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  • Selina Cervantes
  • Selina Cervantes

world trip

in 165 days around the globe Lue lisää
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  • Matkan aloitus
    1. lokakuuta 2024
    Selina Cervantesworld tripMatkaaja
    view from the apartment
    geese♥️it's election seasonbagelcentral park♥️late night pizza

    New York

    1.–5. lokak. 2024, Yhdysvallat ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    bagels and pizza in new york

    After a rather long trip from Basel to New York I spend a couple nights staying with a friend in Manhattan and exploring the city. Very happy to leave the gray of Basel behind.

    --

    This is the longest it's ever ever taken me to get to the States, even though I’m only flying to the East Coast. After staying up all night, I catch an 8 a.m. train to Paris to be sure I arrive at the airport with plenty of time. I do, but I’m exhausted, have a headache, and still have eight hours before my flight.

    On the plane, I manage to sleep more or less well and at JFK Airport, I splurge on a taxi. The driver runs three red lights, speeds like crazy and ends up overcharging me. Finally, I settle onto a friend’s couch in Chelsea and get some real sleep.

    We eat out every day and everything is pricey and hefty—I’m really craving some fresh fruit and a light dinner.

    The jet lag hasn’t quite worn off yet, so I’m constantly tired but it's wonderful to be back, to experience the big city bustle and to see my friend. It’s warm and sunny and the mix of city smells is overwhelming.    Lue lisää

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  • Selina Cervantesworld tripMatkaaja
    corn cob houseferris wheel viewzoogood hostel timesLake Michiganbest hugest antique storebeeeaanbeeeeeeaaaaaaaaan♥️deep dish cheese pizzafully geared upbye bye

    Chicago

    5.–13. lokak. 2024, Yhdysvallat ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    zoo and lake and so many knickknacks

    Chicago is treating me well. It's relaxed, relatively easy to get around and we've met up with some wonderful people.

    --

    To save time and money, I take a flight to Chicago. I arrive late at night, take the metro into the city and meet up with Miles. Together, we check into a hostel in Chicago’s northern area.

    The neighborhood Halloween decorations are fun and entertaining. We explore the free zoo in the park, walk along Lake Michigan, meet up with friends, and hop from one amazing shop (where I’m not allowed to buy anything) to the next.

    I drink plenty of horchata, get a deep dish pizza (highly recommend) and sometimes we cook at the hostel.

    Getting around by metro and bus is easy and affordable and we only treat ourselves to Uber a few times. We play Scopa, pool, and hoops.    Lue lisää

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  • Selina Cervantesworld tripMatkaaja
    first impression from the train
    gardenAlbertthe fox theatrebass pro shopmuch worse than i could have ever imaginedbotanical gardensMOORE GEESEview from the arch2voting dayGus and Steveand Erniehappy halloween

    Saint Louis

    14. lokak.–1. marrask. 2024, Yhdysvallat ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    possums and pumpkins and beer.

    I have officially arrived in the Midwest. There's lots of talk about god and guns and it's easier to get around by car. I'm enjoying the sun and the parks and the cooking. I've been to six flags and the arch and played lots of darts and said fuck it dude, let's go bowling.

    --

    From Chicago I’m taking the train to St. Louis. It’s a direct route, 4 hours, incredibly comfortable and surprisingly modern. The view from the train beats the highway by far and everything goes smoothly. Train travel really deserves more popularity here.

    In St. Louis, Del picks me up at Union station and I’m staying for a bit longer than anticipated since I can stay with him. It’s nice to be in a quiet neighborhood after two big cities—no sirens and a view into greenery.

    I’m cooking a lot and even harvesting fresh vegetables from Del's garden. I’m savoring the chance to take things more slowly. I can join a yoga class and a ballet class, ride the bike through the huge park (with a free zoo again) and visit the botanical garden. I stop by the Gateway Arch, built in 1963, and the Fox Theatre, built in 1929, spend an evening at Six Flags and look at the Mississippi river.

    St. Louis is very flat, with an abundance of space. You need a car to get around, and it’s clear that, long ago—in the early 19th and early 20th centuries—this place was lively and both nationally and internationally significant. But those days seem to be over—there are countless vacant buildings and factories and even on weekends, I find it hard to find a real pulse here.

    Still, there are charming bars, cafes, and restaurants, and I’m really enjoying my time—playing a lot of Yahtzee, more Scopa, darts and bowling. The vintage shops are fantastic as always and I’m feeling a growing urge to buy a new pair of cowboy boots. We opt for a low key vampire costume for Halloween instead.

    While I’m here, the trees are turning more colorful. It’s a truly beautiful autumnal atmosphere and we are planning a short camping trip to a nearby state park.    Lue lisää

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  • Selina Cervantesworld tripMatkaaja
    roadtrip
    breakfasttwig bugSwiss miss making Swiss miss schoggi1imo's pizza

    Johnson's Shut Ins

    1.–3. marrask. 2024, Yhdysvallat ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    campfire and rain

    As it's getting colder, we're going on a short camping trip with the car full of gear.

    --

    After driving two hours south through the Missouri backcountry, past trailer homes, American flags and Trump signs, we reach Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park. We arrive after dark, set up our camp and light a fire to cook hot dogs for dinner. The night is cold, but with all our blankets, it’s manageable.

    The next morning, we prepare a hearty breakfast and take a walk along the river, where we go for a dip. The campsite is deep in the woods, with a stunning view of the star-filled night sky. We spot a few bunnies and countless ladybugs.

    That evening, we enjoy making raclette over the fire, sipping beer and playing Yahtzee as night falls. Although it gets dark earlier, the second night is slightly warmer.

    After breakfast in the tent, we pack up in the rain and start the drive back to St. Louis, navigating without cell service for part of the journey. I enjoy driving on American roads again and simply being behind the wheel after all these years.

    Then I head to the greyhound station and it's back on the road again for me.    Lue lisää

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  • Selina Cervantesworld tripMatkaaja
    arrival in Denver
    what i live on nowthis guy came at me with fury in his eyesstate capitoltrainmy home for the coming 32h

    Denver

    4.–5. marrask. 2024, Yhdysvallat ⋅ ☁️ 3 °C

    mountain people and good coffee

    I have a short overnight stay at a nice and welcoming hostel and a long train trip ahead of me.

    --

    It's cold and grey and snowing a bit in Denver and after an exhausting 19h bus ride with no heat i cannot appreciate that.
    The outskirts appear industrial and stark, and the landscape is flatter than I had anticipated. But when I step out of Union Station at 10:30 a.m., I’m surprised by the unexpected sense of calm of this city.
    I head toward the hostel, hoping for a warm meal and some much-needed rest. The truck stop food I’ve had so far has not been cutting it and neither has the bit of sleep i got cramped on the greyhound.

    At the hostel i get a very warm welcome and a hot chocolate and stock up on food for the train trip tomorrow.

    I get up early to walk to the station. Fortunately the sun's out and the city seems really nice despite the slight tension in the air, due to this being election day. There are reporters in front of the state capitol and people are voting at union station. Fingers crossed, it's only everything on the line.

    I hop on the Amtrak train that will take me all the way through the Rockies, Salt Lake City and Tahoe to Sacramento within the next 32h.    Lue lisää

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  • Selina Cervantesworld tripMatkaaja
    Rocky Mountains
    bald eagle in the treethe next morning in NevadaSierra Nevadagolden state

    Train Ride California Zephyr

    5.–6. marrask. 2024, Yhdysvallat ⋅ ☁️ -2 °C

    the great outdoors and peanut butter cups and the death of democracy

    The 32h train ride from Denver to Sacramento takes me through the Rockies to Salt Lake City, through the Great Basin to Lake Tahoe before going down the Sierras to Sacramento. These are the first mountains I've seen since starting the trip.

    --

    I greatly appreciate how much leg room and sitting room I get. The seats recline, the tables fold down and extend, the curtains block out the light if need be and there is a restaurant on the train.

    As we climb the Rockies, the weather gets colder. The colors are beautifully muted and autumnal-muted reds and beiges and greens and browns only the Aspen trees are an intense yellow.
    The landscape seems to change around every turn and after every tunnel and stays wild for a large portion of the ride. Further up, the sun hides behind a thick layer of clouds that are wrapped around the mountaintops and turn into fog the further west we get.

    The conductor points out the wildlife we encounter on the way. We see a gang of deer, of moose, some yak, a pack of coyotes, an eagle, a flock of geese. We pass farms of cows and horses and goats and a whole many a gun range.

    This country's divide lies like a thick blanket over the prairie and the immeasurable beauty of the land is starting to weigh on me.    Lue lisää

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  • Selina Cervantesworld tripMatkaaja
    sunflower drive inburger date on the bluffsthe American rivermy first tamales2

    Fair Oaks

    6.–10. marrask. 2024, Yhdysvallat ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    chickens and dogs and swimming pools

    Back in Fair Oaks for a couple of nights, where I spent my exchange year 14 years ago. Staying with Margarita and John and their two dogs.

    --

    I arrive in the afternoon and say goodbye to my new trucker friend, who still has another 24h of train ride ahead of him and who will no doubt go home and shoot some deer.

    I get picked up by Margarita and we head home where the dogs greet us enthusiastically. We head out for dinner in the evening and then I finally get some much needed quality sleep in a good bed for the first time in 5 nights.

    Fair Oaks hasn't changed too much, except for a few new shops and bars in the little heart of the village and construction on a new park design.
    I get my long awaited burger from sunflower and take a walk along the American river.

    The second day I take a dip in the pool, learn how to make tamales and we enjoy a very nice dinner at home with friends and family.    Lue lisää

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  • Selina Cervantesworld tripMatkaaja
    sausalitoalcatrazthe sea lionslombard streeteucalyptuscervantesgolden gate parkjapanese tea gardenmy past homehome sweet shoeboxmy future homealamo square park

    San Francisco

    10.–18. marrask. 2024, Yhdysvallat ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    self driving cars and eucalyptus trees

    back in the bay

    --

    We drive into the city to celebrate Día de los Muertos with family and friends, indulging once again in delicious tamales. I'm staying in a relative’s apartment, where two cats keep me company.

    I am elated—no, ecstatic—to be back in this gem of a city. I have missed the smell of the eucalyptus and the victorians. I have missed the diversity and the anonymity with which you can move around the place. I have missed the hills and the ocean and the bridge. I have missed the city much more than I ever knew. And I am reminded of the disparity between the classes in the city and just how rich the rich are getting.

    I’ve packed our schedule tightly, almost compulsively, wanting to show Joe, who will be joining me for a leg of the trip, everything I’ve ever loved about this place.

    We start in my old neighborhood, marveling at just how small a home can be—despite the $1,800 a month price tag.
    We sip lavender lattes and stroll through Golden Gate Park, where we pause for green tea in the Japanese garden and later have a picnic near the iconic Painted Ladies. The day ends at Smuggler’s Cove, where Brad joins us for tiki drinks that are dangerously delicious and far too strong.

    The next day, we dive headfirst into tourist mode. By cable car to Lombard Street, from there, we wander to Fisherman’s Wharf for lunch at In-N-Out, followed by a visit to the sea lions lounging and barking by the pier. Another cable car ride brings us to Chinatown, where we indulge in some light shopping and as the day winds down, we find ourselves at Vesuvio Café, sipping a cold beer.

    We spend the next day exploring Haight-Ashbury, soaking in its eccentric energy. At Zam Zam Bar, we have a drink and I take Joe to visit my old landlord’s esoteric witchcraft store, The Sword and Rose.

    We take a day to cross the Golden Gate Bridge on foot. We continue walking all the way to Sausalito, a cute, picturesque town, where we reward ourselves with ice cream before taking the ferry back to the mainland.

    On our final day, we take a brisk stroll along the beach, staying only as long as the freezing wind allows. Then, it’s time to pack, say our goodbyes, and head to the airport late at night for our flight to Mexico City.    Lue lisää

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  • Selina Cervantesworld tripMatkaaja
    palacio de bellas artes
    museo de anthropología1chilaquilescapilla de la conchitabirthday flanpanadería rosetta pueblamango margarita/pepino mezcalitoquesadilla de huitlacochehostel roomhostel mouse

    Ciudad de México

    19.–24. marrask. 2024, Meksiko ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    tacos and jaywalking and so many trees

    --

    To avoid the taxi traps at the airport, a family friend graciously picks us up at an absurdly early hour. By the time we reach our hostel, we’re running on fumes and are grateful to check in and crash.
    Our room is a glorified broom closet with a bunk bed and walls that reek of mold. The shower offers a faint hope of cleanliness but never quite delivers and the kitchen seems like it may have seen better days—though no one can say when. Still, at $8 a night, we’re hardly complaining.

    Once rested, we walk to the Museum of Anthropology in Bosque de Chapultepec, where we get to look at a lot of models of prehistoric people and some big ol' fancy rocks and some cool vases. The architecture is equally stunning, its central courtyard shaded by an enormous, futuristic canopy with a waterfall centerpiece.
    Afterward, we stock up on groceries and end the evening with drinks at a bar near the hostel, celebrating into my birthday.

    For my 30th birthday, we head to Coyoacán, a colorful, bohemian and rich neighborhood. We get chilaquiles for breakfast—mine drenched in salsa verde, Joe’s in smoky salsa roja. We wander through bustling markets and take a walking tour that begins and ends at Frida Kahlo’s iconic blue house and leads us past murals and markets and pretty houses. The persistent drizzle does little to dampen my spirits, but does leave me slightly chilled all day. The mezcal at dinner warms me back up.

    On Thursday, we stroll back to the park, this time to visit the Museum of Modern Art, where we’re treated to an incredible collection of 20th-century paintings, including works by Frida Kahlo, Margaret Keane, Remedios Varo and Diego Rivera.
    We eat mango picante and drink horchata in the park before taking an Uber into the historic center. Street vendors line every corner, trying to sell everything from trinkets to food. I try a rich, aromatic Turkish coffee in a cafe, while Joe indulges in some street tacos al pastor.

    --

    After our trip to the pyramids, we have one more day left and make good use of it by revisiting the Coyoacán neighborhood, this time mostly for the food. We finally get a quesadilla and some sopes and Mexican chocolate and despite my best efforts I cannot get myself to eat a scorpion at the market but do opt for some crickets instead.

    Back at the hostel that night, we have a couple of beers with the people who live and work there, waiting in transit from countries further south for their entry to the United States. When the beer has swept away most of our inhibitions about staying up late before the early next morning, they take us dancing. Our Swiss moves fail to impress anyone but we enjoy ourselves nonetheless, until we feel it's time to call it a night and head back and crash, just to wake up a few hours later, pack and head to the airport.    Lue lisää

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  • Selina Cervantesworld tripMatkaaja
    pirámide de la lunapirámide del soltemplo de quetzalcóatl

    Teotihuacan

    22. marraskuuta 2024, Meksiko ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    pyramids and stairs and tourist traps

    --

    As we board the bus, there is excited babbling amongst the passengers. Some are here with friends, while others strike up conversations with strangers. We pile in and out of the bus like little schools of sardines, tight-knit and fluid.

    Mexico City is one of the cleanest cities I have visited, despite the heavy use of disposable products and a surprising scarcity of trash cans.
    On this early bus tour to the pyramids, we get to see the effort it takes to maintain this cleanliness. Teams of street cleaners work tirelessly, gathering trash by hand, not just in the polished city center but in neighborhoods outside.

    The further away we travel, the clearer it becomes just how many people have to drive into Mexico City for work each day. While our outbound lane is traffic-free, the incoming lanes are locked in a complete standstill.

    The land unfolds as we leave the city, stretching toward the horizon. Familiar billboards gradually give way to simpler ads—large, clean letters painted onto aging walls. The roads are freshly paved, but the occasional bumps still turn my stomach.

    We enter the archaeological site through Gate 3. Before reaching the plaza in front of the Pyramid of the Moon, we pass through remnants of housing. Though we're slightly disappointed to find out that the pyramids were largely reconstructed by archaeologists in the 1960s, their scale is awe-inspiring. It’s amazing just how much space was devoted to worship and sacrifice.

    Our guide is knowledgeable and speaks through a little microphone, alternating between Spanish and English. The temperature is cold, but the sun burns fiercely, baking our group of mostly pasty white Europeans and US Americans. By the end of the day, my skin is ever so slightly burned, my body sticky with cold sweat, and my energy utterly spent.    Lue lisää

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  • Selina Cervantesworld tripMatkaaja
    huaracheevery morningfood for the weekplaya miradorplaya santa feplaya pescadorestacos and scopaand piña coladahostel night

    Tulum

    24. marrask.–2. jouluk. 2024, Meksiko ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    beaches and palms and butterflies

    --

    We spend our days renting bikes, buying fresh fruit and veggies, making salsa verde, getting tacos whenever possible and enjoying the various beaches.

    --

    Tulum's airport is new and shiny having opened only a year ago and our arrival is accompanied by a welcoming cacophony of 'hola chicas' and 'Taxi? Taxi?'. We get a ride directly to our Airbnb, past yellow signs, warning about wildlife crossings while our driver brings with him the least wild animal I may have ever seen. A teeny-tiny dog with a massive head, who keeps quiet, but generously and vigorously licks our hands when approached.
    To get to the Airbnb, the driver has to navigate a short way through the jungle on a completely unpaved and waterlogged road, resulting in a car which-while spotless at the airport-now looks like it's been on a jungle safari for days.

    The Airbnb is the complete opposite of our hostel experience in Mexico City. We each get our own room and bathroom with hot, running water, a king-sized bed, air-conditioning, clean sheets and towels, a kitchen, another two bathrooms-just in case and to top it all off-a rooftop terrace with a small pool.

    The days are hot and most of all humid, making it impossible to keep anything dry. This includes linens, towels, clothes and books, but it also keeps me looking like a freshly permed poodle at all times for no extra cost. So overall a plus in my book.

    When walking to town I pass fancy, brand new rental units and hip and expensive shops selling coffee and boho couture on one street, while the next is lined with selfmade sheet metal housing, homes with textiles for windows, exposed wires and stray dogs wandering around, begging for scraps of the food that's being sold out of garages and carts.

    A long walk to the beach leads me past the forest giving way to more construction sites being actively worked on than I've ever encountered, the cost of the worker's wages probably barely scratching a percentage of the future income of these luxury resort owners. Along the golf of mexico the hotel zone blocks direct access to the water.

    The white beaches glow in almost surreal pastel hues. The water is clear and warm and salty and while I don't get to see one, two minutes after splashing and running into the waves, I get stung by a jellyfish. The sting is minor though and stops itching much faster than the countless mosquito bites we get after dark.

    Our last night we spend in a hostel to cut down on costs ever so slightly and to be closer to the bus stop the next day when heading to Santiago de Chile. We meet some fellow Baslers and loads of British people and let our time in Tulum come to an end with some tacos, beers and cheers.

    Much to my chagrin I didn't encounter a single jaguar while in Tulum, despite the promise of the yellow signs along the highway leading in and out of town.    Lue lisää

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  • Selina Cervantesworld tripMatkaaja
    catedral metropolitana
    completo italianochinchinerocerro santa lucía2torta helada de lúcuma con manjarnew fruit trialsmichelada tomatechorrillana and choripánchia

    Santiago de Chile

    2.–6. jouluk. 2024, Chile ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    mayo and mountains and micheladas

    --

    After a long flight with a quick layover in Panama, we arrive in Santiago de Chile early in the morning. We get a ride to Joe's relatives in the neighborhood of Ñuñoa. We're greeted warmly and can settle into our own room, where we get some sleep before heading out for a little private tour of the city.

    The tour takes us to the historic center, where we see some traditional street musicians, the government building and the cathedral. We grab some Chilean favorites at Domino's. I get a completo italiano, a kind of hot dog (vegetarian options available) with different toppings, such as avocado, tomatoes and of course mayo - a staple in their cuisine, which, as we learn later, they put on pretty much everything. This version gets its name from the colors of the toppings.

    With renewed strength and courage, we climb up the many steps of the Cerro Santa Lucía, where we're rewarded with gorgeous views of the city and the mountains around us. After climbing back down again, we meander through artisan markets and I get some silver earrings. Silver and copper mines make up most of the countries economy, with Chile being the world's largest producer of copper.

    The next day Joe and I venture out on our own. We visit the Zoo and the Providence neighborhood, a charming neighborhood, with huge antique stores and loads of bars and coffeeshops.
    I thouroughly enjoy the atmosphere of the city, it's laid back and young and for the first time in a while, we're taking public transportation and I feel very at ease.

    The feeling is only slightly muted, by our not so welcome introduction to bedbugs, which we must have picked up in Mexico. We spend a day washing and drying and spraying everything. We celebrate this hopefully successful endeavor by going out for choripán and chorrillana - bread with (vegan) chorizo, tomatoes and mayo and a dish of loaded fries with onions, tomatoes, (vegan) sausage and, you guessed it, mayo. What we're able to finish, we wash down with some delicious micheladas and pisco sours.

    The next day Joe and I head out on our little journey to the north, to visit her great-aunt in Arica.

    --

    When I get back to Santiago de Chile, I spend the day at the house, relaxing, packing and watching movies. Luckily it seems we truly got rid of the bedbugs, which i now hate and fear with tremendous intensity.

    Leaving for the airport is bittersweet. Joe's family has been so welcoming and warm and it has been a real treat staying with them and getting to know them all. I'm really grateful for their hospitality and everything they've done for us.

    Joe and I have at this point spent a little over 5 weeks together, at times sharing not only a room, but a bed and practically every thought with one another. We laughed a lot, talked about everything, cried and spent time in silence. We also craved privacy and got annoyed at each other, but in the end, our bond got stronger and saying goodbye leaves me sentimental. I have gotten used to having someone to rely on and relate to.
    I am looking forward to our reunion in Basel and hope both our upcoming travels are safe and full of new impressions!    Lue lisää

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  • Selina Cervantesworld tripMatkaaja
    büsipisco sours

    Valparaíso

    6.–7. jouluk. 2024, Chile ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    bars and boats and all the doggos

    --

    It is a short bus ride from Santiago de Chile to the little beach town of Valparaíso. Arriving downtown you wouldn't think much of the place.
    There's the usual hustle and bustle of port cities, but once we get to the hostel and take a cute little funicular up to Cerro Concepcíon, we get to see an unusually quaint and colorful neighborhood with street art on every corner, cozy coffeeshops, little places selling arts and crafts and narrow roads, allowing for some great views of the city and the sea.

    While eating a most delicious slice of cake, we get to know local good boy Chino, who greets (and gets greeted by) everyone passing by. His name tag states that he is not to be fed.

    We walk around, take pictures and find a restaurant situated on a steep cliff, overlooking the city and the port and despite the windy conditions and the strong sun, we end up spending the whole afternoon drinking piscos and talking to a couple from San Francisco.

    We shop for the next day, I get to pet the friendliest store cat and we drink more piscos and play Yatzee at a bar before hitting the hay early to catch our morning connection to La Serena.    Lue lisää

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  • Selina Cervantesworld tripMatkaaja
    faro monumental de la serenahosteljardín japonés

    La Serena

    7.–8. jouluk. 2024, Chile ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    seagulls and surprisingly good pizza

    --

    We arrive in La Serena, another city on the coast, in the early afternoon and check into yet another hostel. Hostel el Arbol is a remodeled private home, with the most weloming receptionist, who makes us feel at home right away. She shows us the little backyard and kitchen and our own private room.

    We meet some fellow travellers and visit the beautiful Japanese garden next door. To satisfy our pasta cravings, we buy some ingredients and Joe prepares a delicious creamy fettuccine with zucchini dish at the hostel.

    A simple breakfast is included in the price of a night here. We head to the beach, take photos of the very picturesque Faro Monumental de La Serena and learn a bit about the cities history.
    We take a stroll along the beach, watch the locals fish and the seagulls picking up oysters, flying them high up in the air and then dropping the shells to open them.

    Eventually we head to a pizza restaurant, where we eat the best and most authentically Napolitan pizza yet. With a full belly and some good photos we wait for our 15 hours sleeper bus to Calama.    Lue lisää

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  • Selina Cervantesworld tripMatkaaja
    cevichedesert sky♥️hostel

    San Pedro de Atacama

    9.–10. jouluk. 2024, Chile ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    the desert and the stars

    --

    After a long ride to Calama and an added one and a half hour bus ride from Calama to San Pedro de Atacama, I feel the most transplanted I have felt on this trip yet. The air here is so arid, it hurts to breathe and I feel lightheaded from a lack of water, food, an abundance of caffeine in my body and the elevation. It hurts to breathe and my eyes and my nose are doing the best they can to keep things going.

    The hostel we're staying at is wonderful. It has good hippie vibes, there's a lot of space, a well equipped kitchen, books, games, laundry, a pool. We book a stargazing tour, relax by the water, read and do the laundry before heading out for some food. Mushroom ceviche and some piscos.

    In the evening a shuttle takes us into the desert, where everything is set up for the brief stargazing affair. We get our photo taken with the beautiful night sky behind us and have a look through the telescope and see Jupiter, Saturn and the moon. The experience is accompanied by a dramatic soundtrack coming from the brushes and we end with some snacks and piscos. We take a bottle of the pisco to go and share it with some other backpackers at the hostel before calling it a night.

    The next day, after checking out, we grab some food and read to pass the time untill our bus leaves for Calama. Once there, we have another 2 hours to kill, which we spend in a restaurant, but when we try to get on our bus to Arica, we realize, we're at the wrong bus station.

    After frantically running and asking around, another bus is able to let us on, for roughly double the price of what we've already paid. We accept our fate and get comfortable for our 10 hour overnight drive to Arica.    Lue lisää

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  • Selina Cervantesworld tripMatkaaja

    Arica

    11.–14. jouluk. 2024, Chile ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    salads and fruit markets

    --

    Joe's great-aunt takes us to the beach, the grand Morro de Arica and we go shopping at local fruit markets. There are vultures circling above our heads as we explore this desert town, Chilean flags waving in the wind everywhere.

    She feeds us wonderful home cooked meals every day (salads for the vegetarian) and will not let us help her with the cooking or the cleaning even just once. We read and sleep and get to meet the rest of the family.    Lue lisää

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  • Selina Cervantesworld tripMatkaaja

    Tacna

    13. joulukuuta 2024, Peru ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    border control and christmas

    --

    We decided to take a short trip across the border to check off Peru. Getting there turns out to be more of an odyssey than we initially thought.

    At the international bus stop, we go to the taxi section and get herded into a bright neon yellow car. They take our passports and walk away. Two other passengers join our six seater car (three in the back, driver and two shotgun) and eventually we get our passports back. I wasn't worried at all, you were.

    We drive to the border, where we all have to get out in order to get in line to have our papers checked by both the Chilean border control as well as the Peruvian one. There's a queue for each. Then we all wait for the car to get inspected and continue our drive to Tacna.

    Despite my best efforts to avoid it and despite the weather, it's Christmas time. Tacna let's us know ferociously, with plastic Christmas trees and plastic nativity scenes and jingle music everywhere.

    We get food and drinks, do some light shopping and when Joe and I can barely stay awake anymore we head home - the same way we came in.

    At home I feel lightheaded and a little sick and fall asleep right away. But I do have some eight new stamps in my passport now.    Lue lisää

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  • Selina Cervantesworld tripMatkaaja
    shinjuku golden-gaigodzillaharajuku districtkappabashi kitchen streetsenjō-ji templehashimakihanazono shrineyoyogi parkmeiji jingu barrelsshinjuku gyoen national gardenkoichikawa botanical gardenkoichikawa korakuen gardenbunny cafe

    東京都 (Tokyo)

    2.–8. tammik. 2025, Japani ⋅ ⛅ 5 °C

    fish and temples and trying not to be impolite

    It has been 100 days now since I took off. I'm a little tired but still so happy to be traveling and seeing all these different places, people and cultures.

    --

    My short, impromptu trip to Tokyo begins with an unnecessarily long flight to Singapore, where I have a three-hour layover before continuing on to Japan. Arriving in a freezing Tokyo early in the morning, I'm amazed at how much an efficient and safe environment can make up for the cold weather. The toilet seats are warm, the trains run on time, and the streets are impeccably clean. The people are polite to a fault and despite my near-complete lack of understanding of the language, navigating the city feels surprisingly easy and straightforward.

    I head to my Airbnb in a quiet residential neighborhood to drop off my luggage. With a few hours to kill before check-in, I head to a jazz club and enjoy some live music, beer and bar food.

    Later, I crash for a bit before venturing to a bathhouse, where I make a complete fool of myself - much to the amusement of the many elderly women staring and pointing and occasionally helping me out. Despite the awkwardness, I enjoy the experience, soaking and relaxing for a couple of hours before getting dressed. I end the night at a nearby bar, chatting with some locals and having some really good tofu skins and some nihonshu and shochu at the bartenders recommendation.

    The next few days pass me by in a flurry of metro rides, tranquil parks, temple visits, long queues and extraordinary food. I have ramen, soba, tempura, mochi, keeki, sushi and some tasty street food. To my surprise, I also stumble upon one of the best pasta dishes I’ve ever eaten.

    On Takeshita Street in the Harajuku district, the crowds are ever so slightly overwhelming but most other places, the city feels calm, quiet and composed. Classical music or jazz plays at shops, cafés and bars, heavily influencing the calm vibes of the city. People keep mostly to themselves, speaking softly, except in the lively bars and izakayas, where the energy is palpable.

    At each temple I pass, I pay my respects to the kamis, bowing and offering coins for their blessings. Though most of my fortunes speak of difficulties (except when it comes to 'delivery'), I’m relieved to learn that tying them up at the temple turns away bad luck.

    I end my trip with one last visit to an onsen—this time much better prepared—before taking a vastly overpriced Uber to the airport (the trains don't run between midnight to 4am) to catch my early morning flight back to Sydney.    Lue lisää

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