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10 Things You Should Know If You’re Coming To South America

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runaway jane at machu picchu

I recently completed 5 months of travelling in South America, and as with any place that you have spent several months in, you learn a lot while you’re there. Despite being an experienced traveller before this venture I’ve learned a lot about travel (and life) since I came and went to South America, much of which I could never attempt to convey in a simple blog post like this. However, particularly pertaining to travelling this continent and the practicalities of it all I thought I had some interesting insights and useful info to share that should hopefully help you should you ever visit. I know personally that if I ever come back here in the future (which I’m sure I will at some point), that I’ll be a better traveller because of these experiences.

Everyone’s an entrepreneur…

South Americans, particularly those in the poorer South American countries, never cease to amaze me with their creativity and ingenuity in how they manage to find ways to earn a living and get by. There are so many entrepreneurs in South America from the smallest level right up, and it astounds me that back home in Europe we do not take advantage of opportunities like they do. For example, in Bolivia it’s quite common for people who are travelling on a (long distance) bus to bring home-baked goods on board to sell. You’ll often find a family trying to off-set the cost of their tickets by selling cakes, home made crisps (chips), or other food & drink products. In Peru and Ecuador you’d often find that just as your bus was about to depart 2 salesmen come on board and try to sell you everything from food to electrical products! A lot of it seemed like quite simple ways of making a small living, but it has me wondering why we don’t take advantage of opportunities like this back home?

Some useful websites for booking buses in certain countries

There are certain countries in South America where it’s useful to book ahead with your bus and there are other countries where it’s much easier just to turn up on the day and ask for your destination. In Bolivia for example there didn’t appear to be any decent website to even so much as check bus times and schedules. If you were in a good hostel they’d usually have a paper bus timetable to the main destinations up on a board somewhere. Otherwise you could usually just turn up and book your ticket at the station. As long as you were going to main destinations you’d usually find buses going regularly from most places.

In Argentina I found the website Plataforma 10 useful for checking bus times and dates for all around the country. I believe you can also make bookings on there but I personally just used it for checking schedules as I had a bus pass.

In Ecuador I used the site Andes Transit to check bus times and schedules. I also used the same site a little bit in Peru and Colombia but found it was much more extensive for bus times in Ecuador. However, in terms of actually booking buses in Ecuador you quite often found that you just got on the bus and then paid once you were on. With the other countries you usually had to book at the ticket desk first (and pay tax separately at another stall too) before they would let you through the platform where you could get on board your bus.

The dairy is awful!

I think I forgot how spoiled we are here in Europe for good food until I went to South America, particularly on the dairy front when it comes to good cheese and real milk! Never have I missed good quality dairy more than I have when I was travelling through South America. It was certainly not the craving I expected to experience before I departed upon my 5 month trip. The UHT and powdered milk they tend to use in most of South American is awful. I literally just stopped eating cereal or having a cup of tea or coffee with milk in it. And if you are lucky enough to find decent cheese it’s usually extortionately priced because they’ve imported it from abroad. As a bit of a cheese and crackers addict this was one of the small things I missed when I was in South America for sure.

An older breed of backpacker

One thing I really enjoyed about my time in South America was the fact that most backpackers were at least 23, with many much older than that too. Having spent so much of my time previously in Europe I’d been feeling rather ancient at the ripe old age of 25. I seemed to be surrounded by lots of Gap Year kids and/or students who were fresh, or not long out of high school. It was nice for once to be surrounded by people my own age and also find more than one person rocking a front pack too. You can always tell an experienced traveller by those who carry a front backpack alongside their main one! They know that practicality is much more important on the road than whether or not you look stupid.

Bolivia is the cheapest (and poorest) country in South America

Bolivia was somewhere that I fell in love with whilst travelling in South America, but it’s not for everyone. As the poorest country in the continent you’ll find many little towns and villages that just shut off electricity for an entire day here. And this happens quite regularly, usually at least once a week. They quite simply don’t have the power to have 24/7 electricity in the smaller destinations where business isn’t quite as affected by a shutdown. You’ll also find the cheapest prices in South America here for just about everything, e.g. food, transport, accommodation etc. However, you’ll unfortunately also find a lot of people living in poverty alongside of that too which obviously isn’t good.

Many people I met who were also travelling Bolivia described local Bolivians as being a bit cold and unfriendly, but I personally never found this to be the case at all. In fact, I couldn’t disagree more! Yes, Bolivians are not all smiley and happy looking people when they’re walking down the street if that’s what some people expect, but then what do you expect from a country where most people live in great poverty? When you actually got talking to most local Bolivian people they were (for the large part) very honest and helpful people. This is the only country in South America where I never once had to pay ‘tourist price’. Despite these people being the poorest in the continent they did not once try to rip me off even though they quite easily could have done so. I was quite obviously not from around there and in other countries you would expect this to happen.

Argentine buses are ‘da bomb’

As I’ve gotten a little bit older and travelled farther I’ve grown tired of long distance bus journeys. It’s not usually the kind of travel I enjoy anymore, so where at all possible I always try to travel by train or by air. However, given that Argentina has an almost non-existent rail system, and that airfare prices in the country are extortionate, travel by bus is your only real option if you’re travelling on a budget. The good news is that long distance buses in Argentina are seriously pimped out in comparison to the kind of buses you would get for a similar distance travelled in Europe or further north in South America. For example, by paying approximately $15 more you can upgrade to a ‘cama’ seat on most overnight journeys. This means you get an extra wide seat which reclines almost 180 degrees. There is also usually food served on board which is included in the price of your ticket.

International flights in South America are extortionate (but domestic flights are cheap)

If you’re looking for the cheapest way to fly to your next country your best bet is often taking a domestic flight to the city closest to the border and then taking a bus for the last jaunt. For example, if you were flying from Cartagena (on the Caribbean coast) in Colombia to Cali (near the border with Ecuador) with Avianca (one of the cheaper airlines domestically) you’d expect to pay around 196,000 COP (£59 / $96 / €71). A bus (or buses if you’re changing at the border) from Cali to Quito is approximately 53,000 COP (£16 / $26 / €19). That’s a total of £75 for your journey from Cartagena to Quito. However, if you flew from Cartagena to Quito (changing in Bogota) with Avianca you’d pay around 839,000 COP (£251 / $411 / €302). In this particular example you would save £175 ($292 / €213) by flying to the nearest domestic airport to the border and then taking a bus. With the exception maybe of a much larger country like Argentina, where you’re covering much more land, by enlarge you’ll save a lot of money by adopting this tactic.

The world cup in Brazil will be incredible!

I didn’t have as much time to experience Brazil as I would have liked this time around (given how large the country is), but of what I did see so far I have to say I think the atmosphere here during the World Cup is going to be epic. It’s hard to ignore the news reports that consistently detail the protests that have been going on in Brazil right now, and during my visits – particularly to Rio de Janeiro – you could see just how expensive things must be for locals here. These are things we shouldn’t ignore when we think about the World Cup in Brazil this year or the Olympics that will follow a few years after. However, given the great footballing history of this nation, the people, the weather, the beaches and the beauty of its most famous city, I can’t help but thinking anyone who goes to see the World Cup in Rio this year (or indeed elsewhere in the country) is going to have an incredible time.

Vegetarians and vegans will find it hard here

Vegans and vegetarians find it hard in South America. Many of the vegans and veggies that I met who were travelling in South America often resorted to eating eggs or fish when presented with a complete lack of options on a consistent basis. Surprisingly Bolivia seemed to have more vegetarian restaurants or veggie options than any other South American country I visited during my 5 months there. I suppose in a country where people are very poor, a choice without meat is naturally going to be cheaper and therefore of more interest to them than the mega-carnivorous (and much richer countries) such as Argentina, a country which specialises in its beef steaks.

South America doesn’t have to be dangerous

When I first announced I was going to South America back home, the immediate reaction that I got from most people was a sort of “oh be careful” type comment, or other people telling me how dangerous they thought it would be. Needless to say all of the people who said these kind of things were not regular travellers and had never been to South America before. On the contrary everyone I spoke to who had actually spent a bit of time there themselves absolutely raved about the continent! These are the kinds of people I tend to listen to more as they have first hand experience of something rather than just what they may have surmised from a 2 minute news bulletin they may have heard 20 years ago.

Having now spent and returned from 5 months travelling in South America myself solo, I can definitely say that most of South America is as safe as anywhere. Yes, there are places that have their bad spots. For example, I chose not to go to Venezuela this time around because of the current safety concerns that local South Americans and people who had travelled there before warned me of. I also made sure not to wander into bad parts of town in cities like Lima (Peru), but the key is simply to do your research before you go somewhere. Also, there are bad things happening in places all over the world. Including your home country. You should always be mindful of your personal safety anywhere you go, not just in South America. Equally though, I do think that somewhere like South America will be a bit more challenging for a first time traveller than say somewhere like Australia, New Zealand, or Canada might be. I met first time travellers in South America who got along just fine, but I also imagine that if I’d come to South America for my Gap Year when I was 17 (like I did in Australia back in 2006), and if I’d made the same mistakes here as I did in Oz, I’d probably have paid a bit more heavily for them. I’d therefore recommend to come here after you’ve had at least one independent trip somewhere else first – just to be on the safe side if you’re new to travelling.

– There was so much I could have written here about South America that I found fascinating while I was there. I’ll always love the music, the salsa, the passion, the indigenous cultures, the vast natural landscapes & wonders… I could easily go on… But I hope that this list of things to know before you go either help, inspire or interest you to come here for yourself. It’s definitely one continent you’ll fall in love with!


An Instagramer’s Guide to Marche, Italy

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 marche featured image

This past week I had the opportunity to shadow some of Europe’s top Instagramers around the region of Marche in Italy. As we toured, explored and photographed Marche I couldn’t help but be over-awed by the natural AND man-made beauty of this place. If you’re someone interested in visiting beautiful destinations then you’ll love this stunning Italian region. So with that in mind, given the nature of our trip, the photogenic visuals of the region, and indeed the fact that Instagram (has for at least a year now) boasted over 100 million users, I thought it be useful to provide something of An Instagramer’s Guide to Marche. Even if you have no interest in the photo filtering/sharing app or travel photography, you will no doubt still be blown away by the incredible beauty at any of the points highlighted in this piece should you ever visit them! The following are 10 places or aspects of travelling in Marche that make me want to recommend this region as a place to go!

1. Valadier Temple

valadier temple instagrams

The Temple of Valadier is probably one of the most stunning visuals in all of Marche. Its incredible photogenic quality comes down pure and simply to the location of this church – accessible only by foot within the mouth of a cave – and also how this man made structure blends in, yet stands out, so spectacularly from the natural environment that surrounds it. Designed by Giuseppe Valadier and built in 1828, is it quite frankly mesmerising and a joy to photograph! The temple is also measured exactly so that the tip of the cross atop the church touches the cave ceiling. I was truly blown away on every level.

2. The Frasassi Caves (Grotte di Frasassi)

frasassi caves instagram

The Frasassi Caves are definitely the highlight attraction of any visit to Marche and the best part is they are an entirely natural phenomenon. It’s something you’re unlikely to see or experience on such a scale anywhere else in Europe. The caves here are known for their huge stalactites and stalagmites which fit into an area (which I was told) could also fit Milan’s Duomo quite comfortably inside too! They are something of a photographers dream… You’ll also have the opportunity once here to take part in an extra speleological adventure caving tour which provides the chance to go to a part of the caves where most tourists don’t usually roam. The speleological tour is also an activity much more suited to an Instagramer or someone taking pictures with their phone (versus a larger camera) as you’ll be squeezing through crevices and getting a little dirty in comparison to the more standard tour along the walk ways!

3. Teatro Comunale, Montecarotto

teatro comunale instagramers

The Teatro Comunale in Montecarotto is, by no means of an exaggeration, one of the highlights of the entire region. It also for me sums up the entire essence of Marche. On the outside this building looks rather quaint, blending in nicely with all other structures that surround it. Inside however it is a masterpiece, something entirely unexpected. Marche as a region in Italy continually has that unexpected wow moment effect on you, particularly when it comes to what’s inside of buildings towns and places once you delve a little deeper. On the outside it may look like a collection of quaint little villages (and in part it is), but there are many hidden gems of this region (such as this gem in Montecarotto) that are well off the beaten track compared to other nearby regions in Italy. The main features for me of this building were the artistic interior design and decorations. In particular the hugely impactful stage curtain, ceiling and chandelier were something any Instagramer or person interested in taking great travel pictures will adore.

4. Valle Scappuccia

vall scappuccia instagram

Valle Scappuccia is yet another cave like formation in Marche and is also one of those places that you’d only know if someone took you there or told you how to get there – which is great for travellers looking to get off the tourist trail a little bit and see something beautiful! The way the light trickles through the cracks in the formations of the rock also presents itself with some fantastic opportunities to take dramatic contrast-filled photographs. See the natural spotlight portrayed in the picture above by Instagram user @Joanna who was one of the top Instagramers on our trip for an example of just that.

5. The People of Marche

old people instagramers

One of the subtle joys of Marche was being able to meet local people out and about so easily in collections of little villages, particularly in those close to the town of Arcevia. Whilst of course this great region has a mixture of age ranges in terms of the people who live there, it is the elderly people who were for me the most endearing characters of the entire destination. With the sunshine out you’d merely have to walk over to a main square or down a cobbled street to find figures walking by or sitting out enjoying the sunshine that you could either converse with or indeed take a photograph of (with permission in case of the latter of course!) It may sound like a simple thing to do but coupled with the larger attractions of the region this was a rather charming aspect of travelling here.

6. The Countryside Views of Marche

countryside views marche instagramers

Marche is a region filled with rolling green hillsides and spectacular scenic views. The hilly nature of which many of the local towns and villages were built on, frequently presented itself with many easy and natural viewpoints to look down from.

7. The Village Streets of Sassoferrato, Arcevia, Montecarotto, Matelica & Serra San Quirico

village streets in marche instagramers

It was so easy to get lost in the villages of Marche, wandering out without a map, getting out there and discovering parts of towns and villages you never would have otherwise. It was a treat to wander down dark cobbled streets and alleyways and find secluded little paths with such peaceful and character-filled atmospheres. The humble and historic nature of the streets provided a tranquil atmosphere that had you feeling almost like you’d been transported back in time to a place from long ago.

8. Vineyards and Wine Tasting in Marche

vinyards and wine tasting instagramers

Who knew that you could combine wine tasting with taking some great nature filled shots? As it turns out, Marche’s many high quality vineyards are actually a major feature of the outdoor landscape. A visit to a local vineyard like Cantine Moncaro for example is a beautiful visit outside followed by a fun and tasty one inside once those bottles get opened! Just take your pictures first before you start drinking the wine! That is my only recommendation! 😉

9. River Sentino

river sentino instagramers

For me I just couldn’t get over the colour and clarity of this river! In most destinations I visit around the world, when you visit a river – particularly downtown – you’ll usually find it’s pretty dirty and not such a nice colour compared to other natural water formations you can visit. The complete opposite can be said about the River Sentino in the towns and villages of Marche! It was beautiful. A great sight to see and a great place to photograph or even just watch as you have a rest or picnic outdoors!

10. Hotel Le Grotte Food, Spa & Grounds

hotel le grotte instagramers

I don’t usually expect to write about hotels when I’m talking about visual imagery, but Hotel Le Grotte in Genga (near the Frasassi Caves) was definitely one of those wow places to stay in many respects. Particularly when it came to the swimming pool, spa, and food, you couldn’t help but get your camera out and start snapping away. It’s one of those places that offers a tranquil moment of luxury without being too overbearing or clashing with the local landscape. Whilst I’m usually a budget travel kinda girl, I do believe in treating yourself once in a while, and if that sounds like something you’d also like (and you’re planning on going to Frasassi) then I’d definitely consider booking this hotel! Even if just for the food alone! It was fantastic!

– Marche was one of those surprise regions for me and an example that there is much to see and do in Italy beyond the main cities and sights that are more well known. The food was amazing, the local people endearing, the caves spectacular and the historic sights and scenery beautiful to photograph. Regardless of whether you’re a photo-totting traveller or not, this is definitely one region that should be on your radar for off-the-beaten-path ‘spectacularness’ in Italy! However, if like me taking photographs is something you love to do on your holidays/travels, then you’ll love this region even more!

Oh and if you’d like to see all of our photos from this trip to Marche the you can view them at the Instagram hashtag #exploringmarche2.

7 Interesting Facts About the Frasassi Caves

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resized frassasi caves article pic

The Frasassi Caves are by far one of the most incredible areas of natural beauty I have ever seen in Italy. The dark pools of crystalline water and humongous stalagmites and stalactites are an entirely natural phenomenon, something which only adds to their extraordinary appeal. In a country where your first thought is usually of the food, art, or history, it was a surprise to see something of this nature that also lived up to that fascination and mystique that this country’s more well known destinations are known for. But aside from the clear visual element of the Frasassi Caves, there are also quite a few interesting facts about its discovery, uses, and formation that make it even more intriguing the more you find out about it;

resized frassasi caves article pic 71. You could fit the entirety of Milan’s Duomo (the world’s largest Gothic cathedral) inside of the the Ancona Abyss.

At 180 metres long and 120 metres wide, the Ancona Abyss is the largest room in the cave that is open to the public. The huge columns of stalagmites that stand erect on the cave floor tower above you, as big as multi-storey buildings.

2. Caver Maurizio Montalbini lived in the cave in complete isolation from December 1986 until July 1987.

On 14th December 1986 Maurizio Montalbini entered the Frasassi Caves and a video feed was set up to monitor him from the surface. He emerged from the cave successfully on 12th July 1987, breaking the world record for complete isolation.

3. The Frasassi Caves has been used to conduct experiments in chronobiology.

Chronobiology is a field of science which examines periodic phenomena in living organisms and their adaption to solar and lunar related rhythms. The conditions in the caves at Frasassi, and how one can be cut off from the rays of the sun and the moon, make this the perfect environment for such experiments.

resized frassasi caves article pic 3

4. The temperature inside is around 14 degrees centigrade all year round.

As the caves are naturally hidden from the outside fluctuations in weather, the temperature inside the Frasassi Caves stays at around 14 degrees centigrade all year round. Whilst this may be a little chilly for some, for me it was actually something of a surprise when you consider this is not much less than the temperature of an average summer in Scotland! So basically, I’d be better off in an Italian cave over winter than staying in my hometown when it comes to temperature! It’s as good an excuse as any for me to go travelling! 😉

5. On a cliff above the cave is the Temple of Valadier, which can be reached only by path.

I mentioned the Temple of Valadier briefly in a previous post about the best photography spots in Marche, the region where the Frasassi Caves are situated. Well, without wanting to repeat myself, you should really make a visit to this temple built in 1828 if you’re ever passing this way. The temple is situated very close to the Frasassi Caves anyway (so you might as well make a stop off), and its epic location situated within a cave of its own make for some breath-taking viewing.

resized frassasi caves article pic 66. The caves were only actually discovered in 1971 by a group of speleologists from Ancona.

One of the things that surprised me most about the Frasassi Caves were that they were only actually discovered in 1971. In part this may be why they are so well preserved and have become the spectacle they are now which has been responsibly converted into a show cave. It is mind blowing to think these huge natural sculptures lay in darkness and completely untouched for so many hundreds of years.

7. Did I say they look like this inside?

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– If you were planning a trip around Italy during the summer then I’d definitely recommend adding the Frasassi Caves to your itinerary. Aside from just being an epic site to view and learn about, it’s also something a little different compared to all the main activities in Italy that you’d typically do. It would certainly add some variety to your trip.

10 Awesome Reasons to Learn Spanish in Cádiz (Iike I’m doing here with Clic IH)

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cadiz at night

I’m coming up for my 4th week of learning with Clic Cadiz IH, a private Spanish language school located in the sleepy seaside town of Cádiz (in the Spanish region of Andalusia.) Having previously experienced learning Spanish for a similar time period with a language school in Buenos Aires, it has been nice to continue on with my Spanish language studies at a private language school once again. It is in this environment where I personally feel that I learn much quicker. All other methods outwith of the language schools I feel are not intensive or immersive enough and so I have been enjoying these past 3 weeks in Spain! That and it’s been awesome to have a school located in such a beautiful destination. In fact, one of the best things about Clic Cadiz IH has been the surrounding seaside environment and tranquillity! It has genuinely left me feeling charmed and has certainly provided an excellent environment for learning in! So with my current language learning experiences here in Cadiz in mind, here are 10 awesome reasons why you should choose Cadiz as your study abroad destination (if you’re planning on doing something similar!)

The Views

cadiz hidey place

By far the best thing about Cadiz are the incredible views that surround you, which is in large part indebted to the peninsula that the city is situated on. Cadiz is essentially a town built upon a tiny piece of land which sticks out from mainland Spain. In the Old Town you are literally surrounded entirely by coastline on all sides except from one small(ish) strip of land that connects you to the New Town. Everyday I literally take the short walk out to one of the coastal viewpoints and just take it in. It’s also quite common at certain spots (such as the one pictured above for example) to see local people out casually fishing in some of these places too.

The Chill Factor

cadiz sunset

Cadiz is a place to chill. You’ve got the beach, the sunshine and Spanish siesta mentality! In fact, sometimes finding the motivation to do anything but chill by the beach after school has been hard, but it’s certainly not something I’m complaining about either! People here are generally very relaxed (I find) despite the fact the town has (I’ve been told) the highest rate of unemployment in Spain! You certainly wouldn’t think it given how easy going everybody seems to be! Maybe we’re all just a bit too consumed by the beach life to care during summer! 😉

Walking Distance to the Beach

cadiz views 2

This is not just a good thing about living in Cadiz generally, but also studying specifically at Clic Cadiz IH. The school, situated on Calle Acacias, is located a mere 2 to 3 minutes walk from the best beach in town! Need I say more?

The Sea Food

cadiz tapas

Pescaito Frito – or fried fish – is the local dish here in Cadiz. The local people absolutely love it! For those of you who are from the UK, it’s sort of like our traditional fish ‘n’ chips except quite a bit nicer. Also, you’ll usually have a variety of fish types to choose from. For €6 to €7 I can usually get 2 large(ish) plates of ‘pescaito frito’ plus a drink in most local tapas bars in the Old Town.

The Beautiful Buildings

cadiz architecture

Living in the Old Town has certainly had it’s benefits! There is plaza after plaza of amazing architectural gems here (such as the building pictured above in Plaza de San Antonio), but when you’re not having a beer or coffee in one of these places you’re usually stumbling across a pretty park or another beautiful monument somewhere. There have been so many times since I arrived here when I think I must have seen it all, then I turn a corner trying to find a short cut home, and suddenly I’ve found my way into yet another beautiful plaza or square surrounded by stunning buildings.

Friendly Locals

Locals here have been very friendly in my experience so far. Whether it’s the young students giving me recommendations of places to meet other young people, the little old man providing me with directions or the many dog walkers and families that are so tactile you almost want to join in on the hugs!! It really is a town brim-full with likeable locals! Also, the geography of Cadiz also makes it very hard to expand, so the chances of this place ever becoming over-run with international expats is thankfully always going to be curtailed somewhat – making it an increasingly good place to travel to in Spain if you want south-coast-living without the huge amount of British and German expat communities.

The Weekly Language Exchange at El Pelicano Bar (Every Wednesday)

el-pelicano-bar-cadiz-map

This was a recommendation from the language school and it turned out to be a really great find! My intial thoughts were that there wouldn’t be enough people to make an exchange, given how small Cadiz is in size. However, the place was absolutely packed once the night got going, with almost everyone there purely for the language interchange! It was also just a really cool place to go on Wednesdays if you don’t know anyone in Cadiz.

An Interesting History…

cadiz cathedral

Founded by Phoenicians from Lebanon, Cadiz is often considered to be the most ancient city still standing in Western Europe. Take a wander past many of its

old buildings such as Cadiz Cathedral, San Sebastian Castle or Santa Catalina Castle and you’ll find there is a surprising amount of historical significance to this quaint seaside town.

 

Clic Cadiz IH

clic-cadiz-spanish-language-school-map

I can’t mention my time in Cadiz so far without mentioning my language school Clic Cadiz IH – the school with the perfect beach location! Having previously learned a bit of Spanish in the bustling metropolis of Buenos Aires in Argentina, it has been interesting to have an entirely different experience when it comes to my language learning location, as well as getting to grips with a very different accent and way of speaking Spanish too. I will be writing much more about Clic in an upcoming article on this blog very soon, so I won’t go into too much detail just now, but I have to say that the combination of being able to learn Spanish in the mornings and then hit the beach or the Old Town in the afternoons has been idyllic. In fact, I’ve noticed a lot of the people studying here actually taking classes as part of their annual 2 week vacation and doing just that! Language learning in the morning, beach time in the afternoon!

>> If you’d like to find out more about learning Spanish at Clic Cadiz you can do so via their website at http://www.clic.es/en.

Review; Shamrocker Adventures 7 Day Tour of Ireland

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county mayo by runaway jane

Note: I recently returned from a 10 day jaunt in Ireland, 7 of which were spent touring the country with Shamrocker Adventures. Whilst I’ve always felt a strong connection and affection for the people of Ireland, I genuinely didn’t expect to enjoy myself as much as I did during my week with Shamrocker. With that in mind, here are my thoughts on Shamrocker’s 7 Day All Ireland Rocker Tour

Destinations

SRR-All-Ireland-Rocker

With the 7 day tour you’re essentially doing a full circle of Ireland, including Northern Ireland.

Some of my personal highlights included:

Countryside, Beaches & Coastline around Dingle

  The Giant’s Causeway  

giant's causeway by runaway jane   

Gaelic-speaking island Inis Mor

cliffs on inis mor island

The Cliffs of Moher

 

The Belfast Black Cab tour

belfast peace wall black cab tour

Views of Killarney National Park  

donkey at killarney national park by runaway jane

Guide & Driver

By far one of the best things about being on our tour was all the craic and banter from guide Dave and driver John. With Ireland very much being a country known for its people, in themselves Dave and John kind of gave us a bit of the ‘Irish experience’ with the fun, jovial atmosphere they managed to create quite seamlessly on board.

Dave, the quintessential Irishman and our guide throughout the entirety of the tour, just seemed to have an innate ability of mixing humour with history. Quite often he’d start reciting some of Ireland’s heart breaking past, only to finish with an anecdotal story about a sheep called Trevor. It was a nice way of giving you an insight into what this country has gone through over the years, whilst still keeping the mood fairly upbeat for a tour!

And John’s air guitar performance down the isle of the bus on our last morning has fully cemented him into legendary status in my book!!

Transportation

Our bus was a fairly standard coach, the kind of thing you would expect on any tour or long distance journey to be honest. I had no complaints with it. It carried all my luggage and there was enough room for everyone.

Accommodation

We stayed in backpacker-style hostels predominantly throughout the trip (with the exception of Derry where we stayed in a budget hotel for 1 night costing around £20 per person.) Accommodation is not included in the price of the tour, but on average it cost around €18 – €20 per person per night in the hostels we stayed in. You are of course welcome to arrange accommodation elsewhere throughout the tour and/or upgrade your room to a private at anytime.

My personal recommendation would be for you to stay in the Shamrocker-recommended hostels – the main reason being that it allows you the opportunity to get to know everyone else on board as quickly as possible if you’re also sharing a room with some of them. That and each hostel/hotel we stayed in was quite honestly all you needed for the night you were there, and indeed in many cases you were getting quite a lot of value for your money with the recommended accommodation.

Barnacles – Dublin (Pre trip)

barnacles bed

Situated right smack bang next to the Temple Bar and also Shamrocker’s offices, you really can’t get a better location to stay the night before any Shamrocker trip (or indeed any trip to Dublin if you want to be in the Temple Bar area.) Also, a really fantastic common room upstairs!

Neptunes Hostel – Killarney

Great location, situated just 2 minutes walk from the entrance to the National Park and 5 minutes walk from the bus and train stations.

Rowan Tree Hostel – Ennis

hostel bed rowan tree ennis

The Rowan Tree is one of those all-singing-all-dancing luxury hostels that pretty much has anything you could ever need in it! Everything from the balcony views onto Ennis to the yummy breakfast scones in the morning was excellent!

Kinlay Eyre Square Hostel – Galway

Kinlay House has more of a hotel feel about it yet at the same time still manages to retain its youthful backpacker vibe. Location and breakfast were both really good quality here (as was the swanky common room with state of the art iMac computers that were free to use.)

TravelLodge Hotel – Derry

derry travel lodge

The TravelLodge’s well known facilities did not disappoint during our time in Derry. You know with this particular chain that you’re always going to find somewhere clean, central and safe. For a hotel it was also pretty cheap at just £40 a room (£20 per person with 2 people sharing.)

Sheep Island View Hostel – Ballintoy

If you’re looking for a hostel close to stunning scenic views, you can’t get much better than Sheep island View Hostel in the sleepy village of Ballintoy, Northern Ireland.

Price

 2015 prices for the 7 day tour I was on are €559 for 1 adult or €539 for students. When it comes to organised tours this is the budget end of touring Ireland, but they certainly pack a lot in for that price. It’s also worth noting that Shamrocker usually do Early Bird discounts, so right now for example you can save 15% off 2015 departures using the promocode “EARLYBIRD2015″.

Overall Experience

windswept selfie of runaway jane at the Giant's Causeway

– If I was to summarise my thoughts on this tour and who I think it would be suited for, I’d have to say it’s ideal for anyone who’s never been to Ireland or who’s maybe only been to a city or two. Particularly if you’d rather share your bus with a predominantly young and/or adventurous crowd, this is the tour for you. It’s also a hell of a lot easier to see the west coast of Ireland, i.e. the more rural (and more beautiful) parts, compared to trying to take public transport in this area!

(If you’d like to look at the full itinerary I took or find out anymore information about this particular Sharmrocker tour, you can visit their website here.)

A First Time Visitor’s Guide to Dublin

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bank of ireland building by runaway jane

You’d be mistaken for thinking Dublin was just a party city. I mean, don’t get me wrong, it’s certainly up there as one of the best places in Europe (if not the world) to go drinking, but this city is also a cultural heavyweight of the grandest scale! So with that in mind, I’ve compiled what I think are some of the best things to do in Dublin for first timers. I hope you find this guide useful should you ever come here.

The best way to experience Dublin’s main attractions on a short time scale…

If you’ve only got 1 or 2 days to spare and you’ve never been to Dublin before, I recommend buying both the Dublin Pass and a hop-on hop-off bus ticket for the green line.

Why the hop-on/off ticket?

Whilst I’m not usually a fan of these hop-on hop-off tourist style buses, I particularly liked this one because you got a live commentary from the bus driver rather than just a recorded voice. I actually stayed on for one entire loop first before getting off anywhere because our bus driver Greg was so hilarious!

Secondly, it just makes things really easy if you’re going to see any of the main attractions because you stop pretty much on their doorstep. For example, highlight stops include:

  • Trinity College Dublin
  • The National Gallery
  • Temple Bar
  • Dublin Castle
  • Guinness Storehouse
  • Museum of Modern Art
  • The National Museum
  • The Old Jameson Distillery
  • Liffey River Cruise
  • The Writer’s Museum

The price for 1 adult ticket is €19, however there is a 15% discount if you book online and if you’re travelling as a family it’s worth noting that every paying adult is allowed to bring on up to 2 kids (under 14) for free.

Why get the Dublin Pass?

The Dublin Pass gains you entry into 33 visitor attractions including the famous Guinness Storehouse, the Old Jameson Distillery and the popular Dublinia. It also allows you to queue-skip (in most of the included attractions) and provides discounts on many other activities too (such as a 25% discount off the highly regarded Dublin Literary Pub Crawl.)

Additionally, the Dublin Pass entitles you to a free one-way Airport transfer into Dublin city centre. Although it’s worth noting that the pass is valid from the moment you use it on the bus, so it’s best only to use it for this if you’re arriving in the morning!

The price of 1  adult Dublin Pass is as follows:

1 Day – €39

2 Day – €69

3 Day – €71

6 Day – €105

Beautiful buildings

trinity college dublin by runaway jane

trinity college dublin 2 by runaway jane

Dublin is a city filled with architectural hotspots that make it an incredibly inspiring city to just be in. There are many stand out buildings, but if it’s your first time in Dublin and you don’t have a lot of time to go walking around the city, make sure you don’t miss out on Trinity College Dublin (the entrance of which is pictured in the 2 photos above.) You can also kill two birds with one stone here by visiting the magnificent Trinity College Library inside.

If you’re a true architecture aficionado though, you may want to keep an eye out for events in Dublin such as Open House, where you’ll be able to experience many free architectural walking tours of the city over the course of a weekend.

More generally though, other beautiful and/or interesting exteriors in Dublin that you may want to check out include The National Museum, Dublin City Hall, Dublin Castle, St Andrews Church (Suffolk Street), Leinster House and The Bank of Ireland building (pictured at the top of this article.)

Adventure Activities

wake boarding dublin by runaway jane

If you’re more of an ‘activities and adventure’ kind of traveller or you’re just looking for a bit of variety in terms of things to do in Dublin, then I highly recommend checking out the wakeboarding dock down on Dublin’s Grand Canal Dock! For a 30 minute introductory lesson including all equipment and kit, prices are €60 per adult or €45 for students with a valid ID card. I’d also recommend this as the perfect solution to any Dublin hangover! 😉

Night-time activities in Dublin

culture night dublin by runaway jane

You’ll never be short of places to go at night in Dublin. However, in my personal opinion you should really take advantage of the live music and live comedy scene in Dublin if you ever come here. It’s one of the best places in the world to do so. Good pubs/venues for checking out comedy and/or music include The International Bar, Ha’Penny Bridge Inn, The Laughter Lounge and The Stag’s Head.

Dublin Fringe Festival (5th to 20th September) is also a fantastic event to time your visit around if you’re seeking an eclectic variety of acts to choose from and a chance to support some local up-and-coming performers.

– If it’s your first time in Dublin and you’re looking for things to do, hopefully this article has been a helpful place to get you started. If you’d like more tips or recommendations on what to do here though, you’ll find more information over on Failte Ireland, Ireland’s official tourism board website. Also, please feel free to add your own suggestions in the comments section below!

What I’m doing 10 months on from becoming non-nomadic

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runaway-jane-meighan

After spending most of my life (since the age of 17) travelling, in April last year (9 years on from when I took my first trip) I decided to return to Scotland and officially become non-nomadic. As a full-time travel writer and blogger for around 6 of those years, it was not an easy decision to take. I knew that doing so would mean not just a huge change in lifestyle but also a huge change in livelihood too. There is, after all, no way to write about travel if you’re not travelling at all. A lot of good has come though from my move back home. It’s also enabled me to have a huge amount of reflection on a level deeper than I’ve ever experienced before.

So if you’ve been wondering what I’ve been doing these past 10 months since I came home, here are some of the highlights/main changes:

Losing weight – eating better and exercising

runaway-jane-meighanTo date, I’ve lost 3 stone (i.e. 42lbs) since coming home, and have dropped from a UK size 20 to a UK size 14.  I’m continuing to try and lose more so I can get back into sports this year. My plan is actually to lose another 2 stone before the summer and I’m literally writing this an hour before I’m due to start my first kickboxing class!

Much of my weight loss has been down to the regularity of being home, i.e. being able to adopt a regular exercise plan more easily and the fact that I can eat in more, i.e. I have a kitchen and I’m not arriving in destinations at 3am when the only place open is the fast food joint! However, it’s also just been down to me wanting to be more healthy and active. Sometimes the adrenaline hits you get on the road can be wild and the activities full of adventure, but I suppose I’ve found that the adrenaline hits you get with little effort are usually the ones that are bad for you, and being home has helped me to avoid some of those not-so-healthy behaviours and integrate a much more positive approach to my body.

I’ve started volunteering

I volunteer now as a youth worker in my local area and it’s been really cool to work with the kids and experience their unpredictability! For me, my childhood (and early teens in particular) were not always the best of times, so it’s always been an aim to go back and help kids in that age bracket. What I’d love to do next is help more vulnerable kids, and when I get a bit more time this is what I fully intent to do.

Being able to date without the expiry date

Whilst there are no long-term relationships on the cards at the moment, it has been nice to go on dates with people since I got home and not have the expiry date of when the relationship is going to end ticking down from day 1. The only slight downside is that I’m now so independent from my experiences on the road (apparently) that I’m now coming across to some people as though I’m just not that interested. Either that or I’m just a regular adult with a life. I tend to take the view of the latter, but either way, it’s been nice to go on quite a few dates recently without having that thought in the back of my head.

Paying off all my credit card debt

Whilst I’ve always been a promoter of the ‘travel doesn’t have to cost a lot of money’ motto (and by the way, it doesn’t), coming home and living with my parents for 10 months (as difficult as that has been at my age) has really paid off financially. In particular, I’ve been able to pay off both my credit card and overdraft, which has taken a load of my back somewhat. Now I just need to save up enough to get my own place again and I’ll feel a lot better!

Finishing my degree

Having took my first trip so young, and then in turn been bitten by the travel bug, I was never quite able to settle long enough during my late teens and early 20s to actually get around to doing my degree. And even later on when I eventually decided to do it, it took the flexibility of distance learning to really get me going (because it meant at the time that I could still keep travelling.) So initially I was studying for a degree in International Studies part-time whilst I was travelling abroad. However, since coming home I’ve switched to full-time to get it done quicker. This has had both positive and negative effects. On one hand, I’m finding full-time study + work is leaving me feeling like I’ve not enough hours in the day, but on the other hand I’m really enjoying my studies and the flexibility of distance learning is still allowing me to work it around whatever other commitments I have, e.g. I can study morning, evening or night. I think this is the only way I’ve really been able to fit it all in!

What will I do now I’m not travel writing?

With me obviously having to move away from travel writing since I stopped travelling, I’ve had to make some changes to how I earn a living. So far I’ve basically just been freelancing as a copywriter & social media manager. I’ve also thrown in time for a wee paid internship through my uni, which I’ve done in most part just to dip my toe into different waters and build up some university contacts. Going forward into the long-term future though, i.e. beyond the next few years, online marketing is not where I’m wanting to continue (despite having racked up quite a bit of experience in it). It’s not something I’m passionate about and I don’t see myself doing it much longer. What I really want to do is help young people.

My long term plans will probably involve setting up some sort of charity or NGO, and I’ve already been spit balling some ideas, but I’m also thinking I’d like to get a bit more experience first before embarking on such a huge personal challenge and commitment. That and perhaps this is something I could do at the same time as something else, certainly to begin with anyway. So in the meantime I’ve rounded down my plans post-degree to either:


A) Doing a masters and going into some sort of research role in human rights.

B) Becoming a (Modern Studies) teacher (and then eventually a Guidance Teacher if I was lucky enough).

or C) Going into social work (although I keep changing my mind about this one as to whether it’s something I’m the right fit for.)

None of the above 3 options will be able to happen until I’ve completed my degree, so I won’t know for another 2 years yet which direction I’ll be going in exactly, all I know is I want to help people (particularly those more vulnerable) and that is my plan going forward.

So what will happen with this website?

Well, to be honest, I wasn’t really sure about what to do with this site a long time. Initially I thought about selling it but just couldn’t bear to when push came to shove. When my site went down for a week at the start of the year due to an error with my hosting company, this further reaffirmed how much this site and ‘Runaway Jane’ means to me – even if I’m not really using it anymore. So I’m definitely going to keep it on the internet, but perhaps mostly in archived form. I will post new articles and videos from time to time, but seeing as I’m not earning a living from it anymore (and therefore having to spend a lot of time doing other things to make money), it has become increasingly hard to find the time lately to be honest – hence the lack of posts in recent months.

Another point is, that whilst when I do go on holiday I’ll be picking new and exciting places to go to, if I’m not really travelling that much will I be able to write about travel whenever I do post an article? It’s a question I’ve been pondering for about the last year or so, and initially whilst I did try to reinvent this blog as one covering social issues and human rights, again I just really haven’t had the time to do it justice when I need to focus on my studies and earning a living elsewhere. So I think, what’s most likely is that when I do post something it’ll perhaps be a mixture of stuff. Some travel, some social issues/human rights, and perhaps maybe just whatever else I think is interesting, funny or important. Who knows! Maybe you can give me some suggestions?

Will I travel again?

Of course, but just not in a long-term capacity. I’m enjoying being home and spending time with my family right now, as well as forming and maintaining community connections around me. Travel has this funny thing of allowing you to form amazing friendships with people all over the world, but then ultimately resulting in you not seeing those people very often because you then inevitably go home or move onto the next country. What I need more in life right now is my friends around me and I’m enjoying that experience. However, that is not to say I have no interest in travel anymore. I will always be interested in visiting interesting destinations, but perhaps just on a holiday timescale.

Reflections on life since I came back

Linlithgow-by-runaway-jane

I’m not sure whether it’s because I’ve come home after such a long period of time on the road or because I also started my travels so young (and I’m just at an age where I’m reflecting more on the past), but I’ve been having a really deep form of reflection since I came home that has actually quite startled me. These past 10 months I’ve thought about periods of my life and people that I haven’t thought about in a very long time. Particularly those people who have had the biggest impact on me. It’s left me feeling rather bitter sweet. Sweet that I’ve been able to have this incredible life because of the amazing influences and rock-steady helpers that have been in my life at various stages throughout it, but also sad that not all of them are people I’ll be able to get in touch with again (or who’ll perhaps want to get in touch with me). I’m hopeful that those who can will, that when I reach out they’ll respond, but if I had one regret it’s probably letting some of these people slip away. Getting so caught up in my own journey and adventures that I’ve allowed the ignorance of youth to allow me to lose certain past connections that I’m appreciating now that I’ve had a bit of time and age.

And last but not least, whilst I’m completely ready to move on from long-term travel personally, it’s definitely something I’d always recommend to every young person before they embark on any future study or career. Seriously, it’s the best time to do it! I honestly think they should make a year of travel compulsory before you start college or uni! And whilst travelling for extremely long periods of time like I did can eventually lead to perhaps too many sacrifices being made (hence the reason I’ve given it up), 2 or 3 years of travelling/working/living abroad is one of the best life learning and exhilarating experience I think any human being can have. I definitely hope that anyone who has been reading my blog over the past 6 years has at least taken that from everything I’ve written or tried to communicate. Don’t waste your life waiting for the right time. There is never a right time to do what you love. There is never the perfect set of circumstances. Find a way to do it now.

 

10 Reasons Why Rio de Janeiro is Awesome!

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Many times on my travels I have found there are cities that are hyped up to be something extra-ordinary, extra special, something spectacular, only to get there and feel disappointed because it just didn’t live up to the huge promotion it was given. I expected this to happen in Rio de Janeiro. I expected it not to be as good as I had imagined. I arrived in a bad mood thinking it wouldn’t be everything I wanted it to be. I was wrong. It was better than I imagined. I genuinely love this city and for that reason I thought I’d share with you 10 reasons why I think it’s awesome! I hope it makes you want to visit Rio if you haven’t visited already!

Breath-taking coastline

runaway jane in rio de janeiro

Usually I hate busy beaches. As a self confessed introvert on my travels I like my own space, and in particular I like empty or near-empty beaches. It’s only then I feel I can enjoy the sea views and the cusp of a wave to its full extent. However, even on an extremely busy weekend, walking along Rio de Janeiro’s most famous beaches – Copacabana and Ipanema – I couldn’t help but be over-awed by the stunning coastline landscape here. Particularly in the case of Ipanema (see me pictured at Ipanema beach above), despite the huge crowds of people you just couldn’t deny it was an incredible coastal view. You could definitely under stand the popularity and why these beaches are known the world over.

Well prepared for tourists

One of the things I was most impressed with in Rio was the strong presence at the International Airport and major tourist sites of tourist information points and people handing out free city maps. Particularly at the airport I think I passed around 3 separate tourist information desks, one of which you passed before you’d even collected your hold luggage. Something simple like this made it so much easier getting from the International Airport into town by bus and it was a small yet reassuring sign that Rio is ready for the World Cup in June despite its recent troubles.

Super friendly & sociable locals

I’ve only ever had good experiences when I’ve met Brazilian people on my travels around the world. They just seem to be friendly and sociable by nature and my time in Rio de Janeiro was no different. Every time I asked for help or directions people always seemed happy to help. When I was sitting in cafes on my own local people would just come up and talk to me even though I was a complete stranger. If there wasn’t enough seats in a restaurant people who’d never met each other before would just squeeze up next to one another and chat while they ate. Usually the big cities are the places where people can often be less friendly but I personally did not experience this in Rio de Janeiro. Genuinely, everyone was really nice to me. The place just had a cool vibe and I loved hanging out with the local people here.

Christ the Redeemer

christ the redeemer statue

It’s probably one of the few landmarks around the world that could rival the Eiffel Tower for fame – and you can see exactly why when you visit the ‘Christ the Redeemer’ statue in Rio de Janeiro. In actual fact, whilst the trip to view the statue up close was a worth while one-time experience in order to see it up close, in my opinion the statue is actually most impressive when viewed from afar around the city. For example, the views of ‘Christ the Redeemer’ from Botafogo – the neighbourhood where I was staying – were particularly impressive. They made what would have been a normal day shopping for example turn into something more inspiring when you see the statue in the distance (and I’m not even religious!)

Açaí

açaí

Açaí is a non-alcoholic berry fruit drink that you drink/eat with a spoon. The Açaí Palm (the plant which the berries come from) is native to Central and South America but is particularly popular in Brazil. I personally had never heard of Açaí until I arrived in Rio and so it was therefore  a very welcome surprise! I actually think I got mildly addicted to the stuff while I was here, and considering how many juice bars there are in Rio, it was a good excuse to stop every so often and have a drink of Açaí when the hot summer weather here got too much.

Caipirinha

Rio de Janeiro is a party city. Even if you were like me and chose not to focus your activities here on partying so much, you can’t come to Rio and not taste a local Caiprinha in Brazil’s most famous city! A word of warning though – they do make them strong!

Brazilian Samba

Another popular activity to experience while you’re in Rio is to take some Samba lessons. You also may want to go see a Samba show. I personally recommend doing both, but I think you’ll also be hard pressed to find a Samba show in Rio de Janeiro that isn’t also a tourist trap. Not that there’s anything wrong with that as long as it’s fun and you have a good time, but personally I think for a more authentic experience it’s better to go learn a bit of the dance with a local qualified instructor followed by a trip to a samba club. You’ll find many of the hostels in Rio offer lessons in house or can arrange them for you (which is what I did in Rio as I had limited time to shop around), but I also heard good things about ‘Rio Samba Dancer’ school, a local company who offer group lessons to tourists.

Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas

lagao rodrigo de freitas rio de janeiro chirst the redeemer statue rio

For me the Rodrigo de Freitas lake was one of the major visual highlights of Rio de Janeiro. A) Because the lake itself it very tranquil and beautiful, and B) because of the great views of the ‘Christ the Redeemer’ statue from the lake side. It’s the best place in my opinion to view Rio’s iconic statue from afar, but it’s also just a really nice place to visit on its own if you’re chilling out on a sunny day or want to go for a bike ride. You’ll also meet a lot of local people here on weekends out cycling or having lunch with their family.

Pão de Açúcar Cable Car

Again, another great spot for epic views of Rio de Janiero! The Pão de Açúcar is a double cliff/mountain top and cable car situated on the coast in between Rio’s Botafogo neighbourhood and Copacabana. There are two cable cars that take you to both cliff tops and allow you some stunning views of the city. There is also more room to move than you’ll find when you go to visit the Christ Redeemer statue, so may allow you some better photos of the city. However, this attraction is also rather pricey at 60 Brazilian Reals for 1 adult – more than what it will cost you for much more famous attractions in the city! Still, the views are incredible.

Sunshine Weather

Rio de Janeiro Brazil

Rio never really gets cold. Certainly not by Northern European standards where I come from. When I was there a few weeks ago most days were around the 30 ºC mark, but on a particularly hot summer day it can reach as high as 40 ºC. In winter the weather here is usually around 20 ºC to 25 ºC (what an average summer would be like for me in Scotland!) Although you can find it dips down to as low as 15 ºC on a ‘cold’ winter day here. Essentially Rio has the perfect climate for a visit any time of year.

– I really loved Rio de Janeiro during my time here. I remember arriving in Rio feeling a little down and in a bit of a bluesy mood only to immediately feel much more cheery and uplifted as soon as I stepped out into the city. It’s just one of those places that has that kind of affect on you. It’s beautiful, sunny, there’s lots to do and the local people are friendly. The only thing I wished for was that I had more time here. It’s certainly on my agenda to make a return visit here at some point in the future. It really is an awesome city!


Is Colombia still a dangerous country to travel?

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buildings of bogota

I have to be honest here. I was a bit sneaky when announcing I was going to Colombia this year. Or rather, I didn’t announce I was going at all. I just updated my facebook location status once I got there saying I’d arrived in Cali, the first city I visited in Colombia. At first I wasn’t even sure I was going to do that either.

My initial plan was not to mention I was going to Colombia at all until after I’d been, but then I thought as a solo traveller it would be unwise not to update people of where I was going and when. This has nothing to do with it being Colombia that I was travelling in, just the fact that I’m travelling solo and bad things can happen anywhere. You should always update people every few days of where you are and where you’re going as a bare minimum just in case, so I decided not to be stupid and I let people know where I was.

But the problem with telling someone you are going to Colombia in particular is that there are always people of a certain generation who will remember the news headlines generated about the country from yester years. They’ll worry themselves sick about you going. More often than not those headlines of great violence from this country’s past history are the only things that people (where I come from in the UK) have ever really heard about Colombia too. I guess the nature of the news is that when it reports on other countries it’s usually only because something bad happened. When the country re-generates or makes huge improvements in its crime rate for example, news stations are usually uninterested in reporting on these more positive aspects. Depressingly, less people watch the news when they report on happy things and so until we tune in for more of the right things this will be the case for any country who goes through a bad period in its modern day history.

medellin, colombia

So was Colombia dangerous and is it dangerous now?

At one point during the 70’s and 80’s Colombia was reportedly responsible for up to 80% of the world’s cocaine produce. Cartel leaders such as the infamous (and now dead) Pablo Escobar ran brutal accept-a-bribe-or-die-type campaigns that meant his home town of Medellin became at one point the city with the highest murder rate in the world, with the crime rate dropping somewhat not long after his death. The guy would literally kill anyone who got in his way. That and every other time Colombia seems to hit our tv screens it’s because the FARC have done another bombing. So feelings of unease in regards to your loved ones travelling to Colombia are not entirely unjustified, they are just simply outdated.

I’ve been in Colombia for over 2 weeks now and will have been in the country for around 20 days by the time I fly to Brazil on the 17th of January (2014). In that time I’ve visited 6 destinations in Colombia (Ipailes, Cali, Bogota, Medellin, Cartagena, and Santa Marta.) Not once have I had an issue related to safety. I’m not saying that something couldn’t happen, as bad things can happen anywhere, but I haven’t once felt unsafe here. In fact, most people I’ve met (particularly here where I am right now in Santa Marta) have been especially friendly.

Little things like how people always say good morning or afternoon to you as they pass, or how they help you with your bags in the shops, or to squeeze your luggage onto the bus before it drives off. All of these things were very endearing. The best thing about Colombia for me though has just been the overall friendly nature of people in how they quite often just strike up a conversation with you in public places. Often when they find out you’re not from Colombia they become very interested in finding out a bit more about your country and why you came to Colombia. It’s lovely.

Of course, like anywhere Colombia’s biggest cities do have their dangerous parts, e.g. there are certain parts of Bogota that I just wouldn’t walk down (especially at night), as well as in Medellin or any of the other main cities. But then the same could be said for walking about in any big city (e.g. parts of London, Paris, New York etc) when it comes to wandering into certain areas that are known to be dangerous. So it’s important to do you research before you visit any city in Colombia just as you would anywhere else.

I also currently won’t travel to the Colombian Jungle as personal choice. Whilst the FARC are extremely depleted compared to how they were in previous years and most of their commanders now dead, they still exist and their bases are in the Colombian Jungle as it’s naturally an easier place for them to hide. However, to get around this problem I simply opted to do my Amazon Jungle tour in Ecuador before I came to Colombia to avoid any slim chance of something bad happening out there.

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Has this image of crime impacted on tourism in Colombia?

Whilst tourism is certainly booming in Colombia compared to what it used to be during the troubles, the truth is that despite the country’s major progressions in recent years in tackling crime, it is only very slowly that people are beginning to trust that they can come here again and feel safe. Images of violence, kidnapping and terror on our news screens have a huge impact on tourism that last years beyond any problems that may actually have existed in the countries which are being reported on. And I’m not saying that those images blasted across our TV screens during the days of Escobar or the FARC in their ‘heyday’ (for want of a better word) weren’t justified at the time, but it is just simply not like that anymore. The country is much safer than it used to be.

What is the future for Colombia?

I dream of a day when the first thing people think about when they think about Colombia is of its great touristic destinations rather than its previous crime history. For example, did you know that the Colombian city of Cali is the Salsa capital of the world? Did you know that Colombia has both Pacific Ocean and Caribbean coastline? Did you know how awesome the arepas are here? Seriously, I’ve been lying in a food coma since lunch and it’s now 8pm! That and Shakira was also born here. I mean she’s no Bob Dylan but her hips don’t lie. And no, I have no idea what that lyric means either! 😉

Ironically Colombia’s cartel history is now becoming part of its touristic appeal. For example, the hostel I am in right now in Santa Marta is actually a former cartel house. In Medellin you can take part in the Pablo Escobar tour where you actually get to meet his brother (depending on which tour you take) and see the grave site of the man himself. I guess there’s also the curiosity factor. I’m not going to lie, whilst I did do my research before coming here to asses whether or not the country was still dangerous (and I wouldn’t have come if I felt it wasn’t safe enough), there was a part of me that got a buzz out of the thought that I was going to see this place with my own eyes. That I would step foot in cities once referred to as the most dangerous in the world. There was a definite flutter in the stomach when I got my entry stamp at border control and took my first steps into the country. And whilst the country has been very different to how I imagined it to be, I have thus far only good things to report on it – which I’m very pleased to say.

– If you liked reading this article you may also be interested in reading 5 things you should know before you go to Ecuador, another article I wrote recently.

Top 5 Things to do in Quito (Ecuador)

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I’ll be honest here. I didn’t like Quito all that much (see this post if you’re wondering why.) However, there are still some cool things to do in the city and for that reason I thought I’d list my top 5 here today. Hopefully if you ever visit Quito you’ll find this post useful.

(Please note; this list is in no particular order.)

Visit the Equator Line

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This is by far the main attraction in Quito and the most famous thing to do in the city. It will take you around an hour and a half on buses to get there from Quito city centre (although should only cost you around 45 cents on the bus for 1 person), and it is very touristy, but I suppose it is cool to get your photo by the line and say you’ve been there. Entry to the Mitad del Mundo (centre of the world) is also very cheap at just $2. Just be aware that there is debate over whether indeed it is the real equator line or not. As I mentioned in this article, since GPS has been invented many have said that the real equator line is in fact situated around 260 metres away from where it was originally marked at the Mitad del Mundo. To view the other line you need to pop around the corner to the Intinan Museum where inside is supposedly the real line and also some magnetic experiments you can participate in.

Cable Cart to the Volcano

The Teleferico, or cable cart in Quito is another major attraction in the city and one of the better things to do. The main reason simply being for the views of the city and also because it allows you to get closer to the volcano. Again though, it is very touristy. That is the only downside.

The cable cart is built on the outskirts of the Pinchincha area and the summit of Cruz Loma and spans over an area of 160 hectares. The Teleferico reaches a height of over 4000 metres at its summit on Crus Loma.

Take a walk around Quito’s old town

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Quito’s old town has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978, and justifiably so. Colonial buildings such as the Palacio Presidencial, Palacio Gobierno, and the Monastery of San Francisco are all major highlights.

Cotopaxi National Park

Quito’s greatest asset as a city for me is the abundance of natural beauty that surrounds it, and Cotopaxi National Park is one prime example of that. If you’re into hiking this is the place to go in Quito. You’ll find many tour operators in the city offering day trips to Cotopaxi, but if you’re a keen hiker you’ll want more time than that as 1 day is not enough to hike to the summit of the volcano here.

Otavalo Market

If you’re in Quito on a Saturday then it’s highly recommended that you take a trip out to Otavalo for the market. Aside from being incredibly atmospheric, there’s also a lot to do in nearby Otavalo such as visiting Cuicocha Lake, Peguche Waterfall, and Condor Park.

– So these are my top 5 things to do in Quito! If you’re ever travelling in Quito and don’t have a lot of time to decide what to do then hopefully this list helps you select the best activities!





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