Two Backpackers

KanBa River Caves of Guatemala

| by Aracely on March 8th, 2010 | 2 Comments » | Adventures, Central America, Guatemala

KanBa Caves courtesy of semucchampey.com

Like our visit to Semuc Champey, we had no idea what we were getting into prior to leaving for our tour.  This point is echoed throughout most of our Guatemalan journeys.  The KanBa Caves are only a short walk from the metal bridge that spans Cahabón River. Continue Reading

Beaches of Tayrona National Park, Colombia

| by Aracely on March 6th, 2010 | 2 Comments » | Colombia, South America

El Cabo Beach in Tayrona National Park (Hammock Hut)

Due to decades of civil conflict Colombia escaped most travel maps.  Today, however Colombia is beginning to shine; backpackers and vacationers are heading to this diverse country and loving every bit of it.  Colombia offers its visitors colonial and modern cities, outdoor adventures, coffee plantation tours, and pristine beaches.  Among Colombia’s must see natural landscapes is Tayrona National Park located on the Caribbean coast, an hour from Santa Marta and 5 hours from Cartagena. Continue Reading

Discover Cartagena, Colombia

| by Aracely on March 4th, 2010 | 6 Comments » | Colombia, South America

Cartagena Skyline

After two long days of sailing the open seas Cartagena’s skyline slowly revealed itself to us as we approached its harbor.  It appeared majestic, especially for those of us (me) who spent 48 hours in bed fighting sea sickness.  Land!  And a beautiful land it was.

Cartagena is a city on the northern coast of Colombia and it’s the fifth largest urban area in the country.  Today the city is a center of economic activity in the Caribbean region and a popular tourist destination.  There are different sectors that make up the city each having its own charm. Continue Reading

More to Ecuador than Galapagos Islands

| by Aracely on March 2nd, 2010 | 3 Comments » | Ecuador, South America

The Road from Riobamba to Isinlivi

Whenever someone finds out I am from Ecuador their next question is usually, “Have you been to the Galapagos Islands?”  Unfortunately, I have not… yet.  But like most people, it is definitely on my list of top travel destinations.  My thought after answering that question is usually, “There is much more to Ecuador than the Galapagos Islands.”  I was fortunate enough to find that out for myself after spending a month traveling through my country back in January.  From what I’ve gathered, most visitors to the islands skip over Ecuador’s mainland completely or see very little of it, and in my opinion miss out on so much. Continue Reading

6 Month Travel Summary

| by Aracely on February 27th, 2010 | 5 Comments » | Reflections, Travel by Numbers

Ecuador to Peru Border Crossing

On August 27, 2009 we boarded a plane to Guatemala City, Guatemala, the beginning of our year long round the world journey. As of today we have been on the road for 180 days, half our planned trip. Below is a summary of interesting statistics and experiences from our travels through Central and South America.
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