Here at Playa Gigante we had our last week of Spanish school, while volunteering at their school. We finished painting the kindergarden building while the locals joined in to help. After a hard days work of service we relax on the beautiful beach of Gigante and Amarillo, where the waves knock ya right on your bums. This next week we´ll be learning how to cook the local food, go fishing… Read More
So after leaving SNEC we were back in Kabale for the night. In the morning we got up bright and early to drive to lake bunyoni to begin our trek! Our first day was mainly canoeing (in dugout canoes!) from island to island in the beatiful and massive Lake Bunyoni. We also hiked across many of the islands and even had the opportunity to visit with a woman named Mamma… Read More
Free Travel!
Free Travel is a week in which we, the group, get to plan, organize and budget our own adventure. After much research and discussion our group decide to hike the beautiful National Park of Abel Tasman. Abel Tasman is notorious for its clear blue ocean, golden sand beaches, and lush green mountains. We planned a three day hike in which we would kayak the first half of the… Read More
Free Travel – Day 1 – April 1st
No pranks this day, unfortunately. I think the 1st snuck up on all of us… In the morning we left Nelson for Takaka. During our drive through the mountains we had some truely amazing views. We got into Takaka in the early afternoon. Our hostel in Takaka was certainly the smallest and I’d say the nicest we’ve stayed at thusfar. That night… Read More
The last few days have been extremely busy as I have been spending time in and around the tour lead training simulation we are doing over the week. I have been kept busy with paperwork, organizing, cooking, meeting, greeting, cleaning and everything in between amongst the great weather (and even having chances to cycle and take some mechanical training which will come in handy in life or even the future… Read More
A lot has happened over the past two weeks. After the week of trekking to Dzongri, we had two weeks to recover from our aching feet & sore muscles by spending time in Darjeeling & Rishikesh– both in very different ways.
DARJEELING:
While in Darjeeling, we recouped anyway we saw fit. We all found some much needed rest & relaxation by doing whatever we wanted to do with our three… Read More
Hello from Playa Gigante! Sorry for the long hiatus between posts. We haven´t had many opportunities for internet in the last couple of weeks.
Last week the group worked hard on Finca Bona Fide on Ometepe Island. The farm´s main goal is to promote permaculture, or permenant agricultural, a practice of sustainable farming where the available resources are constantly reused as opposed to being used up as is in most… Read More
Tom here, writing you from my home here in the beautiful city of Cali, Colombia. The climate is around 80 degrees and perfect,while the wildlife and plantlife erupts from nearly every possible surface. I live with a yoga instructor from Argentina named Pablo, the owner of the house and center named Samantha, and her one and a half year old son Ilan. As if that wasn’t a perfect environment I… Read More
This week was spent running through the rambling streets and alleys of the longest consistently inhabited city in all of South America. Highlights included many amazing meals, a visit to the black market, salsa lessons, and a thundering sunset.
Cobblestoned streets lead from plaza to plaza, while fountains and an interesting array of graffiti decorate the walls.
Mornings have frequently begun with a quick stop at a nearby bakery for… Read More
Joseph and Byran Learning to Salsa Today marks our last day in Cuzco. We have spent the past week in Spanish classes, which included various museum visits, cooking night, salsa lessons, and a visit to the black market.
Cuzco has to be my favorite city thus far. It has an air of beautiful decay. Many of the buildings are of old european stone and ceramic tile roofs, obviously incredibly beautiful… Read More
Its Hot Tuna here with ya’lls catch of the week from Featherston,NZ! We had a hoot of a time at dat racehorse lodge we stayed at. I just dont even know were to begin. Firstly it appeared to a few people dat the place we was stayin at was haunted of sorts, So da sage master decided to have a saging of sorts and done did send all da bad… Read More
After arriving in Kabale, we dove into Edirisa without knowing what to expect. We bought our groceries for the week and then split into two. Group 1 (Oren, Sophie, Rachel, Victoria) went to volunteer at the Special Needs Education Center while group A (Marisa, Ellen, Rachael, Giselle) volunteered with nursery school children in Buchinda. Both groups spent their time painting murals, making masks, cooking their own food, and especially playing… Read More
There is a moment when you have time, build up enough confidence and decide to embark on a personal journey. I have kept writing tour scripts about Firenze (Florence) and heard many great things about the city from my host family, the descriptions I work with for bicycling tours and my co-workers. I have been extremely encouraged to travel on the weekends out to nearby places. I have found it… Read More
I have to say, I have had quite the time over the last two and a half months down here. Here’s a quick little recap of the first month. I arrived tired but optimistic to the CondorTrekkers office in Sucre after 29 hours of travel. I had a couple bumps in the road getting there (a confused taxi driver, a lost wallet scare) but arrived in one piece. I was… Read More
Our last day staying at the Marae we where taken on a sailing adventure and hike! The ferry ride from Wellington to the south island.Some silliness along the way to the hostel… Read More
Arriving late in Kathmandu I finally met the man called Govinda. Since that day he has taken care of me and acted as an older brother, as we have taken on the task of getting his dream eco farm up and running. The farm itself is perched towards the top of a hill overlooking the valley below and the spectacular Himalayas, with Begnas Lake almost close enough to touch. Now… Read More
