Not only is Santiago the capital of Chile, but it is also one of the most modern cities in South America and the main gateway to the country as it receives all international flights. It is the perfect starting point for discovering Chile. I would recommend spending only a few days in Santiago and then . . . → Read More: Top 5 things to do in Santiago, Chile]]>  

Not only is Santiago the capital of Chile, but it is also one of the most modern cities in South America and the main gateway to the country as it receives all international flights. It is the perfect starting point for discovering Chile. I would recommend spending only a few days in Santiago and then setting off to discover La Serena, Torres del Paine, Valdivia, Frutillar…..the real Chile.

Here are my top 5 things to see and do while you are on holidays in Santiago.

1. La Moneda

To avoid excessive noise and pollution, I would advise any tourist to visit the city centre of Santiago at the weekend when it is somewhat quieter and calmer. La Moneda is the name of the official Chilean presidential offices and it lies in the very heart of the city. It is a beautiful neo-classical building and an absolute must-see.

1. Cerro San Cristóbal hill

There are numerous hills in Santiago; the most important is San Cristóbal.

San Cristóbal is great for sport. At the weekend it is packed with runners, cyclists and walkers who tackle the uphill climb. There are a number of restaurants and kiosks located on the way up, not to mention swimming pools, gardens, parks and a zoo.

1. Concha y Toro Wine Tasting

Concha y Toro is one of the most famous wineries in the world and it is located just 17 miles from Santiago at the foot of the Andes.

1. Mercado Central

At Santiago’s central market you can find all sorts of fruits, vegetables and fish. If you fancy sampling some local cuisine, this is the place to go as there are lots of little restaurants.

1. Pueblito Los Dominicos

If you are looking for somewhere nice to purchase souvenirs, you should go to the Pueblito Los Dominicos. This is a market where you can find all sorts of crafts. To get there you should take line 1 of the metro to “Los Dominicos”.

Written, as a guest post, for the Backpacking Chica online audience.

Yes, eight months of irreplaceable memories lost, forever, without any sort of back-up record.

So, what’s my word of warning? Guard your travel memories with greater care than I guarded mine. I never made an electronic copy of . . . → Read More: Learn from my mistakes…Lost in Paris, France]]> Today is a sad day for me. Today, I realized that I accidentally left my diary from Africa in Paris.

Yes, eight months of irreplaceable memories lost, forever, without any sort of back-up record.

So, what’s my word of warning? Guard your travel memories with greater care than I guarded mine. I never made an electronic copy of my diary, and now the hundreds of hours I took to meticulously record details of my time on the dark continent have been lost forever.

Less than 48 hours until I’m on a plane to Equatorial Guinea, and I am definitely getting nervous (in a good way) in anticipation of the unknown. I’m a little miffed that I have to be at the airport at 4:30am for a timely security check…but it’s all in the name of good travel!

Last night I used google maps to . . . → Read More: Finals thoughts: Equatorial Guinea here I come!]]> Hey Everyone!!!

Less than 48 hours until I’m on a plane to Equatorial Guinea, and I am definitely getting nervous (in a good way) in anticipation of the unknown. I’m a little miffed that I have to be at the airport at 4:30am for a timely security check…but it’s all in the name of good travel!

Last night I used google maps to look up pictures of the various areas I should be going; they didn’t really do anything to satisfy my curiosity. My image of the country is completely based on what I’ve been able to piece together from my Lonely Planet travel guide, an informative history novel, and online forums. For the first time in my life, I actually feel like I am truly traveling into the unknown. Having lived and traveled around Europe, there is not much that surprises me here. It’s not that Western Europe is boring – far from it – it’s that I can usually get along very well knowing English and German. Many locals come equipped with a Hilton, McDonalds, and Woolworths (or some similar alternative). Accommodation, a greasy burger, and cheap, synthetic wool tights are sometimes an adventure to find, but are nevertheless available. Perhaps my perception of Equatorial Guinea is completely off, but as far as I can tell, it will be the most different country/culture/place I will ever have visited up to this point.

For those of you who totally clueless as to where Equatorial Guinea is (and what I’m doing there), take a look at the google map: the cute little pointers/bubble-thingies indicate what city I will fly into and where (I believe) my “home base” is, when I work for an American researcher to complete a census of the island’s jungle/terrain. The job is organized through the BBPP, approximately 3 months long and will involve camping, trekking, and a fair amount of monkeys, turtles, and awesomeness. Internet access will be limited, but I plan on writing about my travels as I go and uploading them onto the blog when I can. If you want more information about the BBPP, and doing paid volunteerism with them, you can check out their website: www.bioko.org. For a really, really neat report on Equatorial Guinea and the BBPP, read the national geographic article or watch a short video, also put together by the National Geographic!

[googlemaps http://maps.google.de/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=de&msa=0&msid=101813222189103241493.00047be3c41dd794ac7cd&ll=3.536704,8.720398&spn=0.370082,0.115356&output=embed&w=425&h=350]

Finally, I want to say “thanks and cheers” to all of the people in Erfelden, Germany who kept me well fed, warm, and busy during my lovely twelve-day stay there. It was WONDERFUL to see/meet all of you! Special thanks to Mona for giving me music for my ipod; my ears are very thankful.

Alrighty – time to go grab some lunch/dinner. Spoiling myself by staying at a five-star hotel in Frankfurt for the last night of my stay…but am not too excited about the burger and steak dinner offerings.

Only a few days until I touch down on my third continent!!!

These were usually the first words out of people’s mouths upon hearing about my trip. Sometimes, I was lucky to get a whole sentence; occasionally, the disapproval was made known through some guttural, disapproving groan accompanied by a shifted glance and . . . → Read More: Living the dream. How other people´s concerns were fuel for my journey.]]> What does your boyfriend think about this?
Are you going ALONE?
What happens if you miss your family?

These were usually the first words out of people’s mouths upon hearing about my trip. Sometimes, I was lucky to get a whole sentence; occasionally, the disapproval was made known through some guttural, disapproving groan accompanied by a shifted glance and awkward silence. Despite well-intentioned, these statements were opined before congratulations,  good-lucks, or even simple inquiries about my proposed travel path.  Gross assumptions were made not only about my ability to take care of myself, but also about the places I would be visiting. Movie storylines from Hostel and Taken were offered as evidence against my trip.
Why was it so difficult for educated individuals (male, female, old and young) to fathom a woman traveling alone? Was it the unknown? A safety factor? A gender or age issue?

Whatever the reason, I used it as a driving force to educate myself. I  learned to anticipate surprise or even rejection and I prepared myself by reading (a lot) as well as trolling various internet sites in search of up-to-date, first-hand advice from people not unlike myself. I memorized the various geographic regions and researched where and if there had been any rebel or crime surges. I read travel and history books, and decided where a guided tour was absolutely necessary and where not. I bought a fake wedding ring, incredibly modest clothing, and two different head scarves. I plan on memorizing how to say “leave me alone” in the native language, and will stay in areas where many local women clearly feel safe.

Despite all of this preparation, I realize that at the end of the day something unfortunate could happen and it might have nothing to do with the fact that I am alone or a woman. I could be bitten by a snake during the tenure of my biology-related work, get malaria, or be rejected at a border for not having the right papers. I also realize that it is completely illogical to make sweeping generalizations about a country simply because one or two highly publicized incidents. I have learned to follow my gut feeling about trusting people.

I have never regretted things I have done; rather, I have regretted what I didn’t do. I am not the kind of person to sit at home and wait for opportunities to come to me. I don’t believe in foolish mistakes, I believe in well-planned decisions.
For all of you women (and men…let’s be fair now J) who have been afraid to do something because someone else told you not to, now is your chance. Relish it.