Dear Visitors and follower,

I had to set up the whole website from scratch. With regard to limited time issues I could not split the small articles again in the little pieces as I wrote them originally. Furthermore it was not possible to upload all the pictures again. However I think you can find some interesting stories from my wolrd around trip which inspires you. In addition you can find many pictures at my facebook page: Rüde goes Global

If you want to have more information or pictures, then please contact me. I hope you accompany me also on my next trip. Be excited what s coming next. 😉

Your adventurer

Lenard

The Long Way to Colombia and Caribeean Flair

Reading Time: 3 minutes

My destination is Colombia. However the largest challenge is to decide how to go there. In order of many cocaine farmers there is no way overland. Hence I can take a flight, a sailing boat, a speed boat or the new ferry. I decide myself for the new ferry due to the lowest price (108$). It is a mix of cruiser and ferry and leaves from Colon which has a reputation as one of the most dangerous cities in Panama. Obviously it is true. I get one of the last tickets for a seat but unfortunately it is at Christmas’ eve. The trip itself is cool. Instead of sleeping in one of the small seats I sleep on the floor which is for me more comfortable. Although it is not as bad as it sounds, I am happy when I arrive at Columbia after 17 hours. If you have questions about the ferry you can contact me. There is also an office of the company Ferry Xpress in Panama City but you should reserve a ticket in advance.

Cartagena: I arrive at the afternoon. It is really hot and I can feel the sun on my skin. I am happy that I have already booked a hostel thus I do not have to search one. Everything is crowded. I do some sightseeing and it is really nice. I have seen many colonial cities before but Cartagena is still different. Furthermore at night it changes into a Party city. There are many good places to hang out and enjoy a drink and the Caribbean flair. Beside the beautiful old center there are also many beaches in the close environment of Cartagena.

Although I like the charm of Cartagena I am curious about Santa Marta or rather the National park Tayrona. A friend calls it “small Paradise of Colombia” and I can only agree. I decide to hike first and relax then on the beach. Surprisingly no other person is interested in the beautiful hike. Hence I have the whole jungle for me and I do not see any persons in the next two hours. Have I said that it is beautiful? I notice how my body wants to run again and finally the day is a beautiful mix between sport and relaxing on sandy beaches. Although it is high season there are still many free places on the beach where you can read your book, snorkel and swim in the Caribbean sea. You feel you want to go to Tayrona, then you should bring sun crème, water and mosquito repellent with you. You need it. 😉

Medellin – Once the most dangerous city in the world

Reading Time: 2 minutes

After 16 hours in the bus I arrive in Medellin. After having one of the worst travelling days by bus from Cartagena to Santa Marta (instead of 4 hours 9!), I am surprised of the comfort in the bus even free Wifi is available and the seats can push far back. A little bit tired I arrive in Medellin. It is surrounded by beautiful mountain scenery. It is also called ever spring city due to the same pleasant temperature. It has same fancy buildings and the public transportation is fantastic. There is a metro line from north to south and cable cars connect quarters in the mountains. The reputation changed completely after the dead of Pablo Escobar, the rich drug lord who ruled the city. At night there are many lights and I feel safe walking around. What is to do in Medellin?

• Visiting the city center including Plaza Botero and the Museum Antioquia which has many pictures of the famous artist Fernando Botero
• Taking the metro and see the city
• Going up the mountain to parque Arvi with the cable car and come back through nice villages by bus
• Pueblito paisa, imitation of an old town in the center on a hill
• Check out the amazing nightlife

Around Medellin there is also much to do. For example I visit Guatape with the rock el Penol. It is a 220 m high monolith surrounded by lakes which are embedded in scenery which reminds me to Scandinavia. The monolith is two hours away from Medellin. Just take a bus from the North bus terminal. There are also many Colombian tourists and I am always impressed by the openness and friendliness of the Columbians. If they see you are alone they just start a conversation with you and show you the city.

Bogota – Celebrating New Year in a Ghost City

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Bogota: 9 million inhabitants and a ghost city at the same time? How does it fit together? Ok here is my story:

I arrive in Bogota at the 31 December to celebrate New Year here. The city itself is huge. Thus it takes almost 1 hour from the Bus station to my hostel in Zona Rosa by metro bus. Zona Rosa is usual a hot spot for students who want to go out. However it is not today. While I am arriving at the hostel, the owner tells me that everything is closed. Unbelievable that there is nothing going on in a capital, I have to proof it by myself. Fortunately there are four other guys at the hostel, which also did not know it. I convince myself on a sightseeing tour through the city that really everything is closed. How does it come?

Everybody is leaving the city to go back in their towns and celebrate with their family or they go to the beaches. Hence a friend from the hostel and I can visit the city without people. The queues are extremely short and it is very relaxing to walk through an empty historic quarter or going up a mountain in a cable car and enjoying the view over Bogota. Furthermore I am glad to meet a friend from India who show us places away from the touristic parts. Additionally you can learn much more about a country if you hang out with locals. Thanks again Alejandro! Now I know and understand much more about Colombia and South America.

Fortunately we are told that there is one place (really only one) where is a concert and a little party. Hence we decide to check it out. It is quite nice but ends early. Tired from the day and the dancing we return to our hostel but it is closed. In order to come in there is a note with a number left. Regrettably we do not have a phone or a Columbian sim card. Although the streets are empty, we can stop some police men and ask them to call the number which is quite a challenge to explain our situation in Spanish. Finally the owner comes and we can go sleep. What a different start in a new year.

Cali – The Capital of Salsa

Reading minutes: less than 1 minute

Cali had the same reputation like Medellin. There was a rivalry between the two drug cartels in the two cities in former time. Today it is the third largest city in Columbia with some nice areas including viewing points over the city and quiet parks to hang out and relax from the hot sun. For example I enjoy the heat again in Cali, especially after the cold weather in Bogota. Furthermore you can see everywhere interesting and stylish graffiti.

Graffiti art at the ticket office of the stadium

What are the top activities in Cali?

1. Dancing salsa in one of the various salsa clubs
2. Relaxing in the parks
3. Walking up the hill to 3 crosses or to the statue of Jesus
4. Taking salsa lessons
5. Visit Cali for the Feria de Cali, a folk festival in December

Personally, I am totally impressed by how the people can dance salsa. If you have never been in Colombia on a salsa festival, then Cali is a trip worth. The people swing their hips independently of age, looking, religion, race, gender. All this does not matter. It is amazing. Everyone is dancing and the feet and bodies move extremely fast. Furthermore the people are also really friendly and open; they just start talking when you standing somewhere and are curious where I come from or give me advice where to go.

Ecuador – How It Is to Work in the Jungle?

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Before my trip I heard from some friends about an environmental project in the jungle close to Tena. Due to my wish to work in South America and learn more about the way of work there as well as live in the jungle for a short time and meet natives this project sounds exactly what I am looking for. Hence I applied and now I am in Tena, the door to all kind of treks and trips in the jungle of Ecuador or rather the amazon area.

What do I work? My tasks are various but here a short selection:

• Measuring the area of a tree (Beißer) plantation with GPS and a measuring tape.
• Planting Beißer (trees)
• Maintenance of the paths
• Break down old buildings
• Cultivate the soil

Some interesting facts about my work to have an impression how it is to work in a jungle:

• Working 7 hours per day from Monday till Friday at a tree plantation close to Misahualli or at a research station close to the Llanganates Nationalpark
• At the weekend you can do excursions to caves or canyons especially for outdoor fans there are many activities
• There is no electricity in both stations and no water in Lisanyaku however there are two rivers where you can take a refreshing bath
• Working language is Spanish
• You work with natives together
• Always take mosquito repellent and sun crème with you
• It is not always hot in the jungle especially at night or while raining a sweater is necessary
• In Lisanyaku are not only snakes and spiders there are also Andean bears, woolly monkeys, mountain tapirs and pumas which is only a small selection of the various animal species.

As most times in life there is not everything perfect. Thus for example one week I m the only volunteer in the rain forest because everybody else is travelling. However also this has advantages. I used the time to read and improve my Spanish. Although it can be helpful to understand yourself better if you are alone, I am happy when I meet the other volunteers. It is a cool group and we have a lot of fun together. Especially Lisanyaku which lies in a proper jungle is a little paradise if you are looking for a quiet place. I m also deeply impressed how diverse the nature is there. The native people also called Quichua know many plants they use for medicine. At the beginning Quichuas are mostly reserved but by the time they become more open and communicative. Furthermore in the base in Tena there is a Papaya tree which supplies me with fresh papayas. I will always connect this fruit with Ecuador because it tastes so good here. In conclusion not everything worked as planed and the work in Ecuador is for sure less efficient than in Germany but I had a good time in the project and learnt a lot about myself.

Aventurous Jungle Hiking in Ecuardor

Reading Time: 3 minutes

As you know I m in the jungle for work but today it is time for hiking in the jungle of Ecuardor. In order to work and with regard to the rainy weather my two Quichuan colleagues want to stay at Lisanyaku. Actually they advise against the hiking tour because of the high water levels of rivers (it is rainy season), the wild animals (bears, pumas, snakes…) and because it is difficult to find the way. However all this facts are challenges which have led me to do it. One of the natives draws me a map with paint made out of berries.

I start my hike armed with only a machete, bath suits, a shirt and gumboots. One of the native shows me the way until the river where I have to pass it. According to the high water level I have to pass it with a ropeway made of a wooden triangle. The machete is fixed with a vine and I pull the rope. Together with the help of the native I cross the river. Unfortunately I have no camera with me but to give you an impression I show you some pictures from the way taken by other volunteers another time.

Now I am on my own and move forward carefully to find the way. One the one hand, this hike (alone in beautiful untouched nature, surrounded by animals) is exactly what I always want to do, but on the other hand I am also afraid because it is a strange and partly dangerous environment. From time to time I mark the trail by scratching symbols in trees and other wood. Furthermore I beat wood because I have heard that it repels snakes. I see birds and butterflies, cross small rivers and much underbrush. The small path goes steep uphill and finally I see a sign that I m in the Llanganates Nationalpark. I ask myself how much time is passed but I have no feeling for time anymore. I often have to use the machete to cut the trees to open the trail. Suddenly a window in the trees open and I have an awesome view over the surrounding mountains covered by an endless jungle. It is breath taking. I continue my hike and it goes down. Finally I come to a river. However I must notice that my map is wrong because the river flows in the opposite direction. As a result I walk first in the wrong direction. Then I turn round and follow the river upwards until two small cascades.

Sadly there is not the described rope and I have to discontinue my short climbing trial due to much water on the rocks. Disappointed I return but one the way back (maybe 30 m) I discover a blue white rope hanging down the wall and I climb up the wall. Five minutes later I am standing in front of a beautiful waterfall and my heart is filled with joy. After swimming and enjoying the nature I turn back.

My life of ease ends suddenly as I see a snake curled up in a ball directly on the tight trail. I steer clear of the snake with a drawn machete and observe the snake afterwards: “Live and let live”. Subsequently I look everywhere for snakes and due to my marks at trees I get lost infrequently and reach the river safely. Despite my doubts to pass the river alone with the ropeway is easier than I thought. Proudly I arrive at the research station Lisanyaku. Regarding my description the natives tell me that I saw a lance-head viper one of the most poisonous snakes in the area.

Learnings:

• You can achieve everything you really want with brave, optimism, confidence
• Live and let live
• The beauty of a jungle hike
• Sometimes you must go back before you go forward
• Orientation in the jungle

Travel in Ecuador: from Jungle to Desert

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Travel in Ecuador from Jungle to Desert, yes I feel that I have to write about the country I spend the most time so far, especially because firstly I did not want to visit it. It is underestimated and most of the people only know it for the fascinating Galapagos Islands. Lying between Colombia and Peru, Ecuador has only 283.561 km² and a population of around 15 million people. However the diversity for such a small country is impressive. It offers everything from Jungle over the mountains in the Andes to beautiful beaches at the pacific coast. Relating to the different landscapes you can find all climates there. The people are less open than in Colombia but it is interesting to see the different cultures like the Quitchuas in the amazon area and other native groups in the Andes region and at the coast. My impression is that the people are more traditional in that country and the influence of the church is strong. Besides my volunteering project and visiting my relatives there, I also travel around:

• Quito
• Tena
• Banos
• Latacunga and Quilotoa
• Puerto Lopez
• Los Frailes
• Cuenca

There is too much to say or to do at these places to summarize it in one story. Thus I just describe some of my impressions at special places and share some pictures with you. By the way I have a new name here in South America, the people call me Leo because they cannot remember my name. 😉 On the one hand it is really confusing if somebody calls you with another name but on the other hand it is really funny. Who does not want to change his identity for a short time?

As part of my trip in Ecuador I visit Quilotoa which is a beautiful lake on 4000 m. Especially under the week there are only a few tourists here and I use the chance to run around the lake enjoying the beautiful Andean landscape around. In addition I get an impression how the native people live and work today. Personally I think they are still living like 100 of years ago because they still walking around in traditional clothes and together with their sheep.

Another highlight is the Isla de la Plata close to Puerto Lopez. First I stay at a beautiful wooden hostel directly at the beach. It is cheap and clean. However Puerto Lopez will change completely in the next years because real estate investors want to build hotels and resorts all along the beach. After relaxing one day at the beach with Swiss guys I met in Tena, I want to visit Isla de la Plata which is also called Galapagos Islands for poor people. There I can see among others the famous blue-footed boobies. Furthermore I dive to see an impressive underwater world including turtles and dolphins. In the following you can find some more pictures about my trip in Ecuador.

Desert Activities in Peru

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Desert Activities in Peru: The Peruan desert goes all along the coast. I can see it when I look out of the window, it seems endless. After two days of bus rides mostly at night, finally I arrive in Ika, a town surrounded by desert. A tuk tuk drives me to the oasis Huacachina which is famous for their huge sand dunes. I have not informed myself and luckily there are many hostels and it is quite touristy. However there is no ATM and again I have a money problem.

Fortunately there are some cheap deals for doing sandboarding and a tour with a sand buggy. After my experience of volcanic boarding in Nicaragua I am a little bit sceptical how safe it is but it the activitiy number one here. Sadly it is the only activity besides making tours to other places (like islands or flying over the Nazca lines).  They have one thing in common: They are far away. Thus I book the sandboarding/sand buggy tour and are not disappointed. Immediately after my luggage is in the room the tour starts.

The buggy driver starts the engine and the engine wakes up with an aggressive roar. It goes up and down the steep dunes. Sometimes it feels like the sand buggy is flying. The driver, an old man keeps cool. He knows exactly what he is doing. Afterwards we do sandboarding and it is much easier than volcanboarding. The wind blows strong over the dunes. On some hills it is possible to use the sandboard like a snowboard. On other hills I prefer to lie on the board. In compare to volcanboarding you lie on your stomach with the head in the front. It is great fun. In the end we have a beautiful view over the oasis Huacachina and the sand dunes. Then it goes back to the hostel.

Peru: Machu Picchu

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Most famous tourist attraction in South America Machu Picchu:
After travelling to Colca Canyon to see Condors in a beautiful environment, I take a night bus to Cusco, the capital of the Inca culture. Exhausted and hungry I arrive in Cusco. I find a hostel together with some Brazilian friends. Unfortunately my bed is not free therefore I decide to do some sightseeing and walk around in the city and eat in one of the cheap restaurants which offer a menu for less than 2€. The next day it is time to go to Machu Picchu or at least to the closest town Agua Calientes. The expensive train is no option therefore we decide us for a 6 hours bus ride and 2 hours walking along the train treks. The road is hellish and sometimes the minibus cross bridges without railings. Only a few cm away drom the bus wheels is a deep abyss. The trek itself is incredible. Most of the people who decide for this option are backpackers. Despite we leave early in Cusco we have to hike fast along the train trek because our car broke on the way and another broken car barred the tight way along rocks. As consequence the first dish of the day is in the afternoon in Santa Teresa. From Hydroelectrica where the bus drops us, it is a 2 hours walk.

Aqua caliente itself is really touristy and I am happy that I can leave it at the next day. At 4:30 in the morning it is time to start walking to Machu Picchu or rather the entrance to hike up the mountain. It is still dark, cloudy and rains softly. Luckily I meet some people from the bus which have light and the queue is not long. At 5 o’clock it opens and I am ready to run up the mountain. If I am honest I hope to be the first in Machu Picchu because usually it is crowed due to more than 2000 visitors per day. When I arrive at the last entrance to enter the ruins I realize that they open the gate at 6 o’clock and it will not be possible to see it without other people. However the ruins are really impressive even if it is crowded of people.

There are many theories about Machu Picchu and unfortunately there are no scientific documents about that place. One theory is for instance that in former times mostly intellectual people lived in Machu people. It is impressive how much the Incas knew about astronomy. For example Machu Picchu is exactly built at 13° S Latitude. One of my highlights is to hike up the mountain Machu Picchu from which you have a beautiful round view including the ruins. After a short nap, I run down the mountain. It is like a drug and I cannot stop. The sun is shining now. I walk a last time around the ruins before I leave to the bus.

Working in Machu Picchu

On the way back to Hydroelectrica I meet a Portuguese man who cycles three month through South America. Can you imagine to cycle three month in the Andeans?

Although it starts raining now, my mood is in best form because it feels so good to do sport again. Finally we reach the bus station and of course we have to wait for our bus.

Lake Titicaca: The Highest Navigable Lake in the World

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Lake Titicaca:The highest navigable lake in the world! The lake is divided into two parts: One part belongs to Peru and the other one belongs to Bolivia. I am interested in both. Hence I stop in Puno (Peru) to see the floating Islands. A group of Indigenas so called Uros built artificial islands in order to protect themselves against the Spanish Conquerors. Since the arrival of the Spanish Conquerors they have lived there. The Islands itself are made out of reed which grows in the middle of the lake. Yearly they have to put new levels of reed on the islands. Despite it is interesting to see how they live and build the island, it is really touristy. Anyway, the boat trip and the Lake Titicaca itself is the trip worth. Unfortunately the weather is not that good and I am happy when I am back in Puno.

To get a better impression of the lake I go to Copacabana (not the beach in Brasil) which is the base town for trips to Isla de Sol, an island in the middle of the lake which provides beautiful sunrises and sunsets. After a night in a really shabby hostel (no warm water, no toilet paper, no Wifi, no window, no room key…) and two hours by a tiny crowded boat, I arrive at the north of the Island.

There, I must notice that it is not easy to find a room or a bed for only one person, but finally a family has a room for me. (again without Wifi and no shower).The clouds are just lifting and the sun is coming out so I start walking around and visit the ruins and the beach. The view from the hills is awesome. The sun is shining and the rocks shine in different red, grey and sand colours. I can feel that the air is thin. The lake is at an elevation of more than 3800 hm which you feel when you walk up the mountains. In the background you can see the white summits of mountains. It reminds me a little bit to the Lake Baikal. You can feel that the place is energetic and powerful. It is extraordinary. Without hesitation I can say that this island is one of the most idyllic places on my journey. As consequence I stay one more night. While the sun is going down, a group of backpacker and locals are playing soccer on the soccer court. I only watch the game and use the time to talk with some people. At the dinner I meet some Brazilians. Although they know that I am German (and they have not forgotten the World Championship) they share their wine with me. Afterwards, I enjoyed a kind of local festival in the town. The people play music and dance. However it is too cold to stay long and I decide to go early to bed due to the missing sleep of the last days (night buses). The second day I hike on the second highest peak of the island, read and swim in the lake. I can tell you it is cold. I meet a lot of Chileans with whom I play soccer or hang around at the beach after the sunset. Every night it develops a real community of backpackers at the beach and guitars are played. After an awesome sunrise at the third day, it is time to leave but this place I will not forget soon.

What can you do on the Island?

• Hiking
• Visiting the ruins
• Reading
• Swimming (really cold)
• Playing soccer in the evening
• Camping
• Relaxing and enjoying the nature (No Internet)

Learnings:

• Save money where it makes sense
• A human person needs less for life than he/she thinks
• Listen to your body
• You decide if the situation is good or not, it is all in your head
• Accept situations which you cannot change and save energy for the other situation

Additionally here are some pictures of the lake.

Unfortunately I had to set up the blog again and due to limitations of time, i just copy the written articles in one long article (without pictures) I hope I will find time to split the articles again and provide you with pictures from great people, photos about the culture and breathtaking nature.

Guatemala: Poor but Adventurous!

Reading Time: 4 minutes

There are many buses from Guatemala city to reach Flores an island located in the middle of a lake in the north of Guatemala. The main reason why tourists come to Flores is the good infrastructure. From here you can start hikes into the jungle to discover unexplored maya ruins, caves and Tikal is also not far away. The island itself is small and everything a tourist needs is there.

At the moment it is the end of the rainy season and many lakes are flooded. It is still raining at Flores when I arrive. It is quite easy to find a cheap hostel for less than 5€. Furthermore there are many travel agencies which provide bus trips and adventure trips to everywhere around Flores. The prices are negotiable. I decide to see Tikal in the early morning. As a consequence I must wake up at 4 am. The bus reaches Tikal before six. The sun is not risen and it is still slightly raining. Clouds are hanging over the high trees. A group of 4 people included me start to discover the ruins in the jungle by ourselves. The other people in the bus join an interesting guided tour through the jungle which gives you a good idea about the life of the Mayas. However I like to discover places by myself and like to take my time. We start our own tour and we can hear some animals. Birds are flying over the trees and we are climbing around the old maya ruins. It is allowed to climb up some temples which is often forbidden at other ruins. The whole way of exploring, no other tourists at these time and the good preserved ruins make Tikal to my favourite ruins in the world. I am strongly impressed.

In order to go to Semuc Champey I take an early bus. On the way I get a really good overview of Guatemala. Sometimes there are no bridges so the bus crosses the river with a ferry consisting of some wood and four outboards. Referring to Wikipedia Guatemala has the largest economy in Central America. However it is still a really poor country. Everywhere you can see huts, chicken are running around and many dogs lay on the street. This impression gets stronger when the bus leaves a proper street. Besides the road you can see small wooden houses and children washing cloth in brown rivers. Finally I reach Lanquin and I am brought to the hostel on the back of a pick-up.

One of my best days so far starts: A group of people from the hostel and I start hiking up a mountain to a viewing point with scenic views. Then it goes down into the natural pools of Semuc Champey. It is playground. Jumping from rocks into the pools, sliping into the pools and swimming there. You can have a really good time there. After lunch the best part of the day begins. I had no expectations and we are going to a cave dressed only with a swimsuit. Everyone gets a candle and we enter a small cave. The hardest part is to go into the cold water in which you have to be all the time in the cave, I sometimes must swim, I sometimes must climb up the walls and ladders. Activities in the cave are going through a small waterfall, slipping down into a water pool and jump down a cliff in the cave. After coming out of the cave we get the possibility to jump down from the bridge. The day comes to an end with a couple of beers. The next day it is time to leave this valley of adventure.

Guatemala – A Second Home

Reading Time: 3 minutes

I do not know how to start to describe my life in Guatemala and what I do. The best is to start at the beginning. I meet friends in Antigua, the old capital of Guatemala. It is a beautiful town with colonial charm and similar to San Christobal in Mexico. Volcanos rise behind the town. In order to be famous for its good coffee, there are many small coffee shops in the town. Antigua is the center of religiosity (catholic) which is vanished at night when the bars open. It is time to see another face of Guatemala. It is good to discover the town with my new friends Marie Emilia, Mario Rene and their cousins. They show me the best places in town and teach me Spanish (in the following days it is better than any Spanish school). They impress me with their hospitality. It takes not long and it feels like hanging around with brothers and sisters. In the evening we drive to Guatemala city which is often called only Guatemala. After eating dinner together with an aunt (it is a really big family) we drive around and see Guatemala city especially the center at night. I m excited to see it at night because normally it is too dangerous to walk around. It partly reminds me of Johannesburg in South Africa.

A Parc in Antigua

I cannot remember when I slept the last time in an own bed without anybody in the room. It is relaxing and comfortable. However the night is short because at 6 o’clock it goes to Lake Atitlan. Sometimes I m a little bit confused because I have to switch between Spanish, English and German depending on the person I speak with. It is a good training and I appreciate to be around with such incredible people. We have a lot of fun. The road is bad and I experience how cold it can be in the mountains. According to the different landscape there are many different climates in Guatemala. The roads are bad and it is cloudy. Finally we arrive at the lake and in conjunction with the sun it gets warm again. The lake lies beautiful and quiet in a valley surrounded by volcanos and mountains. Our group decide to do a boat trip and without hesitation an own boat is chartered. At his point I think that pictures say more than thousands words.

Due to the north wind the way back is long and bumpy. We are getting wet. Despite every wave is fun I am happy to go ashore. On our way to the parents we drive through coffee plantations and see many rubber trees. Furthermore I know now why it is said that there is always spring in Guatemala. The landscape is beautiful. We arrive in the hometown of the siblings Maria and Mario and I m excited to meet their parents. How will they receive me?

At this point I summary my last days with one word: hospitality. They are so nice to me. I know that other cultures are more famous for its hospitality. From my experience it is impossible to exceed this incredible family. We eat and drink very good, drive around (partly four by four roads) and enjoy life. At the same time I learn Spanish which is not always easy but it makes fun. Furthermore I visit the large farm of the family which produces chicken, coffee, lemon and cautschuk. Hence I can see the process of coffee cultivation. It is very interesting to learn more about Guatemala. Thank you so much for this unique opportunity.

Coffee Plantation

Process of Coffee Cultivation

Indigenas

Guatemala – Final Days and Guatemalan Wedding

Reading Time: 3 minutes

One of my wishes in Guatemala is to see an active volcano (and lava if possible). I mentioned it once to my new Guatemalan family. As a result they arrange a trip with me. We drive to the Volcano Pagaya. Although there are no tourists, our guide tells us of many hundred tourists at the weekends. Fortunately, today we have the volcano for us. When we start at the parking lot it is warm and sunny but as we climb up it gets quickly colder. The air becomes dusty because of the strong wind. Due to the wrong clothes we decide not to climb up all the way to the top. However we have a fantastic view of the eruptions of the volcano Fuego. According to our guide the big lava stream of Pagaya has been cold since March 2014 but it is still possible to see where the lava ran down. Next time I will see hot lava. 😉 By the way one of the disadvantages of volcanos are strong earthquakes (5 or 6,…) which are not unusual in this region.

Pagaya with dog

A second experience I want to share with you, is the trip to the pacific beaches. The way to go there is quite hard. For 120 km we need more than 3 hours. The reasons mainly are so called “Tumulus” which are little bumps everyone can build in front of his house if he wants to slow down the traffic. Sometimes every 5 meters a Tumulu is built. Officially it is forbidden to build them by themselves. Before reaching the beach we have to pass a little river by boot and then finally we have a wonderful sandy beach only for us. The water is approximately 28° degrees warm and nice waves invite to bodysurf. We spend a wonderful day there. The day ends while the sun is slowly going down into the sea.

How do you think is a Guatemalan wedding? Well, one week ago I had no idea. At Saturday evening the whole family including me goes to a wedding of a school friend of Mario and Maria. I m happy that I can join them and they organize a pretty suit for me. Over 350 guest will come to the wedding and I have already seen pictures from the beautiful decoration. The location is a large “Finca”. Although it is night the entrance is enlightened by hundreds of candles. Inside thousands of lamps illuminates the big garden. A big stage is placed in front of a dance floor on which is later program and a band is playing songs with salsa rythm. Every table have their own waiter who provides everything from champagne to water. I was asked what would be the largest difference between weddings in Germany and Guatemala: It is always difficult to say it in general but beside the size of the wedding personally, I think it is that at a Guatemalan wedding the people dance through the night.

At this point I want to thank again the whole family of Mario and Maria for that wonderful awesome time in Guatemala which I will never forget. Muchas Gracias! See you hopefully soon again.

Nicaragua: What you should know about?

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Before my trip, I looked on the map and it was strange I did not know anything about that country. Is it dangerous, is there anything to do, or can I skip it? The people who know me know that I am very curious and so I want to see the country by myself.

My first destination is Leon, a city in the north. It has beautiful old churches but in total the city is not the reason why you should go there, rather the volcanos around are my destination. When I arrive in my hostel a sandboarding tour is leaving. Without hesitation I join them. But what is sandboarding? If you want to do sandboarding, you need two things: a board and a sandy volcano. My guide tells me that it is only possible in Leon, maybe you find another place. The whole way is a four by four road and the atmosphere in the car is really good. By the way the whole group consists of Germans and Austrians. When we arrive at the volcano we get our boards and a backpack. Then we hike one hour up the volcano. The view is amazing. From the top of the volcano you can see the pacific and other volcanos. After taking hundreds of photos it is time to change clothes and get ready for boarding down the volcano. From the top it looks really steep. The first two people start and they are fast. Then it is my turn. I propose not to brake…but after the first meters I know this would be a bad decision and I brake continuously. I arrive safely at the end. However not all of us come down safely. One German who was really fast fall off at the last meters and broke his arm. Thus be careful.

My second destination is Granada, an old colonial city with a lot of charm. It has beautiful old buildings and churches and it makes fun to walk around. However I feel that I have seen everything after one day.

Therefore it is time heading to the next destination: Isla Ometepe. This island lies directly in the middle of the Nicaraguan lake. Two volcanos reach up to the sky. Due to the fact that there are many dirt roads a group of people, mostly are again Germans, hire motorcycles and quads and discover the island. Our adventure is rewarded with a beautiful sunset. Fortunately there starts a festival at the next day on the island which we check out. It is my first festival outside of Europe. Although it is really small the atmosphere and the music are good. Furthermore there are many other things on the island like hiking up the volcanos or see a waterfall. Personally I choose to see a last place in Nicaragua at the pacific coast: San Juan. The place itself is really touristic and the beach there is not nice. However there are very good beaches around to do surfing. In order of the cheap prices in Nicaragua it is one of the cheapest place to surf in Central America.

Next destination: Costa Rica.

How I Passed Costa Rica in 4 Days?

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Ok why four days and have I seen anything in Costa Rica? My answer is yes, I was at three beautiful places and enjoyed Costa Rica. Someday I will come back here but so far, I decided to make only short stops here, passing Christmas in Columbia if possible.

Back to the question what you can see in 4 days. All depends on your travel speed. I travelled really fast. So at the first day I left Nicaragua with the first bus to Costa Rica. At the moment I only take public transportation and if there are no buses I try to hitch-hike which is so far very successful. After a couple of buses and two lifts I arrived in Santa Elena close to Monteverde. The way is a four by four road but the landscape is beautiful. In the background I could see the peninsula and the pacific. Monteverde itself is a big natural reserve or rather cloud forest. Many animals are living here and it is very beautiful for hikes. Although it was already afternoon, I visited the national parc. I saw the time not as a problem rather it is opportunity to see the forest while I m running. Of course sometimes I stopped ;-)) Fresh air of the rain forest in the lungs and to feel power in the muscle, let forget all the troubles and stress of the last days. Another activities many tourists do in this area are

• Horse riding
• Canopy
• Sip lining

At the second day in Costa Rica it is time to go to La Fortuna close to the active volcano Arenal which still throw stones out. Unfortunately the weather was cloudy and rainy. Thus it was impossible to see the volcano. Even the lake nearby looked dreary. I waived to hike around. There are also waterfalls and hot springs but to be honest I had neither the time nor the desire to see it. I have seen many waterfalls and hot springs are cool when it is cold.

The third day it was really adventures: I had no idea where to sleep or which bus I had to take after San Jose. It was time again for a challenge and for sure I practiced Spanish ;-).

I got my buses even if I had to switch three times the bus. It was already dark when I arrived in Puerto Viaje and many hostels were full. Finally Robert, a guy from Chile and I found a cheap but shabby hostel. However the atmosphere in the hostel was good and I liked the people there. Due to the hostel and the touristy place (very expensive) I wanted to continue travelling. Before I left I wanted to see the beach therefore I woke up early and hitch-hiked to the beach. It is beautiful, convince yourself ;-):

Then it was time to say goodbye to Costa Rica. Before getting my exit stamp I had to pay taxes at the border. Even leaving is not free in this country. Unfortunately I could not do so many pictures because of the rainy weather.

Costa Rica-Panama Border

Panama – Country of Bananas and the Panama Canal

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What do you think when you hear Panama?

Personally I think about the Panama canal and Bananas. Ok I have to add a third point. Panama has also beautiful islands with even more beautiful beaches.

My first destination is the Island group Bocas del Torres in the north east of Panama. Only three hours away of Puerto Viajo in Costa Rica. The entrance to Panama is tricky without a return flight but finally I can convince the border control that I want to travel further to Colombia by ship. After two buses I arrive the harbour town Almirante. Quickly I take the next boat to the main island Bocas which is also famous for their parties. I am more interested in beautiful beaches. Thus I take the next ferry to Bastimentos, famous for silence and beautiful beaches. However on the way I tried to get money from an ATM but no money comes out. In order of having almost no money, my activities in the next days are limited. However I have an incredible time. What can you do on Bastimentos without money:

• Enjoy the beautiful sea view from a cheap hostel (7,50$/night)
• Jungle hikes which are a great adventure
• Beautiful Wizard beach
• Red Frog beach

You can also do boat and snorkelling trips to other island where the water is calm. My favourite beach is Wizard beach with its high waves. Unfortunately I cannot show you pictures because it is more safe not to take valuables to the beach. Thus I changed my phone against a machete. After a muddy jungle hike there is nothing better than going swimming in the beautiful blue-green sea. It is probably one of the best beaches I have been so far. A wonderful time.

Second part of my panama experience: The night bus to Panama city is booked out and I still do not have money. Fortunately the ATM is working again and on the way to Panama I get money. As a result of the full bus to Panama, I take a bus to David, the second largest city in Panama and from there a bus to Panama which is even cheaper. Panama city is not a typical Central American capital. It has a large white skyline and the beautiful old center Casco Viajo. The American influence is obvious. However there are still many dangerous places in the city. For sure the most interesting tourist attraction is the Panama canal. Every day many large ships pass this small passage which cost for big container ships easily 400.000 $.

Meet up with my sister in Washington D.C.

At night I sneak out because I do not want to wake up Cris. It is amazing that the subway is also going at night. Regardless the time I really want to go to Washington and meet my little sister. My plan is to wait in a McDonald which is close to the Bus station but unfortunately it opens not before 5:30 and my bus goes at 5 am. Therefore I continue walking to the bus stop and sit on an old cold metal chair. I have luck that it is not raining but it is still cold. After 1 hour the bus arrives and I sleep the complete drive until Washington which is a little bit a shame because I cannot see the landscape.

I hope I missed nothing but now it is time to look forward to meet my sister. Instead of waiting at the bus stop she is at another place. After one hour searching her, we find each other. I would have never thought that my younger sister and I are meeting in a city abroad. We start our sight-seeing trip beginning with the capitol, followed by the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, White House and Chinatown. In the Pentagon mall next to the Pentagon we eat lunch and finished our sight-seeing trip in Georgetown. Washington is clean and it seems smaller than New York because the highest building must be the capitol. Instead of a wide range of different cultures you see more tourists and people with a suit who probably work for the government. However I enjoy that Washington is more quiet than New York. But when you are walking through the streets you can feel the silent power of the city which can have influence millions of people.

Today the sky is completely blue. Normally at this time of the year I would wear a thick jacket but not in Washington in these days. I m a little bit nervous to meet the family Viola is living and working with. In fact I have no reason for that because the family is great. The children are bright and love soccer. The parents are really hospitable and kind. After playing soccer with the children in the garden, we eat dinner at a Greek restaurant. In the following days I lived an American life. For example we drove everywhere with the car because of the lack of public transportation or I dried my clothes in a dryer instead of hanging out the laundry. I ate Donuts and a lot of other Fast Food. Undoubtedly it is the cheapest way to eat here. I go shopping with my sister and we visit the Air&Space museum which presents old air planes and a lot of things about the outer space. The best is almost all museums in Washington are free.

Another highlight is a soccer game of one of the children. My impression is that sport is really important here and I m excited how it is working here. I m impressed by the coach who is really ambitious and motivates the player in a positive way. The last day I relax and prepare my next steps. On the one hand it is sad that I leave this family but on the other hand it is time to come back on the road.
I m looking forward to San Francisco and the new adventures which expect me there. I still do not have an idea how to travel in California. Hence it will be really interesting.

Why I like San Francisco

Lombard Street

Some of you know that I m not sure how to continue from San Francisco. Thus the first thing I do in San Francisco is to look for travel mates to travel south or through National Parks like the Yosemite. I hang up notes in many hostels in San Francisco while walking from tourist attraction to attraction. In one of the hostels I find a note of another German person. And so I emailed her. I do not know at this moment that I will spend only one day in San Francisco because the next day I will travel with her and a French girl south along the coast. However I m disappointed that I cannot see the Yosemite that I can stay only one day in San Francisco. I think deep in my inside I had hoped to find a person who wants to go climbing in the Yosemite but anyway I m happy to find that possibility especially because it is low season and the chance to find travel mates is low. But back to San Francisco on the one hand I really like the fancy houses, attractions like the Golden Gate Bridge, the street art and the atmosphere of the Haight Street. On the other hand I m negative surprised the Fisherman’S Wharf is nothing special and there are many homeless people on the street although it is cold in this town. My favourite place is so far the beach close to the Golden Gate park. I really enjoy the atmosphere like the skateboarders and open minded people who helps you whenever you ask them.

How to travel from San Fran to Los Angelos

At the next day I meet Martina (German girl) and Marie (French girl) at the airport. I have no idea what expects me and what the plan is but hey it is an adventure. The girls have already met each other. I m glad that I can join them spontaneously. Marie has already booked a car and has a plan what she wants to do but in the following she shows hardy existing driving skills which is sometimes really exhausting. Due to the navigation system we drive to the next beach and have our first team meeting. The west coast is astonishing with regard to the houses which are built directly into the hang or the sand dunes with the blue sea. This is mixed with a small portion of fog and you have the atmosphere of the west coast. We follow the scenic road along the coast. The west coast surprises us with sea lions, castles, cold water and beautiful national parks like Big Sur. Sometimes we stop for making pictures, a coffee or a cigarette. Marie is a French girl who works as a painter for exhibitions or movies and Martina is a chef for fine dining in the alps. Nevertheless our food mainly consists of toast with peanut butter and hummus. The sunset at west coast is must see. It is beautiful how the sun is going down into the sea. We sleep on a campground next to the sea. Luckily an old German couple let stay us on their place for free because the campground is full. The next day we have even more luck. I ask in Santa Barbara a group of people playing Frisbee. They offer me to sleep on their ground. Excited we drive to the place and ….

My Hut

Garage

Everyone needs a garage to be creative was one of the lections of Jeff. Personally I think it is a large playground. There are beautiful designed houses or rather huts all over the place. They are artists. We drink beer together in there bar and eat dinner together. In the background lay the silent mountains. We enjoy our diner together with the wine and listen to the stories from Jeff or Thomas who works in the non-profit organization industry. I can sleep in one of the huts instead of sleeping in the car. The next morning before leaving we explore the huge area. Then we visit Jeff the architect in his office. Marie uses the time efficiently but Martina and I wants to leave. We stop on the way at Malibu beach. Then we get stacked in the traffic of Los Angelos. Marie drops her luggage at her cousin’s place before she wants to drop us at our hostel. But well…rush hour is too heavy and she is afraid that she brings the car too late back therefore she drop us at the car rental company at 5 pm regardless that we have a lot of luggage. We have no idea how to come from the airport to Hollywood or if the hostel we want to go has space for us. Undoubtedly the public transportation in Los Angelos is one of the worst I have ever seen in the world. We arrived at Hollywood at 8:30 pm. The wanted hostel is too expensive and so we walk back the walk of fame to a really shaby one which costs still 40$ per night. After seeing the walk of fame the next day (please do not expect too much from this walk with many homeless people on it) we are heading to Venice beach. Another two hours and three buses later we are at Venice beach which seems the place to be. You can smell the Californian life style. Many surfers and skaters are at the beach and from the window of our hostel we have an incredible view at the sea. People are exercising (i.e. swinging rings, slacklining) at the beach, I join them but I can feel how untrained I am especially in compare to them. I enjoy the beach, the Santa Monica Pier (it is the famous pier including a fun park) and the street art. I meet cool people in the hostel and we cook together. The next day Martina and I rent a camper van and drive towards Las Vegas. The other option is see nothing, save money and go to Mexico.

Let the camper life begin

Camper Van

Finally I m really happy that we rent the camper because everything is in it, a bed, a gas stove and we buy a lot of food. The people who know me know that the last point is really important for me. We make a short stop close to the Hollywood sign with a beautiful view over Los Angelos (Glendale parc), see the Paramount Studios and heading then towards the desert.
Although the strip is only one road Las Vegas is huge. But it is hard to describe therefore I will show you more pictures. Las Vegas are big casinos, hotels, crazy people, art and a lot more. However it is expensive to have fun there. We get lost in an casino and have to walk 20 minutes to go back all around the casino.

How to run through the Grand Canyon

The next day we arrive at the Grand Canyon and I m surprised because it is surrounded by a forest which is the environment for mountain lions, coyotes and wolfs. I expected that it is too dry but we are on 2000 m over the sea level which I only can guess is the reason for more rain and colder temperatures. The Grand canyon consists of many smaller canyons. The Colorado divides the Grand Canyon in a North and a South Rim. It is huge. The difference between highest and lowest point is over 2000 m and in summer it can have 41° degree inside the Canyon. After a short information trip in the visitor center I decide that I want to run down and up at the same day which are at least 26 km. Martina and an old wise native American have their doubts but I think I know what I can do. The Native American is very kind and borrow me a head lamp just in case that something happens. I pack my backpack, plan where I can get water and which way I want to run. The next day morning is really cold and thus I sleep one hour longer before I make myself ready for the adventure. We leave the wonderful camping place under pine trees and I enter the Canyon at 8:04 am. 3,2,1, go. The first kilometre I feel completely free, it goes down and it is the first time after almost one month that I run again. I pass a tourist group of mule riders and run again. It is more difficult than expected because of the stones which build a kind of stairs and additionally I can feel the altitude. Furthermore if I m honest I m not in the best shape but anyway I want to do it and I have the whole day, Martina wants to fetch me at 4pm. After 20 minutes I take of my jacket and beanie and continue running. Down Down steep down…so I reach the Indian Garden and eat breakfast: fresh water and a peanutbutter toast what else, we are in the states ;-). In the Indian Garden are trees, a small stream and many other plants. It is like a little oasis. I follow a stone path. Besides a little bit under the path a small stream flows quietly. The way is changing and it is exhausting to run in the sand. It is amazing how quick the Grand Canyon is changing. Almost after every corner it looks different. I overtake a few hikers and accelerate a little bit. One runner comes up the way (he is the only one I see at this day). I cross some smaller streams and suddenly after the next corner I can see the Colorado river. I enjoy that I arrive so fast at my target. I cool down my body(only legs) at the Colorado river which is in average 8° degrees the whole year. At this moment I know that someday in future I want to make a boat trip on the Colorado river best with a kayak. I meet an American who works for BASF and recommend to go to the Phantom Ranch which is another 5 km away. It is early 9:45 am so I decide to do it even if it means that I have to run in total 36 km today. In opposite to my expectation the way is not flat and it is very sandy. However I m fast and I reach the famous hang bridge over the Colorado. At the Phantom Ranch I think about running up a different way because I can feel my muscles are a little bit tired. Taking everything in consideration like no water a steeper way and only rocks I decide to run the Bright Angel way also up. On the way back I can feel how my muscles do not want to work anymore. They want to have gels and minerals and not only water. Hence I start walking fast and only run if it is almost flat and not sandy. When I cross a river I put my scarf into the cold water to protect myself against the sun and cooling my body. I arrive at the Indian Garden at 11:30 am and start eating and drinking. I have a lot of time until 4 pm but I become ambitious. Thus I want to be up at 2 pm. I sleep shortly and drink a little bit more before I leave the Indian Garden at noon. At the beginning it is flat but the more I walk the steeper it goes. I know what expects me. I am no thirsty in particularly I do not want to drink water and my body is screaming for gels and isodrinks now which I can not offer. Thus it must go without because give up is no option no never. I concentrate on the different layers of the Canyon which have different red colours and remember me what I have done in the past like the “Sausteig” at the Königssee or the Ultratrail (100km, 5400 hm). I continue and reach the first resthouse and after a while also the second but I m really tired now. I freezing now and wear a jacket because mostly I walk in the shadow. I concentrate only on myself. I can feel the altitude again and take some sugar and electrolytes which are almost my last option. Now I only walk slowly, I still overtake people but running or fast is completely different. Finally I reach a natural stone gate and leave the Grand Canyon. Happy but really tired I bring my head light back to Glen, the wise old Native American. I enjoy the sun, fill up my water bottle. We talk about life as a Native American today and in the past which is very interesting. After a hour he has to work again and we want to meet for sunset. After sleeping an hour my lift is coming….
Here some impressions:

How I almost get arrested in Los Angelos

After nine days in the desert we are back in the civilization. First we drive to the Beach in Laguna Beach. Now we know where the rich people of LA live. It has beautiful beaches and the houses in Kronberg are small in compare to this one and I ask myself what are these mass of people working. After cooking at the beach we enjoy one night as close as possible to these people but we are still on the street. Anyway it does not matter because we are in our camper van. After spending a whole day at the beach we are heading to the Griffith Parc again to see Los Angelos at night and discover the interesting observatory there which is one of my favourite places in Los Angelos. However I still do not like the city which is horrible if you do not have a car or if you go from one place to another it can take you hours. On the way back to the rental company we stop in a normal area and decide to cook and sleep there because the traffic is still bad in the late evening.

The next morning when eat breakfast an old woman who looks for me similar to fat mama from the movie. She asks us if we are homeless and what we are doing here. We explain her our story that we are just on the way to the car rental company and that we take all rubbish with us when three police cars drive towards us with high speed and police officers come out of the cars with batons. We are a little bit shocked. I see myself handcuffed but we stay quiet and explain one of the police man our situation. Quickly we can convince him that we are not dangerous or rather uncooperative. Hence we can go or we should go quickly. Unfortunately he has noted our names before.
Four rules to handle with the police in the States:
#Rule1: Be Honest
#Rule2: Do not panic
#Rule3: Be friendly
#Rule4: Be helpful and open to the police

At the escape van rental company we drop the van and get some information how to get to the bus stop to catch the bus to San Diego. Undoubtedly it is an eventful morning because we miss one bus and thus we have to wait two hours which mean we would miss our bus to San Diego. Therefor we try hitch hiking which is semi successful, maybe also because of the area. (It looks not so safe) Then I go on a parking lot and ask people. One black woman called Lynn try to help me and figure out which bus I can take instead. It is not easy because public transportation in Los Angelos is maybe one of the worst in the world and our bus stop is almost 60 km away. She offers to give us a lift to the next bus stop which we gladly accept. By the way she has to go in the opposite direction and she called her husband to find out which bus is the right one. As if that were not enough she do not drop us at the bus station because she think the area is not safe therefore she drives us all the way to the Union Station in Los Angelos which is at least 40 kilometres away. I m speechless. This is one of the examples I experience during travelling which return my faith into the human kind. Thanks that such people still exists. In San Diego in the hostel Azis a young Arabian guy invites me for dinner. What an eventful and great day. I m grateful and happy to travel and meet those people.

The person in this picure gives me also a lift in a huge outlet store. Unfortunately I cannot provide more pictures to this short part of my journey.

Just arrived at the airport. It is now time to say goodbye to my life in Germany for a long time.Saying goodbye to my parents was really difficult but now I m through the gate and feeling quite excited.
My plane to Iceland is waiting for me outside. I can feel my heart going faster. And I m ready for my big trip. No idea where I will be in three month. However I m sure it will be an awesome trip.
Hope to keep in touch with you with this blog. I will write from time to time and I will also upload some pictures from my trip. At the end of my first post it is just to say. Next stop Iceland.

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Vielen Dank

Euer Lenard

Starting a world around trip need a lot of organisation in advance, so you must prepare your travel equipment, get all required documents and most obvious you have to do a lot of research to know what is interesting and where you want to go. Otherwise you start travelling wothout plans which is on the one hand exiting but on the other hand very unsafe. In the next step you must book the flights. One of the most important steps to save money.

At the moment I have a rough route for my trip in my head. But I will let you know when I know more. Maybe I just follow my own travel flow. It is cool for the first time of my life, I do not have any time pressure when I m travelling.

Part of my new equipment will be an ereader: I have decided to buy the Pyrus Mini from Trekstore because it is small and has a strong batterie, so I can read a lot, if you have book recommendations please let me know.
In the next weeks I will write a complete article about what is necessary for planing and doing a long trip including my actual pack list.