Colombian Heat

The weight of the humidity hit hard as I stepped off the plane in Cartagena, Colombia, however, as the taxi wove in and out of the old city streets en route to my hostel I could already sense it was more than just the oppressive climate radiating heat. I've said before in other places I've visited that you find a certain energy in the culture, the people, the lifestyle. But nowhere yet have I found this heated passion, this electrifying energy that seems consistent throughout the entire country. Perhaps it's the energizing music that is influencing sounds around the world, maybe it is the fact that Salsa and dance is a part of normal life, it could be that the population is extraordinarily good looking, or it is just that damn hot, literally. 

Clock tower, Old City Cartagena

My trip started solo in the beautiful caribbean coastal city of Cartagena. I spent my first few days exploring local neighborhoods, walking the streets of the historic old city, relaxing at the beach and adjusting to the heat. One afternoon I ventured by boat to Playa Blanca, as the name suggests a pristine white beach with crystal clear blue water reached via a 1 hour boat trip. I spent the night in a hammock listening to the waves crash a mere 6 feet away….blissful. 

Cartagena city streets at night

Relaxing at Playa Blanca

From Cartagena, I made my way about 4 hours along the coast to the city of Santa Marta, not known for much, but a gateway stop to the National Park Tayrona where I was eager to visit. Luckily, I found a fantastic hostel, The Dreamer, just outside the hustle and bustle of the city with a great pool, bar and loads of friendly travelers who became fast friends right away. After a night here, I spent the next 2 days in Tayrona, camping overnight. It really doesn't get much better than hiking in sunshine with breathtaking, untouched beaches on one side and lush green mountains on the other. 

Beaches in Tayrona

After Tayrona, I headed back to The Dreamer Hostel to plan the next part of my route. After a lively night out with new friends, we headed 1.5 hours further along the coast to the sleepy beach town, Palomino. 2 days and nights here proved to be the perfect amount of time to relax and enjoy. 

new friends and a party bus!

From Palomino, I headed back towards Santa Marta, to the hippie beach town of Taganga, a requisite stop on the gringo backpacker trail. In Taganga, I was fortunate enough to be joined by my friend Rena who was looking for a fun escape from NYC. Here for 2 days we enjoyed the beach, great seafood and a day of learning to scuba dive! 

Scuba Diving

After Taganga, we packed our bags and made the journey back to Cartagena where we would spend our last 3 days together touring the city, eating fabulous meals , enjoying the beach and making a few new traveler friends. As the weekend came to an end so did my trip in Caribbean Colombia and I said farewell to Rena and hopped a plane to Bogota, the capital city. 

One more stop at Playa Blanca

Rena and I enjoying a drink at Cafe del Mar

Bogota is huge. Like really, really overwhelmingly large. Thank god, I had a local friend, Felipe, who was kind enough to show me the best spots and introduce me to his city. After settling in at a fantastic hostel in the Candelaria district, Felipe and his girlfriend took me on a mini tour of city center and out to dinner at the most indescribable, oddly entertaining, Colombian institutions for a sampling of delicious bites and drinks among utter chaos. It was a blast and a great welcome to the city!

views of Bogota from Cerro Monserrate

Me and my Colombian friends at Andres DC

The following day, I played tourist and hit a number of museums and city highlights including the cerro monerrate, which offered a breathtaking view of the entire city. My last day in Bogota, I hit a few more tourist stops before meeting my Colombian friends for a late lunch and afternoon beer, after which I departed for the airport to head back to the U.S. 

Botero Museum, Bogota

Street art in La Candelaria

Colombia has been known for many defining characteristics during it's history, and unfortunately from the average US citizen point of view, in recent times it's mostly negative. But more than any summary of my 3-weeks traveling in a new country, I really hope to convey to my friends at home how safe, friendly and breathtakingly beautiful this place is. It was a pleasure to experience the passion and heat of this country and culture and there is still so much more I hope to see one day. 

Ecuador: Ama La Vida

 As the sign greeted me with the national slogan "Ama La Vida" along the breezy beach amidst sunburned vacationers and salt drenched surfers I knew that it was more than just words that would show me to "love life" during my brief journey through this beautiful country.

My month in Ecuador began on the southwest coast in Montanita, a soft days/hard nights kind of surfer’s paradise. My stay overlapped with the end of the World Masters Surf Championship, so I was fortunate to be in the company of some awesome surfer dudes and chicks from the US, Australia, Venezuela and more.  During my days I took to some local surf lessons or yoga at Casa del Sol, where I stayed. And at night ventured to town with new friends for tasty cheap bites.

sunset surf

surf lessons

From Montanita, I continued 1 hour north along the beach to the small coastal fisherman village, Puerto Lopez. During my brief stay in this sleepy town, I volunteered at a local organization there, Clara Luna. During the day we assisted at the organization’s foundation for disabled children and adults and in the afternoons we enjoyed the beach and relaxed vibe of the fishing village. A few afternoons I was able to help out with the Club de Ninos, where we read and played with local children from the town. Before my departure, I took one excursion, a boat ride/day trip to Isla de la Plata (also known as the poor man's Galapagos) for some hiking and snorkeling. A perfect way to end my time on the coast.

Club de Ninos

Isla de la Plata

From there, it was time to connect with Holly, my friend from Santiago who I had planned the majority of the trip with, so after a rather uncomfortable 10 hour overnight bus ride (buses are nothing like they are in Chile!) I made it to the capital city of Ecuador, Quito. In Quito, we explored the city during the days taking in the beautiful architecture, churches and culinary delights.

From Quito, we wanted to visit the Ecuador section of the Amazon so we ventured to El Oriente via an overnight bus to Lago Agrio to get us, eventually, to the Cuyabeno Reserve. After 2 hours by bus and 2 hours by motorized canoe through the jungle, we arrived at Guacamayo Lodge and enjoyed a fantastic 4-day, 3-night adventure in the Amazon.  Days were spent swimming in the lagoon, hiking in the jungle, relaxing in hammocks and visiting a local community and Shaman. During the evening we enjoyed the company of the other fun travelers and delicious foods served by the lodge and, even one night, ventured out for a private paddle trip and night hike with our awesome guide Vin. It was so powerful and yet so simple to disconnect completely over those few days. I didn’t find myself missing email or Facebook, but rather looked forward to the time of day where I could see the sun set and moon rise at the very same time over the lagoon. Absolute bliss.

Canoe ride in to the jungle

sunset swims in the lagoon

From the jungle we headed back to Quito, but another overnight Ecuadorian bus ride was a bit much to stomach, so we opted to break up the trip with a short stop in Papallacta and enjoyed a night at the Termas (hot springs) before bussing back to Quito early the next morning. Our next destination was the Otavalo market, about 3 hours outside of Quito, it is known as the premier destination for Ecuadorian handicrafts, and it certainly did not disappoint! We spent a few morning hours browsing the multitude of stalls and interacting with friendly, if not a bit overly pushy, vendors. After settling on a few personal purchases and a few gifts to bring back home, we returned to Quito for another night before packing up all our bags and heading south to Banos.

our goods!

Banos was the town we had heard about from other travelers, but really had no expectations going in and it turned out to be one of my favorite stops! This is the place you go for any outdoor adventure sports you can think of: hiking, rafting, jumping off bridges…and then follow that with any kind of spa service you would want. We opted to rent bikes one day to explore the various waterfalls just outside of the main part of town as well as rafting the next day, followed by steam baths and massages! Day 3, we joined up with some new friends for a rather challenging hike up to the cabin of one of our bartender friends in town. After just barely making it through the freezing cold night, and unfortunately Holly getting quite sick, we made it back to town eventually and spent the rest of the day trying to recover. We thought it best to lay low and relax for another two days until Holly was feeling better enough to travel onward.

Waterfall bike ride

hiking "upstairs" with Roberto

steam baths

From Banos, we continued south to Cuenca where we spent 2 days and nights exploring the beautiful colonial city.

views of Cuenca

From Cuenca, we continued on to our last stop and furthest south, Vilcabamba. This small town gained recent notoriety as “the valley of longevity” since so many of its residents were living well into their 100’s. Thus, many gringos began relocating and it now serves as a mix of local Ecuadorians, retired Ex-pats and new-age backpackers taking in the beauty of the area as well as meditation, medicinal healing and vegetarian food that the town has to offer. After 4 blissful days, it began to feel like time really did stand still, alas, our trip had come to an end and it was time to head back to Santiago.

mountain horse rides

All in all, Ecuador was a country I knew very little about and had heard even less, yet surprised me to be one of my favorite places I have visited. A small, yet proud land filled with beauty, tranquility and, of course, friendly inhabitants. 

My bags are packed…I'm (kind of) ready to go...

What a whirlwind few months it has been. Just as I had started to find a groove in the great city of Austin, Texas, I was swept up in changes again as I headed back to Chicago to pack up for the next journey ahead. It was truly bittersweet to leave Austin. Aside from the warm weather and the fun I was having living with my sister, I completed my 200 hour yoga teacher training with the most special group of people and wonderful teacher. It was certainly a life-changing experience and one that I know will lead to life-long friends and a different sense of self as I take the intro to yoga studies I have learned on to the next chapter.

Although it felt a little like my time in Austin was cut short, I believe I will return and each time I feel apprehensive to move on to something unknown, I continually come back to a quote I heard at a speaking engagement a couple of years ago: "comfort and change will never coexist."   Now, I don't believe that one should constantly be running away from life, but rather continually put forth challenges and new opportunities that allow you to seize every moment. So, that's what I am going to do.

My next journey begins (tomorrow) with a one-way ticket to the Southern Hemisphere. I plan to be based in Santiago, Chile (employment and volunteer opportunities tbd), but first a little vacation over the holidays with some friends in Buenos Aires and Punta del Este, followed by some personal time backpacking through Patagonia. I've chosen Chile for a variety of reasons including the economic and political stability of the country as well as the opportunities that exist in areas I'm interested in, I am eager to keep everyone abreast of what the future holds for me there.

With the changes in my life and the changes of the season (we are entering a new age after all) I'm feeling a bit of organized chaos... But such is life and I am excited to enter into the Aquarian age and the new year with a new adventure and new perspective.

I'll be continuing the blog updates along the way so stay tuned for what becomes.  To all my family and friends around the world, wishing you a healthy and happy holiday season and sending love and joy as we enter 2013.

Un Beso Grande,
Cara

Couch Surfing in the U.S.A

So it's officially been just over 2 months since I permanently came back to US soil, and yet I still have managed to be in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Toronto and Austin, Texas in that time. I guess once a traveler, always a traveler and I certainly can't sit still for too long. The only bad part of this ongoing nomadic lifestyle…I don't really have an answer when people ask me where I live.

In Chicago, I'm lucky enough to have my mom with our house where the majority of my "things" still reside, and I even have my high school bedroom relatively in tact! Although, not sure how proud it is for parents to have their late-20's daughters moving back home, not to mention it isn't exactly why I decided to venture out on this adventure in the first place….so I moved on.

In New York, I was working with my old PR team on some projects. This was great to get back a taste of the corporate life, realize it might not be for me right now, but still get to see some of my favorite people in the world. My cousin and her fiance were gracious enough to host me on their pullout sofa during this time. I am so thankful for family, who I can also call friends, who will open their doors to a homeless post-backpacker and even provide a bed and closet on top of that! But that couldn't last forever...

So after New York, I came to Austin, Texas, where my sister has currently taken up a new life, and where I happily moved my computer, books and a suitcase into her den complete with the pull-out sofa from my NYC apartment. Here is where I'll call home for the next few months as I obtain my TESL certification, complete my 200 hour Yoga Alliance teacher training certification, work on my personal digital strategy consulting expertise and try and study for the GRE test in November.

All of these projects and ideas leading up to…what exactly? I haven't quite figured it all out, but I have decided to return to South America (Santiago, Chile to be exact) in December. For how long? I bought a one-way ticket, so we'll see where the Chilean winds blows...Perhaps I will find a place to call my home soon enough.

The next phase...

As I approach my 6-month mark of beginning this journey and think about the 55,000+ miles traveled around the world, I can't help but feel grateful for the experiences and both a sense of happiness and freedom that I made this life-changing decision to set out and explore the world. Although my globe-trotting for 2012 might have come to an end, I know that this adventure has changed the way I see the world and how I want to live my life moving forward. I'll be keeping the blog space as a way to record the next phase, without time constraints, rather a life journey that I hope will continue to involve travel, teaching, learning, yoga, new experiences, new friendships and, of course, a constant adventure.

Over the next six months I'll be back in Chicago, working and re-visiting the greatest city in the world, New York, and finally moving to Austin, Texas where I'll be settling in for a few months with my sister to explore a new part of the states. From there, the future isn't quite crystal clear, but the haziness suggests a return to South America for teaching and volunteer work. Time will tell, and I'm sure, plans will continue to evolve.
Thank you for all your kind words, motivation, love and support throughout this journey.
With Love and Light, Cara

In the words of Ray LaMontagne, "Just got to get me somewhere, somewhere that I can feel free…"

Vegetarian eating tips in South America

I meant to write about my experiences navigating a vegetarian diet in South America (a continent largely focused around meat). However, I came across a fantastic travel planning and guide website, SmarterTravel.com who was looking for guest bloggers so I submitted my Veg eating tips and they were published!

Check out my article here: http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/today-in-travel/navigating-vegetarian-diet-on-meat-centric-continent.html?id=11777297

Message me for questions on veg-specific restaurants in the countries I visited, I am sure I tried most of them…

Where I rest my head: Sur de America

As I prepare to depart South America after 3+ months, I can't help but feel bittersweet that the adventure is coming to an end. However, I am constantly reflecting on the amazing experiences, languages heard & learned, sights seen and friendships formed. Although, I've never been a complete homebody, one of the most challenging aspects of my trip has certainly been not having a home per say...but rather the clothes/things on my back (quite literally) and the excitement of finding home in the jungle, beach, mountains, desert, farm and city. It's also been some of the best parts of the trip as there has been such a variety of places I've stayed and the people, scenery and adventures at these places are what I will remember most and what has made each place feel like home if only for a few hours. Thus, a brief reflection on the final month of travel and "where I rest my head"....
note: some of the images are taken from the internet

Peru
Lima: Elio's apartment
Graciously, a friend of a friend let Sabrina and I crash at his place the night before we departed for Cusco. Located in the posh area of Miraflores, it was amazing to have our own apartment to call home for 24 hours.

Cusco: Loki Hostel, 2 nights before and after the Inca Trail Trek

Great staff, but more ideal for the traveler who wants to party until all hours of the night! The restaurant and bar on site and volunteer opportunities in the community are definitely highlights.

Inca Trail: Tent

 

Sleeping bags and camping tents were our home for 3 nights along the Inca Trail. Not ideal during a thunderstorm, but certainly an adventure!




Aguascalientes: Hotel Presidente
This simple hotel proved to be heaven after our 4-day Machu Picchu trek. Hot showers and a full breakfast were a plus!

  

Puno: Camino Real Hotel

Another simple hotel booked through our tour company, this was conveniently located to the main pedestrian street of Puno where the shops and restaurants were concentrated.










Amantani: Lucy's house
On the island of Amantani in the middle of Lake Titicaca, Sabrina and I huddled for warmth under massive blankets in the spare bedroom of our host, Lucy. A true Peru experience.

Brazil
Rio de Janeiro: Atlantis Copacabana Hotel
In Rio, I stayed with Erika and Ashley at this centrally located hotel steps from the beach and on the border of Ipanema and Copacabana. Although the staff wasn't the most helpful, the hotel was more than adequate and a treat for me, the backpacker!

Sao Paulo: I camped out for the night in my friend Paul's amazing apartment in the Campo Bello neighborhood. Such a treat and awesome to have a local host for the weekend. Too bad I didn't get any pictures!

Manaus: Gol Backpackers

This quaint hostel was an ideal location just outside the main square of Manaus and perfect spot for getting some rest before my tour in the Amazon.






Amazon: For two nights, I slept in one of the huts on the lodge property. My favorite part was the oversize hammock in the back, perfect for a siesta!

On the last night in the jungle, we camped outside in hammocks hung across a shelter, a little scary, but totally worth it.













Bolivia
La Paz: Hostal Estrella Andina

This was probably one of my favorite parts of my 24 hours in La Paz. Although I wasn't a huge fan of the city, this hostal was perfection. My new friend Tonya and I had an amazing private room and bathroom with the most comfortable beds I've experienced on the road.









Overnight bus to Uyuni

Following a packed 24 hours in La Paz, we boarded our 10-hour Todo Turismo bus for Uyuni to begin the Salar de Uyuni tour the following day. The bus company is new in Bolivia and is in answer to the terrible bus conditions that once existed, it's comparable to other coach bus companies in South America and was completely comfortable for the overnight ride....driving through death road on the other hand, not quite as comfortable...



Salar de Uyuni 3-day tour: Many people complain about the shelter conditions during the 3-day, 2-night tour of the Salar de Uyuni, but I found our company, Red Planet, to provide us with totally adequate accomodations, in fact more than comfortable.

Night 1

Night 2

Chile
San Pedro de Atacama: Backpackers Hostel
The Backpackers hostel just outside San Pedro's main town square was super chill and a great atmosphere for our 2 nights we stayed. Complete with a fire pit and hammocks for relaxing, the only downside was the cold showers and lack of water late at night.

Overnight bus to La Serena: we treated ourselves to Cama for the 16 hour ride, sooo comfortable!

La Serena: Hostal El Arbol
One of my favorite places of the whole trip. We only found and booked it the night before and it turned out to be a fabulous little B&B run by the nicest Chilean mother and her daughters. All the travelers were super nice and the rooms and beds were really comfortable, we contemplated staying longer as many of the others had...

Overnight bus to Santiago: Since the ride was only 6-7 hours, we took semi-cama (aka not a full recline seat) so it wasn't quite as comfortable, but totally doable for the quick overnight trip

Catemu: Eka Chakra Farm

During my stay at the Hare Krishna farm, Eka Chakra I was put up in a super comfortable room in one of the guest huts. Aside from the near freezing temperatures at night, it was super comfortable and very tranquilo

Santiago: Hostal Luna Calypso
For our first night back in Santiago, we stayed at this quaint hostal with a super-friendly staff. Located in the Providencia neighborhood, it was a great location to get situated for the weekend adventure with my friend Melanie.

Following our night in the hostel, we moved in to a friend's apartment in the Vitacura neighborhood for the weekend. The view from Andres' balcony was breathtaking and it was so nice to have an awesome local host in the city.

views of the city from Vitacura

For my final week in Santiago, I was taking additional classes at Ecela, so I moved back in with my host family that I had stayed with in February. It was nice to be back to a place I felt like I knew and spend my final days in a home. I am also pleased to announce that I had my first dream in "Spanglish" here during this week, certainly a monumental occasion to end the journey!