Our trip to Tunis, Tunisia happened between Sunday the 11th and Sunday the 18th of February, 2018. Sadly, I was taking a gap year from travel to finish university but still managed to do a few trips here and there. Those trips were proper vacations. One Week at University After my two-year trip through South America, I returned to Maastricht University in the Netherlands in January 2018. I had to prepare to go back to university after a hiatus of four years, and I did so reluctantly; the only reason I was back here was to graduate and get ridContinue reading
The Return to Uni: Going Back, or Moving Forward?
There is this thing I’ve known for the last few years: one of these days, I’ll have to return to Maastricht to finish my studies. I started university in the summer of 2010 and dropped out in November 2013. This had consequences. Today, I arrived back in that city that gave me so much pain. For those of you that have followed my journey for many years, you’ll know that my blogging journey started under the nom de guerre ‘Escapist’. Because that’s how I really felt. I was escaping the horror of my student life in Maastricht that had left meContinue reading
Kayaking + Snorkeling at Crab Cay and Three Brothers (Old Providence, Colombia)
All this happened on the 2nd of November, 2017. We rented a kayak and paddled to Crab Cay from the island of Old Providence. This is part of the Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia, and Santa Catalina. This is where I did my first successful and enjoyable snorkeling session. Renting a Kayak on Providencia We asked the owner of our guesthouse (Posada Sunrise View) Keoma how to go to Crab Cay (Spanish: Cayo Cangrejo). She told us where to catch the little motorboats, but also told us of the option to rent a kayak. Jonas and I had paddled inContinue reading
Hiking Up to ‘The Peak’ of Old Providence Island, Colombia
We did this hike on Tuesday, October 31st, 2017. Jonas and I traveled around the San Andrés Archipelago for two weeks after extending our Colombian visa in Santa Marta. This Caribbean archipelago comprises three islands (San Andrés, Providencia, and Santa Catalina) which are part of Colombia. We stayed on Isla de Providencia (Old Providence Island) for one week and did this hike to the peak. Preparations to Ascend The Peak Having had enough of the crabs and the sea for a day, we wanted to explore the inland of the island and hike up the highest point. According to theContinue reading
Colombian Visa Extension in Santa Marta
Today I got a visa extension for the first time in my life. I’ve been nearly 90 days in Colombia, which means my passport needed a refresher 90 days. I’m very far from ‘done’ with Colombia; it’s a fun country! With 90 extra days, I can hitchhike around the country in peace. While I know it’s not such a big deal for EU citizens to do this, it requires me to play the role of Good Tourist: a role that’s not well-suited to me. I entered Colombia on the 4th of July on a tourist visa from the land borderContinue reading
Kitesurfing South America: 3 Obscure Spots
Ever considered going kitesurfing in South America? If not, it’s time to reconsider! Many South American countries are full of river dams. Where there’s a dam, there’s an artificial lake. Where there’s an artificial lake, there’s oftentimes real strong winds. Many of these kitesurfing lakes are rather obscure for the kite community, yet are famous locally for their reliable, strong winds and tiny waves. Watch out, some of these locations aren’t for beginners. All of them do have schools that offer classes but ask yourself if you want to tackle these beasts when just starting out. Perhaps you’ll be sittingContinue reading
Ecuador’s National Font: Hobo
Perhaps you think I’m imagining things, but I swear by it: Ecuador has a national font! And that font is Hobo. It all started when I entered Ecuador from Perú. My first place of visiting was Nuevo Rocafuerte at the Napo river. While I hadn’t noticed the presence of this particular font yet, I did notice some other odd typeface choices; ‘Hostal Chimborazo‘ written in the Harry Potter font. Next up I went to El Coca, where Hobo had fully penetrated society and replaced all competition. Everything came in the form of Hobo. Whether it was a menu on theContinue reading
Quilotoa Caldera Hike
If you’re only here for an overview of the hike and preparation tips, click here. Months ago I heard for the first time of the Quilotoa Caldera, a collapsed volcano in Ecuador with a crater lake in the middle. The pictures looked incredible and I wanted to visit. A few sprees on Wikipedia and my map app later, I knew I wanted to hike the rim of the caldera. Besides hitchhiking, I also enjoy hiking without the hitching part. I hitchhiked from the town of Baños de Agua Santa – a cool destination in its own right – in oneContinue reading
Munching at Quito Food Festival in La Gasca
Quito Food Festival address: Avenida La Gasca with Gaspar de Carnival. Open Monday – Saturday 12:00 – 22:00. On my way back from Quito’s cable car, I spotted a sign from the city bus: Quito Food Festival. I made the snap decision to abort my mission to get home. Was I just hungry? Or hangry? The food around the teleférico (cableway) to Pichincha mountain was too expensive and my tummy was making noise. A mildly annoying rain wouldn’t stop me from eating fabulously. Upon entering the pearly gates to what looked on the surface as munch-heaven, I became unsure of myContinue reading