ericasandsgaard, Author at Worldwellwritten

11. May 2020 Cape Town

How to successfully spend a full week in Cape Town

Cape Town and surrounding ocean seen from above

Cape Town has been on my bucket list for years, and this year I decided to finally make it happen. I booked my tickets back in November, even if my departure date wasn’t until the beginning of February. This gave me plenty of time to get excited, and to plan the trip properly.

One week in Cape Town is a good amount of time to see all the essentials. We did a lot of exploring, but it never felt rushed. For us Europeans Cape Town is the perfect winter escape, and with barely any time difference it works perfectly if you’re on a short break from work. Beautiful city, no jetlag, long hot summer days — if Cape Town isn’t already on your bucket list, you need to add it!

Where to stay in Cape Town

For me figuring out where to stay was the most difficult part when planning the trip to Cape Town. Did we want to stay in the centre? Was staying near the beaches a better option? If so, how would we get around without a car? We simply didn’t know. In the end we ended up staying right in the middle of everything, on Long Street, which is one of the main streets in the centre. Our hotel, Long Street Boutique Hotel, was lovely. It was also surprisingly sound-proof, so we could sleep well despite the noisy location.

If I was to go back I wouldn’t stay in the centre, though. This is mainly because it didn’t fell that safe after dark. Instead I’d probably opt to stay in Camps Bay near the beach, or even in areas such as Sea Point, De Waterkant or Waterfront. I have also heard good things about Gardens, but we never went there ourselves. With Uber easily accessible, there is no need to worry about getting between places. We used Uber a lot, and I found it safe, cheap and easy to use.

Our one week itinerary

Day 1: Get familiar with the city

We landed in Cape Town around 1 pm. At the airport we picked up local sim cards for our phones, which I recommend if you plan on using Uber to get around. We then got an Uber into the city. This took about 30 minutes.

On our first afternoon we did a walking tour to get an impression of the city. There are several free walking tours available, but we did this one. This made for a nice introduction, allowed for us to walk around a bit and even learn a few things.

After the tour we explored our area on our own for a while. Not much was open, probably because it was a Sunday. We had dinner at a lovely restaurant called Tigers Milk, located on Kloof Street. Here we had our first experience with load shedding (more about this later), so our dinner was enjoyed in the dark.

Day 2: Let the exploration begin

After a good nights sleep, we woke up feeling revitalised and ready to start exploring. I am a big fan of exploring new cities on foot, but for this trip I made an unusual exception. This is one that I would recommend to everyone spending time in Cape Town without a car: booking tickets for the City Sightseeing Bus. Yes, the red, open-top one! It takes you everywhere you want to go, and the commentary for each stop is both fun and educational. Good value, for sure!

We spent two days on the City Sightseeing bus, and on the first day we did the Red City Tour. This took us up to the Table Mountain cable car, and then all the way around the city down to the V&A Waterfront.

On this day we managed to check off two must-dos in Cape Town — Table Mountain and a Robben Island tour. If you wish to do either one or both of these, I would recommend trying to get them done as early in your trip as possible. This is because they both close down frequently due to heavy wind, so if you plan it for your last day and it gets cancelled you will miss it. We were lucky and got to do both activities on our first attempt.

Upon returning from Robben Island we went for dinner at V&A Waterfront. V&A Waterfront might be a bit touristy, but it is also really lovely both during daytime and nighttime.

Day 3: Explore a little further

We woke up early, had breakfast and once again got on the red sightseeing bus. This time we did the Blue Mini Peninsula Tour. The tour will take you to the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Hout Bay and Camps Bay, to name a few.

We spent the morning in the botanical gardens. I would recommend going early because walking around gets hot! Also, if you love otters like me, then don’t expect to find them in the Otter Pond. You’ll end up disappointed.

After a beautiful morning stroll in the botanical gardens, we took the bus to Hout Bay. This is a charming, little fisherman’s town, with a beach and lots of seafood. We stayed here for lunch and got the biggest serving of fish and chips ever. Delicious local produce!

After lunch we got back on the bus and headed for the beach. We got off at Camps Bay and walked along the ocean to Clifton 4th beach, which is the closest out of the Clifton beaches. The ocean was cold so I wasn’t tempted to go swimming, but I had a nap and got a few photos taken instead.

Dinner was enjoyed in Camps Bay, overlooking the ocean and the people.

Day 4: Chill down a bit

Maybe it was due to me not feeling well, but we used this day as a bit of a chill day. We slept in, had a long, decent breakfast and then went off to explore the colourful Bo-Kaap neighbourhood. This area was previously known as the Malay Quarter, and is where the slaves of Cape Town used to rent houses. When they were eventually allowed to buy their own property they all painted their houses in bright colours to express their freedom. Today it feels like a happy place!

With no proper plans for the rest of the day, we decided to get an Uber out to Muizenberg for some beach time, and of course to see the colourful, iconic beach huts. We dipped our feet in the ocean, spent time watching the surfers and had lunch at Knead Bakery.

By the time we got back to Cape Town, it was nearly time for dinner. Not eager to venture far out, we went for a quick walk down the street and found a place that served delicious tapas.

Day 5: Wine time

You simply cannot visit South Africa and not sample their magnificent wine. There are many options available when you are deciding where to go. We went with Franschhoek and the Franschhoek Wine Tram. This option is both convenient when you don’t have a car (and also for those who do not wish to drive) and gave us an experience out of the ordinary.

We booked a full day tour from Cape Town to avoid having to arrange our own transport. The day was spent jumping between wineries, riding the cute tram and enjoying some time in the sun. It was a good one!

Some people choose to spend a night in Franschhoek after their wine tour, which is probably not a bad idea. We went back to Cape Town in the afternoon and were dropped off at the waterfront around 6 pm. From there we got an Uber to Sea Point where we had dinner at a food court called Mojo Market. A cool place with options to suit absolutely everyone.

Day 6: Cape Point and the Boulders Beach penguins

Did we save the best for last? Well, we certainly ended an amazing week on a high note. If you’re only gonna do one thing in Cape Town, a trip to Cape Point and Boulders Beach is probably what I would recommend.

There are several ways to do this excursion. Renting a car is probably the most advisable one, as it gives you all the freedom to customise your day. If you, like us, do not wish to rent a car, there are tons of guided tours to choose from. Pick the one that suits your needs! For us this ended up being the tour with City Sightseeing, which takes you to Cape Point, Cape of Good Hope and eventually to Boulders Beach to see the penguins.

Day 7: Woodstock and home time

One thing is certain, when it was time to leave Cape Town to head back home I wasn’t ready. Luckily we had a late flight, and got to do some exploring on our last day as well.

I had been wanting to visit Woodstock and the Old Biscuit Mill, so this is what we did. The Old Biscuit Mill is an open market that is particularly popular on Saturdays, which is when we happened to visit. Here you can sample food from all over the world, buy fresh produce, art or jewellery, to name a few. There were live music and a cool vibe — I enjoyed it a lot.

Woodstock is not known as the safest neighbourhood in Cape Town, something we experienced when we went for a walk to check out some street art, but venturing out to visit the market is well recommended.

Things to know about Cape Town before you go:

The water crisis

It is no secret that Cape Town has had a serious problem with water shortage, but have much will this affect a trip to the city? I think it depends. This year Cape Town apparently had a decent winter with lots of rain to fill up their water supplies. Therefore they did have enough water while we were there. However visitors are still advised to save water while in the city, as the situation can turn. So shower quickly, don’t flush the toilet unnecessarily and don’t waste water in general.

The load shedding

I didn’t know about the load shedding before I arrived in Cape Town, and I did find it rather interesting. This is basically something South Africa does to avoid a national blackout. Instead they cut the power for about two hours every day. The outages are systematic and controlled, and there is a schedule as the power is out at different hours each day.

For us load shedding wasn’t a big problem. Our hotel informed us every morning of when the power would be out that day. Sometimes it was during daytime, when we didn’t notice it at all. But it could also be between 8 pm and 10.30 pm, and we would have to eat dinner and head back to our hotel in the dark.

I’m not sure how long this is gonna go on for, and it is certainly not a reason to skip Cape Town as a destination. Just don’t get surprised if it is still a thing when you go there.

The transportation

I feel like most places I’ve travelled to has a fairly decent public transportation system. Cape Town is not one of those. There are buses, but I had read mixed things about them. To be honest they seemed fine so I’m not sure why, but we still opted against them.

We only used the City Sightseeing buses and Uber, and were able to go anywhere we wanted. For day trips we booked guided tours. There are plenty of those. Even though I get why people rent a car in Cape Town, it is definitely not necessary. You can have a great time without having your own set of wheels.

The safety

I read some horror stories about the dangers of Cape Town before going. I would love to say that they are all exaggerated, but I am sure they are not. What I can say is that I didn’t feel very unsafe in Cape Town. We took our precautions and didn’t walk around much after dark. We also received a few warnings from locals and always took those into account. I’d say Long Street, the street our hotel was on, was where I felt the most unsafe. Especially after dark, and even more so during load shedding when the streets were pitch black. During daylight hours I always felt perfectly safe.

All in all I’d say use your common sense and take the necessary precautions. And don’t forget your travel insurance — it’s better to be safe than sorry. Apart from that, Cape Town is a great travel destination that most people seem to fall in love with, and as did I. Enjoy your trip!

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♥ Erica

9. August 2019 Central America, Costa Rica

A few active days in La Fortuna, Costa Rica

La Fortuna is a fun one for sure! The town itself is extremely touristic, with travel agencies and souvenir shops everywhere. This is mainly because the town has so much to offer in terms of activities. Whether you’re an adrenaline junkie, love a good hike or just enjoy beautiful scenery, La Fortuna has got something for you.

Getting there

There are several direct buses to La Fortuna leaving from San Jose. These all leave in the morning, with the last one departing at 11:50 am.

If you, like me, are leaving from Puerto Viejo you’re in for a longer travel. The easy option would be taking a shuttle for 60 USD. As I enjoy local travel I instead opted for the public bus. It’s fairly easy, but takes a while. This is how I went:

Bus from Puerto Viejo to San Jose departing at 7:30 am. This took five hours, which meant I missed the last direct bus from San Jose to La Fortuna.
I then made my way from Terminal Atlantico Norte to Terminal 7-10. It’s literally two minutes of walking, no need for a taxi! I bought a ticket to Ciudad Quesada and got on a bus that left around 1 pm. I arrived around 4 pm.
At the terminal in Ciudad Quesada I found the bus to La Fortuna. Ask around, it’s not a given which one it is. Tickets are bought from the bus driver. The bus I took stopped every other minute to pick up or let off more people and made every detour possible. It took forever and I finally arrived in La Fortuna at 7 pm.

This was quite a long and tiring one! I saved about 45 USD by doing it this way, but if I were to go again I probably would’ve opted for the shuttle.

What to do in La Fortuna

La Fortuna waterfall

I made my way to La Fortuna Waterfall by foot on a rainy morning. Most people go on a tour or by taxi, but I loved the hike. It is about 6 km from town to the main entrance, and the road is mostly flat with a few steep hills at the end. When you reach the entrance you pay 18 USD (10 400 colones) in admission and climb about 500 steps down to the waterfall.

I was there during rainy season and it was prohibited to swim underneath the waterfall. There was however a designated area for swimming a bit further down, but I was fine just dipping my toes in. I then climbed back up all the stairs and started the walk back to town.

Rainforest Chocolate Tour

On the road to the La Fortuna Waterfall you will find the Rainforest Chocolate Tour. I stopped there on my way back from the waterfall, just in time for the 1 pm tour. During the two hour long tour my group got to follow the entire process behind the making of chocolate. Very interesting and educational. The tour ended with an extensive tasting session, where we had liquid chocolate with all the toppings you could ever want. It was amazing and I stayed full for hours afterwards. This tour cost 26 USD, and for me it was well worth it.

Volcano hike

More than anything La Fortuna is known for its volcanoes. Therefore I felt that a volcano tour was almost mandatory, and I decided to go big on this one. I signed up for a double volcano tour and hoped to experience everything the volcanoes in Arenal has to offer.

By all means, the tour was very interesting. If I were to pick again, though, I would’ve went with the half day tour that only does the Arenal 1968 hike. This was by far the best part. We started the day with this hike. The Arenal volcano is now dormant, but could erupt at any time. Therefore you cannot hike the actual volcano, only admire it from afar. We were lucky enough to visit on a clear day, so after hiking for a couple of hours we were rewarded with amazing views of the volcano and its surroundings.

After the hike we went for lunch and a swim. We were then picked up and taken to the Arenal observatory, were we went for a second hike to see Chato Volcano. The tour finished with a visit to the hot springs, where we enjoyed the warm water, relaxed and got mud masks. We were then taken back to our respective hostels.

Girl standing in front of Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica

Where to stay in La Fortuna

I opted to stay at Arenal Backpackers Resort and would recommend it. It is a short walk away from the centre and may not have the most social vibe, at least not when I was there. However the pool is nice, the restaurant serves decent food and they are helpful when it comes to booking tours and shuttles for onward travel.

The only downside was that the a/c only worked from 10 pm to 10 am. I got tired extremely early after days packed with activities, but the heat made it impossible to get any sleep before the a/c went on. In my experience most people also left the hostel in the early morning to go on their daily adventures. A/C from 8 pm to 8 am definitely would’ve made more sense.

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♥ Erica

7. August 2019 Central America, Costa Rica

Three chilled days in Puerto Viejo

It wasn’t a coincidence that I started my trip in Central America by spending a few days in Puerto Viejo. I figured this would be the perfect place for settling back into the backpacker lifestyle, and I couldn’t have been more right. This laidback and colourful town on the Caribbean coast was everything I needed it to be and more.

Getting to Puerto Viejo

Getting to Puerto Viejo from San Jose is easy. There are several direct buses departing from Terminal Atlantico Norte in San Jose every day. I got the 8 am bus and arrived in Puerto Viejo four hours later. The town is small so if you’re staying in the centre you can easily walk to your hotel or hostel. The bus is spacious and comfortable, and the ride cost me 6065 colones.

What to do in Puerto Viejo

Hire a bike and go to the beach

I came to Puerto Viejo to relax and spend some time in the sun so that’s what I did. The town beach in Puerto Viejo is called Playa Negro, which means «black beach» and is due to its black sand. To be fair it is not the prettiest beach I’ve been to. Also it is mostly occupied by locals, especially on the weekends.

For that reason most people choose to hire a bike and go cycling to the beaches further south. I cycled all the way down to Manzanillo, which is 13 km away. It’s a lovely and easy ride along the coast. On the way I stopped at Playa Cocles, Playa Chiquita and Playa Uva, and they were all a lot more beautiful than the city beach.

Visit Cahuita National Park

The small town called Cahuita is only a 30 minute bus ride away from Puerto Viejo. Some people choose Cahuita as their base in the Caribbean region, as it is a bit calmer than Puerto Viejo. I took the bus to Cahuita one morning to visit the National Park.

Cahuita National Park is one of few parks in Costa Rica that is free to visit. It is purely donation based, so I do recommend that you leave a few colones at the entrance anyway. The National Park only has one trail, so it is easy finding your way. The wildlife is the main attraction of the park, and if you’re lucky you can spot a vide range of species. To be honest I saw mostly lizards, but I do know that sloths and monkeys, amongst others, frequents the park.

One option when you go hiking in the park, is to follow the trail all the way to the end and then walk the same way back to the entrance again. Then you can catch the bus back from Cahuita. If you don’t feel like walking all the way back, you can flag down the bus from the main road at the end of the trail. This is what I did.

Useful info: The bus to Cahuita leaves from the main bus stop in Puerto Viejo every hour on the half hour. It’s not a given which bus that will stop in Cahuita so ask the bus driver to be sure. The park is a short walk away from the Cahuita bus station.

Enjoy!

Sadly I was extremely jet lagged during my time in Puerto Viejo. Therefore I mostly fell asleep early and didn’t socialize much. On my last night, however, I finally managed to go out with some newfound friends. We went to a bar down by the ocean and spent the night dancing in the water with a beer in hand. Such happy and careless moments!

Long after midnight we walked back to the hostel in the rain. The others stopped for fried chicken while I ate their leftover plantains. We ended the night by spotting a sloth slowly making its way across our hostel fence. It was a perfect end to my time in Puerto Viejo.

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♥ Erica

4. August 2019 Central America

6 weeks in Central America

I’d been wanting to visit Central America since I returned from my adventure in South America one and a half year ago. This summer I could finally make it happen. I spent six weeks travelling all the way from Costa Rica to Mexico. That’s a lot of places in a short amount of time, and so many memories that I’ll treasure forever. Latin America holds such a special place in my heart and I’m sure I will return for more adventures in the future.

For anyone wondering, six weeks will let you do a lot in Central America. It is fairly easy to get around although the distances can be long between some places. In this post I’ll give a quick overview of how I did it and where I went. I’ll go into specifics later for sure.

Costa Rica

I started my trip in Costa Rica simply because it was the cheapest and easiest country to fly into, but I’m so glad I got to add it to my itinerary. From exploring beaches and dancing in the ocean in Puerto Viejo to climbing volcanoes in La Fortuna and going zip lining in Monteverde; Costa Rica reminded me, once again, of why I love travelling so much.

I spent ten days in Costa Rica and would’ve gladly stayed longer. Such a wonderful country!

Nicaragua

Nicaragua was one of the countries I was most excited about beforehand, and I’m happy to say that it was nothing but amazing. My first stop was the incredible Isla del Ometepe, where I got to explore the island on a scooter and climb all the way to the top of Volcan Concepcion. I then moved on to Granada, before finishing off with a few days in León.

In Nicaragua I got to explore a lot of volcanoes. Such powerful experiences that never seizes to amaze me. I also learned a lot about the history of the country, which is both sad and complicated. I spent a good week in Nicaragua, which is not nearly enough, but still gives you a good overview of what the country has to offer.

El Salvador

The dangerous one. That’s what I had heard, and so that’s what I expected. I honestly didn’t feel it, though. El Salvador had me feeling nothing but welcome, and the people I met left me feeling so pleased that I chose to spend a few days in the country.

In El Salvador I spent time in El Tunco and Santa Ana, and even had a short afternoon excursion to the capital, San Salvador.

Guatemala

This was the country I expected to love the most, and this also ended up being the case. My favorite experiences of my trip mostly took place during my two weeks in Guatemala. I started off with the most amazing volcano hike in Antigua, moved on to Lake Atitlan, where I spent way more time than anticipated, sadly had to skip Semuc Champey, and finished off with a few days in Flores for some Maya ruin experiences.

I met such great people while in Guatemala, and just had the best time!

Belize

In Belize I only spent time in Caye Caulker. I went mainly for relaxation and snorkeling in the second biggest coral reef in the world. Getting sick before I even made it to the island was not a part of the plan, and my stay ended up being far less enjoyable than expected.

I cannot blame Caye Caulker or Belize for this, though. The island is beautiful, the vibe is so chill and I’m sure the seafood would’ve been amazing, if I had managed to enjoy some. I would love to return to actually experience it all.

Mexico

I wasn’t actually planning on spending time in Mexico this time around, but I managed to squeeze in a full week on the Yucatan peninsula before my flight out of Cancun. I started with a few weird days in Bacalar. It was a lot of fun and Bacalar is unreal. Then I moved on to Tulum, where I visited cenotes and spent time with the best group of people. My last day was spent in Cancun before an early morning flight back to Europe.

I managed getting sick again during my last night, and had the worst time traveling home. Obviously this doesn’t change the fact that I really had the best summer ever. Another trip completed on my own, a lot of challenges tackled and so many memories made.

Travelling in Central America

Travelling in Central America is fairly easy, and I usually found myself with several transport options for each leg of my trip. I opted for both private shuttles and the infamous chicken busses; they might not be the most comfortable means of transport, but it’s an experience to have had for sure! In some places, like Costa Rica, Mexico and parts of El Salvador, the comfort of the local busses actually impressed me.

Other practicalities

Being Norwegian I did not need any visas to visit Central America. They do however charge some interesting fees at some of the borders. The one between Costa Rica and Nicaragua definitely was the most confusing one.

Every country has their own currency, which is natural but also annoying when you only spend a few days in each place like I did. I also ended up with the biggest struggle when I arrived in Mexico and none of the ATMs in Bacalar were working, and my hostel didn’t accept credit cards. To avoid such situations, I would recommend keeping a few USD as a backup solution handy through all of Central America.

Something I was curious about beforehand was whether I’d have issues entering Costa Rica. I had heard that they sometimes do not let you in if you don’t have a ticket out of the country, which I did not. I entered Costa Rica by air and was not asked for any proof that I would be leaving, but I met people that crossed the border overland with different stories. So I guess it depends, and that I got lucky.

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♥ Erica

17. February 2019 Asia, Itineraries, Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka 3 week itinerary

Blue train making a turn by green fields

Before booking my flight to Sri Lanka this summer I was torn. It’s not that I didn’t want to go, because I really did. I just didn’t know whether going in July, during the monsoon season in the south, would be a mistake, and I couldn’t find any information assuring me that it wouldn’t be. But my summer holiday from work was approaching and I needed to make a decision. I decided to just book the tickets and hope for the best, and I’m so glad I did. Traveling Sri Lanka is amazing, also in July.

I was fortunate enough to experience a lot during my three weeks in Sri Lanka. Here is my exact itinerary, for anyone planning a summer adventure, or any adventure, really, to the beautiful country of Sri Lanka.

Day 0 – 1: Negombo (1 night)

Our flight touched down in Sri Lanka around 10 pm, and with the late arrival we had decided to spend the first night in Negombo, which is a lot closer to Colombo Airport than the actual city called Colombo.

Most people choose not to spend a lot of time in Negombo/Colombo, and neither did we. For a quick overview of Negombo we had our hotel organise a guided tuktuk tour for us, where we saw the main sights in only two hours. It was a good introduction to Sri Lanka.

Where we stayed: Barcode Residence Negombo – This is a nice place, and the couple running it is lovely. We had no time to explore the area, but it worked perfectly as a place to land after a long day of traveling.

Day 1 – 3: Dambulla (2 nights)

We traveled from Negombo to Dambulla by local bus, making a stop to change buses in Kurunegala. With the help of a friendly stranger the trip turned out unproblematic. Upon arrival in Dambulla we were approached by several tuktuk drivers, and made arrangements with one of them to take us to Sigiriya Rock and Pidurangala Rock the following day. This turned out to be a great decision.

The morning after we were picked up at 06:30 and taken to climb both Sigiriya Rock and Pidurangala Rock. Such a great day! I particularly enjoyed the tricky parts of the Pidurangala climb, and the views from the top of both rocks were amazing. We ended the day with a visit to the temple caves and the Golden Temple. Simply put; the cultural triangle has a lot to offer, and you could easily fill more days here than one.

Where we stayed: Lak View Family Resort – This is basically like staying with a local family, and the woman of the house makes a delicious rice and curry. Be aware that even though your booking site says breakfast is included, they will charge you for it. The location is alright, but Dambulla is not a very nice place in my opinion, so we didn’t walk around much.

Day 3 – 5: Trincomalee (2 nights)

Trincomalee is only a 2 hour bus ride away from Dambulla. I guess it is still a bit off the beaten path, but this little beach town is a great addition to your Sri Lanka itinerary, especially when traveling in July and you want to spend a bit of time on the east coast. Trincomalee is still building itself up as a tourist destination, after being considered unsafe for years during the civil war, but it’s definitely up-and-coming. For me, this was the first town in Sri Lanka where I really enjoyed spending time without doing anything in particular. It just has a nice vibe, and also some really nice restaurants. Well worth a visit!

Apart from nice beaches there are also some cultural sights to be seen in Trincomalee. We visited the Fort Fredrik, an old fort built by the Portuguese, and the Koneswaram temple, and then had a nice little walk back down to the centre of the city. We didn’t stay in the centre ourselves, but instead chose Uppuveli as our base. It’s a more chilled vibe up there, and the beaches are nicer which is always good.

Where we stayed: Aa Inn – it’s nothing special, to be honest, and I saw a lot of places that looked way nicer. Try and stay closer to the beach. The area where it’s located is like a maze and we got lost on more than one occasion.

Day 5 – 6: Kandy (1 night)

The bus ride from Trincomalee to Kandy is quite long (about 4,5 hours), but requires no bus changes and you do get a short toilet break midways. Always appreciated.

We had decided to only spend an afternoon in Kandy, but accomplished a whole lot in a short time. Quite immediately upon arrival we got picked up to go to a local dancing performance close to the Kandy Lake and were taken for a drive around the entire lake. Afterwards we paid a visit to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth, where one of Buddhas teeth is said to be kept. Keep in mind you do not get to see the actual tooth. Instead you get to shoot the shrine containing the tooth a quick glance from about five meters away. Oh, and we queued for about 30 minutes for this. It was one of the things that just had to be done.

Where we stayed: Kandy City Hotel – after spending the past nights in various guest houses it was strange sleeping in an actual hotel for once. This is a nice one, I would recommend it.

Day 6 – 7: Nuwara Eliya (1 night)

The train ride from Kandy to Ella is supposed to be one of the most scenic train rides in the world. We chose to split the 7 hour train ride into two legs, in order to get to spend a night in Nuwara Eliya. The journey between Kandy and Nanu-Oya (Nuwara Eliya) was just unreal, and made even more amazing as I got to sit in the open doorway for the entire ride. A special experience for sure.

We arrived in a rainy, cold Nuwara Eliya, and once again found ourselves wanting to make the most out of a short stay. That afternoon we visited one of the many Sri Lankan tea plantations. We also made arrangements to go hiking in Horton Plains very early the following morning. Waking up freezing at 4 am to go hiking for hours in the rain had me feeling pretty miserable, to be honest. However, the hike to the End of the World turned out to be worth it and I was glad I made the effort.

Where we stayed: Nuwara Eliya Hills Rest – This place is just beautiful and I felt like a princess in our cozy little room. Recommended for sure.

Day 7 – 10: Ella (3 nights)

I was expecting the train ride from Nuwara Eliya to Ella to be even more amazing than the one we had the day before, but for me it was quite a miserable one. It’s definitely a ride not to be missed, but keep your expectations realistic; these trains can get crowded and people can be annoying. The scenery is still unreal, though.

I loved Ella and every single thing about it. It was my favourite place is Sri Lanka and cannot be missed. We spent our time hiking to Ella Rock, Little Adams Peak, the Nine Arch Bridge and along the railway. Ella is beautiful and has a bit of a backpacker vibe. We had great food and even managed to find a place to watch the world cup finals. This was the first place we stayed for two full days (three nights) and I’m so glad we did.

Where we stayed: Mountain Breeze Villa Homestay – Please stay here! This was my favourite place to stay in Sri Lanka. The family running the place is beyond adorable and the breakfast is amazing and plentiful. I almost cried when we left and they told us they’d see us soon because I felt so welcome.

Day 10 – 13: Arugam Bay (3 nights)

Since arriving in Sri Lanka I had stayed true to my desire to always using public transport when moving between places. When going between Ella and Arugam Bay, however, I caved and agreed to arrange for private transport. It was expensive, but very comfortable and we made it to Arugam Bay in no time at all.

In Arugam Bay we did absolutely nothing. I don’t even know if there is something you’re supposed to do while being there. We went to the beach. That’s all, and I’m not sorry about it.

Where we stayed: Shadow Bay – It’s a pretty new place, which means it’s got A/C and that’s always a good thing. Arugam Bay gets hot!

Day 13 – 16: Unawatuna (3 nights)

It was when trying to get out of Arugam Bay that I realized how far away from everything it is actually located. Especially when you’re going to the south coast, which is what we were doing. It took us a tuktuk to get to Pottuvil, a 6 hour bus ride to get to Matara and then another 1,5 hour bus ride to get to Unawatuna. It is safe to say we arrived exhausted.

I had been slightly worried about what kind of weather we would get on the south coast, as I knew we were visiting during monsoon season. Unawatuna greeted us with sunshine and lovely temperatures, and the weather stayed that way for our entire stay. We might have been lucky, but it also proves the south coast shouldn’t be ruled out just because it’s July.

Our days in Unawatuna were spent beach hopping. We went to Unawatuna Beach, Wijaya Beach and Jungle Beach, with Wijaya Beach being my favorite. We also spent an afternoon in Galle Fort, which is the loveliest place and should absolutely be explored.

Where we stayed: Srimali’s Residence – Nicely located in the main road within walking distance to most things. Nice and basic.

Day 16 – 18: Hikkaduwa (2 nights)

Hikkaduwa is only a short tuktuk ride away from Unawatuna, so we got there in no time at all. As this was our last stop in Sri Lanka, we had splurged on a nice beach hotel and that was quite alright.

As these were our last days of vacation we made beach time and relaxation our priority. We went into the centre of Hikkaduwa a couple of times, and it wasn’t anything special. Our hotel, on the other hand, was very comfortable, so why venture out?

Where we stayed: At Ease Beach Hotel – Now this was something else, compared to all the budget accommodations we’d been staying at. Beautiful place located on the beach, eco-friendly with a no plastic-policy, and with a swimming pool outside. This might sound unnecessary when the ocean is right in front of the hotel, but the waves get huge so the pool definitely comes in handy.

Day 19: Hikkaduwa to Colombo Airport

Let me tell you, 3 am departures are no fun. As we had to check out of our hotel room in the morning we then had to spend a full day camping in the hotel lobby like homeless people. Oh well, I can’t say I haven’t done it before.

We had arranged for a van to pick us up and take us to the airport so we wouldn’t have to spend any time in Colombo. A very clever decision. From there we waited around in various airports and airplanes before finally arriving back on Norwegian ground.

What we did not do

I feel like most people who visit Sri Lanka include one of the national parks to their itinerary. Sri Lanka has some great wild life, and offers the opportunity to see elephants and leopards, to name a few. We weren’t particularly into this idea and therefore opted out.

As for beach towns, Sri Lanka has plenty. We chose a few of them quite randomly, but there are so many options so take your pick.

The end

I didn’t have time to get particularly excited about our trip to Sri Lanka before going there. Still I arrived back home with Sri Lanka being one of my favorite countries I’ve ever visited. It is crazy how you can have such a diverse experience from spending only three weeks in one country, but Sri Lanka has so much to offer.

I’ve been freezing, sweating, hiking, being laid flat on the beach, eating the most amazing meals, interacting with the friendliest of locals and witnessed scenery that is just unreal. Thank you, Sri Lanka, I think I’m in love with you.

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♥ Erica

23. June 2018 Asia, Malaysia

A 48 hour excursion to Kuala Lumpur

The Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur after dark

Malaysia is one of those countries I’ve always figured I’d stop by at some point. Not as a main destination, but as a part of a trip to somewhere else in Asia. I guess I also knew that this «somewhere else» would be Singapore, a country I saw myself visiting someday anyway. And when that trip to Singapore was finally booked, my next concern was figuring out how to fit an excursion to Kuala Lumpur into that trip. Luckily my travel partner was immediately excited about the suggestion, so all I needed to do was to make it happen.

Getting from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur

Singapore and Kuala Lumpur are no more than 5-6 hours apart by bus, but I still found booking bus tickets in Asia a lot more difficult than in South America. After going back and forth for a while we decided on a bus company called Aeroline. This was the company that seemed to be getting the best reviews, although also slightly more expensive than the other companies. When trying to book a ticket for the following day, we realized that they were all sold out. That meant going through the companies once more, to find the second best option. We went with First Coach to get to KL, and booked our return tickets with Aeroline at the same time.

We were more than satisfied with both companies. They both departed on time, waited for all passengers to get through immigration (I’ve readabout people getting left at the border because immigration took too long) and took us to the point of arrival as promised. They also both made a short stop along the way, which is nice when you prefer actual toilets over bus toilets. Aeroline, is a bit more «luxurious», as the ride includes a meal and they have entertainment on board. Although Aeroline is known to be the most reliable choice, we had no complaints about First Coach, apart from it being very difficult to find out where to pick up our tickets, whichwe had booked online, at Novena Square. Apparently you get them at a travel agency on the top floor of the shopping centre.

Touring and photographing the Petronas Towers

I’m not gonna lie, the main reason why I wanted to visit Kuala Lumpur was to check out the Petronas Towers, so we did this almost immediately upon arrival. I had seen some cool pictures of the towers in social media, and just really wanted some of my own. As with all attractions you visit solely because of social media, the place was packed with people. Therefore getting those cool photos proved to be a challenge, but we certainly gave it our best shot.

We decided that we also wanted to take a tour of the towers, so the following morning we went to get our tickets for later that day. Although they were all sold out online, we had no problem getting tickets when showing up in person. I found the tour to be a bit overrated, but looking back at it I am happy I went. For some reason, I imagine that going up in the Menara KL Tower is a cooler experience, but I have no facts to back up that hypothesis.

A daytrip to the Batu Caves

When visiting KL for a day, you want to do some exploring. I certainly did, anyway, as I didn’t see myself returning anytime soon, and wanted to make the most out of the short stay. A quick google search on what to do in Kuala Lumpur, lead us to the Batu Caves; a Hindu shrine located a bit outside of the city. To get there we took the metro to KL Sentral, and from there we were supposed to catch a train to the caves. Due to maintenance work on the tracks, we had to catch a free bus to get to a different train station instead. A bit confusing, but eventually we made it.

I quite enjoyed visiting this place, which features several different caves, and is also the home of tons of little monkeys. They look cute, but are also known to be sneaky little thieves, so visitors need to watch their belongings carefully. The highlight of the caves, to many, is getting a view of the giant Murugan statue and climbing the stairs up to the Temple cave. At the bottom of the stairs there were buckets of sand lined up, to be used for construction at the top. Everyone climbing the stairs were encouraged to help out by carrying what they could. We took on the challenge, and with one bucket in each hand we climbed the 272 steps to get to the top.

Where to stay and eat in Kuala Lumpur

As we visited KL to see the Petronas Towers, we decided to stay as closely as possible. We found Acapella KLCC Suites at a booking site and were instantly amazed. For less than what we had paid for the quite mediocre hotel room in China Town, we got a two bedroom apartment with impeccable service. The manager of the complex even drove us to our bus at eight in the morning on the day of our departure, completely free of charge. I really felt like the staff made an effort to make our stay as good as possible, and the entire stay stood out as a very positive experience.

As for food, it certainly did not disappoint. Asian food is just so good. On our first night we ended up at a random restaurant, with menus only in the local language and staff that weren’t exactly fluent in English. I tried to explain that I was vegetarian, but had no idea if the waiter understood what I meant. As I was half-expecting to be served some meat or chicken, it was such a pleasant surprise to get served the most amazing vegetarian meal. I ended up getting way too much food (and ate it all), and it cost next to nothing.

While I found that Singapore is pretty expensive, I must say Malaysia is incredibly cheap.

We spent about 48 hours on the Kuala Lumpur excursion altogether, and I was so happy we went. I love visiting new places, and is all for making the most of the time I get to spend abroad. When deciding on making the trip, it was because I was convinced that a full week in Singapore would have been too long. Looking back, I am actually not sure if that would have been the case. There is a lot to do in Singapore, but Kuala Lumpur is a cool place, and I wouldn’t have done this trip in any other way.

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♥ Erica

19. June 2018 Asia, Singapore

A spontaneous trip to Singapore

The more I travel, the more I realize that traveling isn’t very complicated. I used to think that I needed a lot of time for it to be worth it to travel to places far away, and that for shorter trips I’d be better off just staying in Europe. I used to think that lots of time to plan a trip was essential. This is no longer the case.

Since about a month ago I have a new job, and while it’s nice to once again have an income, it also means I can’t just jump on a plane whenever I feel like it. But Easter was coming up, and when my other travel plans fell through, I knew I had to come up with something quickly. I simply had to take advantage of this full week of vacation. And so, all of a sudden a ticket to Singapore was booked. Departure time? Two days later.

I quickly realized that I didn’t know much at all about Singapore. Oh, it’s about thirty degrees every day? How lovely. Wow, there is actually quite a few things to do there. I had no idea. But off to Singapore we went, with suitcases fully packed with summer outfits, and having only booked a hotel for the first two nights. And to be honest I really feel like this is my preferred way of traveling; just making the road up as I go.

China Town

For our first two nights in Singapore we stayed in China Town. Our hotel wasn’t anything special, as the bathroom was tiny and the bed was literally a mattress lying on the floor, but being located fairly close to the MRT (the Singapore metro), it was still a good base. Our first evening was spent exploring the area and having dinner at a restaurant close to one of the street markets. The food in Singapore is simply amazing. We decided to end the night early, as we were pretty tired from a long day of traveling.

The river walk

The morning after we woke up feeling revitalized, and set out to begin properly exploring the city. I had read about a river walk that was easily manageable on your own, and being a big fan of exploring new places by foot, I decided this was how our first day would be spent. We started by walking through China Town to reach the river in the Clarke Quay area. I immediately liked this area, as it had cute little restaurants, tons of bridges and little statues everywhere. All around you could see the skyscrapers that are very typical for Singapore. After having a healthy, delicious breakfast at a salad place, we ended up by the Merlion Statue that is a national icon for Singapore. From here we also had our first view of the Marina Bay area. This is probably one of the most popular areas in Singapore and also where our walk would terminate. When we were done taking photos of (and with) the Merlion we crossed the Anderson Bridge to get to the Esplanade. Here we bought some delicious coconut ice cream, that we had in an outdoor theatre that was slightly sheltered, as it had now started raining. Our walk finished as we crossed the Helix Bridge and made it to Marina Bay. Although the weather wasn’t completely on our side, it was still a lovely walk.

Gardens by the Bay

When first arriving at Gardens by the Bay, I had no idea of how much time I would be spending there throughout the next few days. There are a lot of things to do there, for sure, but we could probably have saved some time had we only done our research. Oh well, at least I can now say that I’ve seen those Supertrees in every lighting and weather condition possible.

We made our way to Gardens by the Bay after visiting the Art and Science Museum located just across the Helix Bridge. The museum is fairly entertaining, but also expensive, so if you’re on a budget I would recommend only visiting the Future World exhibition, as this is by far the best one. Upon entering Gardens by the Bay we quickly got the sight of the Supertree Grove, which made me really happy. The Supertrees are probably what made me eager to visit Singapore in the first place. In Gardens by the Bay you can also find the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest, two greenhouse-like glass domes designed to be energy efficient showcases that minimizes the environmental footprint. The Flower Dome features plants found in seven different regions of the world, and is the world’s largest columnless glass house. The Cloud Forest replicates the climate found in tropical mountain regions, and features a 42 meter tall “Cloud mountain” and the world’s tallest indoor waterfall. The Cloud Forest was definitely my favourite out of the two. As for food, we had my favourite meal throughout our entire stay in Singapore in Gardens by the Bay. The street food at Satay by the Bay is simply divine, even for me as a vegetarian. Truth be told I am still dreaming of the satay mushrooms I had that evening, and had it not been quite a long walk to reach the place, we probably would’ve gone back to indulge even more. It was that good!

The Supertree Grove

While the Supertrees make for an impressive watch from the ground, most people will also want to walk the OCBC skyway; a panoramic walk where you get really up-close to the Supertrees at a height of 22 metres. We attempted to do the walk several times, and succeeded on our third attempt. If you plan on visiting, remember that the skyway closes when it rains, and that the ticket sales end at 8 pm. Standing in line for about an hour should also be expected, although we found the queue to be quick and efficient and probably only took half an hour. In the end I found going up there to be well worth the effort. Another reason to visit the Supertree Grove is the light and sound show held every night at 7.45 pm and 8.45 pm.

Sentosa Island

Sentosa is a beach resort-like part of Singapore, a bit away from the centre, but still very accessible with the cable cars (and it’s worth going there for the cable cars alone, really). We got on the cable cars at Harbourfront, and went all the way up to Mount Faber before getting off at Sentosa Island. On Sentosa we found another Merlion Statue and visited the aquarium, before sitting down to relax with a coffee and a donut. We then got on the second cable car to get a nice overview of the island and its beaches from above. Like the rest of Singapore, Sentosa is very nice and clean. We were really lucky with the day we spent on Sentosa as this was in fact the only sunny day we had in Singapore, and Sentosa is definitely best on a sunny day.

Sky bars

Have you even visited Singapore if you haven’t been to a skybar? I think not. We had postponed our sky bar visit every night, and on our last night we realized that it was just something that we had to do. And if you’re going to visit a sky bar, you might as well visit the tallest one with the most impressive sky deck. One-Atmosphere it was. To enter One-Atmosphere you have to pay 35 SGD (about 210 NOK), but that includes a drink. Inside tip: the Singapore Sling does not have alcohol, and may or may not be a disappointing choice. I went with the Monster Caipiroska, and it was really good. The sky bar offers a 360 degree view of the city and they play music very much to my liking. Although we weren’t there to party the bar was well worth a visit, and I reckon it’s a pretty good place for a girls night out.

Apart from an actual sky bar, we also made it to the top of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. As we weren’t staying nor eating at the Hotel we only bought tickets to the observation deck to take in the views. There was a lot of queueing involved, not only to buy tickets and to get into the elevator to go up there, but also to take the elevator back down. This made it slightly time consuming and it was also pretty expensive, but the views are stunning and it felt like one of those things you just have to do when in Singapore.

Arab Street

The Arab Street neighbourhood turned out to be such a pleasant surprise for me, and I can’t believe we almost missed it. After days of walking, stressing and exploring, we found ourselves having no plans for our last day in Singapore, but with an evening flight we had some time to kill before heading to the airport. We decided to hop on a metro to Bugis, just to stroll aimlessly around for a few hours. Arab Street is the Muslim quarter of Singapore, but also a bit of a hipster area. While the actual street called Arab Street didn’t instantly appeal to me, the rest of the neighbourhood sure did. Here you will find beautiful mosques, cute little Arab shops selling all kinds of stuff, amazing street art and some really cool restaurants and cafees. We sat down at a juice bar because we liked their chairs and their chilled vibe, and I had a really good ginger juice. The day spent in Arab Street was so nice, mostly because it didn’t feel stressed at all. Very much needed after doing all of the exploring.

Our little, spontaneous Easter adventure turned out to be eventful to say the least. Not only did we prove to ourselves that planning a trip to Singapore while already being there is perfectly manageable, but we even managed to fit a 48 hour excursion to Kuala Lumpur into the itinerary. I mean, we were only a six hour bus ride away so why not? During our four days in Singapore I feel like I got to see the essentials while making myself acquainted in the city. Singapore was a pleasant surprise, and who knows? I might even make it back there some time in the future.

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♥ Erica

5. January 2018 Peru, South America

Rainbow Mountain – a must-climb in Peru

Rainbow Mountain half covered in snow on a sunny day

Rainbow Mountain is quite a spectacular rock formation located about 3 hours outside of Cusco. The hike takes you to over 5000 meters above sea level, but it should still be manageable to climb even for people with little hiking experience. If you happen to find yourself in Cusco, a day trip to Rainbow Mountain is one I would highly recommend.

To climb or not to climb

I think I decided that I wanted to climb Rainbow Mountain the very first time I saw it in a picture. It just looked so cool, and I knew I needed to experience it for myself. It also didn’t hurt that this hike would take me to over 5000 meters above sea level for the first time, something I had wanted to accomplish for a while.

Me and my friends spent some time discussing whether it would be wise to take on a heavy hike so shortly before starting the Inca Trail. We were also worried that we wouldn’t get to see the infamous rainbow patterns, as there were a lot of snow in the mountains during the time we were there. I knew right away that I still wanted to do the hike, and I was happy when everyone else eventually decided to join.

A cold morning

As we arrived at the starting point of the hike it was freezing. We had left Cusco around 3 am and made a quick stop for breakfast, but it was still early and the surrounding mountains were very much covered in snow. Luckily the sun was also on the rise, and the weather predictions were promising. We snapped a quick group shot and got going.

The hike to Rainbow Mountain

The first part of the hike was lovely and fairly easy. The altitude called for heavy breaths and we had lots of breaks to drink some water and recover. I feel like I really benefitted from having spent a lot of time in high altitude already, as I was definitely amongst the ones that handled the thin air the best. The further along we got, the more our group stretched out. I teamed up with one of my friends, and together we claimed the lead.

The last part of the hike is truly exhausting, but I am a firm believer in pushing through without too many breaks. Once again this strategy worked wonders. Reaching the top as the first one from our group felt kind of amazing.

The eternity we spent admiring Rainbow Mountain

As we basically ran all the way up to reach the top as soon as possible, there was one thing we failed to realize. We now had to spend an awful lot of time waiting for the rest of the group to get up there. It is safe to say it was a long, cold wait.

When we first reached the top we were ecstatic. We were the only ones up there, and took in the surroundings while taking a million photos. Once we were done taking all the pictures and admiring the views from all angles, we eventually ran out of things to do. It was cold and windy, and I felt like the others couldn’t get up there fast enough. Eventually they started arriving, pair by pair, and we had our group shots taken as well.

We then started the descend; a leisurely hike amongst llamas and cute local villages.

What to wear when hiking Rainbow Mountain

This is a tricky one as the temperatures are ever-changing. I recommend wearing layers. That way you can dress up and down as you desire. I went from multiple layers, to a t-shirt, to multiple layers and a jacket during my hike in the end of October. A wind breaker comes in handy at the top, although I doubt that a lot of people stay up there for as long as I did.

Sunscreen is another must. You might not feel it, especially if it is windy, but the high altitude makes the sun really strong.

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♥ Erica

2. January 2018 Peru, South America

Cusco – a Peruvian favourite

Cusco really surprised me. Upon arrival I didn’t know what to expect, and simply wasn’t prepared to like the city so much. However I love a good surprise, and was happy we had a few days to explore.

Arriving in Cusco

When I arrived in Cusco I felt worn out. For once I didn’t manage to sleep much on the night bus, and that affected my mood heavily. Once again we had to wait before checking into our hotel, so instead of a much desired nap I headed out for breakfast and a city tour. I must admit that breakfast lifted my spirits a little. We ate at a place called Jack’s, and it was unreal. If you’re looking for a breakfast/lunch place in Cusco, this is the one. The meals are huge and so amazing!

I left breakfast very full, but still feeling like a zombie. Therefore I don’t think I even realized how nice Cusco is while we did our little walking tour. I only remember seeing a few squares, some places that were good for shopping and that we eventually ended up at the local market, where we tried local fruit and snacks. At last we were able to check into our hotel, where I had a well-deserved shower and a nap. I finally felt like a human being again.

Shopping the local goods

In the afternoon I met up with the others to get a shopping session in. During our walking tour our guide had showed us a place he recommended for buying local products, mainly all things made out of alpaca wool. We spent a good couple of hours in that shop and left quite a few soles behind. I managed to buy a few scarves, a headband and a few other things, and was very happy with my purchases. The owner of the shop also had quite a big smile by the time we were done, having made a nice profit that day.

When we were done shopping we headed to a tour agency to get some information before the Inca Trail, which was only a few days away. We got acquainted with our guide and were happy to learn that our trekking group would only consist of the eight of us that were already traveling together. We then wrote down what kind of equipment we wanted to rent. I opted for a sleeping bag and a sleeping mat, but decided against walking poles, as the only one in our group. Afterwards we headed out for a delicious burger before going to bed early. We had an early rise the following morning.

Hiking the Rainbow Mountain

In many ways hiking Rainbow Mountain was the ultimate warm up before taking on the Inca Trail. I already considered myself a mountain goat after my Huaraz adventures, and had no worries concerning hiking Rainbow Mountain nor the Inca Trail, but for the rest of my group this turned out to be good preparation.

Hiking the Rainbow Mountain was amazing from start to finish. The weather was great, the views were unreal and it was so good to get my hiking boots on again. Read my full post about climbing Rainbow Mountain here.

Cusco markets

Cusco has a lot of markets, and we only briefly got to explore a few of them. On the morning we were to depart for Ollantaytambo to start the Inka Trail, we decided to roam the markets to get a few items for our group to improve our team spirit. We picked up a few colourful scrunchies for the girls and finger puppets for all of us (don’t ask me why, but they made for cute photos). The markets are spread out all across town, and you can get just about anything here.

Celebratory drinks

Cusco is both the starting point and where you end up after the Inca Trail. After completing our amazing four day trek, we therefore once again found ourselves in Cusco, tired but content. We had been told that on the day you complete the Inca Trail you are supposed to stay awake for a full 24 hours, and had decided to take on this challenge. We had been up since 3 am, and figured the best way to stay awake was to go partying.

After a dinner, where we also got to mix our own Pisco Sour, we went to a club on the main square. It wasn’t great, and when they started giving dancing lessons in the middle of the club we quickly decided to bail. Instead we headed for the party hostel Wild Rover, where we had a great time. It had, however, been a long day with so many impressions, so when the clock struck 3 am I was more than ready for bed. I think most of us felt the same way.

Exploring Cusco

It’s kind of ironic, but it wasn’t until my last full day in Cusco that I got to explore it properly. After waking up slightly tired and hungover me and a few of the others decided that we had to get something out of the day, although nothing too excessive. We enjoyed yet another filling breakfast at Jack’s, and I spent the entire day with Mika and Amy just exploring aimlessly. We ended up in small market, went to a really interesting Coca Museum, explored the old part of town, which has some cute narrow streets, and spent some time in a charming art shop. At one point we even found ourselves taking selfies with local kids on a school excursion. It was such a good day!

Later we met up with our group and had dinner in a place called Mr. Soup, which (obviously) served soups. They were so good!

Cusco treated me really nicely. It gave me great adventures, good food and just generally a good time. Looking back at it, Cusco was probably my favourite city in Peru. Luckily there is no way anyone will skip Cusco when visiting Peru, and if you do you sure will be missing out.

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♥ Erica

27. December 2017 Peru, South America

A short stay in Arequipa and Colca Canyon

Arequipa is known as the white city of Peru, and one of the prettiest cities in the country. I didn’t get to explore the city as much as I probably should have, but I still enjoyed my short stay in Arequipa a lot.

Exploring Arequipa

I arrived in the early morning after a fairly comfortable bus ride with a decent amount of sleep. We weren’t allowed to check into our rooms at the time, and headed straight out for a guided tour of the city. Turns out it really is as beautiful as people make it out to be. The white buildings alone were enough to make me like it, but the main pedestrian street was also really nice. After the guided tour we were taken up to a viewpoint where we got a good sight of the volcanoes surrounding Arequipa. Such an amazing view! For lunch most of the group tried the local delicacy that is guinea pig. I felt bad for the little creatures and stuck to salad.

After a much needed power nap we went out to explore further. I went with some of the girls to check out the Museum of Andean Sanctuaries, where you can see an actual Inca mummy. We first watched a short documentary that provided some background information, and then moved on to the actual exhibition. For some reason we ended up with our own private guide, but it was really nice as we got a lot of information we wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. The mummy itself was kind of creepy and very well conserved despite its age. In the evening we met up with most of the group at a rooftop terrace, where we had pizza and shared a bottle of wine.

Colca Canyon excursion

The morning after we went off on a three-day excursion to Chivay and Colca Canyon. We made lots of stops at various photogenic places, the best one being one with a huge pack of llamas and alpacas. Upon arrival in Chivay we napped, before heading out on yet another introductory tour of a town. Chivay turned out to be a pretty cute town with a nice town square with lots of cafes and restaurants. We found a café that served hot chocolate, and relaxed there for a while before meeting up with the group for dinner.

Condor spotting in Colca Canyon

The morning after we got in a bus and headed for Colca Canyon, known as the deepest canyon in the world. The main goal of the day was spotting some condors, as they are known to frequent in the area. The day featured lots and lots of amazing views, a beautiful short hike and of course some waiting around for the condors to appear. We almost lost hope at one point, so it was really exciting when two huge birds suddenly appeared and we got to watch them up close.

Relaxation in the hot springs

After lunch back in Chivay we were picked up and taken to the hot springs nearby for some relaxation. There were several pools with different temperatures, and with beers in hand we had a really lovely afternoon.

For our last dinner in Chivay we went to a place that provided local entertainment in the form of dancing. Just watching the dancing was entertaining enough, but it got even better when they started pulling up people from the audience to join them. A few of my friends got to participate, while I was happy enjoying it from the comfort of my chair. We finished the evening with some drinks in an Irish pub.

Returning to Arequipa

The following morning we made our return to Arequipa. We had almost a full day back before getting on our night bus to Cusco, and mostly spent it wandering around. We had lunch in a cute Italian restaurant that was covered in umbrellas, bought ice cream and enjoyed the vibe of the city. I could easily have spent a few more days getting acquainted with Arequipa.

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