Spanning about 25m in length with only about a fifth of their bodies visible; these giants were impressive. Overall, we saw about 20 individual blue whales as they surfaced between feeding dives. The funnest fact I learnt during this expedition was that baby blue whales weigh three tonnes at birth and put on about 90kg (200lb) per day for the first year of their life! What beasts!    Read more

  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney

    Galle, Sri Lanka

    December 18, 2017 in Sri Lanka ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    We spent four days exploring Galle, Unawatuna, and Hikkaduwa; all southern beaches of Sri Lanka. Galle is a large walled fort and we walked its perimeter enjoying the view of the tropical blue waters. We all had a laugh when crows started dive-bombing Jon to protect their part of the wall. Jon and Barb took us out for a delicious belated birthday dinner at a nice hotel in the fort. Jon and Andreas went snorkeling while Barb and I lounged on the beach. We saw four large sea turtles close to the shore grazing on the seaweed. We enjoyed eating at more western-style cafes in these small beach towns. It was nice to soak up the sun and the ocean before we head to Europe for the winter.Read more

  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney

    Colombo, Sri Lanka

    December 20, 2017 in Sri Lanka ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    To round off our travels with my parents in Sri Lanka, we spent a few days in the capital city Colombo. Our major activity here was buying Sri Lanka inspired/themed Christmas presents. We enjoyed a nice farewell meal with my parents at a pizza joint. Whit and I loved our time with my parents in Sri Lanka and we were sad to go our separate ways. While they head back to New Zealand for a summer Christmas, we fly to Switzerland to spend the holidays with our friends and family living abroad.Read more

  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney

    Aarau, Switzerland

    December 25, 2017 in Switzerland ⋅ ⛅ 1 °C

    We made it to Europe! Andreas and I both appreciate the cleanliness, no honking, great public transport, walking on sidewalks, not being asked where we are from, blending in, modern buildings, and the cleanliness (yes, I know I wrote cleanliness twice)!

    Our first stop was Aarau, Switzerland to visit Andreas' uncle Thomas, his girlfriend Pia, and their three cats. It was so wonderful to be in a home with family. After washing everything we own, we watched the last three episodes of Stranger Things 2 on Netflix. It was pure bliss. We had two traditional Swiss meals with Thomas and Pia; Cervela (Swiss sausage) roasted over an outdoor fire, and raclette - thick melted cheese over potatoes and vegetables... YUM!

    On Christmas Eve, the four of us drove to Schmitten, Switzerland to visit Andreas' aunt Fran and her girlfriend Susan. On the way we dropped into Zuchwil to visit Andreas' grandparents' grave and light a candle for them. This was a very important event for Andreas, especially to pay his respects on Christmas Eve. At Fran's we had a great time decorating the tree, dancing to Christmas music, drinking wine, feasting, and opening presents. After dinner we took a long walk around Fran's neighborhood and had a protracted snowball fight in the streets that lasted the entire walk. It was an evening full of magic. The next morning we woke up to a traditional Swiss breakfast of homemade bread and cheese before heading out on the train to see our friends Monica and Rory!    Read more

  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney
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    Sarnen, Switzerland

    December 29, 2017 in Switzerland ⋅ ☀️ -1 °C

    After a delicious breakfast on Christmas day with my aunt, Whit and I took the train to Sarnen, a quaint little Swiss village, to unite with Whit's bestfriend Monica and her husband Rory who live in Luxembourg. We stayed at a beautiful Airbnb overlooking a frigid lake and snowcapped mountains. This Airbnb was so fancy that it housed an elevator and a sauna! We enjoyed a second Christmas with Monica and Rory, opening presents, drinking several bottles of wine, and getting weird. Our four days in the area included a day trip to Interlaken, hiking with a cheeky snowball fight, and snowboarding/sledding at a nearby ski field named Melchsee Frut. We spent our time at the house playing games, reading books, watching movies, and enjoying our time together.  At the recommendation of our Airbnb host, we had coffee and pastries at the Bürgenstock Resort on our way out of Sarnen. While the resort was way out of Whit and my price range, it had a lovely view overlooking Lucern and its surrounding lakes which we enjoyed.Read more

  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney

    Colmar, France

    December 30, 2017 in France ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    On our drive back to Luxembourg we stopped in the French town that inspired Beauty and the Beast. It's a breathtaking old town on a river surrounded by colorful houses. We enjoyed walking the cobbled streets still adorned with Christmas cheer and visiting a beautiful marketplace where we sampled toasted baguette sandwiches and chocolate eclairs; how French are we?! Next stop Luxembourg for New Years!Read more

  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney

    Trier, Germany

    January 4, 2018 in Germany ⋅ 🌧 9 °C

    Andreas and I went on a day trip from Luxembourg to the oldest city in Germany, Trier. We visited the local church. It had spectacular ceilings and carvings, with a breathtaking organ hanging from the ceiling. After exploring the city, we recreated one of our first dates at a coffee shop in an old medieval building. We recently celebrated our seventh anniversary! We are quickly realizing one of the greatest parts of Europe is its close proximity and easy access to other countries.Read more

  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney

    Luxembourg

    January 5, 2018 in Luxembourg ⋅ 🌧 7 °C

    We spent a week lounging at Monica and Rory’s house in Luxembourg. Face masks, bubble baths, Zelda, Mario Cart, and Netflix. Much needed after so long on the road. I, Whitney (Andreas made me clarify this), got my first haircut of the trip (5 inches)! Luxembourg is a beautiful old city filled with cute shops and delicious restaurants.

    On NYE we got dressed up and started our evening with a bottle of Don Perignon (thank you Monica and Rory)! We then went out to a restaurant with a delicious set menu. We rung in the New Year sipping champagne with the owners. On our walk home, we paused to watch teenagers light off fireworks in a park. It was a great evening with good friends.    Read more

  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney

    Bruges, Belgium

    January 7, 2018 in Belgium ⋅ ⛅ 2 °C

    We drove to Bruges from Luxembourg with Monica and Rory. Judith, our old flatmate from New Zealand, met us here from Holland. We spent the evening sampling Bruges' greatest export, beer! We visited several local pubs, each with a sizable beer variety, and stayed out until the early hours of the morning dancing to live music. We left Bruges with a few bottles of Westvleteren 12; 10.2%, brewed since 1940, and considered one of the best beers in the world. Sante!Read more

  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney

    Utrecht, The Netherlands

    January 13, 2018 in the Netherlands ⋅ 🌫 5 °C

    We spent a week with our friend Judith in her hometown of Utrecht. Utrecht is a beautiful city full of old townhouses built around canals - think Amsterdam without the tourists. The main mode of transport in the Netherlands is cycling and we quickly followed suit spending our days riding around the city. It was fun seeing how tall the Dutch are (especially coming from Southeast Asia) and our bikes on the lowest setting were too tall for me and Andreas. We had fun cooking dinner at Judith’s house, meeting up with our friend Tjarda from NZ who cooked us a wonderful Dutch meal, ice skating, and meeting Judith’s friends. One day we rode into a local forest and ate lunch at a famous pancake restaurant (very Dutch). We even gave Andreas his first IKEA experience including the hotdogs. What a treat!Read more

  • Andreas and WhitneyWorld AdventureAndreas and Whitney

    Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    January 14, 2018 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 3 °C

    We took a thirty minute train ride from Utrecht to Amsterdam to meet up with our friends from New Zealand, Joon and Trixie, who are currently traveling around Europe. We wandered the city during the day (mostly dodging the masses of tourists) and toured the Heineken brewery. We learned all about the Heineken brand and how beer is made. In the evening we took a boat tour through the canals to see the Festival of Lights. It was fantastic spending time with Joon and Trixie, especially because the last time we saw them was at their wedding in New Zealand.Read more

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