laetitiaaroundtheworld

And somehow trying not to be eaten by a hungry lion in the process or disturb the large group of elephants passing along our car… Welcome to Etosha national park, a jewel when it comes to wildlife diversity and abundance set in a middle of a quite atypical landscape. 20’000 sq km in the center of which lies an immense salt desert, the Etosha pan, that gives the name to the park “the great white place of dry water”. Around it, grassland, woodland and bush home to so many species that you quickly stop counting and simply enjoy the easiness with which you can spot them. Map on hand ready to explore! Driving in the wild… The first day in the reserve was filled with anticipation, read about Etosha, chatted the night before with some South ... read more

Walking through the little pueblo of Barichara, nested in the Santander area, I had to redefine my conception of tranquility. Until now, I would find peace & quiet in remote natural areas or exploring the underwater world, but Barichara had this very same effect on me. With little more than 4000 inhabitants, Barichara remains a tiny town but one that has understood that protecting its architectural & cultural heritage was the way forward when it comes to attract tourists. So here I was, rooming Barichara cobbled stones alleys, amazed at every corner by the combination of white washed facades with linear dash of colors at the base, stone works and just as colorful wooden doors & windows frame. The town is quite hilly which add an extra once of charm to it. Mid day and after ... read more

We are both by now having a really large smile on our face! Why? Well, after having nearly passed out while on foot in the middle of Colombia Guajira desert & gave up hopes to spend yet another exciting day in a melting pot of dilapidated transports, we are seated under the shadow and standing in front of us is the 4x4 car that will bring us to the next stop (and yes I am finally enjoying my first coffee of the day!). We have made it to Cabo de la Vela, a tiny fishermen village wedged between Caribbean Sea and the scorching hot desert which already felt like the end of the world, and we are now officially optimistic that we will make it to Punta Gallenas, the northern most tip of South America. By ... read more

Blame it on my Disney land experience of Cartagena but as I made my way along the Caribbean coast toward Venezuela, I was definitely in the mood for a more remote, tourist free type of experience. Palomino, a tiny undiscovered gem along the Caribbean coast was simply perfect, pristine beach, intense agate blue sea, fishermen and breathtaking view of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain from the beach. I can only be grateful that the locals met in Santa Marta shared this tip with me…What else, well, this is still off the road for most tourists so there was barely anyone and no infrastructure as such other than hammock and a few bungalows! Life sweet life… The “getting there” part Surprisingly easy! One would expect that this type of place be a hard one to get to ... read more

Cali, one the place I had been dreaming of going to for years…not so much for the city in itself but for its salsa culture that shapes every beat of it and when it comes to Salsa, well, Cali is the most famous city in the world ! Over 100 salsa schools in Cali, 800 places where you can party and every single salsa world champion prize going to Cali, this is THE place if you want to discover or work on your salsa steps and party Cali style. Saturday, finally arrived in Cali after a four hours bus ride from Armenia. As I walk out of the bus and make my way to the taxi station, I can’t help but notice how busy the place is and how literally everyone is looking at me. Well ... read more