While backpacking, a lot of crazy things happen daily that never get incorporated into my blog so, I figured now would be a great time to pause, and tell you about 2 events that happened back to back (with some ridiculous pictures of course... but only a limited few because I can't put up naked ones, even naked ones where body parts are covered or not showing, on this site. They ended up being removed even though I had permission from the guy. Oh well! You'll get the idea). EVENT NUMBER 1: AUSTRALIAN GETS NAKED AND CLIMBS TOUCAN AND MACAW I [View Full Entry]

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Yes... Over a week later now that my body has almost healed and I know I don't have dengue fever, yellow fever or lime disease, I can say that yes, in retrospect, it was worth it. BUT, for the record, if I ever make it to the Brasilian Amazon, I am having 90% Deet repellent shipped to me from Australia because I would prefer having my skin fall off over being so covered in mosquito bites that I can't feel smooth skin anywhere. And now, on with the story: After a final day spent in my Brasilian bathing suit on the [View Full Entry]

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1) ILHA GRANDE: Photoshop Experts I´ve been spoiled with untouched beaches in Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia - the type that are either free of people or don´t have electricity and thus make nigh time activities happen by candle light once the generator stops. I expected Ilha Grande to be somewhat unspoiled as well. From the pictures on its website or at tourist offices, it sure looked so, but it wasn´t. I guess being so close to Rio explains why everyone comes here though. Exhibit A: Lagoa Verde The Green Lagoon looked spectacular in pictures, just like every other place on the [View Full Entry]

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PARATY: Old colonial town with cobblestone streets, romantic restaurants, live music, street artists and sweet carts. Definitely one of those European places that made me wish I had a boyfriend. I was there on Paraty´s Birthday of all times so I got to go to a free outdoor concert, meet some locals (like a so called "famous DJ") and do some great people watching. If you need another reason to realize Brasil is not so dangerous, know that their kids were playing out on the streets until 2am. SAO PAULO: A big city... with a street filled with skyscrapers and people [View Full Entry]

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Amsterdam has now dropped to 3rd while Rio and Barcelona rival for 1st on my list of favorite cities. Why? 1) "RIO IS DANGEROUS" Rio is not as dangerous as you think or expect. Before coming here, I was pretty worried. I heard that little kids might come up to me with guns in broad daylight and demand my stuff, and that I shouldn´t wear a purse or bring a camera or iPod out on the beach or when walking around. Next thing I know, I go out on high alert and look like an idiot because everyone on the beach [View Full Entry]

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Carnaval in Rio consists of 2 parts: 1) SAMBODROMO (where the parade takes place) Best $165 I´ve ever spent! Why so little? Why not thousands of dollars or sold out like shown on the internet? Well, things are a little different once you get to Rio, just like when you get anywhere. I mean, how many people in Brazil could afford to spend thousands of dollars on a parade?! But back to the actual show... It was absolutely amazing (as you can tell by the pictures)!! It started at 9pm and ended at 6am. My dad, aunt, best friend Vanessa and [View Full Entry]

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Once FINALLY reaching O´Higgins (at the end of the Carretera Austral), I got a little Glacier Happy.... Glacier Number 1: O´Higgins Glacier When crossing the first lake of our complicated border crossing into Argentina, my travel buddies and I took a boat to the O´Higgins Glacier. Aside from the glacier itself, sailing through icebergs and pieces of ice that had broken off from the glacier (process called calving) was a definite highlight. Glacier Number 2: Cerro Torre Glacier I took a 12 hour tour in El Chalten. What I didn´t know was that I was first, repeating parts of a trail [View Full Entry]

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#1: LOOK THROUGH ALL OF THE PICTURES because I still can´t believe the mountains I saw or the blue, green and WHITE water that exists. Absolutely jaw dropping. (Pics are in chronological order, not order of preference). #2: MURPHY´S LAW: ¨Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.¨ Thank you, Murphy.... We are not friends... Because that is pretty much how my Patagonian experience went... And if ever there were a place where I wouldn´t want everything to go wrong when I´m pressed for time to go to Carnival in Rio, it´s here, in Patagonia, where traveling is extremely frustrating and [View Full Entry]

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A 5 hour flight from LA, 6 hour layover in El Salvador, 4.5 hour flight to Lima, 3 hour layover, 3.5 hour flight and 2 very bloodshot eyes later, I arrived in Santiago Chile at 3am. No one waited for me with a card holding my name as expected, so (without even the slightest panic because I´m used to things going wrong by now), I avoided the annoying taxi people and found the cheapest mode of transportation to the hostel: a shuttle. Next thing I know, I´m breathing extremely polluted air and looking out my window as the other women in [View Full Entry]

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As some of you may remember, my camera was stolen in Bali so I put a hold on the blog while waiting for pictures to be emailed to me from the nice and friendly people who promised to do so. Well, only 2 of them actually followed through - one of which sent me this first picture he found hilarious. It's of my hand, covered in mud because on my 30K+ bike tour, I handed my dad the camera and moved my bike into the rice paddies so I could have a nice picture of me, the bike and the paddies. [View Full Entry]

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