http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/matthijn/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from matthijn en-us Sun, 27 Dec 2009 22:04:54 +0000 Sun, 27 Dec 2009 22:04:54 +0000 Na een paar uur op de boot vanaf Denemarken kwamen we aan in Kristiaansand de meest zuidelijke stad van Noorwegen. Na een nachtje in ons busje te hebbengeslapen wij nog even een lonely planet kopen van Noorwegen en toen kon de reis beginnen. Met ons busje reden wij naar het noorden door mooie landschappen en beklommen wij op dag 2 de Gaustatoppen leuke dag trip..... toen wilden we beginnen aan h http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Norway/blog-433508.html Just back a couple of days and a new trip started to the Alps. Picked up a friend of mine Job at the airport of dusseldorf and we continued together to the mountains. Near Chamonix we met with Sebastian and his friend Marc and we set of to Italy. Our plan was to conquer the grand paradis.Some beatiful camping and then it took us to morning to get prepared. With a heavy load we made our way up. http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Hautes-Alpes/blog-341647.html Do you know that feeling.....than when you have to hurry things just go too slowAfter a month in Indonesia it was time to leave Bali our last spot and spent our last days diving in Malaysian Borneo Just a quick meal in Kuta Beach before we would go to the airport......well we were so hungry that we almost missed our flight but.....luckily we just made itWell for me it was traveling on fam http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Malaysia/Sabah/Sipadan/blog-308593.html Wow wat a mistake to go on a Dolphin watching tour in Lovina.... we could have slept in at our third day at Bali but we decided otherwise... so we ended up at six thirty early morning with 60 boats cramped around a couple dolphins. I guess i would not use my snorkle and mask and swim around here with the possibility of scaring the dolphins away and have left 59 other boats with angry people on i http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Bali/Tulamben/blog-305914.html Before we entered a different indonesia what java to us looked first lets get the update of the last days in SumatraA 15 hour bus ride took us from Lake Toba to Bukitingi a nice mountain city....when it's not raining.The second day we did a tour around the region to see some coffee plantations rice fields the biggest flower the rafflesia and our highlight of the day was a visit to a longho http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Java/Borobudur/blog-299620.html We arrived in Bukit Lawang in some heavy rain fall...but after our 54 hour trip to get here we didn't care about having to walk another kilometer in the rain to our guest houseOur stop over in Cairo...where there was no European Cup final to see since they had not the right connection....Arriving late in Kuala Lumpur.....take a taxi to an hotel....which was fully booked....we were so happy we co http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Sumatra/Bukit-Lawang/blog-296973.html Just back from Africa and the Next trip was about to startWhen traveling in Australia me and my travelmate Job promised each other to climb the mont blanc one dayNice plan but no climbing experience except for a bit of rockclimbing.A couple months ago we started to get a bit of information about climbing and our conclusion was to let go of the plan......no money for a guide so probably a pl http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/blog-199652.html It started with the ride from the Vicfalls to the boarderWe had a nice cabdriver who stopped for us when we saw our first big wildlife an Giraffe and some ElephantsThe only way for us was to book a tour so we were picked up at the boarder driven to the riverside and our boat was waiting for us.A bit more than 2 hours on the boat brought us back from animalplanet to the nice resort We had http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Botswana/North-West/Chobe-National-Park/blog-199336.html After arriving in Jo'burg...rented a car and got out of thereHeading for the Blyde River canyon we had an overnight stop in Nelspruit.There I went crazy because I read someting about doing nice activities here....like rockclimbing kloofing canyoning and tubing.....Convinced my girlfriend to go there and we were alread in the canyon by the afternoon. Our kloofing trip was a bit dissapointing... http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Mpumalanga-/Kruger-National-Park/blog-199339.html You have to try it Driving in MozambiqueIts not just the potholes in the road also the corrupt police men whom make it difficult to get around....the only good thing is that it was a rental car wouldn039t try it with our own.After too many hours on the road we Arrived in Tofo A geat diving place and with a nice beach......The first two backpackers we could039t go because we got st http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mozambique/Southern/Tofo/blog-199341.html Swaziland is great to drive through....but better to stop.We made our stop in Hlane Nat. Park...nice campspot where we were surprised by a nice culture show in the evening around the campfire.Next days Game Drive was even better.....Eye to eye with some Lions at just a couple of meters was greatTrying with your rental car to drive through te parks 4wd tracks was also a nice adventureAfter Swaz http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Swaziland/blog-199351.html A couple hours in the plane just a dry earth below us so you wouln039t expect this massive waterfall in this placeWe camped at the local backpackers....nice quiet place since most tourist avoid staying in Zimbabwe We tried to cook our own meal but the shops where almost empty..so nothing fancy for dinner.Since we weren039t here for the food but for the Falls and rafting the Zambezi w http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Zimbabwe/Victoria-Falls/blog-199329.html After working for a year I was normally used to travel the next.....but life changesAfter making twice a big trip for about 9 months. I was wondering how it would be to travel just for 5 weeksTogether with my girfriend we decided to take a trip to southern Africa and our starting point was Cape Town.Cape Town lovely place but we didn039t get the feeling of Africa there yet.Just three da http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/Cape-Town/blog-199236.html Our last stop in Peru was Mancora A cool surfers hangout where there was not that more to do than surfing....so we did. Waves were good there so we had a good time surfing and waching the word cup in betweenIt's easily a place where I could spend some more time but since Colombia is waiting as well I had to move a bit.Thats how we ended up in Equador. First impression is too rich which means e http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Quito/blog-68307.html Lima was Quick and our bus was supposed to stop in Huaraz.....we woke up in Caraz 2 hours north.Unexpectedly it wasnt that bad after all. It turned out to be the beginning point of one of the most beatiful hikes around Huaraz.We bought our food and set of for this 3 day hike from Santa Cruz to Laguna Llanganuco.....We were not that lucky with the weather until we had to cross this pass of 4800 m http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Ancash/Huaraz/blog-66117.html After Cusco we took a night bus to the Colca Canyon. We did a 2 day hike that led us to an oasis with a hot spring. When diving in the water we found out that they better could have called it a cold spring because 5 minutes later we were on the road again. The second day was a bit harder because we had to climb up this canyon wall again some 1500 meters strait up to make it in time for the Condor http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Arequipa/Colca-Canyon/blog-64435.html I thought I was glad to finaly leave Bolivia after all the problems there and then I woke up after a night bus in Cuzco......looked in my bag......and camera and mp3 goneNice start...But Peru is too beatiful to talk about those things all the time.After A day in Cusco we wanted to do a hike to Machu Pichu. Since the oficial inca trail is fully booked in the highseason we opted for the longer http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/blog-63297.html When I was in Uyuni I 'lost' my wallet while waiting at a bus station....No Big deal I still had my moneybelt with my creditcard and pasport.I asked my parents to send the bankcard to the dutch embassy and I thought everything would be OK 2 weeks later. While waiting in La Paz for my bankcard....is still not here.....the worst thing happened.After walking at the local marked I discovered my bag http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/La-Paz-Department/La-Paz/blog-59889.html After having a good weekend in La Paz it was time again for some action. Ever heard of the Death Road I already too many times before and now it was finally time to get myself on a mountain bike and see for myself if the deathroad is that deatly We started with a groep of 9 other daredevils and they took us by car to 4600 meters.Got the bike and they sort of say go for it although we had http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Beni-Department/Rurrenabaque/blog-58229.html After crossing the boarder in to Chile for the 7th time I went to San Pero de Atacama. In the middle of the dessert with amazing landscapes.The town was too touristy but we got a bike to make our ways to the beatiful surroundings. First to see the sunset at the valley of the moon with it huge sanddunes and weird rocks with salt on them looks like the moonSecond day did a bit of sandboarding. http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Antofagasta-Region/San-Pedro-de-Atacama/blog-56224.html