Having arrived at Florianopolis airport in the middle of the night, I took an Uber to my hostel Floripa Beach House. There, I just crashed on the bed awakening to a great breakfast in the morning where I got to know two great Brazilian guys with whom my friend Marc from Berlin and I went to the beach that day. We even mixed our own caipirinhas there. In the evening, we had a Brazilian BBQ called “Churrasco”. It was delicious – thanks Rodrigo! 🙂
Breakfast Time
Caipi at the beach
Brazilian BBQ
The next morning, we got up early in order to enjoy the sunrise at the beach closeby. Afterwards I finally had some time to work on my blog during breakfast and have some phone calls in the hammock before we took an Uber to Florianopolis City. Having arrived there, Daniel, Marc, and I took a stroll through the city center passing by the market, the cathedral, and finally ending up on top of the hill with a great view over the city and the island. Now it was time to hurry back down and catch the night bus instead of getting too involved in one of the street parties during carnival time …
Having arrived early in the morning, we went to Hostel California, took a shower, and had some breakfast before roaming around the city. First stop was the so called “Batman”-street where lots of great street art could be admired. Then we went around Jardines, the pretties and richest neighborhood of São Paulo, in order to get to the park where a huge carnival party was going on… Furthermore, we visited the Museum of Modern Art to see the giant cat and admire the view over the city before visiting the MIS museum where a comic exhibition was going on at the moment. Having been surprised by a thunderstorm on the way back, we stayed at the hostel that night and took the bus to Rio in the morning. All in all, a nice stopover before experiencing the world’s most famous carnival festivities…
Having arrived in Rio right at the start of a giant thunderstorm, we took an Uber to Santa Tere Hostel in Santa Teresa and later explored the neighborhood Lapa which is famous for its vibrant nightlife. The next day, we took part in a free walking tour in the city center including some historical background information. Afterwards, we explored the Olympic Boulevard and then hiked to Morro-hill in order to see the sunset from high above the city and to take the cable car up to the Sugarloaf Mountain where we had amazing views over all the lights in the city beneath.
Lapa
Street Art
Sugarloaf Mountain
Selarón Staircase
Taking a look at Christ
Amazing Views
The next morning, we switched the hostel to Aurora Hostel (Great hostel with cool people!) in order to also experience another neighborhood in Rio. From there, we went up to the Corcovado to see the Christ statue from up close before looking at it the next day from the other side of the city on one of the Two-Brother-Mountains where we met many cute monkeys on the way up from Vidigal favela. Afterwards, it was time to stroll along the amazing long, sandy beaches such as Ipanema and Copacabana. At Leme beach, a huge “bloco” (carnival street party) was taking place, making the sunset there an even more spectacular thing.
In the Jungle
Monkeys on the Way
Facing Christ 😉
Taking a Look at the Sugarloaf
Corcovado Hill
Vidigal Slum
Copacabana Beach
Carnival Street Party
Ipanema Beach
That night, it was finally time for Carnival in the Sambodrome! It was just an amazing experience and neither words nor photos can really describe it. It is a Once-in-a-lifetime-must-see! The people were dancing and singing on the stands while the six very best samba schools presented their shows in a parade that lasted until 6:30 am in the morning…
Amazing Carnival Parade in Rio
Without
sleep, we only strolled through the Botanic Garden the next morning and then
took a bus to the beaches north of Rio in order to have some time to relax
after all these carnival parties …
In Arraial du Cabo, we stayed at Casarao Beach Hostel – it was ok but not the best one we’ve had and nobody was able to understand any English… Oh well, we were there to go snorkeling and that’s what we did the next day – while Marc took amazing pics with his underwater camera. Unfortunately, he had to leave soon after in order to get back to Germany.
Arraial du Cabo
Snorkeling
Having stayed one more day in Arraial du Cabo, I took the bus to Buzios and checked-in at Bamboo Buzios Hostel right at the beach. Instantly, I got to know 3 guys with whom I hung out the evening for dinner and drinks and the whole next day. We rented a pink buggy and cruised around visiting four different beaches featuring high waves, turtles, pink sand, and a nice sunset. Another half a day at the beach later, I took the bus to the airport in Rio in order to fly to Salvador de Bahia.
Having arrived in Salvador, I took an Uber to Hostel Quintal da Sereia – for a stopover totally fine. Having taken a look at the beaches close by, I went to the city center. What a great afternoon full of shopping and strolling around through the amazing historical quarter with its colorful houses and colonial-style buildings. What a shame that I had to leave after one day – but hey: Colombia calling! 🙂
Finally having left Argentina for good, I arrived in Púcon inmidst the Chilenean lake district. and checked into my hostel French Andes – a very nice and new one with actually the best hostel beds I’ve ever slept in. Then I discovered that Jonathan who we had met a couple of weeks before in Uruguay, was in Púcon at the same time. Thus, we went to Cani National Park together the next day – it was a nice but pretty hard hike through woods and bamboo forests up to the top. Nevertheless, we were rewarded with a great view over five lakes and three volcanoes.
View at Cani National Park
On the way back, we met Pedro – a Chilenean staying in his holiday house nearby in Huerquehue National Park. He invited us for the next day, put a pizza on the BBQ-grill and took out the kayaks for the lake. What a great and relaxed time we had all together! 🙂
Jonathan & me drinking Pisco Sour
Pedron at the BBQ
Kayaking on the lake
We also decided to do the volcano tour on our own instead of with a guide. Unfortunately, we had to turn around soon since the wind brought the gases in our direction and we didn’t have equipment like gasmasks etc. Nevertheless, it was a great hike with awesome views! Afterwards, we took a stroll in the town of Villarrica, chilled at the beach in Púcon, and had a drink before I took the night bus to Santiago.
Having arrived in Santiago, I was welcomed with a free breakfast in Boutique Hostal Merced 88 (very clean and great breakfast but a little sterile and the staff is not very helpful) where I immediately got to know Lars from Switzerland, Ethan from England, and Daniel from Mexico to spend time with. So we went shopping for outdoor gear and did some sightseeing in the city before I hiked up the San Cristobal hill, got lost and ended up in the mall again… That night, we had dinner and drinks on the rooftop – lots of fun, glad I got to know you guys! 🙂
The next morning, Lars and I took the bus to Viña del Mar at the coast North of Santiago. There, we got lost looking for Hospedaje Casa Recreo but after having given them a call, they picked us up and we spent the evening at the sand dunes Concon where we had dinner in awe of this amazing view. Afterwards, we headed to the fan party happening because of the International Song Festival that was going on in Viña del Mar – the greatest and oldest in South America! And that night, the Backstreet Boys were in town taking many fans back to their teenage years… 😉
Views in Viña del Mar
At the Sand Dunes
Fotoshoot
Fan Festival
In the Streets of Viña del Mar
After having slept in, we went to Valparaíso just a couple of minutes away by bus. And what a great hostel we stayed at here! Check out Hostal Las Latas – lovely staff, great deco, good breakfast, amazing views from 3 terraces, and even free laundry! And what a unique city with all those hills, funiculars, and street art! Really worth a visit and a stroll through the streets – and that’s what Lars, Daniel and me did. At night, we hung out at the hostel and the next day, I went back to Santiago in order to take my plane to Brazil where carnival had already started…
Having arrived back in Chile after 4 months, my fellow traveler Débora from Portugal and I had to get used to the higher prices here again. These are at least double the ones we paid in the other countries. Well, at least Rey Lagarto Hostal in San Pedro de Atacama was a nice one and it also included free bikes. 🙂 Having chilled at the hostel for a bit, we went into town to check out the cute little pedestrian streets in the center.
In the Streets of San Pedro
The next morning, I took one of the bikes and left with Francois and Antonio from Switzerland for a bike tour. We went to the Moon Valley near San Pedro where one can find the most unreal landscapes ever. It really looked like on the moon there with the salty hills, the huge sand dunes, and the impressive canyons. Best expressed in pictures:
Biking
Moon Valley
With Francois & Antonio
Amazing Views
Volcanoes
Afterwards, I just rode the bike around the area and up on a hill where I met Sol and Eric from Chile and watched the solar eclipse with them. A quite breathtaking spectacle right before a beautiful sunset took place.
Solar Eclipse
Sol & Eric
Sunset
At night, I took the bus to Iquique in order to see a bit more of the North Pacific region of Chile. Having arrived in Hostel Club Cavancha veeery early in the morning, Cesar was so kind to give me a room at that ungodly hour. For me, that meant sleeeeping in before exploring the city! And it indeed is a very nice one with a long promenade along the sea, numerous sea lions at the harbor, and a beautiful city center with houses in colonial style.
Walking along the Promenade
Harbor Views
Sea Lions
City Center
Sunset
The next day was traveling day… I took it very relaxed and arrived in La Posada Gallo in Arica in the evening. In the morning, it was time to check out the city center with its cathedral designed by Gustav Eiffel, the harbor, and of course the hill where the last battle between Chile and Peru took place in 1880. This place is historically very important since Chile annexed Arica with its victory. And they are very proud of that as everyone can see on the hill. 🙂
Morro de Arica
The Cathedral by Eiffel
Nice Views
In the afternoon, I crossed the border to Peru where I took a Cruz del Sure bus from Tacna to Lima (24 hours in total) in order to catch my plane to Mexico…
Having said goodbye to friends and family, my adventure was about to start with an Iberia-flight to Madrid and the connecting overnight flight to Buenos Aires. We had lots of turbulences due to bad weather conditions but several meals, movies, and a friendly Argentinian girl next to me kept me right as rain.
Having arrived in Buenos Aires with this plane from Madrid
I arrived in the morning but had to spend several hours for immigration and finding my way to the city – TIPP: get a SUBE card in the kiosk at the airport and take bus no. 8 to the center instead of Tienda Leon, that’s much cheaper.
Having arrived in the hostel Malevo Murana in Palermo (the best spot to reside since there are many bars and restaurants), I refreshed myself and started to explore the city with Nadine, my friend from Hamburg, who had arrived a view days earlier.
Nadine & me in Palermo, BA
We took a stroll to the botanic gardens, some parks and the huge flower made of metal at the Plaza de los Estados Unidos next to the faculty of law. On the way back, we crossed San Telmo, the quarter where Tango is still kept alive on the streets.
Botanical Garden
Plaza de los Estados Unidos
The next day, we took the bus from Plaza Italia to La Bocca in order to admire the amazing street art there and walk past numerous colorful Caminitos. Afterwards, we went to the city center – Plaza de Mayo with Casa Rosada, the obelisque etc. nearby. From there, it was just some steps to Recoleta cemetery where also the remains of Evita can be found.
Street Art
Tango on the street
Street Art
Caminitos
Tomb of Evita
La Boca
The next day, we jumped on the ferry (Colonia Express was the cheapest for about 45 USD) to Uruguay. It only took about 2 hours to get there.
