Weekend whip around Belgium

Reflections on the Leie Canal at nightLiving in the South of The Netherlands, the closest international weekend getaway location is Belgium. With a reasonably last-minute decision, a friend and I drove down to Antwerp and Gent for the weekend and throughly enjoyed exploring these two towns.

Antwerp

Arriving in Antwerp we parked the car and started exploring the city on foot. We parked at the Grote Markt and walked a big loop along the river Scheldt, through the area called Zuid, Sint-Andres and into the historic centre. In our wandering we enjoyed stops for food, coffee and of course Belgian chocolate bon-bons. We also stopped by some of the historic sights of the city, many of which are UNESCO Heritage listed.

Much to my disappointment there were no free walking tours running at the time of my visit, perhaps due to Winter. If you are headed to Antwerp, I’d recommend checking if they are running the tours.

Worlds oldest half-hour hourglassHet Steen

Het Steen is a medieval fortress on the Scheldt river. Antwerp is one of Europe’s biggest ports, and Het Steen was previously used to control access to this port. It is a beautiful old building and is free to wander in for a look.

Near the entrance to the fortress is a sculpture called Lange Wapper, a Flemish folklore character. Inside the first courtyard is also the worlds oldest half-hour hourglass which I thought was beautiful.

Onze Lieve vrouwenkathedralOnze-Lieve Vrouwenkathedral

The Cathedral of our Lady is a roman-catholic cathedral from the 1500s in the historic centre of Antwerp. The bell tower has quite a striking clock face  and can be seen from various points around the city.

I enjoyed views of the cathedral from outside, but missed out on going inside as I got there after closing time.
Entry costs €6, check the opening hours.

StadhuisStadhuis & Grote Markt

The Town Hall of Antwerp can be found in a large open plaza called the Grote Markt.

The Stadhuis, town hall, is also from the 1500s and is another example of renaissance architecture. The Stadhuis has a beautifully structured and decorated gable.

Standing in the Grote Markt you have a beautiful view in all directions; a series of various shaped gables are a stunning silhouette against a sunny blue sky. This is a great spot to sit outside on one of the many terraces and enjoy a local brew.

Sint-Anna TunnelSint-Anna Tunnel

The Sint-Anna Tunnel is a lesser known gem of the city. It was established as a pedestrian and bicycle tunnel to cross from one side of the river to the other, in the 1930s.

The tunnel is 572 metres long and is still in use today. The 30s architecture of the tunnel is super charming, along with the wooden escalators.

In addition to the charming tunnel, the view of Antwerp from the opposite side of the river is worth the walk.

Gent

Leie CanalRoughly an hours drive from Antwerp is the magical town of Gent. It reminded me of Bruges, as they both have canals winding through the town. Despite thoroughly enjoying my half day in Antwerp, it was Gent that stole my heart.

The town is wonderfully charming; it has a friendly feeling to it combined with old world character. Sitting at a cafe beside a canal watching the boats go by, drinking a latte and tucking into a Belgian Waffle was such a fantastic way to spend time.

Belgian Waffles by the riverGent has free walking tours operating daily. While I didn’t get to a free walking tour I did get to a Canal Boat Tour and would highly recommend doing the same.

The boat tours leave from either side of the Leie River near the Graslei. It’s a relaxing hour cruising up and down the canal learning about the history of the town.

Some of the more interesting things I learned included the fact that: the town has a whopping 53 churches, every guild in the town had its own church; the town has only one building with a wooden facade, all wooden facades were banned in Europe after the London fires of 1666; and the Dutch expression Stone Rich (Steenrijk) originated from historic times when only very rich people could afford to build stone houses.

Some sights to check out…

Belfort

Belfort of GentThe Belfort of Gent is one of the three towers looking over the city’s historic centre. It is flanked by the Sint-Niklaaskerk (which I did not visit) on one side and Sint Baafskathedraal on the other side.

The Belfort was constructed in the 1300s and has been used as both a bell tower and fortified watchtower. The tower spire is adorned with a gilded dragon, which I consider to be such a charming feature.

My favourite aspect of the Belfort is that it is open for the public to climb, entry costs €8. The long way up a narrow winding staircase, is rewarded with stunning views over the historical city of Gent.

Sint-Baafskathedraal

Sint-Baafskathedral is another cathedral of Gothic architecture, which is free to visit. The exterior of the cathedral is undergoing renovation, but what you can see is certainly beautiful.

It is a stunning cathedral to visit, with beautiful old artworks adorning the walls, and meticulously detailed sculptures, altars and alcoves. It is worth stopping by for a look.

Gravensteen

Gravensteen CastleGravensteen is a castle in the centre of town. The current construction of the castle dates back to the 1100s, though the site first housed a wooden castle in the 900s. The restored parts of the castle have been open to the public since the 1900s.

Gravensteen is one of very few castles in the world that can be found in a city centre; it looks imposing yet dignified in the historic centre of Gent.

The castle has an entry fee of €10, and I chose not to visit it on this occasion.

Big Canon

On Big Canon Square (Grootkanonplein) you will find a 12,500kg Canon. The canon is rumoured to have been used once, on which occasion it shot a big bad canon ball that was so heavy it only fell 5cm from the mouth of the canon.

Now it serves only as decoration and has the nickname Dulle Griet, or Evil Woman.

Korenmarkt

The Korenmarkt is the main city square in Gent, and has beautiful historic buildings on all sides. When we walked through the square it was filled with tourists and locals enjoying a warm winters day out, and with children running after the clouds of bubbles floating through the air. Such fun and laughter!

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A long weekend in London

For close to two years I have been an active member of a Facebook group called Girls about the Globe for women who travel solo. It was established by Lisa from the website Girl about the Globe. So when Lisa suggested a group meetup in London I was super excited!

London is only a 50 minute flight from Amsterdam, and there are regularly super cheap deals. It’s a great place for a weekend city break, so that’s exactly what I did.

My primary purpose for the visit was of course, meeting some of the amazing women I have spent the last months talking to online. I also spent time catching up with a good friend from university back home, and another friend who I had met on my trip along the Garden Route in South Africa. Amongst all my catching up, I did squish in some sightseeing, but only a little.

Girls about the Globe London Meetup

Harry Potter Studio Tour

Straight off the bat it’s worth mentioning I’m a Harry Potter fan. Not a complete lose-my-shit-omg fan, but enough to be excited at the prospect of going to the Harry Potter studio. I read all the books in Dutch when I was living in The Netherlands as an 18 year old (GREAT way to learn a language by the way!) and then bought DVDs of all the movies once I was back in Australia.

The Great Hall, Harry Potter StudioThe Studio Tour was fantastic! The first part of the tour is guided, but beyond that is self-guided. After an introduction to the movies and the studio, we were led into the magical great hall by our guide. Our first glimpse of the genuine sets used in the movies.

Beyond the great hall were various sets, costumes and props. I spent three hours wandering around, soaking up the magical atmosphere and snapping pics. The amount of detail that went into the design and creation of each and every item was simply amazing.

The tour is actually split over two studios: J and K (JK…JK Rowling). Before moving from one studio to the other there is a small cafe, where you may treat yourself to some authentic Butterbeer!   It was obscenely priced and tasted horrid, nonetheless I felt I my visit would not have been complete without it.

The Harry Potter Studio is quite a way out of town, allow an hour transit time and you also need to be there 45 minutes before your tour. You catch the train to Watford Junction (around £16 return) and the shuttle bus from there to the studio (£2.50 return). Tickets need to be purchased in advance (£39 for the basic ticket), and you need to provide evidence of this in order to catch the shuttle bus to the studio. Alternately you can book a tour leaving from London, Generator Hostel offer a tour I believe, and this takes the transport hassle out of the equation.

Exploring the Thames by foot

I am a person that really explore by foot, so I actually spent a fabulous evening just wandering  down the river Thames to see Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. Then I crossed the river and walked down the other side all the way to Tower Bridge, and crossing over Tower Bridge back to the North side of the river. The city is really beautiful at night.

Being by the river I found it particularly spectacular to see the colours buildings and architectural structures reflected in the glassy surface of the river. If I hadn’t been so tired, then I would have stopped at one of the many riverside pubs to enjoy a wine.

Tower Bridge by Night, London

Street Art Walking tour

Peace X-Ray London Street ArtFree Tours by Foot are a company that organise free walking tours all over the world. Surprisingly, I don’t think I have done one of their tours before so it was about time I did. They offer a fantastic 2-2.5hour Street Art Walking tour of East London. My guide was Greg, a local London street artist. He was incredibly knowledgeable about street art as an art form, it’s history, various styles, the artists, and of course the general rules and code of ethics amongst artists.

Despite the bitter, bitter cold and fear of losing my toes, the tour was brilliant and I throughly enjoyed it. I saw loads of different types of street art, some which I liked, some which I didn’t.

The Shard…bar

The Shard by nightOn asking for “must see places” in London loads of people mentioned to me that I should go to The Shard. The Shard is  a skyscraper that almost literally looks like a shard of glass sticking into the air. It is one of the more recent architectural icons of London and provides a spectacular view of the city.

Tickets for the viewing gallery of The Shard are certainly what I would consider a bit ‘up there’. Bookings in advance are £21, but an ‘on-the-day’ visit is £31. However, the view from the Aqua Shard bar is amazing…and free!

I headed up to the bar, slowly sipped an overpriced glass of delicious wine and soaked up some spectacular views of London across the range of daylight through to night time. It really was beautiful!

Girls about the Globe

Girls about the Globe is a Facebook group/community for women who travel solo. The group was established by Lisa and is supported by Natalie, and of course all the members of the community. We all share our thoughts, concerns and travel tips; as well as request recommendations and arrange to meetup with others if we are travelling to the same destination.

It is a friendly group of women who are incredibly encouraging and supportive of each other.

Accommodation

London has LOADS of fantastic accommodation options, and with the comprehensive subway system the majority are well located. I chose to stay at Generator Hostel due to the fact that some of the other girls would also be staying here. Generator was a pretty funky hostel. The breakfast was ok but not amazing and it wasn’t the most cosy atmosphere. Despite that it had a positive vibe, it was clean, upbeat and lively.

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Australia Day LP Promotion

“Aussie Aussie Aussie … Oi, Oi, Oi”
This is the all too familiar chant of Australia Day.

If you’ve always dreamed of visiting Australia then now is the time to jump on that curiosity and grab a Lonely Planet Guide to help you research and plan your adventure.

To celebrate Australia Day Lonely Planet are offering up to 65% off Australia eBooks.

The promotion starts on January 26th (Australia Day) and runs for a limited time, use the code CORKER to access these deals.

Check out the Lonely Planet Shop now and prepare yourself to visit some of these pristine beaches..

Wineglass Bay taken from Mt Amos, Freycinet National Park
Wineglass Bay taken from Mt Amos, Freycinet National Park, Tasmania Australia
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Berlin in 36 hours

Eastside Gallery in BerlinWhat can you see in Berlin in 36 hours?
A whole lot actually!!

When I returned to The Netherlands in October, the first thing one of my cousins said to me was that she had never been to Berlin and wanted to go together with me. We picked a date in December, booked the cheapest transport we could, tee’d up accommodation with one of my best friends who lives in Berlin and I told my cousin to make a list of everything she wanted to see.

At the end of trip she was absolutely thrilled that we had been able to tick everything off her list – she hadn’t anticipated how easy it would be to get around all the main sites of Berlin.

My walking-sightseeing route

I am a person who enjoys walking, so this is my recommended walking route for sightseeing Berlin. You could easily do things in a different order, take transport to connect sections and also split the adventure over multiple days. I will mention both things you could see as well as what we did see. Also your personal interests and budget will alter what things you consider worth visiting.

Alexanderplatz is a great spot to start your sightseeing, there is a big open square with loads of shops and cafe’s, not to mention a famous world clock. During December there are two enormous Christmas Markets in this area, one on each side of the station. They are well worth a visit for some tasty food and drink, not to mention shopping and ice skating.

Berliner DomA nice way to start is with a visit up the tv-tower, Fernsehturm. The tower was completely shrouded in fog, so we didn’t bother with this visit. However, if you have never been to Berlin and the skies are clear, it provides a reasonable view of the area, which can really help give perspective to the city’s layout.

From here you head up the Karl-Liebknecht Strasse in the direction of the Brandenburger Tor. Based on time and interest, you could make your first stop the St. Marienkirche; you could also zip across to visit the Rotes Rathaus and  Nikolaikirche both on/near Spandauer Strasse. The Nikolaikirche is the oldest church in Berlin.

We made our first tourist stop a visit to the Berliner Dom on Karl-Liebknecht Strasse. It is a beautiful old cathedral on Museum Island. While originally established in 1415, the cathedral underwent various changes in administration and construction over time. The current building was established in 1905. It is a domed beautiful cathedral that is worth a visit, be sure to climb the cupola and walk around the terrace outside. The entry fee is €7.

Neue WacheContinuing up Karl-Liebknecht Strasse you have a nice view of the Lustgarten and you could pay a visit to the Humboldt-Box. Once you cross the beautiful Schlossbrücke bridge, the street name changes to Under den Linden. A very well known street.

Our next stop was a visit to the monument Neue Wache. It is a memorial for the victims of war and tyranny. It is a sombre hall with a single sculpture lit by natural light funnelling into the room through a central portal in the ceiling. I find it a fascinating memorial to visit. Entry is free.

Across the road from the Neue Wache and little further up, turn left in front of the Humboldt University to find Bebelplatz and the underground library, memorial sit of the nazi book burnings.  These outdoor memorials are obviously free to visit.

Continuing in this direction at the end of the street and to the left is St Hedwigs Cathedral, a beautiful and strikingly modern cathedral.

Drinking FeuerzangenbowleFrom St-Hedwigs continue up Behrenstrasse to Charlottenstrasse, turn left to visit the Gendarmenmarkt. This is a stunning square with a French Cathedral on the right, German Cathedral (Deustcher Dom) on the left and Concert hall behind. At the time of our visit the square was filled with one of the most popular Christmas Markets of Berlin. Needless to say, we paid our entry fee and popped in to look around and enjoy a Feuerzangenbowle (a very alcoholic version of Glühwein). The Deutscher Dom is also worth a visit.

From the Gendarmenmarkt head up two blocks to Friedrichstrasse, turn left on this street. This is the super fancy part of town with all the expensive shops, I don’t recommend shopping, but I do however recommend walking along the street to visit Checkpoint Charlie and numerous other sites in the immediate area with information about the Berlin wall.

Checkpoint CharlieFrom Checkpoint Charlie walk along Mauerstrasse to Leipziger Strasse and up to Potsdamer Platz. Potsdamer Platz is the old heart of Berlin and still today is a central hub for the city. During December it is also a site of another very popular Christmas Market.

From Postdamer Platz head along Ebertstrasse in the direction of the Brandenburger Tor. After a few blocks you will come across the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe; and if it interests you the site of Hitlers Bunker (on Gertrud-Komar Strasse).

Back on Ebertstrasse a block or so further is the Brandenburger Tor and Pariserplatz, the end point of the famous street Unter den Linden. The Brandenburger Tor, or Brandenburg Gate, used to serve as a gate separating East and West Berlin; it now symbolises Germany’s unity.

Brandenburger Tor

ReichstagNorth of the Brandenburger Tor is the German Parliament building, the Reichstag. This is one of my architecturally favourite buildings in the world. The lower part is constructed of stone, while the cupola at the top is glass, steel and mirrors. I find it an interesting contrast and simply beautiful to visit, both during the day and after dark. Visits to the Reichstag are free, but you really need to book online in advance, but during the month of your visit. If you don’t book online, it is still possible to visit, but you need to stand in line for up to a few hours to make an appointment. If you have a short visit I would strongly advise booking in advance.

These are the main sites in central Berlin, all within a simple walking route. Outside of this area I highly recommend a visit to the East Side Gallery, though I recommend using transport to get there. By train the nearest station is Ost-Bahnhof, by U-Bahn or S-Bahn head to Warschauer Strasse. From here you can see the iconic Oberbaumbrücke and walk the length of the East Side Gallery, which consists of painted sections of the Berlin Wall.

For more detailed information and some additional ideas on things to see and do on a longer stay, check out my other post on Berlin.

Tourist Tickets

Many cities have a city pass which you can buy that includes entry fees to certain sites, and also sometimes includes your public transport. Many cities have just one tourist card, Berlin however has five on offer: Berlin Pass,  Berlin CityTour Card, Berlin WelcomeCard, EasyCityPass Berlin and QueerCityPass Berlin.

While this is something we didn’t make use of, I would highly recommend investigating if one of these passes covers the things you want to see and do, and evaluate if it is a more cost effective option for you.

Transport

Around Berlin

Staying at a friend’s place outside the city centre, we bought daily A,B,C tickets which cost €7,70 and allowed us unlimited public transport in zones A, B and C; using regional trains, S-Bahn, U-Bahn, Bus and Tram. For central Berlin an A ticket should be plenty.

Getting there and Back

To get the cheapest transport between Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Berlin, Germany we did quite a bit of googling. The three main options are bus, train and plane. If you are lucky then you can get a flight for €25 with Transavia, though in looking for flights I would still always check Kiwi.com first.

Unfortunately we couldn’t find cheap flights as we were travelling at peak season for Christmas Markets. The cheapest we found was on overnight bus with FlixBus and a return train trip; which cost €29 and €49,90 respectively.

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Twenty-Sixteen what an amazing year it was!

Twenty Sixteen was such an amazing year full of so many adventures, with so many amazing shared and solo experiences.

My year in review

Family Christmas 2015I started the year at home in Tasmania with family, catching up with friends and relaxing in the sunshine (on the days it wasn’t raining or snowing). I also enjoyed playing tour guide for a Melbourne-based Brazilian friend who came to visit.

After some down-time at home I packed my bags and was off to continue the adventure.

I started in the Middle East with a group tour of Egypt and Jordan, followed by a solo trip through Israel. I then flew down to Nairobi, Kenya to meet my cousin Mirjam for some African Overlanding Adventures. We had the most phenomenal tour group in our truck and the journey through Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe was simply a barrel of laughs, ending with tears as we said goodbye. I continued overlanding through Botswana and South Africa with a new group, and then went solo around Cape Town. I’ve never been the biggest meat lover, but I did take this African adventure as an opportunity to try several game meats including Ostrich, Crocodile, Kudu, Gemsbok and Warthog.

Elephants in the Serengeti

Camino Family at Kilometre Zero in FinisterreI headed back to The Netherlands for a super quick re-pack before heading to Saint Jean Pied de Port in Southern France to start walking my way across North Spain to Santiago de Compostela. While many undertake the 800km pilgrimage El Camino de Santiago de Compostela, for spiritual reasons, I really wanted to challenge myself physically and mentally. Despite the foot pain of walking for 31 consecutive days, it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I throughly enjoyed the camaraderie among fellow pilgrims, I made some friends for life and I am incredibly proud of what we achieved together. It was absolutely amazing.

Galapagos Island visit with mumAfter a brief recovery period, I headed back across the oceans to South America. I spent six weeks in Ecuador, mostly touring around Quito and other places in the highlands. I survived a dog attack, and hopefully enriched the lives of some children when I volunteer taught in the rural town of Salasaca. The highlight of my Ecuador adventure was a visit from my mum, my aunt and uncle and some family friends. Together we fulfilled mums lifelong dream of visiting the Galapagos Islands. We cruised from island to island on a boat for 8 days, exploring the amazing landscapes and wildlife both above and below the waters surface. We even swam with three different breeds of shark; however it was the slow and elegant sea turtles that grabbed my attention.

Bahia De Las Aguilas, remote beach in the Dominican RepublicAfter the sadness of saying goodbye to my mummy, I was cheered up by my camino family who met me in Colombia to celebrate my birthday and explore the country together. Colombia is such a beautiful country, we saw and did so many amazing things, it even crossed my mind a few times to look for a job there!

However, I moved on soon enough to an English teaching job in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. It turned out to be one of the worst decisions I made, but I made the most of it, made some amazing friends and explored as much of this Caribbean Island as I could.

The adventure changes…

Newest Industry Office SignThere’s no way I will ever be sick of a life in travel, but at some point things change. My travel funds ran out, and I needed to seek a method of financing my travel addiction. I found an awesome job as a Business Analyst for a software startup, Newest Industry, in The Netherlands and have since moved to Rotterdam.

While my travel funds build up I will be working full time, exploring The Netherlands and taking European City Breaks whenever the opportunity arises.

If you are in The Netherlands and want to meet up; or want to meet me elsewhere in the world…drop me a line! I’m always open to adventure!!!

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How to make friends on the road

A major concern for many solo travellers is how to make friends when you are travelling. I’m mostly quite happy to explore new places on my own, but often it’s nice to share your experiences with others, so here is a list of the ways in which I typically meet new people on the road.

Hostel Common Room and/or Dorm Room

Dorm BuddiesI always book a bed in the dorm room of a hostel, I usually end up starting conversations with my dorm buddies the minute I walk in the door. If I don’t meet people inside the dorm room, I usually chat over breakfast or when sitting around in the lounge room.

For those who don’t like the idea of sharing a room, many hostels also offer private rooms at a higher cost. This way you get the benefits of meeting people in the common room, as well as the privacy of your own space.

Thinking back over numerous hostel stays, I can’t recall a single visit where I didn’t make at least one friend to hang out with.

Free Walking Tour

One of the first things I do in basically every city, is turn up to a free walking tour (Google: Free Walking Tour <city name>). This is the best way to orient yourself in a city, get information about the city from a passionate local, and to meet fellow travellers.

I think it’s also important to mention here that you don’t just make friends with other solo travellers, you often also make friends with couples or groups of friends.

Again, I have never walked away from a free walking tour alone or without plans.Walking Tour Friends

Meetup

Ice ClimbingThere is a fantastic website called Meetup.com which you can sign up to for free. People with particular interests create groups on meetup and then list events. You can join any group you like and register to attend whichever Meetup events you are interested in.

There are groups covering all areas of interest: Technology; Fitness; Adventuring; Gardening; Languages….the list goes on.

I have been to WordPress Meetups in Australia, the USA and the Netherlands. I went to visit a group of girls learning to code at a Google Campus in Tel Aviv, Israel. Most recently I went Ice Wall Climbing with the Netherlands Adventurers Meetup Group.

meetup logo

Facebook Groups and Events

facebook events screenshotIf you have a Facebook account, then you will notice that there are also Facebook Events. You can navigate to the page and see Events in your area. While I haven’t found many to attend via this means, usually because of conflicting plans, it is still something I check from time to time to see what is happening.

In addition to Facebook Events there are numerous Facebook Groups created for helping travellers connect. I am an active member of a Facebook Group (and website) called Girls about the Globe. It’s for solo female travellers to talk, seek advice, share ideas, share travel plans and also meet up.

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Avenue of the Volcanoes

Quilotoa Volcano Crater Lake

After 19 months of continuous travel, I finally ran out of money. My last hurrah before moving to The Netherlands to get a ‘real’ job, was a four day flying visit to Quito.

Despite having spent quite some time in Ecuador, I have still seen so little of a country I truly love. My biggest regrets from my previous visit were not having been to Quilotoa Volcano Crater Lake or Cotopaxi Volcano, so these were my Must Do activities for this fleeting visit.

Quilotoa and Cotopaxi are both found in a region referred to as Avenue of the Volcanoes. There are over twenty active and extinct volcanoes in Ecuador. Of these  volcanoes there are approximately ten, including Quilotoa and Cotopaxi, which are considered to be major volcanoes.

Due to time restraints I chose to visit them both on day tours from Quito. I booked both tours through Community Hostel. Quilotoa costs USD$50 and Cotopaxi normally cost $55. As there were only three of us on the Cotopaxi tour, it was run as a private tour and cost $80 each.

Doing the two consecutive day tours I was lucky to get the same guide both days. Omar is a Quito local who has been climbing mountains and going on outdoor adventures since he could walk. He is extremely knowledgeable about the area, has a passion for adventure and has a good sense of humour; being on tour with him was a blast!

Quilotoa Volcano Crater Lake

Toachi River CanyonOn the way out to Quilotoa we made a brief stop at the small town of Pujili to check out the local market and grab some breakfast. Continuing on, the drive to Quilotoa through the “Avenue of the Volcanoes” was spectacular to see. In addition to the mountains, volcanos and canyons is the Toachi River Canyon, which may or may not be a fault line. It was a beautiful spot to snap a few photos.

Quilotoa used to be a full volcano, reaching a height of 5900metres. The story I heard regarding the origin of the name are that it is derived from the Indigenous Quechua/Kichwa terms Quilo and Toa. Quilo means teeth and Toa was the name of a regional princess. So I guess it is the Princess’ Teeth, or something along those lines.

The volcano itself collapsed approximately 800 years ago, whether it received the name Quilotoa before or after the collapse I am unsure, though to me it would seem more fitting after due to the jagged teeth of the remaining caldera.

At this point in time the crater walls are at an altitude of 3935 metres, and the lake within the crater walls is at 3521 metres, a variation of 414 metres for the eager hikers to hike down and climb back up. The rim of the crater has an 11 kilometre diameter, where the lake surface has a 3.5 kilometre diameter.  The water is roughly 150 metres deep at the deepest point, and is a super chilly 12 degree temperature. I believe swimming is not officially permitted but is regularly done, however if you want to get out into the lake then kayak rental is a recommended option.

Quilotoa Crater Lake with a native Andean Flower in the foregroundOn arrival at the crater, Omar gave everyone on the tour some suggestions for how to spend their time at the crater.  Based on my fitness and interests, he had a challenging suggestion for me. Together the two of us ran down the main path to the lakeside viewpoint, we took some photos before running along the lake’s edge for a stretch, before a very steep ascent (I admit, some of this was a piggy back ride for me!), we finished the loop by walking along the crater rim back to the starting point. (GPS record of my small Quilotoa Loop)

I really wish I had the time to hike the full crater loop and explore the nearby region, because it really is a beautiful part of the world. However, with my time constraints, I am simply grateful to have had the opportunity to see this stunning natural wonder with my own eyes.

Cotopaxi Volcano

Cotopaxi is an active volcano in the region, it closes regularly due to volcanic activity, but I was lucky to visit soon after it had been reopened.

Hiking Cotopaxi VolcanoAgain the name is said to be from the Quechua/Kichwa terms Coto and Paxi. Coto means neck and Paxi means moon. Once per year, at full moon, the moon appears to rest on the top of the volcano.

Cotopaxi is 5987 metres high, and is said to be one of the highest active volcanoes in the world. We drove to the car park at 4600 metres and then hiked to the refuge at 4864 meters. With a flu and hiking at altitude, I admit I moved very slowly (GPS Record of my ascent)!

The landscape was spectacular, walking through the dusty fine ash, seeing the haphazardly positioned volcanic rocks and the the snow-capped volcano peak.  Surprisingly the colours were quite vibrant, the grey and red of the volcano contrasted against the bright white snow and occasionally crystal blue sky.

I enjoyed quite some time sitting at the refuge, enjoying some Ecuadorian maracuya (passionfruit) flavoured chocolate, breathing in the mountain air and just soaking up the stunning surroundings.

Getting ready to cycle down the volcanoEventually it was time to go, I took a last look at the majestic Cotopaxi before running back down through the ash to the car.

We drove a short stretch, passing the worst parts of the rough road, before jumping on mountain bikes to cycle down to the lagoon. I enjoyed riding for a short while before I hit a soft patch of dirt and fell off my bike at low speed. I scratched up my hands and knees, but with my general flu, exhaustion and inclination to pass out any time there’s blood involved, I barely managed to get myself off the road before I passed out. Omar the ever gracious guide, managed to bundle me up into the car, patch my wounds and at my request, left me there to sleep for the drive home.

My two days of volcano visits were absolutely fantastic, and I look forward to seeing and hiking more some day!

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The Low-Down on Living in Santo Domingo

When I arrived in the Dominican Republic everyone I met was so positive about the country, they all said I’d fall in love with the place and never want to leave.

After being there for a short time the cynic in me believes that people only stay because they are paid so poorly in an expensive country and they simply can’t afford the flight out. Moving to Santo Domingo was possibly one of the most uninformed, unexplained, and therefore became one of the worst, decisions of my life.

The negatives…

Work conditions and false promises

I got my job in the Dominican Republic through an online advertisement for a language academy, Academia Europea  in Santo Domingo. The company presents as professional, and I was quite excited by the prospect of teaching English internationally.

Prior to accepting and arriving I asked some questions regarding work visas, pay rates, amount of hours of employment, how that balances against cost of living, how to find accommodation and so on.

Work Visa

So I was told that no work visa was required, but once I was on contract it could be negotiated. I should enter on a tourist card and renew it every two months (I found out later it only has a 30 day validity, not 60).

I then discovered the company had no intention of providing a work visa, it was something I could do and pay for if I wanted to, rather I was told to simply overstay my tourist card and pay the ‘cheap’ fine on exit. The cheap fine is no longer cheap, it is 2500 pesos, which is a week’s wages for me. I was told that everyone works in this way on an overstayed tourist card, and while that may be the case it is not actually legal, and is something I am uncomfortable with.

Pay Rates

Lesson preparationThe hourly rate of training is 180 pesos, when you pass the proficiency exam the rate goes up to 200 and some time later if you are recognised as a good teacher (I don’t know how this is assessed) it goes up to the highest pay rate of 250 pesos per hour. 200 pesos compares to €3.87 or $4.30US or $5.62AUD on today’s exchange rates, which was my pay rate for the duration of my stay and teaching.

Once I began the two week training program I double checked on the pay rates, only to be told the three hours per day, five days per week of training is unpaid. The training wage is for the classes you teach after you have completed training but before completing the proficiency exam. As an experienced teacher I was upgraded to the proficient payment level immediately when I began classroom teaching.

Oh, and there’s certainly no paid preparation or marking time, you are only paid for in class teaching time.

Hours of Employment

The academy is open seven days a week, thirteen hours a day. I was told I could make as much money as I wanted based on how many hours I wanted to work.

Dressed formal for workAs I wanted to gain as much experience as possible, and with a need for an income I set my availability to be any time, any day over the full opening hours of the academy. I was open to teach any level any time.

The hours I was given were 8-9am Monday to Friday, 6-8pm Monday to Thursday and 1:30 – 4:30pm on Saturdays but when on one occasion indicated I could not make it to my Saturday class, the class was promptly and permanently reassigned to another teacher.

I averaged 2.6 hours per day, six days per week (originally 16 hours per week, which dropped to 13 hours).
A week of teaching my own classes would earn 3200 pesos (or 2600 after my Saturday class was reassigned).
A good week of teaching my own classes and relief teaching for others could earn as much as 4200 pesos.

Cost of living based on local wages

When you earn a local wage, the cost of living in Santo Domingo becomes unaffordable. If you are comfortable to rent an apartment in an unsafe ‘barrio’ then you could possibly make ends meet, but living in a safe suburb I could not.
Despite promises of assistance to find housing, none was provided. In the case of a non-Spanish speaker this poses a huge challenge!

Things that cost approximately the same as my hourly wage:

  • a box of cereal
  • a bottle of shampoo
  • a 6″ “sub of the day” sandwich at Subway
  • a coffee in a cafe
  • a small beer at a bar

Monthly Living Expenses
Rent 10,000 pesos
Utilities (Internet, power and water) 1050 pesos
Cell Phone 400 pesos
Drinking Water 140 pesos (tap water in the DR is toxic, all water for drinking and cooking must be purchased)
TOTAL: 11,590 pesos

Monthly Work Expenses
Grammar Textbook 1920 pesos (I chose not to buy the book but the price indicates what is required in the job. This will not be used in any further calculations)
Whiteboard Markers, Whiteboard Eraser, Pens, Pencils and Paper 700 pesos
Transport 100 pesos – 210 pesos daily dependent on how many locations I worked at in any given day. For the calculations I will average at 150 pesos per day. Total of general required expenses is 3600 pesos
TOTAL: 4300 pesos

Not including food or any other basic living expenses, my monthly expenses equated to 15,890 pesos.
After being taxed on my income, I earned 10,440 pesos
My monthly loss, before eating/general basic necessities was 5,450 pesos!

The Academy’s Profits

A daily class is one hour per day, five days per week for four weeks. I was paid 200 pesos per hour, which equates to 4000 pesos per 4 weeks for that class.
A student enrolled in my daily class pays 3,990 pesos per 4 weeks.
A class needs a minimum of 5 students to run, 19,950 pesos per 4 weeks. My typical classes had at least 8 students per class, 31,920 pesos. A daily class of 8 students results in a school profit of 27,920 pesos (less academy running expenses). The director is aiming to increase class sizes to at least 10, where in my classroom we could barely fit eight into the tiny room, when the staff are so poorly paid it makes me wonder where this money goes? And whether the primary focus is education or profit?

Objectification of Women

This is something I already mentioned in my first post about Living in Santo Domingo, many Dominican men in general have what I consider to be an antiquated view of women and their place in society. It is simply unfathomable that a woman would want to be on her own, and as such  they all ask about your boyfriend or husband; if you have neither it must mean you want their phone number. As much as I hate doing so, I resorted to lying about my marital status and I wore a fake wedding ring.

One time I had a man tell me he had been checking out my legs and then said “Mmmmmm like Bacon” genuinely left me feeling furious, but not in fear of my safety.

When you aren’t in close enough proximity to actually have a conversation, then it is common to be hissed at, whistled at and called out to. I’m not sure if it was a blessing or curse that I didn’t understand much of what they called out at me,  but  I never felt particularly threatened by any of it, though it made me feel uncomfortable and annoyed.

Safety

Security guard by Bayahibe beachHaving come from Australia, a safe country, our perception of danger is certainly on a different level to those who experience it regularly in their lives.

The travel advice from the Australian Government lists travel to the Dominican Republic as a yellow alert: Exercise a high degree of Caution. I have been to yellow alert countries in the past, and being street smart have never had any issues or felt particularly at risk.

On the ground in Santo Domingo, everyone was telling me how common muggings are, almost everyone has been mugged, typically at gunpoint at least once, but often a few times. So fear kicks in with any normal person at this point, myself no exception. In discussion with people, I found their opinions conflicting. While it’s dangerous and terrifying, it’s going to happen, but it’s fine, it’s normal, nothing to worry about.

In a conversation with a friend in the space of ten minutes, she told  me:

  • she was saddened that I felt unsafe in her country
  • it is quite a safe country, not as bad as people imply
  • she wouldn’t walk anywhere as the streets are unsafe
  • her sister was mugged twice at gunpoint in the space of two weeks
  • a friend of her was stabbed to death in his home
  • but Santo Domingo is a safe place to be

The company I worked for has three locations, and I have worked at all three. In my second week of working I got two notices that really freaked me out.
Firstly, I was told that at one of the locations there had been a bank robbery and shoot out resulting in a death and several people were injured.
Secondly, the other location I was working at every night had reports of a thief who was posing to help people with public transport, but would hold them up as his partner came on a motorbike to mug them.

Walking home from the metro station at night in the dark also freaked me out, but I couldn’t afford an Uber every day, so I just tried to be wary, listen, look around, walk quickly and hope for the best. On one occasion, I returned home just five minutes after a housemate, who had seen a girl mugged on our street just moments earlier. Since then I texted him when I caught the metro so he could walk me home every evening.

Numerous colleagues have been mugged exiting the bank just after cashing their pay cheque. When you work hard all month, for the pittance you receive and require in order to eat, the worst thing is to lose it all.

So honestly, being constantly afraid of being mugged is not a nice way to live your life!

My bus story..

My last few days in the Dominican Republic were spent sightseeing; on my final bus trip from Las Terrenas back to Santo Domingo a friendly Dominican man sat next to me with his baby. He was determined to have a conversation with me, which was all translated via a friend sitting across the aisle.

The man was returning to Santo Domingo to turn himself in to police. In a ‘crime of passion’ he had shot his wife and her lover, I think in the legs, and kidnapped his five month old baby. Evidently after some time on the run he was returning to Santo Domingo to be locked in jail and face three criminal charges (my guess is that he was giving himself to police because perhaps that was safer than being on the streets after having shot another man). As he shifted uncomfortably in his seat I did worry that he may have had a gun tucked into the waist of his pants, thankfully I did not find out either way.

Taking the positives..

As with any decision, good or bad, your attitude affects your experience. I certainly tried my hardest to make the most out of this bad experience.

When time and money allowed I went on excursions to see as much of the island’s natural beauty as I could. I knew that hiding beyond the city limits were amazing things to see, and as you would have read I made visits to beautiful beach areas of Punta Cana, Bahia de Las Aguilas, Puerto Plata, Isla Saona and Las Terrenas.

In addition to seeing the country itself, I met some absolutely amazing people. Some of my colleagues, students and random people I met along the way are genuinely beautiful, honest and trustworthy people who I hope to remain in contact with for years to come.

Isla Saona Main Beach

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Las Terrenas

Las Terrenas is a reasonably small beach town on the northern cost of the Samaná peninsula. It is a great spot to relax, and enjoy a slower paced lifestyle for a few days.

Despite my grand plans of seeing loads of things on/near the Samaná peninsula, on arrival I just decided that I wanted to relax and take it super slow. So I ticked one item off my list and otherwise enjoyed the beach, some cocktails and great company with my new hostel friends.

Places I wanted to see but didn’t include: a day trip to Los Haitses, Las Galeras, Samaná and Caya Levantado.

Las Terrenas Beaches

As it is on the coast, Las Terrenas has beach after beach after beach. On the main strip the recommendation is to walk West and spend time at the quieter area of Playa de las Ballenas.

If you are interested in surfing, then taking a motoconcho to Playa Bonita would be the recommended option.

Eating fresh mango on the beach, Playa de las Ballenas

Salto El Limón

Salto El Limón is a gorgeous waterfall in the hills behind Las Terrenas. From La Bodega in Las Terrenas it’s a short DOP$50 peso ride to a central stop and then an additional DOP$25 GuaGua ride to a park entrance.

Salto El LimonEntrance costs DOP$50 and it is only a short 40 minute hike in the tropical jungle to the waterfall. Be sure to bring water because it is crazy hot and humid.

Many people pay for a horse ride to the falls, I am not sure of the cost. There will also be many locals offering their services as a guide, but in my opinion a guide is not necessary.

There are numerous entrances into the park, we entered through one and exited through another.

Despite initial problems finding the trail in, the walk was very peaceful and pleasant as it was just our group of friends amongst the trees and rivers. The exit trail had been well trodden and pooped on by horses, while the scenery was beautiful the actual trail was horrid, for this trail you really need gumboots!

The waterfall itself is 52metres high and has a nice pool at the base for swimming. You will see people climbing the rock walls and jumping into the pool below. As there were large rock is random places beneath the waters obscure surface, I personally chose not to do any jumping.

Jumping or no jumping, the waterfall was beautiful to see and the swim was wonderfully refreshing!

Getting Around

Around Las Terrenas I would recommend walking, but transport is required if you want to go further afield.

When travelling to places like El Limón, Las Galeras or Samaná then a GuaGua is the most economical option.

For zipping around locally to places such as Playa Bonito or the main GuaGua station, then a Motochoncho is a bit more pricey, but the best option.

Getting There

Friendly bus driversMy original plan to visit Samaná had been to take a two day excursion with ATA Excursiones (the two day tour costs DOP$3,400). Unfortunately Hurricane Matthew swung by the weekend of the tour and for safety reasons it was cancelled. They didn’t offer anything else on dates that would work for me, so I undertook the adventure independently. While renting a car would have been ideal, the road tolls would have cost more than the car rental and this was simply money I did not have. So I opted for public transport.

Bus Schedule from Santo DomingoBuses go direct from Santo Domingo to Las Terrenas six times per day. The bus station is behind Plaza Lama Duarte in a reasonably sketchy looking area, however the bus costs DOP$350 one way and the bus company is reliable with friendly and helpful staff. On arrival in Las Terrenas I took a Motoconcho to my hostel for DOP$50

Accommodation

Marc helping cook the hostel BBQI found a brilliant family run hostel in Las Terrenas on booking.com, Dan and Manty’s Guesthouse.

It was absolutely a home away from home; cosy, welcoming and comfortable. Dan was super helpful for helping me plan my stay and gave information on how to get places and what to expect to pay.

Due to the low season I had a dorm room and bathroom all to myself. The provided breakfast and purchased dinner was amazing, I hadn’t eaten so well in months!!

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