around the world with shaanie & jem

Top Things We Love About Buenos Aires

2007-04-11T22:18:00.000-07:00

In no particular order:

Tango in the Streets, Freddo's Chocolate & Banana Split flavored Ice Cream, Empanadas de Carne, Midnight Cravings for Parilla and Flan at El Desnivel.....

Mothers at the Square on Thursdays, Quilmes Beer, Modern Art Museums, Red Red Wine, Cooking in our closet sized kitchen in our apartment in Recoletta....

Daydreaming in the park, Murals in Palermo, Shopping at Abasto, the search for chillies at every grocer, prime steak and wine for $7, Watching "paseaperros" (professional dog walkers)with 15 dogs...

Tango Shows at Cafe Tortoni, The unique "zh" Argentinan accent, crisp 100 peso notes, the colors of La Boca, the natural high each morning from being in Bs As...

Disovering the city's secrets each day, Street Performers, Eating dinner at Midnight, Mate Straws, Sunrise on the Docks...

Sitting in the Park, San Telmo on Sundays, Live Music, Opera Bay, Cortados & Cafecitos in Old Cafes, The Bombonera Stadium, Life of the ever-fashionable Portenos, nearby Rosario....

Falling orange autumn maple leaves, The peace of strolling through the Recoletta cemetary, Puma stores, oil paintings and antiques, Watching futbol crazy fans, Parties that last till 8am...

Stuck In the Middle

2007-04-11T22:16:00.000-07:00

21st/22nd March: Our 5:55pm flight from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires (our only flight in South America so far..) seemed simple enough. We would be in BA at 10:30 and made plans with the Belgian couple (Pieter & Karen), 2 pairs of Dutch couples (Pat & Esther and Tim & Alice), a Frenchman (David) and an Argentinean (Javier) to meet at midnight for parilla (grilled meats) and drinks. But whilst we are stuck in the middle of nowhere 700km from BA at 1am due to technical difficulties in the plane which resulted in having to land at the nearest airport (coincidentally on the same flight as Javier who got on at El Calafate), the rest of the group are probably wondering where we are.

The plane had a few celebrities on board… an actress and model decked out in their LV and Prada with fancy cellphones and full of DRAMA! People on the plane were speculating about what was wrong with the plane, some thought we were gonna die, others thought that the excuse of “bad weather conditions” was a conspiracy and actually one of the engines was shot (they were half right!) and the old lady next to Javier was on the very first flight of her life and was pale and speechless. It was fun to hear all the gossip (kindly translated by Javier) and all the drama and worry.

We got off the plane and into one of the most basic airports ever. No duty free shops, bars or 24-hr McDonalds. Thankfully, they opened the little cafeteria (capacity: 30 people) which is where we are now. Last we heard (again from our trusty CNN correspondent) they’ll be sending a plane from BA, which will arrive around 4am… or so they say!

So the long awaited Buenos Aires will have to wait. Which should make it all the more sweet.

Only 1000km from Antartica

2007-03-27T18:59:00.000-07:00

As Patagonia left a cold summer behind and transited into a freezing autumn, we were heading more and more south towards the southernmost town in the world. Two Singaporeans thought that their polyester sweaters, jeans and hats would shield them from the icy winds of Ushuaia.

Getting to the tail end of South America was hard. After crossing from Argentina's border (exit immigration), into Chile (entry imigration), across a channel on one of those vehicle carrying boats (highlight - tens of dolphins leading us across!), out of Chile (exit immigration), into Argentina again (entry immigration)all this in the FREEEEZZZIINNGGG cold, we were finally in Ushuaia after traveling for hours on end.

Thankfully, we survived with all our un-frostbitten toes in tact and the rush of being as far down as a civilization could exist. Luck was on our side though, as we did have sunshine for 3 out of the 5 days we were there - which according to the locals, was extremely rare. On the day we scaled an Ushuaian mountain to get a view of the Martial Glacier, we had sunshine, rain, rainbows, wind, hail and snowfall all in the span of 2 hours! CRAZY!

Special thanks to Pieter & Karen for giving us much more than just photographs.

We made it to Ushuaia (and have special stamps on our passports to prove it!)

Famous lighthouse on the Beagle Channel, View of Ushuaia, Karen smiling at the fact that we're closer to Antartica than to Buenos Aires, Autumn arrives, Woody Woodpeckers in Tierra del Fuego National Park.

WIld Seals & Sealions along the Beagle Channel

View from the boat - Freshly fallen snow on the mountains of Ushuaia

One of the many many rainbows we saw

More Ushuaia Views

Our Belgian friend Pieter, deep in thought....

Part One - Tierra del Fuego
Unfortunately, we have no pictures of us here - just have to take our word for it for now (except on our MM camera – see previous post) but the trek was amazing. The first part was a 3 hour trail along the coast… beautiful scenery of snow capped mountains, woodpeckers going crazy banging their heads against the trees and lovely autumn colored leaves. The second trail was 1 hour and as Jem put it, it felt like we died and went to heaven… little mounds of bright green “carpet grass” and bunny rabbits hopping free everywhere. Exactly where I used to imagine "Brer Rabbit" living. The sun was shining and the lake glistening. It really was paradise.

Us on the Beagle Channel & Tierra del Fuego

Part Two - Glacier Martial
Difficulty: Hard!
The exciting part about this besides seeing the glacier up on the mountain, was that it was Jem’s first experience with snow!!! The hike was quite grueling (and tough on the knees) but well worth it. Snowball fights, little snowflakes, little hail, little sun, and Jem went sledding in his jeans which was heaps of fun but fairly uncomfortable once over. Wet jeans and undies in the whipping cold winds high up in the mountains ain’t that comfy! But all in all, helluva lotta fun.

Martial Glacier looming over Ushuaia.

Goofing around in the snow

Jem's birthday message to me - He was almost a casualty of frostbitten fingers!

Resting our knees & lunching after the grueling climb down from the glacier.

View from the Top

Patagonia Begins - Penguins, Dolphins & Glaciers

2007-03-22T13:05:00.000-07:00

*Note: Our camera had a nervous breakdown, so thank you Saki, David & EsPat. We’ve been taking pictures the old fashion way… on film and on one of those mickey mouse disposable cameras.*

We left Bariloche on a journey to the mystifying region commonly known as Patagonia. I feel hopelessly inadequate to describe the magnificence of this region. From thousands of wild penguins living their lives all around you as you walk through their colony, to the unique and rare black and white dolphins leading your boat across a bay, sealions and seals showing off their “tricks” and playing a fool as you navigate through the beagle channel and not to mention the tones of guanacos, birds and other animals… and that’s just the wildlife…

Wild penguins at Punto Tumbo - the second largest penguin colony in the world.. the first being Antartica (which we're only 1000km away from right now in Ushuaia!)

Black & White dolphin watching near Puerto Madryn. It's amazing how different it is to watch them when they're in the ocean - wild & free, not bribed to entertain in a "lagoon."

The highlight (if we HAD to choose just one…) would be the Perito Moreno glacier in El Calafate. Having never seen a glacier, we had no idea what to expect. The first glimpse was breathtaking, the upclose view of the glacier with huge chunks just falling off was unbelievable, and actually scaling the glacier with our spiked crampons was the most unbelievably breathtaking and magical 2 hours we’ve ever spent. I wish I could describe the excitement of watching a huge block of sheer ice start cracking and falling 50meters into the water below… and then just a second later (due to delayed sound) hearing a thundering effect of what just happened. It’s like one of those defect movies where the voice doesn’t sync with the lips. It’s surreal. The icy cold chill from the massive river of ice radiates through your skin while the blazing sun tries to give you some sort of balance in temperature.

Trekking on and through the glacier made us feel like one of those Mount Everest climbers… only cooler.

One of the many blue streams/pools of water we drank from on Perito Moreno Glacier. The water is purer and better than EVIAN!

At the end of our hike, as we turned the corner, there was whisky on the rocks (fresh from the glacier!) waiting for us. Salud!

Next Stop: End of the World

From Mendoza to The Lake District

2007-03-11T09:06:00.000-07:00

We made it to Mendoza for the Wine Harvesting Festival. Rented bicycles and cycled a total of 25km around the wineries and olive plantations. A lovely afternoon.

After going our separate ways in Costa Rica, we finally were able to meet up with our Dutch friends in Bariloche. 5 of us rented a Volkswagen and explored the 7 lakes in the region and the surrounding towns of St. Martin and El Bolson.

One of the 7 lakes

Waterfall mirador along the way.

Another one of the 7 lakes

El Bolson

By the lake in Bariloche - charming town with excellent chocolates!

Hippie market in El Bolson.. lots of glass-blown stuff, handicrafts, organic fruit and veggies, hand made jewelry...

The meat in Argentina is unbeatable. BBQ of lamb, bife de lomo, chorizo, grilled peppers, aubergines and zuchini.

Argentina: #16

2007-03-04T13:05:00.001-08:00

We’re in our 16th country - Argentina! Coming in from San Pedro Atacama in Chile - a charming but painfully expensive (especially when arriving from dirt cheap Bolivia) little town in the desert – Salta, Argentina was just what we needed. It’s modern yet charming, has quality services and food at very reasonable prices, lovely weather, all the western amenities and conveniences while retaining its Latin character. It’s like Europe… in South America.

Our sheets smelt like it came fresh from the laundry and we had high pressure real HOT water in the shower. which is way more than we’ve come to expect in many places. In some “hotels” in the other countries, you’ll be lucky if your pillowcase doesn’t have long strands of someone else’s hair on it, your bed doesn’t sink downwards even before you get into it, and the wooly blanket doesn’t cause you to have a 4-minute head-spinning sneezing fit.

Exploring Salta: First things first, Jem needed to get cleaned up. After the last few Bolivian weeks of having crazy hair and increasingly thickening facial growth, he couldn’t wait to have it shaved off… and since he would’ve had to invest in at least 6 Gillette blades and half a day to get it all off, we set off to a barber. Check it out!

The Transformation

Church in Salta- striking colors

Parque Central, Salta, after taking the teleferico (cable car) up to the Mirador and having the brilliant idea of WALKING down the 1200 steps. Legs still ache after 3 days.

Afternoon in San Lorenzo: Spent a lazy afternoon napping on a rock in the middle of a stream, collecting rocks of rainbow colors and wading in the refreshing icy water.

Sunrise from the bus: Salta-Tucuman-Mendoza

Chile - San Pedro Atacama and around

2007-03-04T12:50:00.000-08:00

We didn't know what to expect from Chile, but what we did expect after not showering for 2days was a nice warm shower. Unfortunately, that's the only thing we didn't get the day we arrived. Apparently, since we were in a desert, the hostel (which although was the cheapest option we found at the moment, was still really expensive for South American standards)was short of water. Determined not to let a little thing like feeling grimey get us down, we walked around the cute little desert town. However, when the owner gave us the same bullshit about no water the next day, we moved out to another place. Same price, LOTS of water!

San Pedro Atacama church (picture by David)

Our ambitious day of cycling - 20km on bumpy stoney desert "roads"!

Exploring a cave along the way (cueva de diablo)

Mirador over Devil's Mouth - before the desert storm started and there was sand everywhere... mouth, camera and shoes.

Valle de la Muerte

Velle de la Luna in sunset colors

The Best (and last) of Bolivia

2007-03-03T14:21:00.000-08:00

Salar de Uyuni – The Salt Flats of Bolivia

I was quite worried the moment we left on a 3-day trip on a 1989 Toyota 4x4 jeep that didn’t look like it could make it to the next town, let alone across miles of salt flats, dirt roads and through 10km of foot-deep salt water. Not to mention climbing to an altitude of 4800m and making it all the way to the Chilean border. I would’ve taken my chances with the horse that just happened to stroll by, but decided to go with the flow and have a little faith for once in my life. The good news that we did make it through the trip, and it was amazing. The bad news is that we broke down a total of 7 times. Lucky for us, our guide/cook/driver was also quite a mechanic.

All decorated (for good luck) with our jeep. Not till after did i realize the importance of the blessing ritual. All that beer they sprayed on the vehicle was not wasted afterall...

The experience we had was unparalleled…we slept in a hotel made entirely of salt, saw lakes which were green, red and blue, and watched the sun rise over geysers and soaked in a natural hot thermal spring before breakfast. We drove through deserts at 4800m, sat in a desert named after Salvador Dali, and watched hundreds of wild llamas galloping through the desert lands. Not a car in sight (except our group of 5 jeeps) and nature unspoiled. Truly (as our friend David would put it) MAGICAL.

Mounds of salt in the flooded portion of the flats

Hexagon shaped crystal formations all across the flats

Nothing but Salt

Goofing around in the flats: Jem, Miran, Me, HyangRan, David, Alejandra, Ricardo & Frenchgirl.

Perfect spot for a siesta

One of many random and weird desert rock formations

Laguna Colorada with thousands of flamingoes

Jem & Frenchguy in thermal springs before breakfast

Perfect reflection over Laguna Verde

Bolivia Begins

2007-03-03T14:17:00.000-08:00

Found it! After a grueling hike, we finally found the deserted waterfall in oroico – mountain retreat 3 hours from La Paz.

Valley de la Luna (Valley of the Moon) with amazing formations outside La Paz

My valentine’s day present to jem – Boca Juniors vs. Bolivar! We bought black market tickets outside the stadium for... $2!

Carnaval in Oruro! Made our own water balloons to hurl in defense

Carnaval!

Peru Continued: Cuzco & Machu Picchu

2007-03-03T14:03:00.000-08:00

Cuzco center

A hit with the local girls

Ruins and Terraces of Pisac

Orubumba Ruins

Waking up at 5am was worth it. In the midst of the cloud forest which teasingly revealed the splendor of Machu Picchu little by little. And that made it all the more mysterious.

Mother & Baby Llama at MaPi

Machu Picchu revealed when the clouds cleared

Jem taking a moment

View from Waynapicchu. The hike is only recommended after asking Pachamama (Mother Earth) for her blessing!

Aguas Caliente, main train stop for Machu Picchu. First thing that comes to mind is the 1980s Nescafe advertisement with the train and the coffee and that song

Entering Peru: From Lima to Nazca

2007-03-03T13:44:00.000-08:00

We Love Peru! For Pisco Sours, sandboarding and dune bugging on acres and acres of desert sand, airplane rides over the Nazca lines, Llamas and Alpacas, Inca Kola (tastes like Fanta Green!), weaving through the cloud forest and discovering Machu Picchu, Lomo Saltado (stirfried beef with onions and tomatoes), best Ice Creams ever, Inca Markets, colorful street festivals and Coca Tea.

Miraflores, Lima Sunset

Dunes in Huacachina

The GLAM moments sandboarding! Exhilirating Experience!

And then there were the less GLAM moments....

Sunset over the dunes

Oasis of Huacachina

Pisco Vineyard!

Nazca Lines from the air

Co Pilot Captain Jeremy Lim

From Colombia to Ecuador

2007-03-03T13:23:00.000-08:00

Last Colombian stop: Church at Las Lajas

Otavalo, Ecuador: Mangoes for 10cents!

Me with local Ecuadorian

This is how we look like when we travel!

QUITO - Mitad del Mundo: Equator Line!

Us on opposite hemispheres!

Jem with Crazy Frenchman David and Croatian Ivan at 4100meters ASL overlooking Quito

Cuenca Panama hat factory - As already noted in one of Reader's Digests' quizzes, the Panama Hat originated in Ecuador.

Pasto, Colombia: Carnival de Negros y Blancos

2007-01-22T13:27:00.000-08:00

B&N Carnival Origins: During the Spanish rule, slaves were allowed to celebrate on the 5th of January, and their masters showed their approval by painting their faces black. The next day, slaves would paint their faces white, and the whole town celebrates.

When we decided to make it for the festival, we could not have imagined the magnitude and seriousness of the affair. Instead of 2 days, the festival lasted 5. Literally (with no exceptions), EVERYONE in the town was involved. The locals, the tourists, the children, the aged, the policemen, the garbage cleaners…

Let’s paint you (no pun intended) a picture. The first time we walked out of the Koala Inn, we took exactly 4 steps before being attacked with “snow spray” and white powder. By the time we had reached the end of the second block, someone sneaked up behind me with black paint and rubbed it all over my face. Our first stop: to buy 2 cans of spray and 3 bags of talc to arm ourselves. For the next four days, we suited up (sunglasses, hat/hairband, jacket/poncho) and never left the hostel without can of spray in one hand and some powder.

Shaan & Jeremy : post-party

I hadn’t had so much messy fun in a long long time. Not since the days where my dad was always the first to start a food fight (with birthday cake, or yogurt, or eggs…) and you don’t care about how you’re gonna have to spend half and hour washing gook out of your hair or how someone just threw a fistful of powder in your face while your mouth was open. We got into “fights” with groups of children, with families, with some oldies, with teenagers… pick up trucks of groups armed with sacks of powder drove round the town, hurling powder (with a tinge of water to make targets easier to hit) at anyone who walked past. Policemen were the most hilarious. Tucked on one side was their baton or gun. Stuffed in their pocket was a can or two of spray. They were the most targeted, and naturally needed defense! Can you imagine the power-hungry, grumpy policemen in Singapore ever being that fun and light hearted!!? The cops even STARTED many of the fights!

No one was spared. The old lady collecting cans, the roadsweeper man, the dogs, the man selling snow spray cans and powder, the poor people who actually had to go to work, taxi drivers stupid enough to leave their windows down, the toilet aunty… the whole town looked like it was blanketed with snow. There was music everywhere – and to leave after 4 days of incredible fun was like saying goodbye to childhood all over again. But at least we know where to go when we need to go back in time again. Back to the days where you played with everyone and they were your friends instantly, where you got dirty and laughed so much, where your heart was free, where you never cared about how you looked, what you wore, what anyone would think, and where everyone was equal.

ps- wish i could upload more pics but internet is REALLY slow.

The Story of San Blas

2007-01-22T13:25:00.000-08:00

I´m sure you´ve all seen the photos in the ¨san blas¨ post - now here´s the story behind the photos.

Morning flights are the worst. Especially when you put 4 people (2 Panamanians and 2 Singaporeans) together on their last night. It leads to a whole string of fascinating conversations about everything from politics to religion to ambitions and travel. By the time we thought it best to say goodnight, it was 3:45am. Our alarm clock was set for 4:10am – the taxi was booked to arrive at 4:30am, we had to be at the airport at 5am for our 6am flight to El Povenir from where we would board our yacht. Turns out, our pilot didn’t arrive at the airport till 7:30am! The Bastard!! All the while in the airport lounge, I kept thinking about how I could’ve had an hour and a half’s sleep instead of none at all.

Think about how you would expect a 5 day sailing trip to be when your captain looks exactly like Tom Hanks in Castaway after having been stranded on a deserted island for 4 years. Now add in characteristics like him being Colombian and a little “pirate-ish.” It was fabulous…. The first 3 days, at least.

We sailed around the San Blas islands, ate lobster every day, swam in pristine waters and lazed on deserted beaches and slept on the deck under a million stars at night, wishing on shooting stars as they fell from the sky. Our daily breakfast was unforgettable, although at times I wish I could forget it. Take a big bowl (washed in SEAwater – hey, fresh water is more precious than a wad of hundred dollar bills when you’re sailing), now throw in one packet granola, chopped pineapple, few squeezes of honey, and then top it off with the magic ingredient- RUM. Keep going with the rum till you feel like stopping. Then, take a large wooden spoon and mix it all up till it’s the consistency of mud. Bon Provecho! Oh yeah, the RUM was the only thing on board that (to the captain at least) was more precious than water. According to him, rum cures all – sea sickness, dehydration and hunger.

From sanblas

One night, instead of hanging out with Puna (local Kuna lady who helped us with our meals) on “our” island, we sailed to a nearby tiny island which was inhabited solely by one Kuna family. We helped grate coconut on a makeshift rusty metal piece which was punctured with holes, searched the island for dried coconut leaves for the bonfire, and played with the local children. It was one of the most authentic experiences.

Ok, then comes the next few days. Sailing is fun from one island to another in sheltered turquoise waters. It’s a whole different story when you’re sailing rough waves on the open sea on a little yacht. All of us kept throwing up off the side of the yacht, and being inside was virtually impossible unless you lie down straight away. When you are outside, waves keep splashing on you, and you’re faced with 2 options: stay outside and freeze from the wetness and wind, or go inside and feel sick until you manage to fall asleep. On the 2nd night on the open sea, the boat started to flood… something with the engine or something. The boys took turns scooping water out of the boat (taking turns to come on deck to throw up before going back inside to scoop more water out) while I steered the boat at 90N, which was an almost impossible task with the scarily whipping winds and being splashed in the face on every 6th wave. Anyway, we got through that nightmare. Finally, on the 3rd night, we were going to reach the next morning. I knew I could get through one more night of puking, of not showering, of feeling like I was never gonna feel solid ground again. The next morning came… and there was bad news. Apparently the whipping winds of the night before had disappeared – which meant another day of sailing. I lost it. Jem (knowing my desperation) stole a gallon of fresh drinking water so I could have a “shower.” You have no idea how it feels to swim in the ocean for 3 days, then spend the next 3 with sand still in your swimsuit, hair the texture of grimey hay, and sticky face and skin with clogged pores just begging for fresh water. He was my hero. And with that, we made it to the 6th day and drank our last coffee on the yacht watching the sun rise over beautiful Cartagena.

Season's Greetings

2006-12-25T19:13:00.000-08:00

Hi All!

We would like to wish everyone lots of love and happiness in the coming year.

Also, sorry for the dissapearance of the SHOUTBOX... Will try and figure out how to get it back on our site so we can keep receiving all your messages!

Also, latest updates are just pictures for now... it's one of my New Year's resolutions to stop slacking on the writing bit.

Love, US.

Cartagena, Colombia

2006-12-25T14:40:00.000-08:00

Main Square in El Centro

Cafe del Mar, Cartagena

Typical streets in Cartagena... with horse drawn carriages passing through every now and then

It's just another brick in the wall

Colombian Coffee

Our day in the MUD! Natural mud blub-blubbing up through this strange volcano.

From Panama to Colombia - through the San Blas Islands

2006-12-25T14:07:00.000-08:00

Our CAPITAN: doesn't he remind you exactly of Tom Hanks in CASTAWAY having been stranded on a deserted island for 4 years?

David, Valentijn & Jem chillin on the yacht after a healthy breakfast. Ingredients: granola, pineapple, honey and RUM. Method: throw all ingredients in a big bowl and mix till mushy.

Yo no soy marinero!

One of the 365 San Blas Islands

Jem & I helping the local people (only one family lives on this particular island) prepare our dinner. Grating coconut for cocorice and cooking lobster.

The Cast of SURVIVOR: SAN BLAS. Capitan, David, Jem, Shaan, Valentijn, Shota

Panama City

2006-12-25T13:38:00.000-08:00

Panama Canal! Panagis (L) who was kind enough to show us around his lovely city and give us a place to stay!

Bocas del Toro, Panama

2006-12-25T12:56:00.000-08:00

Haven't had this much fun in the sand since we were 8.

Zapatilla: A pristine deserted beach perfect for skinny dipping!

Costa Rica

2006-12-09T16:01:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately, I'm having tonnes of problems uploading... so here are just a select few shots of Costa Rica.

One of the many beaches we discovered around Puerto Viejo on our bikes.
Sunset from Johnny's Place, Puerto Viejo

Jem Napping & Me in my "rash guard" surfer top

Nicaragua

2006-12-09T15:51:00.000-08:00

The scenery from the chicken bus from the Honduran-Nicaraguan border to the town of Leon was quite lovely at sunset. Even though there were quite a few kids eyeing all our backpacks, we managed to get off at Leon with all our baggage in tact. Nothing much in Leon, except drinking Flor de Cana (I’ve always hated rum, until my first taste of Flor de Cana with 7-up and lime) at ViaVia with a reunion with Esther and Patrick, and Dave and Nicci. We all decided to travel for the next couple of weeks together.

Us in Leon & Jem on a break

Next was Granada. Although it held quite a few similarities to Antigua, it was no where as charming. Our highlight had to be the 2 days we spent in Lago Apoyo, half hour from Granada. We stayed at Crater’s Edge and spent the entire 2 days swimming in the lake, drinking watermelon juices and I managed to do a lot of writing (for an editor of a magazine that approached me… unfortunately, it’s been 5 days since I sent it in, and still no word.)

Our favourite spots - On the rocking chairs and swinging chairs by the lake (Laguna de Apoyo)

The English Girl reads The Tempest by Shakespeare
The Dutch Girl reads the Dutch version The DaVinci Code and
I read BONO: In the name of love

Longing for the coast again, the 6 of us hopped on a series of trucks, buses, taxis and vans before finally arriving in San Juan del Sur. The 3 days we spent there were pretty uneventful except for a couple of gorgeous sunsets, yummy fresh cheap seafood and lounging on our sarongs by the beach, reading.

At Sunset - San Juan del Sur
Thanks Patrick, for the great candid shot of me and Jem!

Honduras

2006-12-09T15:49:00.000-08:00

Getting into Honduras was LEH-CHEH!. Since we were leaving from the little village of Lanquin, we had to take a shuttle headed for Antigua, but get off in the middle of nowhere – in a town called El Rancho. From there, we got herded onto a local bus bound for another middle of nowhere place called Chiquimula. They threw us off in Chiquimula and told us to walk 2 blocks (though the street market) and finally we saw shuttles which the guy said go straight to Copan, Honduras. But of course, we had to change shuttles in the middle of nowhere to another shuttle, which dropped us at the border town of El Florido. We went through immigration finally at 6pm on a Sunday and then were totally ripped off by apparently “the last shuttle left” which was going the 10 km to Copan.

The town of Copan (and our hostel – La Manzana Verde (the Green Apple) was charming, and needing to recover from the long local bus journeys, we decided to rest a day before heading to La Ceiba to catch a ferry to the island of Utila.

As luck would have it, Dave, Nicci and us were all stuck in La Ceiba coz due to bad weather conditions, there were no ferries leaving for (or coming back from) the Bay Islands. DAMMIT JANET!!! On the other side on Utila, were our Dutch friends who were stranded on Utila, unable to return to the mainland. Esther had hurt her shoulder and they finally decided to CHARTER a mini little plane back! Isn’t that the coolest thing ever!?

So with thousands of Limpiras (hey, we thought we were gonna be spending quite a bit on diving in the Bay Islands etc….) we decided to cut our losses and head into Nicaragua through the dangers of Tegucigalpa. So much for Honduras….

Border Crossing: Honduras - Nicaragua

The Last of Guatemala

2006-12-09T15:42:00.000-08:00

Due to a glowing recommendation from Duncan, we decided to totally backtrack 7 hours all the way to Lanquin for the supposedly must-see caves and pools of Semuc Champey.

We took a shuttle from the Black Cat Hostel in Antigua and after a grueling journey, reached El Retiro in Lanquin. We were welcomed with such warmth, and the guy at the desk was so excited that we were the first from Singapore. Perched along a turquoise river, the little chalets at El Retiro are charming. We got the last private room on the grounds… which was more like a tree house! With our 50 kilo backpacks, we climbed up a little bamboo ladder up to our hut. Small yet charmingly rustic, I knew I was gonna like it there. The great part about the place is that you don’t pay for anything until you check out.. so we happily charged our room, meals, drinks and tours to the “FISH” room.

El Retiro & Falls at Semuc Champey

El Retiro has such a hippie feel… the food is awesome, the music excellent and we had a blast playing games which range from giant jenga to trivial persuit. The place feels like being part of a big family of travelers. Dinners at the in-house restaurant (filled with hammocks, swings and candles) feels more like a dinner party, and the Quebec Libres (rum, ginger ale and a twist of lime) sure beats the regular rum and cokes (Cuba Libres).

The next morning, we picked up the sandwiches we ordered from the restaurant (packed in a banana leaf and tied with natural raffia!!!) and headed off to Semuc Champey. First was the CAVE. It had to be one of the top 5 adventure experiences of my life. Unlike the caves in Australia, the US or even in many parts of Asia, there were no platforms to walk on, no signs telling you not to touch the stalactites and stalagmites and best of all, no lights. With swimsuits, a candle in hand and a local guide, we had to swim, climb rocks and go through a natural obstacle course of sorts, finding our way through the maze within the cave. I was reminded of “The Goonies” as we took turns clinging onto a rope and swinging through a hard waterfall within the dark cave. The scary part about it is that you have no idea what’s coming up next… all the guide tells you is stuff in Spanish (which you have to decipher) like “ok, now we swim for 2 minutes…” or “ok, climb this rickety bamboo ladder one at a time so it doesn’t break.” Though I feared for my life on exactly 4 occasions during the 2 hour adventure, it’s another one of those experiences which I’m so glad I lived through to tell the tale.

More falls... and the pools (view from the top) of Semuc Champey

After the exhilarating cave adventure, we headed to the pools. And although it was only a few minutes away, our guide made us drudge up thousands of steps half covered with slimy mud all for a view of all the pools. Ok, so maybe it was worth it… We went all the way back down for a swim in the group of crystal blue green pools. What a perfect way to spend the afternoon before hopping back onto the back of the pick up truck all the way back to El Retiro.

In and Around Antigua - Part Dos

2006-11-16T14:54:00.000-08:00

Isn't Antigua Gorgeous?

Antigua Ruinas

Us and the local Guatemaltecans! Alejandro and friends from Guate City and our Salsa teachers, Alberto and Yoko (honorary Guatemalteca from Japan based on excellent Salsaing skills - and for dating Alberto).

Some of us got close... and others got closer...

Chilling at Sky Bar watching the sun set over the Volcan.
The Gang

El Salvador with Duncan, Nathan, Anand, Nicci and Dave - brilliant picture curtesy of Jems
Volcanic Sand at the beach - brillianter picture by Shaanie

We've created a Monster! The tai-tee addiction Goes West.
One board, Five Guys. Notice none on it.

View from Playa Tunco, El Salvador

Volcan Pacaya

2006-11-16T14:45:00.000-08:00

Remember Geography lessons in Secondary 3… where the theory of volcano formation, and terms like “lava river” and “molten lava” were just words which we had to form a picture from via imagination and if we were lucky, a couple of 3D drawings? Well, due to the thankfully lenient (or non-existent?) laws on safety and natural park protection, we journeyed 2 hours on a reject yellow school bus from the 80s, then hiked 2 hours through loose black lava rocks, horse shit, rain, cold, mud and steep slopes. We suffered through falls, scrapes, cut up hands and legs, and just when we (at least I was…) on the verge of tears, there it was.

The most unbelievable vision I’ve ever seen and I hesitate to put pictures up coz it just will not and could not do it justice. We stood literally 3 meters from molten lava flowing down the volcan. It was pitch dark by the time we reached the summit, and the luminous lava, the heat radiating from the molten rock and the sheer danger of it all kept us all balancing on the shaky ground of loose rocks, with only a stick to help us along. Jem’s stick, poked into the rock, actually caught fire as there was apparently a little molten lava not far below where we were standing. I fell about 15 times that night and everyone else at least 7 on average. But every cut and scrape, every ache and every bruise was worth it. I’ve come as close to molten lava as humanly possible, and it was bloody amazing. It might not be possible in a couple of years… all we need is one person to fall in the lava river and they’ll ban night hikes for good. Pack your bags, grab some garden gloves, waterproof jumpers and go.

The Grueling Hike

Wish i knew how to attach the video clip we have. Thanks for the pictures, Dave!

Feels like home... almost... kinda... well not exactly...but kinda

2006-11-06T17:21:00.000-08:00

OK - so i really really appologize for not having updated the blog in quite a few weeks... here are a couple of pictures in the meantime before i write about my thoughts on Antigua, Guatemala... it's a place we've come to call home for the past couple of weeks, and we'll be here for another couple... taking spanish classes, salsa lessons.... we have our own clique of friends, a local supermarket, a favorite restaurant... on the street, we meet people we actually know, and go to the same mama shop for coke and chips every night, and the same bakery for curry puff-like thingy each morning before school. yes, with party nights and all, we still get up at 7am every morning for class. how diciplined are we!!?!? you should be proud.

The football stars.... and the WAGS.... Final score? 9-7
(little did they know at this point that all four would suffer from major back and knee pains for the next 4 days following the match...)

HALLOWEEN! Jem actually went as ZORRO but revealed his face for the picture. I went as the spirit of Mardi Gras (gave away some of my beads...) Also, notice SPOONICORN?

US (Jem, myself and our fave couple - Nikki and Dave) at Panajachel.... Jem at our favorite restaurant in Antigua - Cafe Escudilla

Another one of our weekend trips. This one was to Lago Atitlan, Guatemala.

The gang at Riley's

Flores Sunset & TIKAL ruins (our first stop in Guatemala before heading to Antigua)

The night we spent at the bus station from Chatumel (mexico) to Belize City. (Belize City was an experience. A bad one. Hence, we have no photos of Belize.)

HABANA

2006-10-11T17:45:00.000-07:00

as promised, i would guest-blog from time to time - Jem.

cuba, stuck in the 1950's and associated with the revolution, rumbas, the mafia, the sex trade, ancient cars, cigars and clearly unsafe to take a loved one, or so i thought. we never intended to visit cuba until one drunken wednesday night at isla mujeres (known as the island of women) when we met charles, (a fellow traveller) who wanted to visit cuba before castro's reign came to an end and mcdonalds and starbucks took over - he didn't need to convince us very much. we were on our second bottle of rum late into thursday morning and before we knew it, we already made our minds up and were planning to leave isla mejeres for cancun for our flight to havana (or "habana" as the locals call it) on friday!

A typical street, Everyday life

not knowing what to expect, how to feel (especially since i just got my morning jab for bed-bug bites which seem to haunt me whenever i travel). the original plan was 8nights through the classic route but i kinda fell ill from the night we landed and the fever was just to much so we only stayed for 4 nights.

Classic Havana & Classic Jeremy (being picked up)

i can tell you that the experience is something unexplainable but i'll try. our worst experience had to be when we were stuck in the airport for 4 hours because the immigration officers didn't know what to do with us as singaporeans didn't need a visa to enter - my guess is they had no idea where or what singapore was. then shaan passed immigration but had to wait for me for another half hour because they thought i had a fake passport. finally, the custom officer detained us and brought us to a corner to confirm if we had enough money for our entire stay. by the time we were out, we were drained, irritated and it was late evening, and we didn't even have a room for the night.

He hasn't moved in 4 days, Saleswoman,
The Lost Tourist & Cuban Street Party

although i was really down and out thoughout the four days (suspected dengue), we did manage to finish habana, the main sights especially. it's truly something just to walk on the streets. music plays out loud throughout the day (from all households)and mostly through the night too - you get invited to their house to dance along. everyone sits along the dark and wet streets chatting while the youth play baseball on the streets with paper made balls (and this happens everyday) - all races and colours getting along to the beat of music. for the guys ...., i have to say that cuban girls have got to be the sexiest dressed i've seen and shaan will tell you that they start at about 8. there are no thin cubans but certainly shapely ones. i regret not heading to the legendary tropicana night club, salsa heaven (casa de le musica), el este beach or even trying a mojito (shaan did) but i know for sure, i'll return someday to cuba.

In case of Fire, The Real Habaneros,
Cuba's equivalent to SBS & Comfort

Isla Mujeres

2006-10-11T17:17:00.000-07:00

Amazed at the terquise water on the ferry from Cancun to Isla Mujeres (Island of Women), Hit the beach (and bar) after dumping our bags at the hostel

San Cristobal & Pelenque

2006-10-11T17:00:00.000-07:00

Jem lugging the load back from the laundromat, church at the zocalo

Mayan Ruins At Pelenque

Mazunte

2006-10-11T16:47:00.000-07:00

Sun setting into the ocean & a secluded beach we discovered. We had to do some major hiking to reach them both.

Our rooftop open air "suite" by the beach for US12 a night and the view at dusk from there

ACAPULCO & PEURTO ESCONDITO

2006-10-04T08:23:00.000-07:00

22 September 2006
ACAPULCO
After a 5 hour bus journey through windy hills and 3 stops along the way, we finally got a glimpse of the ocean and were in Acapulco. I must say that the city has dwindled into a giant mess since James Bond set foot on this once sleepy town. I was disillusioned at the touting, the pollution and the general chaos of the city. We did however meet Roas and Mika from the Netherlands and Sophia from Switzerland and got a great bargain on the hotel – a room with 4 Queen beds for 300pesos which works out to be 60 pesos (USD6) per person!

We walked through the Zocalo (city center) and grabbed a bite (they served free tequila shots as dessert which I refused! NAS-TY!) before heading to the Cliff Diving point – apparently one of the highlights. I must admit I figured we’d be doing our share of “getting loco” by having a little tequila and dancing on the beach – but we did none of that. Instead, I saw the true meaning of Going Loco in Acapulco. For a 35 peso entrance, we saw a group of local boys scaling a steep cliff – about ten stories high – and diving into a narrow gorge! Two altars lay at the peak, where they each said their prayers before making the jump, the last of which included a stunt with fire.

Our day at the beach the next day was even more disappointing. The water was far from crystal. A couple we met said they found a syringe in the water. Can you imagine?! All in all, Acapulco was a huge disappointment and should definitely be skipped entirely.

23 September 2006
PEURTO ESCONDITO
The 9 hour journey through the night was grueling to say the least. Being tossed from side to side along with the sharp turns and dealing with at least 70 speed bumps (the bus halts to about 2 mph each time) didn’t allow me to sleep much at all (Jem knocked out like he’d been hit by a bus, instead of riding in one) except for the last hour naturally – we had to be woken up to get off the bus. Met an Irish couple – Tadhg and Emma – on the bus and we ended up getting rooms next to each other at Pepe Cabanas. It’s a simple place, but the east facing view from our balcony is breathtaking – especially at 7am when we arrived. We enjoyed sunrise for the first time in many many years.

Jem explored the town a little whilst I took a much needed nap. Off we went to the closest beach – Playa Principal and saw a fisherman and his daughter who had just caught a giant swordfish! It was so unreal and plastic looking! We headed for lunch nearby and both ordered pescada al ajo – fish fillet with garlic – a specialty in the area. When it arrived, I was sure they had messed up the order and had given me chicken instead. It sure as hell did not look anything like the soft juicy white fleshed fish we were so used to eating at Aunty Pam’s. We struggled through the first couple of bites but it was seriously unpalatable! Curious as to what the waitress had served us, we asked and she pointed to a mounted fish on the wall… a giant swordfish!!! EWWW!

We spent the afternoon at a couple of beaches in the area. Playa Carrizalillo was filled with the “hip, backpacker crowd” sunbathing, surfing, swimming. Jem loved it! I on the other hand thought it was a little too crowded and spent my time under the shade with fresh orange juice, chatting with Sophia … We headed to two nearby beaches, Playa Manzanillo and Angelito where it was a little more serene, but the ocean floor a little too rocky.

Walking back, we came across a rotisserie chicken place and could not resist buying a chicken for dinner. We brought it back up to our cabana balcony and like a couple of savages, devoured it with our hands. What a mess – thoroughly enjoyable though. We spent the night at a couple of bars around Zicatella and Principal, chatting away with other backpackers… Anna from Sweeden told me about this great beach in Nicaragua which is perfect for learning how to surf. Apparently the gradient is so gentle and the waves so perfect –which makes for an excellent learning ground for beginners. I’m actually considering it…

Sophia, Jem, Emma & Tadhg

CUERVANACA & TAXCO

2006-10-04T08:18:00.001-07:00

19&20 September 2006

After spending 5 days in Mexico City, we were ready to leave the chaos which comes with any metropolis. We headed an hour and a half south to Cuervanaca, a mid-sized town, big enough that it has a MacDonalds, Buger King and Dominoes. We bought our bottled water from OXXO as usual – a Mexican version of 7-11, trusted to be open day and night. The highlight had to be La Comuna, a cozy little art café/bar/restaurant with brightly colored walls, live guitar and harmonica music, owned by an elderly – but very learned couple. We made fast friends with Jose the owner and Jem finally faced his fear and tried a shot of tequila. I had ¼ of his shot and felt a burning sensation in my stomach. Deadly stuff. We had such a great night that we returned the next morning for some huevos and gave Jose a Singapore magnet. Jose Martinez Crus reciprocated by giving me a book he co-wrote on the Socialist movement in Morelos entitled La izquierda: y los movimientos socials en Morelos. Will sure need a whole lotta Spanish lessons to get through it!

Taxco: a town we almost skipped but made the best decision of our trip so far not to give it a miss. It’s one of the most authentic, charming, rustic and gorgeous towns I’ve ever been to. It’s such a pity that the pictures we took do not do it justice. We fell in love with Taxco immediately, although I did have a rough beginning. You see, Taxco is a town built in the mountains, where the cobblestone streets wind through the hilly terrain on steep gradients. With my 50lb backpack strapped to by shoulders, I was in pain and almost in tears as we ascended the scenic narrow lanes searching for our hotel. Jem trooped through like a champ though while I finally gave up and rested by a little fountain amidst stalls selling pure silver charms and bracelets.

Everything ended up fine and having dumped our backpacks in our tiny room at Casa Grande. How ironic. Lunch was awesome – we had freshly grilled chicken while being thoroughly entertained by the owner’s son who was meticulously polishing every inch of his black VW Beetle. He used a different product for each part – right down to the tires! About 90% of the vehicles here are old VWs. The “combis” are VW vans, the taxis are white beetles and the commercial cars run from golfs to beetles from the 1960s through 80s. I kept a lookout for my old ‘87 GTI, feeling that it might’ve been shipped out here to live a third life, after I gave it a second.

Among the places of interests we visited, from Ex-Convento de San Bernadino de Siena to the Church of Guadalupe, to the main Cathedral de Santa Prisca at the Zocola, the highlight had to be the exhilarating yet most physically extreme hike to the summit of the mountain to reach the Cristo Monumental del Cerro del Atache. It is almost identical to the statue overlooking Rio de Janeiro. On our ambitious journey to the top, we were amazed at the friendliness of the locals. An old lady hanging clothes on the balcony smiled and offered directions without even us asking, and children were only too eager to join us for part of the hike up – taking us through back alleys and staircases, running up dirt trails while we tried our best to keep up. After having hiked through trails, alleys and charming roads, we finally decided to cut our losses and turn back. The actual streets had come to an end and what lay before us was jungle. An old man called out to us as we were turning back and convinced us to persevere. Apparently, according to him, a short cut up the jungle would take us to Cristo in three minutes! Hesitant but figuring that it was just too good a chance to pass up, we walked gingerly up the little trail and tried not to slip, fall, or anger the passive wild dog licking himself under a tree. We passed through cut barbed wire with a sign that warned against trespassers. After the last stretch of 60 degree inclination, we jumped over a wall and we were finally at Cristo. Imagine our astonishment when we saw an old couple – the man on crutches – admiring the view! How the hell did he get up here?? We later found out that for 50 pesos, a taxi takes you right there… by the main road up the mountain. We consoled ourselves by reassuring each other that it is the journey, not the destination that puts a cherry on the experience. And yes, we walked all the way down. Not because we were being cheap bastards (we kinda were as well…) but just to prove our point.

Mexico City

2006-10-04T08:02:00.000-07:00

Teotihuacan Ruins

WHERE´S WALDO???
At the Anthropolical Museum

Mexico City Zocalo (city center)

The End is the Beginning

2006-10-04T07:53:00.000-07:00

8 September 2006

Sorry for the long lapses...

We finally made it out of the US… One thing led to another and we ended up staying for over a month, instead of just 2 weeks! First Hawaii happened, then a longer than expected Californian road trip, then the Dave Matthew’s concert, then my sister kept bribing us with plans – trips up to Napa Valley, Sausalito etc. Finally saying goodbye (again) was heart wrenching… I would’ve stuffed her in my backpack if only she had weighed less than 50lbs – they’re awfully strict about that at the airport.

So here we are on UA 977 even though we didn’t think we would make it in time, not like that hasn’t happened before… Ended up leaving the house late, then long lines at check in (charming conversation with this old couple though!), made a dash for a quick espresso, changed currency to pesos, and as luck would have it, we were “randomly selected” for extra screening for explosives and crap. Haha. Finally made it to the gate (which was right at the end, of course) and onto the aircraft.

As I sit here on a plane bound for Central America listening to Cat Stevens on iTunes, I realize how I really am my father’s daughter - bitten by the travel and adventure bug. I love listening to his stories from the time he spent the summer of 1973 hitch hiking across the entire US whilst doing his degree at MIT. I glance over to Jem while he reads his Mexico guidebook, and I can’t wait for us to have our own adventures and create our own stories… the kind of tales that make your heart skip a beat and your eyes twinkle every time you tell it – be it 30 years down the road. Sometimes I still can’t believe we found each other – both crazy enough to leave everything familiar behind for an experience of a lifetime. Shouldn’t we be boring and married by now?

The TOURISTY stuff in and around California

2006-09-10T14:41:00.000-07:00

San Francisco Cable Car and the CASTRO district!

Best Tacos: From a Taco truck in an abandoned parking lot in the middle of nowhere.

LA Beaches!

Sam, Shaan & Michelle at Venice Beach
Shoko & Shaan at Newport Beach

Jem & Shaan at Huntington Beach

Gotta Love the VEGAS!

Jeremy "Hef" Lim with the Tropicana Showgirls
Start Spreading the News... New York, New York

Tapas with Rachelle & Liko
SIN CITY Micro-brewery beer at the Aladdin

Shaan & hunk star from "ZUMANITY" (Cirque du Soleil)
Jem started out with $5 and won $150 on a NICKLE slot. He truly is The Elephant King

Art, Culture & Nature.. finally!
San Simeon's Hearst Castle

17 Mile Drive - Monterey/Carmel

And guess who we saw playing golf at the Wallmart Open at Pebble Beach?? He looked like he just rolled outta bed!

The Beginning...

2006-09-02T23:42:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the delay, people... Since our first few posts encompass a month's worth of stuff, consider splitting the reading into a few doses to prevent overexposure and boredom!

Hate to wake you up to say goodbye...
Monday, August 07, 2006
The good news about starting a blog on such a sad note is that things can only get better. I've packed my 75litre backpack and it's HUGE. I suddenly regret not working enough on my shoulders during my short-lived gym membership. It's actually heartwrenching to pack.. having to "eliminate" clothes that don't make the cut... I went through about 7 cuts.. each time appologising to that shirt or underwear which wasn't gonna travel the world with me.

The planning started 2 years ago... encompassing 63 countries over 5 continents. Jem and I were gonna go from India, through the Middle east, the Greek Islands, down to Tanzania and the wildest parts of the African continent, across the Atlantic to the US, work downwards from Mexico to Guatemala, Nicaragua and the rest of Central America, continuing South through the whole of South America from Peru to Chile to Venezuela and the rest, finally flying back to Singapore - but not without a final stop in the Hawaiian Islands. It turns out, we were forgetting one important element in our plans - money. So here we are, still as excited, but focussing our adventure on the whole of Central America, South America, the Carribean Islands and parts of the US...

Habla Ingles?

Aloha!
It's astounding how things mess up... and work themselves out. Long story short... we missed our standby flight from Tokyo to San Francisco, leaving us with 2 options: Stay in the insanely expensive city until one of the already overbooked flights over the next few days manages to squeeze us in... or take the only and last flight out of Tokyo for the day to the United States. As it so happens, of all the 50 states, we found ourselves on the way to the most gorgeous one of all... Hawaii!!!

The Beach

The 5 days we spent in Oahu were so awesome... Highs and Lows:

Highs
1. Driving to the Northern part of Oahu, stopping at every beach along the North Shore. Our favorites? Sunset at Waimea Bay and Sunset Beach.
2. Body watching at Waikiki...
3. Just the idea of being in Blue Hawaii...

Waikiki sure has hot lifeguards... and gorgeous sunsets...

Lows
1. Prices! Although they sure beat Tokyo, still blew our budget.
2. Our first hostel. Everything was looking up at first. We checked into a backpacker's place and settled for dorm style accommodation -2 bedrooms (4 beds each) - in a cute little hut alongside the North Shore. Ready to call it a night, we bump into 2 people on our porch who were gonna be staying in the next room. We spent the next few hours swapping stories, drinking, reminicing about rock ballads from the early 90s and having a blast. And then.... (I'm embarassed to admit that i was dead tired, and slept through all of this and only expereienced the horror for the last 1/2 hour, right before leaving at 6am while Jem was fully conscious during the entire thing ) At 2:30am, a HUGE drunk noisy Asian man enters the room and strips to his tight high cut undies, collapsing on the top bunk of his bed, his giant feet sticking out. In his comatose state, he snores like a Boeing and FARTS (gross wet ones!!! Ewwww!!!!) almost continuously throughout the night. EWWWW!!!!

Sigh... to be a DOLE pineapple for a day....