Closed due to inactivity 
Hope you don’t mind, I opened up your travel thread again 'cause I thought it was a better place for this than the book thread. Plus, it was yours and you should totally be sharing your trip (if you want to)!
WOW! That’s cool. Just a holiday, I assume? Are you with family, friends, or lone travelling?
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Definitely don’t mind it! This definitely is a better place to talk about it…
Sort of, did some volunteering but most of it is basically just travelling and experiencing the different countries! I’m basically on a gap year before I’ll start my masters next September
Completely on my own, not ideal at moments, but I have quite some experience travelling alone and it has a lot of benefits as well!
So, I thought I would just share my journey here:
I started in September with a few days Madrid, from where I flew to Bogotá (Colombia). Went basically directly to a city called Manizales where I worked on a project for a university for 2 weeks. It was a rad time, a great group and besides the work we also did a lot of fun stuff. After the project was done I travelled on to Meddelin where I was for a few days, and then went to the north coast of Colombia (Cartagena, Barranquilla and Santa Marta) which all was rad, but especially a 4 day hike from Santa Marta to ‘the lost city’ is something I’ll never remember. Next was a few days Bogotá before I flew to Quito, Ecuador. Unfortunately had some medical problems (infection in a toe so needed surgery, antibiotics and basically couldn’t walk for a week) so that was a bit less rad. Either way, that healed, and I could move on to my next stop. Volunteering at a school basically in the middle of nowhere to teach English, it was rad and a gorgeous surrounding, but sadly got sick so didn’t get to do much teaching. After a few weeks I moved on again to Baños and now Cuenca. Both great places. From here on I’m going to Guayaquil (only because I’m flying from there, it’s not really safe there at the moment) and then on to Peru and Bolivia, where I sort of have an organised tour where I travel from Lima to La Paz. On the way I’ll visit a lot of interesting places (an oasis, machu picchu, lake Titicaca and much more) and there are a lot of rad activities, and after that is done I’m going see a bit more of Bolivia (salt flat, some cities ect.) before I fly back just in time to celebrate Christmas with my family. After Christmas, so February I’m planning on travelling some more, originally I wanted to go to New Zealand, but I think that might be too much, so I might just find a job in another EU country for a few months or something like that
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However, what I notice since I got together with my boyfriend, I would have loved to actually have him here and experience everything with me, both the ups and downs. It’s quite funny, sometimes I’m just sharing how my day was with him and 30 minutes go by while it only feels like 5. There is simply too much I want to share about it with him… It doesn’t always feel rad experiencing all these amazing things and not feeling like there is someone to share it with, so in that way I’m happy he loves to hear all my stories, but I can only imagine how much more special it would have been if he was actually by my side…
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Cool.
Nice. So you’ve been away the whole year or since September or June? What did you do as a volunteer?
Yes. Definitely agree. I loved travelling alone.
Yikes. What was the medical problem with it?
Jealous of this. That would be heaven for me.
Are you doing the trek up or just taking the train?
(pleading_face) Awww… I miss my chance.
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That’s fair. I get that. Least you still get to talk and share what ya doing with him. (wink)
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September. But well, actually July, as before South America I was travelling to the UK and France, so I basically haven’t really been in the Netherlands much since July…
Well, in Ecuador the teaching, in Manizales at the university we worked on a workshop surrounding the sustainable development goals, and based on that proposed studies where more research is needed. It was both very interesting!
What I love about it is that I can do exactly what I want to do. Laying in bed a whole day, not a problem 
. A fully packed day leaving at 7am and returning at 8pm, not a problem either, I can also visit exactly the things that interest me.
I had a sort of double blister on my toe, of which one was a blood blister, and that got extremely infected soooo, yeah. Within a day I went from not concerned about it to ending up in an emergency room, it got worse so quickly…
It was so much fun, the kids were adorable and loved my classes. I could teach them so much in a playful way. They behaved so well actually, which is surprising as kids usually love to test limits.
Unfortunately, the train. Don’t have the time in my schedule to do the hike…
New Zealand is still probably highest on my list of countries I want to visit, so will probably go there on a relatively short term either way!
Yeah, ngl, it’s often the highlight of my day. It really makes me realise how special everything I’m experiencing is when I’m talking to him about it… Like it doesn’t really sink in till I’m telling someone
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Fun. That’s a really decent trip. Bet you’ve been saving for a while.
WOW. That’s an interesting mix. Cool.
Yeah, true. No waiting for anyone or having to compromise on anything.
YIKES. Hope you’re all good now!
Yeah, yeah, ESL classes are the best, no matter what the age of the students. HA
HAHAHA. I laugh at the unfortunately 'cause hiking ain’t for me. But my mum did the hike recently with two friends and loved it, she just couldn’t convince me to meet them there and join. NOPE. HAHA
Just probably not next year?
Yeah, that’s true. It’s like you don’t appreciate anything until after it’s happened.
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Honestly no, basically it’s a part of the money my parents have been saving for me every month since I was born that I’m using. Feel so spoiled now. Tho, part of it are my own savings from when I worked at the supermarket
Oooh, yeah, I hate waiting on people. I’m like someone who’s always quite quick. Like I maybe take 10 minutes to get ready in the morning, and it’s not always great having to wait for people who take longer…
It’s sort of healed now, the toe is still a bit sensitive, but at least I can walk again and just enjoy the trip!
Hahhaha, I am usually not much of a hiker, honestly I am not really physically fit enough for it when it comes to hills and stuff. A straight road is no problem, I run and walk all the time back home, but hills, no. But either way, since the other hike I made and the fact everyone is so positive about the Machu Picchu trails, I would have actually loved to do this one…
Well, within the next 2 years is still my goal
Yeah, and certain things here are becoming really normal to me, and then when I bring it up to my boyfriend he makes me realise those things are actually not ‘normal’ to me if that makes sense 
Like for example, I talked to him about grocery shopping here, which ngl, is very different than in the Netherlands, but as I’ve been used to it for months it’s not that special to me anymore…
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But I’m excited, tomorrow I’ll be exploring a new city in a new country again. I’m honestly quite excited to figure out what makes Peru Peru, talk to the people and just explore the life there. Should be really rad, and it feels great to sort of start fresh again, after some negative things that happened here in Ecuador going to another country now sort of really is the closure of that…
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And I am in Peru, got the stamp and all sooo 
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Waiting in the arrivals for my transport to the hostel, so I’m seeing a lot of families getting reunited and honestly, it’s making me feel a bit homesick and makes me miss my parents. Sure everything I’m doing here in South America is rad, but I won’t deny there are many moments I miss home… In a way I cannot wait till that moment my parents come pick me up from the airport
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OH WOW! That’s awesome. Very luck you!
HAHAHAHA! Then it’s the perfect trip for you.
That’s a relief.
That’s fair. My mum said it was well-worth it.
EXCITING!
How so?
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Exciting. How is it? Have you or are you going to try guinea pig over there?
Awwww, it’s okay, Christmas isn’t far away.
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Yeah, I’m so lucky they did that saving for me! Otherwise it would have been really tight if I could have afforded it. Travelling for months isn’t cheap 
In a way it is, my own schedule and not having to take anyone else into consideration is kinda awesome
Glad to hear she enjoyed it!
I’ll let you know when I actually start planning stuff, cause I definitely would love your advice on it!
Okay, one example, the type of products that are sold in supermarkets are completely different. In the Netherlands we have so much processed and ready to eat foods. Like just an example, every supermarket has it’s own bakery included and 2 isles with prepared meals basically. In Colombia and Ecuador it’s much more raw products that really need a lot of preparation, like, rice, beans ect., everything is also in quite massive amounts. It’s basically impossible to buy groceries and cook for one person. Here in Peru it’s a bit more a combination of the 2, at least in the supermarket I’ve seen today. Either way, I have the feeling based on what I’ve experienced that most people don’t buy their groceries in the supermarket. Actual markets are much more popular.
It’s pretty nice, I mean, my first day in a new country I always feel a bit weird cause I need some time to adjust and feel comfortable. Also, Im surving today on 5 hours of sleep, which doesn’t help, but yeah, it seems rad this far!
True, and honestly, I still have so many really exciting things on my schedule, so no time to be homesick 
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A little food guide
Either way, now I was talking about groceries, wanna go a bit more detail into the food of the 3 countries this far
Colombia
Okay, Colombian food is great. The Colombian style Empanadas, chef’s kiss. Absolutely delicious and kinda became my go to lunch or afternoon snack. Also, Obleas, sort of sweet waffles. They have it with different ingredients, but I was recommended with some cheese and jam I think and it’s honestly the best sweet thing I’ve ever tried. Furthermore, the savoury meals, like bandeja paisa, amazing. Though, had a small one, but I was still so full after. Had to eat it all though as it was sooo good! Also, the coconut rice I’ve had in Cartagena was delicious.
Empanadas
Oblea
Bandeja paisa
Arroz de coco
Ecuador
I will be honest, I didn’t get to taste much of the famous food as most of the time I was in a homestay where it mainly was rice, beans and sometimes chicken. More specifically only local dishes I’ve tried, not sure how I feel about it. One thing is Hornado, pig slow cooked basically, it didn’t taste bad but the image of the whole pig, that made me feel a bit sick after. I’m not used to actually seeing the animals I eat, and I’m practically a vegetarian back home so it was intense for me. I also tried Colada Morada, a drink for the day of the death, not sure if I liked it or not tbh. Also, tried Guaguas de Pan, a doll of bread. Looked more fun than it tasted tbh. Either way, my experience of the Ecuadorian kitchen isn’t the best, but I feel like I might not have had the best opportunities…
I’ll save you guys the picture of a whole cooked pig…
Colada morada
Guaguas de pan
Peru
While it’s my first full day here, I’ve heard about and seen a lot of the food already. Quite interesting, Chifa, basically a mix between the Peruvian and Chinese kitchen is quite popular here. That’s also what I tried today, and I can tell it was great! Obviously eating guinea pig is a thing here (as well as in Ecuador), as I have 2 adorable guinea pigs as pets back home, no way I’ll try it. Also, Ceviche, raw fish, is something that’s traditional here, another thing I won’t try as I don’t like fish. Definitely want to try the mix between the Peruvian and Japanese kitchen, Nikkei, though.
A Chifa dish, Chaufa
Ceviche
Some Nikkei food
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@Foodies ^^^ Look at Jass’ food guide!
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