Tag-Archive for » Couchsurfing «

Granada!
Monday, February 20th, 2012 /

Down the western strip of Nicaragua we went, passing through the ghastly capital city of Managua and on to the fancy colonial town of Granada. Although Granada is more politically conservative than its competing northern neighbor Leon (or so I’ve read), you might never be able to tell from it’s vibrantly colored buildings and long list of european style cafes. Tourism has taken over the formar capital and transformed the city into gringo central. Nevertheless it is a beautiful city to walk around and check out; the restored colonial atmosphere and churches leaves the aspiring photographer with plenty to do. Not only does the picturesque architecture make this a prefered stop for travelers but it’s location on Lago de Nicaragua allows stunning views of the twin volcano island of Ometepe.

Church

Church in the city centre!

There was another reason for us to be excited about Granada and that was because we had a couchsurfing host lined up! Peta and her partner Ben, a South African & French fusion hosted us for two nights in their peaceful Nicaraguan abode. They are a global power couple, chosing to live a sustainable lifestyle in creating a bamboo reforestation and home building company called CO2 Bamboo.

Our first day there Peta took us to the model bamboo house, and we were just blown away. Not only was it beautiful but the natural materials mixed with the garden gave it a calming and peacful energy, but the best part being sustainable development. We really enjoyed getting to known them and hearing about CO2 Bamboo, two great people with the right mindset for the future!

Bamboo doorway!

The bathroom....bamboo style!

Chels and I spent our day and a half just walking around the city. We did find ourselves at a cigar factory/museum somewhere north of the city center. We walked in to a gangster-looking Nicaraguan that reminded me of Tony Montana from Scarface. He had a massive poster of himself smoking a cigar, another of him with Arnold Shwatzaneggar and some with Presidents and generals from all over…smoking his cigars! Kind of cool!

Cigars!

He took us to the back where they were drying tabacco, and rolling, pressing, wrapping the cigars! Very Cool!!….he let me roll one, and gave one to Brad to smoke! The rolling was easy, but the”puffing”…I am absolutely hopeless at! Brad just needed a glass of scotch to pull of his cross-legged in a rocking chair look! :)

Old man!

The central park was our next stop where we people watched, tried some local food, and witnessed some traditional dance with these big dressed up dolls! Eventually we headed back to Peta and Bens and ended the night with some insightful conversation and advice :) Thanks guys!

Traditional Dance!

Next stop….Ometepe (or so we though!)

Category: Central America, Cigar, CO2 Bamboo, CO2 Bambu, CouchSurfing, Granada, Nicaragua  Tags: , ,  One Comment
The Road to Nicaragua!
Sunday, February 12th, 2012 /

The day had arrived when we had to leave Utila, and we were SAD! Sad to leave our new friends, sad to leave island-life, and sad to leave the diving world! BUT we had a new adventure to embark on, and that was the journey from the Caribbean Ocean to the Pacific Coast in Nicaragua!

6am ferry to La Ceiba (to mainland Honduras), taxi ride to the bus terminal, 2-hour wait, then a 6-hour bus ride (not so bad)! Unfortunately there is no way to make it to Leon, Nicaragua in a day. We wanted to avoid staying overnight in the capital, Tegucigalpa, so stopped in the little colonial town of Comayagua where we had couchsurfers awaiting us THANK GOD!

Aside from the Bay Islands, Honduras didn’t feel like the safest place to travel through, so we were happy to feel safe in someones home we could trust! Andrea and Jimmy were AWESOME…took us to eat some delicious Honduran food, made us feel so welcome AND had an adorable kitten for me to play with :) Sorry Jimmy for not speaking Spanish!! A nice hiatus from the long Caribbean to Pacific coast drive!

BEST Baleadas ever!!! With Andrea!

The next leg was CRAZY! Woke up at 5am to catch a taxi to the highway that runs outside of town. From there, we caught a really nice van that seemed to be for more upscale locals to the capital Tegucigalpa. What should have been a nice smoothe ride ended up being nerve-wrecking when a policeman stepped on halfway through. Should be comforting right? WRONG! Not only were all the locals upset and anxious-looking when he entered, but this cop was basically standing on top of me, his massive rifle rubbing on my shoulder and almost on Brad’s foot, and his handgun in my face…along with his crotch!!! All this the day after our couchsurfer had just told us how corrupt the police are in Honduras and how it has become #1 country for murders… peace-corp were pulled out and all! My heart was PUMPING..I had to close my eyes to stop thinking about it! 30 minutes later, he got off and everyone on the bus could breathe again!

FINALLY arrived in Tegucigalpa, Where the bus stations are scattered throughout the city.So another taxi ride it was to the bus station, where we waited an hour before hopping on a comfortable greyhound-style bus to a town close to the Honduran/Nicaraguan border. Next we were rushed into a crappy hot cramped shuttle van where we were transported right to the border.

What happened next was just pure chaos. As we’re driving in, this Honduran man spots us (2 Gringos) in the front of a van, and starts SPRINTING towards us trying to grab on to the window! At first I thought he was trying to catch us and rob the shuttle!! Haha but NO, he wanted our business. We hop out and BOOM…Brad and I have never had so many touts surrounding us trying to exchange money and convince us to take THEIR rickshaw over the others. We went with the sprinter because of his enthusiasm and effort :) Slowly, we Rickshawed to the border, got our stamp OUT, and continued to slowly be bicycled the 1km to the Nicaraguan entrance.

Woo FINALLY to Nicaragua!

Next was a decent walk through barren nothingness where we eventually found a sad-looking chicken bus that went ALL THE WAY TO LEON! YAY!! By now we were pouring sweat in the middle of the day, so grabbed a drink and endured the ride on the sunny side of the bus! We thought it was funny we were the ONLY ones sitting on the left side of the bus!

The bus dropped us off on the highway where we grabbed ONE more taxi to our hostel…only to find out they had NOT received our booking, and didn’t have room for us! All ended fine though, the hostel across the road had room and after 11 hours of taxi-> van-> taxi->Greyhound-> Shuttle-> Rickshaw-> Chicken Bus-> Taxi…and only $12 out-of-pocket…we CRASHED! :)

Category: Central America, Chicken Bus, CouchSurfing, Honduras, Nicaragua, Transportation  Tags: , , ,  2 Comments
Utila!
Friday, February 10th, 2012 /

Utila, one of three Bay Islands and former Pirate/British Colony (but not at the same time) and now popular Honduran tourist destination, is today most known for their cheap and wonderful scuba diving; this duo’s next destination!

 

Out home for the next week!

Our journey to Utila was broken up into two parts, the first of which was a 12 hour multi-bus haul from San Pedro, Guatemala to Copan Ruinas, Hondurus. From there it took another 12 hours on buses and a floating fortress to get to Utila. Exhausting as it was, we were pumped to be on an island again and got there just in time to watch the sunset over the Carribean.

Marta came to meet us YAY!!

Our goal while on Utila was to become PADI certified – open water divers, which means we can scuba dive anywhere in the world up to 18m/60feet. We had arranged with a CS, Talon, who is working as an instructor, to recieve our certification via Deep Blue Divers.

The course requires you to read 5 chapters in the textbook which you are later tested on; watch the corresponding 5 videos; put your knowledge to action with 5 confined water dives (off the dock) and give those skills a try in 4 open water dives at depth. All dive shops also throw in two free “fun dives” once you have completed the course. All this, plus free accomodation while you are becoming certified for $250 USD! Thanks to a steady supply of backpackers and numerous dive shops, it’s a deal that can be found at any dive shop on the island.

Brad studying! :)

Our instuctor Henry was amazing. Any uncertainty we had about this potentially life-threatening activity going in, was erased because of his patient and confident teaching style. 

With out instructor Henry at Deep Blue Divers!

We took it slow at first, wanting to make sure we were prepared. As we progressed, we naturally gained more confidence up to our first open water dive. This is a very exciting point in the course because, for the first time, you enter the water from a boat and explore the reef. Lucky for us, 10 minutes into the dive we saw a Spotted Eagle Ray, one of the most graceful looking swimmers you could ever hope to see!

First boat ride...SO NERVOUS!

Brad's Backroll... Bond style!

Eagle Rays!

Being a good diver requires you to achieve neutral boyancy where you are literally weightless like a floating astronaut. A sensation unlike any other… on top of breathing underwater. Pretty soon Chelsea and I had the skills down pat, clearing our masks, buddy breathing, learning the signals, preparing gear, ect.

Practicing out skills on the ocean floor!

After our fourth and final open water dive, Chelsea and I were announced to the crowd of scuba divers on the boat that we were officially Open Water Divers. After everyone finished clapping one of the dive masters on board spotted some dolphins swimming around a nearby boat. We quickly called the other divers that were still in the water to the surface and as soon as they got on the boat we took off to get a closer look.

I thought they might be scared by the boat but as we got closer, dolphins were breaching on all sides of us. Immediately we all slid into the water, snorkles only (by law) and started swimming towards the pod. It was a mad house, close to 20 swimmers in the water all dying for a chance to swim with wild dolphins.

Come PLAY!

We all swam and swam for what seemed like 10 minutes spotting one or two swimming beneath. It appeared that we might have scared them off and so I stopped swimming.(I didn’t!!!!) Looking around at the surface, some were still chasing them (me) but most seemed to have given up as well. But as I took another look in the water I saw two whiz by me. Then, another and another. Pretty soon there were dolphins everywhere, some spinning, circling around us, swimming within inches of my outstretched hand. At this point I remember relaxing in the water, not being able to move just in awe of the events unfolding around me. We were playing with wild dolphins! This is one of the most amazing things I have ever done. Seeing these incredible creatures that close and that playful was a moving experience!

YAY DOLPHINS!!

Our last day on the islands, we teamed up with Henry and another Couchsurfer, Vince for a shore dive. He led us through these caverns and tunnels through the reef spotting colorful and interesting marine life. It turned out to be the best dive we had. Huge cave crabs, Yellow Sting Rays buried in the sand, sea cucumbers that looked like giant slugs underwater – amazing things we didn’t even know existed.

Breathing underwater!

It’s certainly hard to top swimming with dolphins as the best part about Utila, but overall our time there was one of the most memorable on our entire trip. Breathing underwater is such a cool feeling and because of it, a whole new world has opened up for us to explore.. As if there wasn’t enough to explore already!

Sunrise the morning we left!

Category: Central America, Chicken Bus, CouchSurfing, Dolphins, Honduras, Hostels, Islands, Scuba Diving, Utila  Tags: , , ,  3 Comments
Antigua!
Saturday, January 28th, 2012 /

When we left the next morning it was still dark outside. As we climbed up the bumpy mountain road, the sun was also making its way into the sky. When the day began to break, the heavy clouds that blanketed the sleepy towns below began to disperse, reavealing the green peaks and valleys; a quintessential Guatemalan sight. As the rest of the bus slept, I took in the breathtaking views one last time, then nodded off. Next stop, Antigua.

Typical Antigua!

The former capital of Guatemala (until a massive earthquake hit), is now a popular tourist destination and it’s easy to see why. Sitting at the base of dormant Volcan de Agua, the town is different from everywhere else in Guatemala we had previously visited. The European influence is omnipresent with the quaint colonial charm, cobble stone streets, lots of cafes and a neat central park.

Cathedral!

The best view of the city is from the Cerro de la Cruz. The walk is for people of all ages, paved steps the whole way and a police presence, making it safe to do on your own. When you reach the top be sure to check out the smoking Pacaya Volcano to the right and allow youself to imagine the possibility of an eruption!

Cerro de la Cruz!

Our experience in Antigua was great, complete with a couchsurfing host to boot. Love (pronouced Loov-eh), was our Sweedish host living in a sweet pad right near the central markets. He led us through the maze of narrow lanes, showing us a few great places to grab a cheap and delicious meal. Incredible as it is, also staying with Love was our friend Alex, whom we met all the way beck in Belize!

On our second day there, Love led us all on a crazy journey up to a surrounding town for a hike to a series of waterfalls. Getting there we hitchhiked in the back of an ambulance which was a first for all involved. The hike in was beautiful. Long groves of coffee plants leading up into the beautiful hills. Chels and I made it to the first waterfall and stopped there. A towering falls but no opportunity for swimming. The guys attempted a hike up the overgrown trail to the other ones while Chels and I had a chill out. We all hitched a ride home in time for a sunset browse at the market to get supplies for our guacamole and chip dinner.. Mmm Mmm good!

Back of the ambulance!!

The boys enjoying the Waterfall!

Antigua is a great town to just walk around, which is mostly what we did when we weren’t riding in the back of ambulances to far off waterfalls. Even though it’s gringo central, traditionally dressed women still roam the streets selling their hand made crafts; and there is no shortage of your prepackaged Mayan-goods markets.

Guatemala is so colorful!

The last night we were there we did a very American thing and got Chilly Cheese fries while watching Alabama beat up on LSU in the National Champoinship game. We redeemed ourselves later that night with a visit to Cafe No Se, a Mescal bar. The bar is a landmark, and modeled after a 1920s speak easy, with a secret door leading to the secluded bar. Mescal is a tequila-esq drink that is sipped and not nearly as harsh. We said our goodbyes to Love there and the next morning shipped off early to Panajachel on Lago de Atitlan!

American drinking night!

Mescal Bar!

Category: Antigua, Central America, CouchSurfing, Guatemala, Markets, Volcano  Tags: , , , ,  2 Comments
Bullet Tree Falls!
Wednesday, January 04th, 2012 /

It was getting close to Christmas time, accommodations were booking up and we had a need for community.  What better place to look than CouchSurfing?  We had lined up a host in Bullet Tree Falls which is just a ten minute drive outside San Ignacio.

Bob Marley rock

San Ignacio  is a popular tourist destination within central Belize close to the Guatemalan border, most famous for the cave explorations, jungle treks and waterfall gazing.  We took the local bus from Belize City which stops for anyone along the way and then a collectivo from San Ignacio to Bullet Tree.  Our instructions from Aiden, CouchSurfing host, was to exit at the market, get some food then make the 400 yard dash down the dirt road to his property.

Palapa

As we rolled up to the barbed-wire gate of this property we began to wonder if we were in the right place, but we followed his very thorough directions to a T.  As it turns out we were in the right place.  A gorgeous and secluded four acre estate lush with Jamaican lime and orange trees.  It was green everywhere we looked and blending into the grounds were two cabanas and a Palapa (thatched roofed hut) at the center.  The land backed right into the Macal river.  There was a dock which just by standing on it you felt at ease, but we couldn’t get too comfortable because busy in the trees above iguanas rustled; and at any point if they felt threatened, could drop.  If that wasn’t entertaining enough, a rope swing hung from a nearby tree.

Crazy Orange Iguanas!!

Chels on the rope swing

The property was amazing, but even cooler was the slew of other CouchSurfers staying at his place.  Most with tents, some in hammocks.  There was no electricity so every night we had to build a fire and eat by candle light.  Even though it was just a short walk to the grocery store, we felt isolated and loved it.  Knowing we could just fall back to Aiden’s place and tune out.  Instead of spending the evenings browsing the internet or watching television we got to know one another, swapping stories from the road laughing and genuinely enjoying each others company.

Men!

For Christmas Day, our plan was to have a big breakfast and then dinner. After Aiden showed us the ropes of how to get his wood-fire stove going, we were all able to contribute in some way.  Some people preparing food; some stoking fires; some cooking and others doing dishes, forging a well oiled machine when it came time to eat.  We had found our little community and it was the next best thing to a family we could have hoped for the holiday.

Massive Fruit Salad on Christmas Morning

We ended up staying five nights and got to experience a few places around San Ignacio that were off the beaten tourist trail. Aiden’s neighbor Marcus, who was also a CouchSurfer took us around in his shaky four wheel drive through the back roads to a couple of beautiful waterfalls. He also let us borrow some of his inner tubes and we all (dogs included) had a lazy float down the river.

Double Back-flips

Lazy river tour

The only negatives were battling the pesky biting ants that left me swollen and itchy for a few days.  Also I did have a brief encounter with Chechem poisonwood which, thanks to a baking soda/water mixture that Chelsea spread all over me and Benedryl, went away after one very uncomfortable night.  It’s all part of the experience and we’re lucky to look back and laugh!  

Thank goodness for baking soda

Category: Belize, Bullet Tree Falls, Camping, Central America, CouchSurfing, Waterfall  Tags: , , , ,  One Comment
Oahu!
Saturday, December 31st, 2011 /

The island of Oahu was the final stop on our Hawaiian adventure and although it’s smaller than Maui & Big Island, Oahu packs a powerful punch of activities and natural wonderment! 

Probably the most typical Hawaiian vacation involves lounging on the beaches of Waikiki watching the lazy waves roll in from the far away reef.  To your left is the ever present and impressive Diamond Head, the quintessential view for the Hawaiian Islands.  What Chelsea and I discovered throughout the week was that this area is the least impressive on Oahu, even if you spend a night in one of the overpriced hotels.  The whole area is geared for tourists to spend money; in fact the majority of the islands are that way, but Waikiki in particular.  It didn’t take long for us to get sick of the tourist polluted atmosphere so after a few hours of sunbaking we headed for our CouchSurfers place on the eastern side of the island in Kaneohe

Waikkiki!

Our hosts Wayne and Kate were awesome and first timers to CouchSurfing.  Originally from Maryland they had spent the last year living the Hawaiian lifestyle.  We got along so easy and they invited us back for the weekend.  It was a pleasure getting to know both of them and they took us to some great spots around the island…one being an old military railway line that you hiked straight UP!  (This was the day after Stairway to Heaven…which we will get to later…so we were SO sore already)..needless to say, it was a challenge!

Phew made it to the top!

Thankfully, W8 also knew a great place to cool off after the hike where you could jump off some small cliffs and check out the snorkeling! Super local spot..very cool! They happened to know where Dog the Bounty Hunter lives and apparently we HAD to go by because he has a massive mosaic of himself on his gate! lol… loves himself a little too much! We had a delicious burger before checking out a lava tube, which was not altered to attract tourism (like the one on the Big Island) so that was also very cool! It led out to the ocean and some crazy-looking volcanic rocks and tide pools that reminded me a bit of Christmas Island and Wave Rock meshed together!

Looks like its belly first!

Hehe!

One sweet little spot that our CS host Kate turned us onto was the Macadamian Nut farm.  Upon entry we were given free macadamian nut coffee and delicious samples of their specialty nuts.  The coolest part about this place was that we got to crack a nut with a rock and eat the inside. 

Cracking a Mac Nut!

An even sweeter spot…the LOST village!!!!

The Black Smokes coming!

We felt lucky to be in Oahu for the 70th anniversary and commencement ceremonies at Pearl Harbor.  The event is one of the most important events in our nations history and it was definitely worth walking around checking out the sights and recognizing the sacrifices the men and women who died that day. Unfortunately, though we arrived super early, the tours were already booked out.

Submarine...crazy!

That night we found a sweet little camping spot right on  a beach in Laia.  We got up early to watch the sunrise and I rented a long board and did some surfing; mostly to say that I’ve surfed waves on the North Shore of Oahu, but also to get pumped up for Pipe Masters surf Competition that day. 

Sunrise at our camp spot!

Pipe Masters is the final competition in the Van’s Triple Crown series.  It takes place on the North Shore of Oahu Nov-Dec on possibly the most epic spectator friendly wave in the world.  Not because of its size but how close it breaks to shore and it’s near perfect top to bottom barrels.  Of course, no one can guarantee that the waves will be good on a particular day, so there is a holding period of about 13 days for Pipe Masters.  On any one of these days the competition can be “called” in the morning.  Lucky for us, on the first day in the holding period the competition was on! 

Wooo HOO!

We parked at the famous Sunset beach, planning to walk from there and right when we pulled up we could see the massive  swell.  The competition is a big event, drawing in big time sponsors, hundreds of photographers and thousands of spectators.  So, along with the masses we made our way towards the competition Beach. 

The Pipe!

The waves where pushing 30 feet (15ft Hawaiian, because they measure from the back of the wave) and swallowing up and spitting out riders in the near perfect barrels.  The beach was the perfect venue, sloping slightly downhill towards the water creating the perfect amphitheater for the most fan friendly surfing event of the year.  Easy to say we were stoked. 

Met the guy who made this beautiful art!

Even better was that our next CS host Wes lived right down the road from the competition. 

Wes is a super cool thrill-seeker living on Oahu and helping shape young minds in the classroom.  His girlfriend Kristyn is a Brockton native and naturally we had a lot to talk about!  It was good vibes and happy days the entire time, hanging out with his skydiving neighbors and meeting all sorts of interesting people. 

Wes sees Oahu as his playground and out of his toy box came the idea for climbing the Haiku Steps or Stairway to Heaven.  The track has been closed down for some time now in part because out of shape tourists would try to climb, get stuck, and have to be rescued but also the apparent danger of falling to your death.   

Soooo Steeeep!

The steps were originally built to service a radio tower at the top of the mountain and it took  3,922 steps to get there.  Since the steps are being guarded during the day we had to sneak around through the jungle and enter the steps at a higher point.  So, Wes led us through the thick bush and we entered the trail at about step 300.  Right before we started the trail we all regrouped and Wes told us that we would need to climb as fast as we could to the first platform so that the guard wouldn’t catch us. Onto the trail we went, practically running up the near vertical steps, an impossible pace and it didn’t take long before we started to wear out.  Even though we could hear the guard behind us blowing his whistle we pushed on in hoping that he would give up and let us continue.  At about step 500, already down one member of our group who had turned around due to vertigo, we hear the guard yelling “STOP”.  He had caught up to us in an amazing feat of athletic ability.  O’well, at least we tried.  Wes knew the guard because he had been caught before so he started shooting the breeze with him.  Turns out he’s a super nice guy just doing his job and once he realized we weren’t some punk tourists he let us continue, stating that he respected how we snuck around him in the beginning lol. 

YAY!!

What followed was a true test of endurance and will power, but the reward was a sense of accomplishment and spectacular views.  Plus, coming down was super fun and fast.  Wes gave us some gardening gloves and told us to let our hands slide down the railing letting our feet kick up in the air.

Breathtaking View!

As if climbing 4,000 steps wasn’t enough of a rush, Wes’ neighbors had told so many crazy stories about skydiving we spontaneously decided to take the fall ourselves.  Kristyn decided she would join us and we even convinced Wes’ little sister to join in!

Our plan to skydive had always been New Zealand for the first jump, but since we had been getting to know the folks who ran the jumps and it was one of the cheapest places in the world to do it, we went for it.  The day started off cloudy and it didn’t look like we would be able to jump, but all of a sudden the skies cleared and before we knew it we were taking off, destination 14,000 feet. 

Just before the "No turning back" point!

The plane ride was definitely the most nerve-wrecking part of the experience! I remember noticing how the white tips in the ocean were getting smaller and smaller…and more numerous! Then my tandem guy showed me his altitude watch showing we’ll be going up to 14,000 feet and freefall until 5,000… and at that moment we were ONLY AT 6,000!!! I thought we were already SO high!

Brad was first out…I saw him standing at the door and then he just DROPPED out SOOO fast …. It was unreal! When it was my turn….I didn’t even have time to be scared…and we were falling…and then after the initial few seconds…falling turned into FLYING! It was soo beautiful! Stunning views and it wasn’t even scary! 60 seconds flew by and then the parachute was pulled and I was allowed to control our movements…twirling around in the sky! Only 5 jumps before you can do it on your own..woah I can’t imagine that!

Flying!

Too fun!

After the incredible time we had and awesome people we met, Oahu instantly sprung to the top tier of places we’ve been to on our long journey.  Who knows, we may even find ourselves calling this amazing island home! :) :) :)

 

Category: Beaches, Camping, Cities, CouchSurfing, Hawaii, Hiking, Oahu, Skydiving, USA  Tags: , , , ,  2 Comments
Big Island!
Wednesday, December 28th, 2011 /

Our flight from Maui to Big Island was on a tiny 9 seater plane and as we got closer to the ground we could see the empty black lava fields that stretched for miles, a byproduct of two of the world’s most active volcanoes.  It has been several years since fresh lava has flowed to this particular area and in its absence Kona has become a very popular tourist destination and “busy” city of Big Island.  The area is known for its long stretches of beaches, world class micro brews and delicious blends of coffee. 

Beautiful views!

They don’t call it Big Island for nothing so we rented a car to allow for absolute mobility.  Normally this is something we wouldn’t do but the public transportation, although free, doesn’t allow large bags on board and only services a few main areas on the island.  We spent our first day exploring the far reaches of the island, starting on the west side near Kona and driving all the way up to the north west point, through the mountains and down to the east end in Hilo. 

We had been told, and read that Hilo was a slice of the preserved Hawaiian lifestyle, sheltered from mass tourism and blessed with natural beauty.  I’m not qualified to judge on the first rumor about Hilo, but the second one was spot on.  Lush rainforest and vibrant greens lacing the sheer cliffs that spit out waterfalls!

Rainbow Falls

Our couchsurfers lived 20 minutes south of Hilo in a beautiful hidden paradise with more fruit trees that you could ever imagine! George and Bobbie were incredibly gracious and inspiring and such a great experience to stay with! We had lovely meals together everyday and they offered us amazing advice on where to go and what to see!

Fairytale Garden at George and Bobbies!

We checked out a few waterfalls as typical tourists, so they didn’t quite measure up to our Maui experience…although they were massive and of course still beautiful! George has told us about some tide pools and hot springs which was cool and different to see.

Akaka Falls!

The most memorable thing of course though was the volcano! The night before, we walked down to the black beach because we heard the lava had started to flow…and we saw it!! It was exciting but we were SOOO far away. After about 15 minutes of attempting to get closer and carefully walking over old lava fields, we turned around and thought we would try our luck next time!

Old Lava

On our last day we headed for the National Park which is where both volcanoes are located.  As I’m sure is the case most days, half the Volcanoes National Park was closed down due to toxic sulfurs in the air, but we were still able to check out the MASSIVE lava tube that ran through the park. It was crazy to think the lava had carved out this tunnel through the way it flowed….very cool!

Lava Tube

We waited around until it was dark to see the glow of the lava underneath the crater…The color was like no other either of us had seen before, a neon orange glow diffused by the plumes of steam that floated out of the crater.   Apparently only 2 weeks later lava was crazy flowing down the water, creating new additions to the island!

LAVA!

Big Island is so large that you could spend weeks exploring the many great places or waiting for lava to take over.  But, since we were limited in time we did our best and feel confident that we made the most of our stay.  Thanks to George and Bobbie for making our stay there awesome! 

Category: CouchSurfing, Hawaii, USA, Volcano, Waterfall  Tags: , ,  Leave a Comment
Maui!
Friday, December 09th, 2011 /

Millions of years ago a phisher opened up in the earth’s crust some 20 thousand feet below the ocean’s surface.  The constant seeping of molten rock added with a whole lot time, multiplied by the constant drifting of our continental plates equals the Hawaiian Islands.  This cluster of volcanic islands is the most isolated in the world and, is in a constant state of growth; with the newest island, Loihi, forming off the coast of Hawaii(The Big Island) as you read this.  Although my math may not be precise, it doesn’t take a genius to recognize the incredible beauty of these phenomenal isles. 

Arriving in HAWAII!!!

Our first stop was Maui the second largest in size and population.  The island offers such a diverse landscape that within an hour you could go from sunny, dry desert to lush tropical rainforest in under an hour.  We had lots to explore on Maui and couldn’t wait to get back­­­­­ into living the island lifestyle again!

After a long couple hour waiting for the right bus, we finally made our way to the always sunny Lahaina, on the west side of Maui, where our couchsurfer Sarah awaited us! We all meshed immediately and made plans for a hike the next morning to go fruit-picking in the mountains, so after a home-made carrot juice, we were on our way with Odin, Sarahs big sweetheart dog to scour for as many guavas and Liliquoy (passionfruit) that we could get our hands on! We totalled about 50 in all, and shared with whoever would accept! Definitely something I loved about Maui…. It was all about living off the land, respecting the land, and sharing the joy!

Guavas galore!

Brad and I went exploring through the little tourist town when we stumbled upon the most amazing tree we’ve ever seen! They’re called Banyan trees, and their branches extend out and then drop to the ground to plant new roots….with look like new trees that have MORE branches that make more trees! And they’re all connected to this one “mother tree”… It was just unbelievably beautiful!

Banyan Tree!

Eventually Brad pulled me away and we made our way to the beach for sunset! It was beautiful as we watched a dog play fetch with a coconut, and kayakers passing in front of the picturesque mountains of Lanai.

Sunset in Lahaina!

Next stop…Paia, the alternative hippie town on the road to Hana… sometimes sunny sometimes rainy! We had a bit of trouble on the bus…future note to all backpackers heading for Hawaii… they don’t allow bags on the public busses! (this can also depend on the drivers mood and available space)BOO… we were pretty annoyed that they basically make all tourists rent a car or take a taxi! Luckily couchsurfers are BADASS and our new one in Paia, Kevin, came to collect us!

Sunset in Paia!

Lucky for us our hosts were not only cool people, but excellent tour guides, with an itinerary that was just our speed.  Our first day we visited the Iao Needle, which is a lush mountain range offering swimming holes and exciting views. 

Amazing view!

The next day was even better.  We headed out towards the road to Hana and somewhere near Huiku we pulled off on this small dirt road and found our trail.  Down we climbed until we reach the first of many swimming holes and were greeted by a beautiful family of three who were soaking up the sun where it usually doesn’t shine! 

Right away I spotted some hanging vines and had the urge to swing.  I gave it a hard tug and a test run before making my swing across the water.  “Get up higher” said Chelsea, and I willingly obliged and as I did no sooner did my butt meet the hard rocks of the river.  Nothing a little laughter didn’t cure. 

Vine swinging!

On we went only to emerge to a beautiful waterfall and oasis, straight out of a movie! Green rainforest all around, turquoise blue water…and nobody else around! We all jumped in….I needed a little push cus it was sooo cold! BUT SO worth it! The little waterfalls coming from the rock were warm too so major plus! We all found ourselves sitting in silence, some meditating, really taking in the beauty around us! We didnt want to leave!

Tranquility!

All we ended up doing was hiking to ANOTHER beautiful waterfall. This hike was harder and through heavy forest with lots of bushwhacking, but again, we arrived in isolation! This one was taller and provided a nice little rock to jump off of!

Brad backflipping!

Our time in Maui was truly unique and wouldn’t have been the same without our adventurous earth-loving couchsurfers! We left with a new love for all the local fruits , the lush green mountains, and of course the Aloha spirit! Definitely could live in Maui :) Not too sad though, becaue next stop … the Big Island!

Category: Beaches, CouchSurfing, Hawaii, Maui, USA, Waterfall  Tags: , , ,  2 Comments
Ubud
Sunday, August 21st, 2011 /

Since gaining recent popularity from the book Eat, Prey, Love, Chelsea and I were worried Ubud had lost the “hidden gem” appeal we had heard so much about along the backpacker’s trail.  Even though Elizabeth Gilbert’s story brought Ubud to the mainstream, it still lives up to its reputation.  Artsy, inviting, with vibrant green jungle trees housing monkeys swinging from their hanging vines.  The people are charming and accommodating to outsiders yet have maintained their long held traditions and culture.  It was a place that very quickly felt like home and needless to say we were all elated to take it in.  

Very pretty!

We arrived in Bali at night, but my lovely family had arranged for their favorite driver, Raceng, to pick us up and take us all the way to Ubud (Thank you Rick and Karen!!) It was WAY further than I thought and probably would have cost us a fortune, so it was much appreciated! We arrived at our CouchSurfers place and had NO idea where to go. Turns out he wasn’t home anyway, and raced home from the bar to meet us. His name was Jakob, and he was from Vermont, but working very casually in Bali…along with tons of other young Americans living the life. His place was gorgeous! Spacious downstairs with an amazing couch (our bed!), a lovely outdoor area to eat, and his bedroom was the whole upstairs, which overlooked a luscious rice paddy field!

Rice fields at Jakobs!

The next morning, we couldn’t wait to explore beautiful Ubud, and took off along the backstreets where Jakob lived. The first thing we saw were 3 older ladies hiking these steep stairs with big baskets full of dirt balancing on their heads! WoaH….impressive!

Ouch!

As we wandered along the cracked and narrow path, we noticed the abundance of statues covered in moss of the different Hindi gods. I LOVED it! It was so perfect for Bali. Then we came upon a little breakfast spot Jakob recommended that served all organic and local food. All the furniture was made locally and again…so Bali and so perfect! It was our new favorite hangout…they had WiFi too!  So far…we loved Ubud!!

Love this place!

After taking care of some Visa issues for Brad in Denpasar, and checking out a temple or 2 along the way, we made our way back to Ubud, and were advised to rent bicycles to get around, which we were all happy to do….luckily Ashley loves exercise too! We walked to town to find them, after stopping at quite a few boutique shops along the way! Then it was off to Monkey Forest.

Do we look nervous? Monkeys everywhere!!

Although it was beautiful, we were all terrified of the overly-aggressive monkeys. We avoided buying bananas at the entrance as we watched other tourists get pummeled by monkeys the second they were bought. They temples were really nice, and of course all the greenery surrounding us was nice. The monkeys ARE fun to watch…we were treated to a show of curiosity as a monkey banged the life out of some batteries it found…the typical hygiene picking through each others fur, and of course we were lucky enough to see a few humping monkeys!

Monkey Forest!

When we witnessed a lady get BIT by a monkey, we were outta there…happy to avoid the wrath of rabies! We hopped back on our bikes and rode up the massive hill to check out some of the shops. Brad took off to give Ash and I some girl time, full of shopping and topped off with ice cream! On our way home, we found the markets and both managed to barter for colorful Ganesh tapestries!

More temples!

Later that night, Jakob took us to a super local spot way in the backstreets for dinner. It was AWESOME! Really crowded…shared tables…amazing food, and cheap! AND he introduced us to some strong Balinese rice wine. Now with a happy and full belly, we all rode our bikes down the road to a traditional Kecak Fire and Dance show. While we were chaining up our bicycles, my calf was pressed up against a newly hot motorcycle exhaust, and 5 seconds later I felt a sharp burn…jumped off and saw a big red mark on my leg! Jakob told me I just received the infamous “Bali Kiss”….it didn’t look so bad…YET

Kecak Dance

The show was decent! It was cool to see the chanting, but we were not fully aware of what was going on. At the end, this one guy was throwing around fire and stamping it out…his feet were completely black! The sensation of fire was flaring up my newly burnt leg…it may have been all in my head, but it was painful. I continued to ignore it and enjoy the show! Ashley and I had our eyes on this hilarious fat dancer who looked like he was having the time of his life! :) He LOVED it! We managed to find him for a picture afterwards too! The show is definitely worth seeing…it’s a great bit of culture to experience…especially in Ubud!

Happy Fat Man!

We topped off the night with a visit to the local watering hole where I think we were the only white people in the joint! It was cool to go, especially since Jakob likes it…and we didn’t feel so awkward. He made us drink some arak (typical balinese drink)  that was super strong and somewhat gross. We played cards for a bit before making the massive ride back home…and up hill!

Boozing with Jakob!

Our last day with Jakob was spent at a pool party that his friends were having. Before leaving, I went to Brad and Ashley with a concern for my newly disgustingly MASSIVE blister. They were disgusted haha and Jakob suggested we popped it! I almost made Ashley do it since she’s the nurse lol, but Brad volunteered, eww I couldn’t even look. Ash bandaged me up though, and we were ready for the pool party!

Bali kiss~

It was all American ex-pats that worked lite and played hard! Their houses were so cute, situated right next to some rice patties, and with a beautiful infinity pool in their back yard. Everyone was super friendly and the beers were flowing. It was tempting to adopt their lifestyle, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a change. Good money. Good life.

Pool Party :)

Our time with our American couchsurfer in Bali was very cool. We were able to really see different parts of Ubud that the typical tourist doesn’t see! Hopefully we’ll cross paths again in Vermont or somewhere in the world! The next part of our trip was sure to be different, as not only were we headed for the crazy party district of Kuta, but we would be staying in a fabulous resort AND spending the next week with my parents and grandparents! I’m sure Ash was happy for a proper bed and air-con though J Goodbye Ubud…we loved you!

Category: Bali, CouchSurfing, Temples  Tags: , ,  Leave a Comment
Langkawi 2.0
Thursday, August 04th, 2011 /

I was super excited and anxiously waiting at the Langkawi airport for Ashley’s arrival…. The first of our friends to actually come to travel alongside Brad and I!!!!! She was easy to spot with her blonde hair and I ran up to give her a massive hug!! She was about to experience the life of a budget backpacker….couch surfing style!  Woo hoo… now all the fun adventures could begin!

Hugs at the airport!!

We started simple and went to the beach for what turned out to be a beautiful sunset, before hitting up the massive duty-free shop for some cheap vodka! We checked out a very little local bar/hostel where we ran into Deb, our new Canadian friend who used to live on the island, and taught her and Ash our new favorite drinking game…golf (Thanks Chris and Joe)! It was an easy chill island-style drinking night!

Sunset at Pantai Cenang Beach

They next day we rented a car to go check out the sights! First stop, the Telaga Tujuh, or “Seven Wells” waterfall! It was super nice, walking through the green jungle, seeing monkeys running around on the footpath. Ashley and I both LOVED seeing the monkeys, as most people can tell from my abundance on monkey photos! Then we rocked up to the waterfall and it was so pretty and relaxing. We dropped our stuff, stripped down and jumped in! Places like this are cool because you can actually climb and interact with the nature…it’s not all roped off to prevent unjustly suing.

Climbing around!

After a bit of a play in the water, we explored the bottom part of the falls. We heard you could slide down the rocks, and were sure we found the right ones. Ashley thought she’d give it a try no worries…. Hahah but as soon as she gave herself a little push, she was GONE….no stopping her! After a brief moment of panic, we all started cracking up after witnessing her fully slide, flip and fall down the rocks! Phew…maybe a bruise, but made for a funny memory!

We took off for a further hike to the top of the falls where there was a nice lookout and a bit of a scary drop down!

Brad looking out right at the waterfall dropoff!

The hike DOWN the waterfall however was the most memorable! We decided to eat a couple granola bars for an energy boost on our way down through the jungle, and I start telling Ashley about the monkey that semi-attacked me in Phi Phi when suddenly a MASS HOARD of monkeys is coming straight for us with greed in their eyes! Ashley and I start screaming and trying to hide behind Brad, but he takes off running down the hill and us girls are just freaking out with no idea what to do. We jump up on the bench, but of course, so do the monkeys…grabbing at our legs and arms! It was TERRIFYING!! Ashley then quickly realized she had half a granola bar in her hand and threw it which distracted them, so we took off running in the opposite direction, which happened to be back UP the hill. DANG! We were stuck and too scared to go down again. Some locals were walking up and gave us a few tips…glasses on, don’t look at them, NO food, and grab a stick. We finally worked up the courage to go down, and had no problems but our hearts were BEATING!

One of the NICE monkeys from earlier....

PHEW so we took off to a pretty white beach on the other end of the island to calm ourselves! It was beautiful with white sand, small rocky islands off the coast to admire, and overhanging cliffs in the distance! After a bit of a play in the water, we chowed down on some Malaysian flavored Twisties and headed home.  I took Ash to our new favorite dinner joint, “Tomato”, oddly enough an Indian restaurant … but it had the BEST (and cheapest) Roti around!!  We had a long girls chat and catch up, complete with Chai tea!

Time to calm down!

Brad was feeling sick and we thought he was having a reaction to the mold that was in Din’s house. It sounds gross, and it is gross, but it’s also kind of common living on a tropical island with crazy wet seasons. Anyway, he was feeling a bit queasy, so drove us to another waterfall the next morning, but opted to stay in the car! Ashley and I took the hike up, avoiding crazy spiders and insects along the way!  It was cool because we were the only ones around, and stumbled upon a broken bridge that we had to climb across! FUN! We didn’t take long though, knowing Brad was waiting, so hurried back to check out the famous Langkawi cable cars.

Climbing over the collapsed bridge!

We arrived at Oriental Village, hoping the weather was calm enough to take the 1 and a half mile long … steep…cable car ride to the top of the mountain! We were lucky! Once we started the ascend, we were able to see beautiful panoramic views of the island, jungle and waterfall on one side, ocean and rocky islands on the other! Once at the top, you get to walk across this incredible sky bridge. You can feel in shake slightly as you walk over it!

Amazing view!

On the sky bridge!

After lots of walking and an increasing appetite, we decided we HAD to take Ashley to a local Malay buffet, and made her eat with her hands! She took to the hands thing well, but don’t think she was a huge fan of the buffet… I’m usually not a buffet girl either! Actually, we were warned to stay away from buffets as travelers. But oh well…do as the locals do!

Ashleys turn!

Come night, Brad was REALLY HOT, so after forcing lots of water and fruit upon him, Ashley and I left him home to sleep while we again went to Sunba with Din and his crew. Same band, same drink coupons….lots of dancing…just as much fun! There were a few funny characters around that gave us lots of laughs throughout the night!

Love her!

We had time for one last relaxing swim on the beach the next morning, with Brad feeling surprisingly better,  before heading to the other side of town to catch a ferry to Penang!  

Love him!

Category: Beaches, CouchSurfing, Islands, Langkawi, Malaysia  Tags: , ,  Leave a Comment
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