http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Ellen-Around-the-World/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Ellen Around the World en-us Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:35:01 +0000 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:35:01 +0000 Colombia has long been reputed as one of the most violent countries on earth. Where great coffee leftwing guerrilla groups drug barons syndicated crime and kidnaps are rife. Where back in 2000 two crazy English backpackers were kidnapped attempting to cross the Darien Gap from Panama to Colombia and held hostage by FARC guerrillas. Where in 2003 one Brit and four Israeli backpackers we http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/blog-265066.html Ireland may not have taken gold in the recent Olympics but theyrsquove since become the first of the European countries to declare a recession have pledged euro400 billion to the bank bailout and turnip sales are up 75. Yep thatrsquos right you heard it here first well second if you read the Daily Mail turnips recession gourmet The Celtic Tiger as the Irish economic boom was http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/blog-332386.html Just the name conjures up images of a remote exotic destination but all too quickly I was to have this image shattered. Costa Rica is exceedingly beautiful with a winning combination of jungle and beach but unfortunately itrsquos no longer quite so remote or exotic. Before we got there feedback from other backpackers wasnrsquot all good wersquod heard that it was comparatively ex http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/blog-265065.html When the inevitable question of travel highlights comes up Little Corn Island Nicaragua is high on my list. Basically this little Caribbean gem sets a new benchmark for paradise on earth. The thing is I wouldnrsquot have even gone there if it hadnrsquot been for St Paddyrsquos day and a fabulously crazy gang of Irish. But Irsquoll get to that hellipIf Guatemala is hot on the bac http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/blog-254927.html ConfusedTrue my blog has experienced droughtlike conditions these past six months. Testament perhaps to the nature of my crazy adventures and just how much fun I've been having And no unfortunately I'm not still in some exotic and hot Central American location. Actually I've just moved to Dublin Ireland where I'm busy applying for jobs and 'backblogging'IrelandWhy would anyone want http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dublin/blog-319861.html El Salvador has a dirty reputation. Itrsquos famous for its creepy prepubescent moustaches massive guns and the fact that it boasts more prostitutes than tourism. It also gets a bad rap for being dangerous I can count the number of us gringos I saw whilst in El Salvador on two hands. The local men are mean looking characters short ruddy and broad wearing cowboy hats and requisite mous http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/El-Salvador/blog-254767.html Earth Lodge was a welcome reprieve from the rigours of 6 months of backpacking. A lodge cum avocado farm up the hill from Antigua with spectacular views over the local volcanos. Those who've heard me bang on about its merits will have already heard about the spanish lessons delicious family dinners hammocks and the brilliant characters who make it such a great home away from home. But bear http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/blog-251122.html I was psyched about Guatemala the exotic and unknown with live volcanos and jungles the famed chicken buses and Mayan locals in brightly coloured clothing. But Guatemala got off to a bad start. Within minutes of alighting from the lancha in Livingston a rough Garifuna tout with a gold tooth told me to get fed when I wouldnt accompany him to his hostel. Things got far worse before the http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/blog-254758.html Baby you gonna be dancing with me later you better Belize it said the enormous rastafarian whod accosted me by the dance floor of Caye Caulkers infamous karaoke joint. Ive heard some pretty amusing pickup lines in my time but this one was stolen from Belizes most popular souvenir tshirt. Classy Still on a Cuban high I decided to head to Belize on a whim. Belize being one of those p http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/blog-254773.html Cuba is almost too much to take in food for the senses For starters the streets are lined with crumbling colourful buildings and elderly Cuban men and women really do smoke cigars in windows and doorways. Add to that curvaceous women in headscarves and hair in rollers strolling down the street whilst men wash or repair shiny vintage cars. Its like one big fiesta music plays people ca http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Cuba/blog-241119.html Fear. Not normally in my repertoire. But thats what I felt as the plane swooped down upon smoggy sprawling Mexico City. The most populous city in the world home to 25 million people 1 million cars allegedly 1 million police ... bigger than the entire population of Australia. Finally my travels south through Central and South America were no longer a pipe dream. But the fear is for an en http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/blog-241120.html If you believe what you see on American television in South Beach aka SoBe Miami the sun always shines. Beautiful people fresh out of either solarium or plastic surgery sip expensive cocktails in hip bars by an impossibly spectacular beach before driving home along Ocean Drive in their harley or convertable top down of course... which may or may not be stolen later. Sadly my only knowle http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Florida/Miami-Beach/blog-241112.html Canada was all about the white Christmas old friends and Western comforts. Many a time during my asian travels I'd dreamt of quality red wine a good steak a toilet where you could flush the paper instead of putting it in a smelly rubbish bin. Imagined a bathroom with the winning trifecta clean hot water locking door. Luxury It took five flights from Goa before I reached Toronto inclu http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Ontario/blog-240895.html India is all about the crazy unpredictable and often breathtaking experience. About spectacular views of green rice paddies and palm trees from train windows one minute then laundries and slums the next. People always with smiles unreserved laughter and unwavering good humour. About crazy and indecipherable systems of bribe and making things happen. About bright bold colours saris ba http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/blog-232128.html Kolkota. City of joy. City of 15 million. Dirt under fingernails toenails up nostrils and in ears. Atmosphere like smog soup. Horns sound constantly and loudly. The smell of rotting garbage mingles with animal carcass and urine. Everywhere you look there are mangy dogs cows masses of people working stalls driving rickshaws sleeping begging swarming. On trains a human crush grabs http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/West-Bengal/Kolkata/blog-225375.html Look at my photos from Providence at face value and you will see only bright smiles and happiness. Laughing children playing and learning in a mismatch of clothing and various states of dishevel but they all seem to have shoes. A school facility that offers shelter running water and even electricity. The classrooms have colourful tables and chairs murals blackboards pencils chalk. Food http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Meghalaya/Shillong/blog-229362.html The thing is there are no fat backpackers. Tans dreadlocks hardened torsos the occasional symbolic tatt chain smokers ... Khao San Road is seething with these characters. Fisherman's pants leather necklaces with sharks tooth or similar rip off brand name tshirts thongs or flip flops ... depending where you're from headbands masses of facial hair...Famously depicted in the movie 'th http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Central-Thailand/Bangkok/blog-225368.html Vietnam was all sunburn mozzie bites and sand in my hair. I wasnrsquot convinced Irsquod have time to make it to Vietnam but thanks to some heavy duty 12 hour slogs on buses and a time saving flight from Vientiane Laos to Phnom Penh Cambodia I managed to muster up a respectable ten days. Enough for some long overdue beach action in the south with my good friend Germaine covering off http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/blog-218373.html Singapore the Canberra of SE Asia was never going to be a tourist stop. The main agenda was to visit my dear friends from Oz Donna and Scott working there since June. It also provided a great opportunity to do laundry restock supplies and relax in the comfort of a ritzy expat apartment with pool. Quite a departure from the backpacking worldAfter Vietnam Singapore was very Western. C http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Singapore/blog-223147.html Cambodia and its seething mass of motorcycle bandits filthy beggar children horrific history and desperate poverty is a hard country to love. Until the gorgeous grinning children and resilience of it's Khmer survivors gets under your skin. Then there's Angkor Wat. No pictures or descriptions will ever do Angkor Wat's plethora of jaw dropping temples justice it's pure and simple goose bump http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/blog-217795.html