Sloane n Robbo
The long awaited trip is finally here. Carly and Greg have packed their bags and are on the road, ready to sample the finest of crazy culture and exotic delicacies....Greg n Carly
Travel Blog Posts
Whatthetenango?
Published: February 20th 2007Central America Caribbean » Guatemala » Petén Region » Flores
February 20th 2007
As the Ancient Myans did no believe in linier time, I´ll be writing this with them in mind. shoshie When I arrived at Flores, the diving board to Tikal (the biggest, baddest Myan ruins in all the land) I was accousted by a few lads saying "shoshie, shoshie". Assuming this was some Mayan diatect from this part of the land, I desperately searched my guide book for some kind of language help, but of course, "shoshie" sound a lot like "shoe-shine" and judging by those backened hands and wooden boxes they´re carrying.... well clearly, I´m an idiot. Having a bad couple of days (try and follow this) So I want to get from Quetzaltenago to Antigua, check some lava-flowing volcanos, and get to Coban. OK. Getting the chicken bus from Quetzaltenago I overshot my change over ... read more
Whatever doesn´t kill you...
Published: February 3rd 2007Central America Caribbean » Nicaragua » Northern Pacific Coast » LeonFebruary 2nd 2007
...only makes you stronger. From my very short time here in Nicaragua this is the impression that I take from its people. Having stuck pretty close the cities and the gringo trail, I can´t fully appreciate the issues and the struggles that this country faces, and while many do struggle they haven´t lost their will to fight nor their pride. Walking through the city of León you can see the very best and worst of Nicaragua. "This is where Somoza (ruthless dictator) was killed....this is the house of Ruben Dario (famous poet) ...here is where 4 students were shot while protesting...this is the jail where countless sandistas (socialist resistance of the time) were tortured. I´ve found the people here to be both proud and kind. It´s the only country where I´ve seen local people wearing touristic ... read more
January 26th 2007
This being my first Australia Day outside of my country, I became particularly patriotic and began to wear little koalas and kangaroos on my clothing, and telling people about the wonders of dancing the 'Heel and Toe'. This all culminated in my first Triple J Hottest 100 party, hosted in the hostel where I am currently living called 'Mama Latina', in Cuenca. We managed to hook up the broadcast (until the internet died, thanks anyway Paul) and the four Aussie girls who teach here at CEDEI: Lea, Gretel, Rachel and myself, revelled in hearing Aussie accents live on radio and a bunch of music that we have no idea about because we've been here for most of last year! So we roped in a bunch of other extranjeros and Ecuadorian friends, to share in our love ... read more
January 20th 2007
There are three known ways to cross from Colombia (South America) into Panamá (Central america). The most dangerous and least traveled path is over land, through the Darian gap. Apparently, if you don´t get lost, killed, kiddnapped or eaten up by dense jungle your doing well. The least dangerous and most traveled path is over air, quick, simple - but really... how boring. The middle ground is taking a sail-boat via the San Blas islands. This was my chosen path, and these are the details of my travels. Unfortunatly, I didn´t have alot of options on which boat I could go with, so I took the only one that was running, it was called "Karma". I should point out that all other boats weren´t running the route due to bad weather, except us, in a small, ... read more
January 3rd 2007
Hopping over the Ecuadorian border into Colombia was so easygoing (the best border crossing yet) and the landscape around there is so lush and green you just want to take it with you. Endless valleys and thick jungle, this is Colombia! We landed in Popayán, a colonial city in the south and had the good fortune of witnessing some festivities on our only day there. mini hot-air balloons were being sent up over the city, some shooting off fire works, some crumpling back to earth on fire and others sailing through the skies of Popayán, nestling down on a patch of grass somewhere. A nerdy afternoon was spent ogling stuffed animals and rocks in the Museum of Natural Historical Stuff, and boy did they have a lot of poor little creepy dead birds, as well as ... read more
December 23rd 2006
We arrived in Tena after another fun bus ride where the road was blocked for at least an hour due to random roadworks...we jumped out to view 'la selva' from the side of the road, stretching out in the valleys with its humid green mistyness, buzzing with a million mosquitos and chirping with monkeys and birds and who-knows what else....YAY, WE FOUND THE JUNGLE!! 6 months in Ecuador and we have not yet set foot in this sticky green wonderland, which takes up more than half of the country and joins with the rest of the Amazon that so often comes to mind when you hear 'South America'... So we found a nice hostal, 'Limoncocha', with an even nicer view of the valley, and run by a quiet German guy (what is it with the fantastic ... read more
December 17th 2006
As our time in this little town is coming to an end, we have been reminiscing the more quirky details and customs of our Gualaceo.... 10 ways (or 11 or 13) to know you're in Gualaceo *1) The local playland carnival has a Ferris Wheel (rueda moscobita) made from a car engine. *2) Your next door neighbours invite you over to watch pig's innards stuffed into pig's intestines ('salchichas' i.e. sausages, yummy) and celebrate the momentus occasion by drinking coconut liquer and cerveza *3) The garbage truck announces its arrival at 6am and all throughout the morning with a blaring minute-long ringtone that if I ever hear again I will strangle myself....same goes for car alarms that sound like that annoying person on the train who is going through all of their mobile ringtones to find ... read more
November 12th 2006
Hey all, it's Carly checkin' in. It has been a while since my last blog, and although sometimes it feels like I have nothing to do here, I really have been up to a lot. Still in Gualaceo, and in the middle of a 10 week term, in which I have 3 classes, some of which drive me crazy and others that I love. Also have been teaching twice a week at a local preschool, and the kids are gorgeous, if a little terrifying sometimes. Then on the weekends we have been living it up in the wonderful (and free) natural wonders of Ecuador, some of which are right at our doorstep. If anyone is travelling to South America and wants to see nature in all forms, Ecuador has it - rich green mountains, jungle, beach, ... read more
September 26th 2006
We're on holidays! Free from school for 15 days, we decided to search for some sol y mar on the edge of Ecuador. Another all-day bus nightmare (had pleasantly forgotten about those the last few months) including a frantic search of the Guayauqil bus terminal (they bark at you like cattle from their little desks), and we found ourselves in lovely little Montañita, source of many a hippie bracelet stall and cheap cocktail. Reminded me of Thailand with its numerous budget lodgings, colourfully adorned bars playing reggae, and assortment of ragged travellers such as ourselves, looking for the beach bliss of a party town. Really all we did in Montañita was eat a lot, drink a bit, and hire one of those 4-wheel motorcycle things that I always look at with disdain when they zip noisily ... read more
September 20th 2006
OK so the blog has been a little more than just neglected....we are lagging by so many months now that I have decided to bugger it and skip a few chapters. So here is the last few weeks of Greg and Carly's adventures in Ecuador! We have been living in Cuenca for the last 5 weeks, and it has been a whole lot different to Gualaceo, mainly due to our interaction with other gringo teachers and an increased intake of liquor(see next blog 'Boys in towels')...we have made some great friends here, most of whom live with us in the 'Sucre House', named so for it's location on Mariscal Sucre entre Juan Montalvo y Estevez de Toral (I have to say that so much when getting a taxi home that it is imprinted in my skull). ... read more
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