The latest Journal Entries from Ingrid and Roy at Footstops.com en-us Sun, 01 Jun 2008 04:55:31 -0700 Copyright 2008, Bryan Rite @ Footstops.com Sun, 01 Jun 2008 04:55:31 -0700 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 240 http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/ Getting ready for Amsterdam at London airport!... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4971/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4971/ Wed, 21 May 2008 02:25:27 -0700 Rainy season had started in Bangkok as well, so we spent our last few days of the trip shopping and getting as many curries down us as we could manage...... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4970/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4970/ Sat, 17 May 2008 02:24:51 -0700 OK, it was less windy in the interior, but it rained almost continously for 3 days. Poor us, ...   The guesthouse "in th... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4969/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4969/ Mon, 12 May 2008 02:24:24 -0700 We treated ourselves to a "suite" on the nightboat to Cebu City, imagining it would be like the suites we had seen(but never used) on the boats i... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4968/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4968/ Fri, 09 May 2008 02:24:03 -0700 Yeah! We did it, we snorkeled with whale sharks, some upto 10 meters long...and they only feed on plakton, impressive! ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4721/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4721/ Tue, 06 May 2008 02:23:13 -0700 On Palawan we found our tropical paradise again, in the village of El Nido. We went island hopping a few times and visited places with imaginative names like secret ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4719/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4719/ Fri, 25 Apr 2008 22:25:31 -0700 We found another paradise in the Philippines...... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4820/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4820/ Fri, 25 Apr 2008 04:03:24 -0700 "Voted the world's best beach by the Sun Herald, Australia and Harper's, Boracay is the perfect island getaway, with its warm blue waters... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4718/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4718/ Tue, 22 Apr 2008 21:56:33 -0700 For travelling in the Philippines you need a bit more patience and time than in most other countries we have been to. The country consists of more than 7000 islands, so boats seem... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4548/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4548/ Thu, 17 Apr 2008 21:30:15 -0700 Although in my opinion not as beautiful as Siquior, we had a good few days in a quiet resort on the island of Guimares. The resort was really quiet and in the midd... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4544/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4544/ Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:48:00 -0700 We stayed one night in this big city with its funny name, and hurried to our next tropical destination.... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4543/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4543/ Mon, 14 Apr 2008 20:27:02 -0700 Sipalay is supposed to have a very nice beach, but we arrived at night and next day it was raining with an intensity that said it wouldn't stop for at least the coming day, s... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4542/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4542/ Sun, 13 Apr 2008 20:39:50 -0700 We are quite happy we chose The Philippines with its weird spelling (one l, double p?!) as our final des... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4541/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4541/ Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:50:01 -0700 Again no pics. And nothing to tell you. Or are you interested in what Ingrid bought while shopping (an new comb, some t-shirts) and what I did surfing the net (reading sportnews and updating my resume)?... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4540/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4540/ Tue, 08 Apr 2008 00:56:48 -0700 The Philippines is our last new destination. After this and a few days in Bangkok we're going home. So on our first day we didn't do anything but snorkel a bit and rest from our midnight flight. We didn't even take a picture.... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4539/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4539/ Mon, 07 Apr 2008 00:51:58 -0700 When in Bangkok we were told about a so called " Tiger Temple" close to Kanchanaburi. Supposedly it was a temple were you could walk wi... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4545/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4545/ Sat, 05 Apr 2008 02:51:23 -0700 In Kanchanaburi we decided that our "lazy interlude" should be over and done with and wit... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4538/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4538/ Thu, 03 Apr 2008 02:52:21 -0700 No pictures, probably because we have been here already? Anyway, stayed a few days not doing much again, preparing a bit for our holiday: Our Grande Finale in The Philippines!... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4537/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4537/ Sat, 29 Mar 2008 01:49:02 -0700 In mountainous Pai we got our travelling-spirits back a bit, even though we had a bungalow with our own computer and Internet-connection. What a luxury, Internet from home, you people back home don't know how good you have it!... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4124/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4124/ Sun, 23 Mar 2008 01:40:35 -0700 We stayed a good 10 days in Chiang Mai, but didn't do much; some pool in the attached bar, the odd day sight-seeing, read some books, some sauna and massage. It was hot and we were lazy!... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4122/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4122/ Sun, 16 Mar 2008 01:36:48 -0700 Welcome back, Thailand! We stayed a night in Chiang Rai and went to the best food market ever. With us is Lea, a French girl I met trekking in Laos and who loves her food :-)... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4121/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/4121/ Tue, 11 Mar 2008 01:34:20 -0700 Luang Nam Tha is famous for its forests and trekking possibilities, so what did we do there? Right! We went to a... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3976/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3976/ Sat, 08 Mar 2008 07:48:11 -0800 In undeveloped Laos Luang Prabang is the most touristy place we have seen. Literally the whole old town is dedicated to separate you from your dollar. And because it is a charming old city filled with wats and old houses, enclosed by the river on ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3975/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3975/ Sat, 01 Mar 2008 03:21:42 -0800 After a ride in the busiest bus we took the last year, we arrived in Nong Kiauw, which is more or less on the beaten track again. It was beautiful, cold and rainy. Which meant we didn't stay to long.... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3833/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3833/ Thu, 28 Feb 2008 03:11:21 -0800 We found a bigger village, with a restaurant and two (!) guesthouses. The village only had electricity for a few hours at night, but naturally there was cable television. In case you want to go, skip the natural hot springs nearby, as it more res... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3835/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3835/ Wed, 27 Feb 2008 03:03:41 -0800 The route we wanted to take from Phonsavan is not much travelled yet, and we prepared for some serious "off-the-beaten track stuff". It would start with th... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3834/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3834/ Tue, 26 Feb 2008 02:58:01 -0800 In Phonsavan we visited the mysterious Plain of Jars. ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3836/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3836/ Sun, 24 Feb 2008 02:49:35 -0800 Almost every backpacker who goes to Laos has the little town of Vang Vieng on its itinerary. The town itself is set in some beautiful karst scenery and chock-a-block with bars, restaurants and every other tourist facility you can imagine. A kind o... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3832/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3832/ Wed, 20 Feb 2008 03:27:21 -0800 Vientiane, capital of Laos, is probably our favorite capital in south-east asia so far. We had... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3831/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3831/ Sat, 16 Feb 2008 03:25:36 -0800 In Tha Kaek we ended up hiring a motorbike for 3 days and do the so-called loop: A ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3688/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3688/ Wed, 13 Feb 2008 01:40:40 -0800 Beautiful 4000 islands area in the Mekong. Let the pictures speak.... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3687/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3687/ Fri, 08 Feb 2008 01:05:06 -0800 The main reason we went to Pakse, was that we had heard the Vietnamese Tet/Chinese New Year was celebrated here. However, on arrival, the locals said that nothing much was happening ("It is not very creative anymore"). Apparently fireworks have be... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3686/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3686/ Thu, 07 Feb 2008 01:00:14 -0800 Savannakhet was our first encounter with Laos life: No touts waiting for us when we got of the bus and we had to find a guesthouse all by ourselves :-)... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3685/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3685/ Wed, 06 Feb 2008 00:37:55 -0800 With new camera in hand, and after a quick visit to the old Citadel of Hue, we left the shouting touts and noisy motobikes of Vietnam and went to enjoy life in a much more laid back Laos. -------- OK, Vietnam wasn't all bad... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3684/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3684/ Tue, 05 Feb 2008 01:54:37 -0800 According to our guidebook Hoi An is one of the highlights on a South East Asia trip. And although it was a charming little town with a nice colonial centre, it was not much more than that to us. Apart from walking through the old centre we cycle... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3683/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3683/ Thu, 31 Jan 2008 01:32:52 -0800 Again some pictures sent to us by these people we met. And yes, we were drunk (otherwise I probably wouldn't have ordered the special seafish meal...I misjudged the amount of zeros in the price. But I am glad I did!). Ingrid... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3643/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3643/ Mon, 28 Jan 2008 01:28:20 -0800 In mountainous Dalat we climbed a hill and got really annoyed with all the vietnamese touts shouting at us, wanting our hard earned Dongs  ("Moto"? "Pineapple?" "Tour"?) But at least they asked, unlike the @$$*@@ that took our camera (no, ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3642/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3642/ Fri, 25 Jan 2008 01:25:23 -0800 Another beach, nothing to add to the pictures(sent to us by some people we'd met-still no camera). Let's just say we saw a beautiful sunrise in the sand dunes...and we didn't even have to get up early for it!... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3641/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3641/ Tue, 22 Jan 2008 05:23:13 -0800 If anyone has seen this camera, please contact us. It could be on the bottom of a mountain in Dalat (last seen), on the bus from Dalat to Nha Trang,... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3491/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3491/ Mon, 14 Jan 2008 04:55:31 -0800 The attentive reader might ask what these pictures are doing in this entry. Didn't we lose our camera/wasn't our camera stolen? Yes, it was, but Michelle and Lars, a Swedish couple we had met, took some pictures that night and we so happen... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3640/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3640/ Mon, 14 Jan 2008 01:12:07 -0800 The highlight of our short trip through the Mekong Delta was a boattrip from Can Tho to 2 floating markets and through some nearby canals and rivers. Especially visiting the floating markets was really nice. Although I seldom venture out ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3369/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3369/ Sun, 13 Jan 2008 00:02:21 -0800 So, we arrived in yet a third country in this part of the world: Vietnam. Needed to be done first: Learn to say conversation essentials like "Thank you", "Hello" and "Goodbye" in Vietnamese. Add counting 'til ten and 100 a... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3368/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3368/ Fri, 11 Jan 2008 00:21:39 -0800 Although Cambodia is not famous for its trekking possibilities, there are a few places where you can do Jungle treks (or elephant treks for that matter, but somehow that doesn't appeal to me). We choose Ban Lung in ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3366/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3366/ Sun, 06 Jan 2008 00:31:03 -0800 The main reason of our visit to Kratie was to see the rare and endangered Irrawaddy Dolphins. We saw them. �... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3365/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3365/ Sat, 05 Jan 2008 23:56:30 -0800 We decided to visit Kampong Cham to break up our journey to Kratie. And when there, visit two little temple mountains known as "Man Hill and Women Hill", in Cambodian "Phnom Pros" and "Phnom Srei". This is a summary of the story behind these... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3364/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3364/ Thu, 03 Jan 2008 23:00:53 -0800 The most remarkable thing we did in Phnom Penh, besides celebrating New Year's Eve in a somewhat moderate fashion, was visiting the Tuol Sleng Genocidal Museum and the nearby ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3362/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3362/ Sun, 30 Dec 2007 00:33:32 -0800 Since we left cold Holland a good few months ago, we had been dreaming about Christmas on a beach. It just sounds like something you need to do at least once in your life. Unfortunately, we were in Cambodia at the time, and the only nice beach the... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3181/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3181/ Mon, 24 Dec 2007 01:36:28 -0800 The boattrip to Battambang was really interesting. Across a lake and through narrow canals lined with floating villages and houseboats. The pictures say more then I can tell about... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3180/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3180/ Sat, 22 Dec 2007 01:33:59 -0800 Even though cycling around the site the first day was very nice, what we didn't realize was that visiting the temples is quite tiring in itself. They can be huge and you ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3179/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3179/ Wed, 19 Dec 2007 01:28:57 -0800 We spent 3 days at the famous Angkor Wat site; the first day we went cycling. This was particularly nice, as the... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3178/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3178/ Tue, 18 Dec 2007 01:27:56 -0800 We only spent a few hours here waiting for the train. So the picture is from a ..., well not a train, but Roy waiting while it's raining outside. ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3177/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3177/ Sat, 15 Dec 2007 01:26:47 -0800 So my birthday destination was to be Koh Mook (or Muk or Muuk or I don't know how many other ways you can spell this) in search of a little piece of paradise (see this earlier post). ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3176/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3176/ Thu, 13 Dec 2007 01:26:14 -0800 As we were referring to this place in our previous post, we'll just leave you with the one picture we took.... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3175/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/3175/ Tue, 11 Dec 2007 01:25:40 -0800 After leaving Koh Samui, we weren't quite finished with our beachy existence. We had found really nice beaches, but still not this drop dead gorgeous, idyllic, kind of bounty island beach. So we followed another tip, from some guy we had met in so... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2921/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2921/ Sat, 08 Dec 2007 02:39:26 -0800 After thinking, breathing and living diving for a good few days (we were even invited to a divers' party afterwards, and now we can talk diving as well!), we decided it would be best to cool off a bit on a quiet beach, and eat some proper... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2920/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2920/ Thu, 06 Dec 2007 02:35:50 -0800 We both remember our first holiday together to Cuba a few years ago. We ended up on the nicest beach ever, Maria la Gorda. And we "discovered" snorkeling; there is just something otherworldly about breathing underwater like (and with) th... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2894/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2894/ Fri, 30 Nov 2007 00:12:17 -0800 After recovering from our jet lag in Bangkok, the last part of our trip could finally begin. But where to start? In South-America we didn't have any guide books about this part of the world with us, and in Amsterdam we had been quite busy, so we h... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2893/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2893/ Tue, 27 Nov 2007 00:15:16 -0800 The transition from South America via Amsterdam and Manchester to Asia has been hard for us. This is not due to the fact that we don't like it here. On the contrary, the weather is good, food is nice and travelling is easy. And as you can read in ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2892/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2892/ Mon, 19 Nov 2007 21:58:19 -0800 Thanks Richard for your nice, "automatically" inflatable bed. Good seeing you again. Nice meeting Cat and Sophie and thanks to the three of you for having breakfast in the hall (?), so we could continue sleeping in the big living room.  And good... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2773/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2773/ Sat, 17 Nov 2007 11:09:01 -0800 Our time in Amsterdam was all about meeting our family and friends. Which we enjoyed a lot.  One of the things we learned is that people actually read the stuff we write here. Well, not everybody of course, but some actually do. For those ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2772/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2772/ Thu, 08 Nov 2007 11:06:59 -0800 No story, just pictures.... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2771/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2771/ Thu, 01 Nov 2007 11:03:39 -0700 In Colonia de Sacramento we noticed that we are actually a bit bored with small, colonial towns. Or was it just that Colonia isn't as interesting as they try to make it sound? Anyway, we took the boat to Buenos Aires two days earlier than ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2770/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2770/ Tue, 30 Oct 2007 10:58:12 -0700 The main reason we went to Uruguay was for the good things we had heard about this remote fishing village. It was absolutely brilliant, our first private little hut, including a barbecue on the terrace where we grilled the fresh fish we boug... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2536/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2536/ Sat, 27 Oct 2007 10:55:49 -0700 No story, just pictures... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2535/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2535/ Thu, 25 Oct 2007 10:53:33 -0700 I had read about a charming fishing village in remote Uruguay, which sounded nicely "off-the-beaten-track" to me. So, we went to Uruguay. We looked at the map for a border crossing, and we decided to take the first one. Our guide book me... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2534/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2534/ Wed, 24 Oct 2007 10:52:00 -0700 Bye bye caipirinhas, exotic fruits and parties everywhere. Hello again juicy steaks, excellent wines and business-class-like buses! The Argentinian site of the falls are a lot more impressive, especially because you can walk on different... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2533/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2533/ Fri, 19 Oct 2007 10:59:11 -0700 Foz de Iguaçu was our last stop in Brazil. When the border official checked our passports he told us we were just in time; we had about 6 hours left to stay in the ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2532/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2532/ Thu, 18 Oct 2007 10:47:01 -0700 Yes, Rio de Janeiro is as impressive as they say, and yes, like everyone else we ended up staying longer than we had planned. We stayed in the Copacabana area, where we joined the Gay Parade party on the beach on sunday. We walked to the fa... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2531/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2531/ Wed, 10 Oct 2007 11:07:36 -0700 Lençois is a beautiful little town close to the Chapada Diamantina National Park. After having been on sea-level for so long, it was great for me to ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2530/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2530/ Wed, 03 Oct 2007 10:41:50 -0700 After we had left Fabian -or rather, after he left us- we decided to go to one final beach: One that according to our guide book was one of the most beautiful beaches in Brazil. It would break up a long journey for us as well. The pictures ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2578/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2578/ Mon, 01 Oct 2007 10:39:01 -0700 Olinda/RecifebyFabian Boem In Olinda we had our best caipirinha’s, with a lot of ‘... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2202/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2202/ Fri, 28 Sep 2007 16:57:14 -0700 JacumabyFabian Bloem Never forget to visit Jacuma: a tiny village with very friendly p... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2201/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2201/ Wed, 26 Sep 2007 15:59:12 -0700 Jao PessaobyFabian Bloem After three days in Pipa we waited on the yellow bus, a Russi... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2200/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2200/ Tue, 25 Sep 2007 15:53:19 -0700 Pipa by Fabian Bloem Up to some good off-the-road traveling to Pipa. After checking out three or four pousada’... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2199/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2199/ Sun, 23 Sep 2007 15:57:53 -0700 Introduction & Ponte NegrabyFabian Bloem Being at Natal’s airport for six hours now ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2198/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2198/ Thu, 20 Sep 2007 15:52:09 -0700 Just another beach town, so not many pictures available (none actually, except for an accidentical one taken of our bed), but for a populair Brazilian beach town, Canoa Quebrada wasn`t so bad.... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2197/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2197/ Sun, 16 Sep 2007 15:49:31 -0700 A French couple that we had met in Belém and again in São Luis had told us about a place called Morro Branco: according to them there was absolutely nothing to do there, except for the beautiful beach with colored sand cliffs and high dunes an... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2196/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2196/ Fri, 14 Sep 2007 15:48:35 -0700 After leaving the Amazon, we arrived in São Luis. We visited the place before on a holiday, so we knew what to expect more or less. What we didn´t expect however, or rather didn´t know, was that when we arrived it was the start of a small holid... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2195/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2195/ Tue, 11 Sep 2007 18:22:46 -0700 When we go to an Internet cafe to publish stories for this website, we always get a "review" ourselves of the places we have been: through the pictures we upload. But of course there is always a lot that the pictures don´t show. Ne... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2194/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/2194/ Sat, 01 Sep 2007 16:18:22 -0700 Joanes is a little village on the Ilha de Marajo, an island the size of Switzerland. What can you say about an island this size, if you´ve been there only 3 days, and just in one place? Well, not much. Except that we had a very nice pousada... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1887/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1887/ Tue, 28 Aug 2007 18:20:56 -0700 When travelling to developing countries you will inevitable see the, sometimes extreme, poverty (and richness for that matter) some people live in. Except maybe, when you go to some all-inclusive beach resort which you never leave except to go to ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1886/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1886/ Fri, 24 Aug 2007 08:09:39 -0700 "Alter do Chão: The Caribbean of the Amazon!", as some travel guides put it. Although not completely Caribbean, it did make a great place for a few days of resting from boat travelling.... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1885/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1885/ Sun, 19 Aug 2007 13:49:44 -0700 On this relatively short boat trip, just 1,5 days, we got quite drunk the first evening. This was largely A.J.'s fault, since he was the one who suddenly decided to buy a bottle of rum at a time it was probably wiser for all of us to go to sleep... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1884/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1884/ Wed, 15 Aug 2007 03:40:28 -0700 At the time of writing this, it's october 1st. Since we were in Manaus around the 11th of august, it's clear we're a little behind with updating our blog. And because of that, all I'll write about Mana... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1883/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1883/ Sat, 11 Aug 2007 13:45:06 -0700 Want to learn Portuguese? Following these steps will definitely speed up the process:Find a boat for almost 4 days, ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1882/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1882/ Wed, 08 Aug 2007 17:37:29 -0700 In Chapada dos Guimarães, we did a great one-day hike to several waterfalls, nothing much to add to the pics. ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1881/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1881/ Sat, 04 Aug 2007 17:17:12 -0700 The main thing we remember about Cuiabá is that the Brazilian wife of the Brazilian hotel owner was crazy about...André Hazes! Fortunately for us, the husband was not, so we managed to listen to Gilberto Gil more than to "Een beetje verliefd".... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1880/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1880/ Wed, 01 Aug 2007 17:15:53 -0700 Lots of people go to Campo Grande, because it is a gateway to the famous Brazilian Pantanal, a wetland area with lots and lots of wildlife: Alligators, many types of birds and lots of .... ? capybara ? So what did we do there? Right, we we... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1895/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1895/ Sat, 28 Jul 2007 17:16:47 -0700 We did NOT go snorkeling in Bonito :-)... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1878/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1878/ Fri, 27 Jul 2007 17:16:22 -0700 In Corumbá, just over the border with Bolivia, we spent so much time updating websites, that we forgot to take any pictures. Oh! And getting used to the Brazilian language, food and most of all: warmth! The border crossing was really weird... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1894/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1894/ Mon, 23 Jul 2007 17:40:56 -0700 San Jose de Chiquitos is part of the Jesuit Mission Circuit in Bolivia. With a swimming pool and hot weather (finally!) it was a good place to say goodbye to Bolivia... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1443/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1443/ Fri, 20 Jul 2007 17:10:20 -0700 Two pet toucans (and a TV) were terrorising the hostel we stayed in. A trip to the zoo (more capybaras for Ingrid) and playing `shithead` was about all we did here.... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1442/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1442/ Mon, 16 Jul 2007 17:09:31 -0700 Living in Amsterdam (although not this year), the words "High Life" remind me of a green plant that is smoked well over the world and a magazine about this plant that can be found in coffeeshops in Amsterdam. But the words "High Life" are also use... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1441/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1441/ Fri, 13 Jul 2007 14:49:09 -0700 On our pampatour in Rurrenabaque we saw a lot of animals. Caymans, alligators, monkeys, birds, fish, river dolphins and even 2 snakes (including a small Anaconda). Of course there were a lot of insects as well. And although Ingrid and Geri enjoy... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1438/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1438/ Sat, 07 Jul 2007 13:26:10 -0700 "Fishing is boring, unless you catch an actual fish, and then it is disgusting" I happened to stumble upon this quote by humorist Dave Barry, and I must admit, after having been in the Jungle in ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1437/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1437/ Thu, 05 Jul 2007 15:40:39 -0700 After our Uyuni-trip we decided to go at once to Rurrenabaque to get warm. This involved an overnight bus trip Uyuni-La Paz within 1 hour after we got back from the Salt Plain tour. After arriving at 6.00 A.M. at the airport we had to wait the who... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1440/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1440/ Sat, 30 Jun 2007 14:44:39 -0700 ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1434/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1434/ Wed, 27 Jun 2007 09:02:14 -0700 For many reasons it was great to have Geri travelling with us for 4 weeks. One important reason was that she was definitely more careless about her stuff than I am, something Roy didn´t think possible. But, like me, she... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1477/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1477/ Mon, 25 Jun 2007 12:19:20 -0700 In Copacabana, Bolivia, we enjoyed watching the "car blessings", a ceremony wh... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1292/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1292/ Sat, 23 Jun 2007 13:05:17 -0700 Earlier this trip we met a girl who wrote a thesis about the influence of tourism on local communities. And although I don´t know what she exactly wrote, the Islas Flotantes (Floating Islands) woul... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1291/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1291/ Fri, 22 Jun 2007 08:13:29 -0700 While Roy was wondering about religion in Cuzco and trying to form his opinion on mass tourism in Puno(see future entry), Geri and I were imagining just how happy the little Inca children growing up in ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1289/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1289/ Wed, 20 Jun 2007 08:27:08 -0700 Our last stop before going to Machu Picchu was the pleasant little town of Ollantaytambo where we visited some other beautiful ruins. Besides this I finally managed to prepare the f... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1288/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1288/ Tue, 19 Jun 2007 12:38:19 -0700 In the novel "Night train to Lisbon" from Pascal Mercier, a book I recently read and thoroughly enjoyed, one of the main characters is expressing his ambivalent feelings about the church. He is saying he can't live in a world without cathedrals ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1287/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1287/ Sat, 16 Jun 2007 12:00:41 -0700 It was in Ayacucho I realised I might be getting old. Nine years ago I spend a couple of days here, co... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1286/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1286/ Tue, 12 Jun 2007 12:32:21 -0700 Sorry, no pics from the city of Huancayo, where we spent two nights, met "Esther uit Groningen" (who would be our travelling companion for the next two weeks) and where we suddenly realised we h... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1355/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1355/ Sun, 10 Jun 2007 12:29:49 -0700 After 4 months of seeing the most amazing, interesting, outrageous, surreal etc. sites during the day, but at the same time experiencing cold nights both in Argentina and the Peruvian Andes, we finally managed to take our fleeces off an... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1285/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1285/ Fri, 08 Jun 2007 11:25:09 -0700 With a few weeks to go before we had to meet Geri in Cusco we had to decide where to go. We went east. First stop was Tarma. We did a day-tour in the surrounding area, which was nice but not really interesting. And because it was just that, this j... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1060/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1060/ Tue, 05 Jun 2007 11:24:07 -0700 When planning our trip we didn´t intend to go to Lima. But as it turned out we ended up there three times, although the first and last time we were merely passing through. The first time, in fact, we really didn´t want to go to Lima. In t... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1290/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1290/ Sat, 02 Jun 2007 10:10:27 -0700 The classic horror movie ¨The Birds¨ made a big impression on me when I was young. Fortunately I didn´t develop a bird fobia after it, otherwise our trip to the Islas B... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1059/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1059/ Fri, 01 Jun 2007 16:54:21 -0700 Sandboarding and buggy riding in Huacachina, getting free chocolate cake and shots from the restaurant and having a few Americans sing "Happy Birthday" to me...A nice enough birthday I would sa... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1058/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1058/ Mon, 28 May 2007 16:47:04 -0700 Cabanaconde was our next stop in the Colca Canyon. From here we went on a 2-day hiking trip through the canyon. And although only 2 days and with a small backpack it was a tough walk. Starting at about 3300 m. above sealevel we we´re soon ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/981/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/981/ Fri, 25 May 2007 16:44:19 -0700 Imagine yourself on your friends wedding in Ireland and hearing they are going to South America for their honeymoon (a few days Brazil, and the rest in Peru). Imagine yourself mentioning to them that 2 of your other friends are travelling in Sout... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/980/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/980/ Tue, 22 May 2007 16:42:36 -0700 Arequipa is a beautiful colonial city, with on the background the volcano Misty. And because I don´t want to sound too much like a guide book, I´ll just let you look at the pictures.    Roy... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/979/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/979/ Fri, 18 May 2007 16:40:29 -0700 Advice to vegetarians and children with pets: Skip this entry! As soon as we crossed the border with Peru, we were invited to someone´s house to have lunch. Isabel, a Peruvian woman we had shared a car with, explained that she had a house i... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1100/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/1100/ Thu, 17 May 2007 16:39:36 -0700 In Arica we stayed one day to rest and see pelicans and sea lions and diving commorants (hundreds at a time). Unfortunately, we didn´t have our cameras with us, this because we didn´t know we were going to see all this just in the city. Which ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/978/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/978/ Wed, 16 May 2007 16:36:38 -0700 The Wara Wara del Sur train from Tupiza to Oruro was uhm...different. But as fun as the name suggests! From Oruro we then took a bus to Arica in Chile, to go on to Peru. Not because we wanted to see as many countries as possible i... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/977/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/977/ Tue, 15 May 2007 16:35:05 -0700 So with leaving Argentina no more big juicy steaks for Roy. As soon as we passed the border with Bolivia though, I saw something I realised I had been missing in Argentina: Exotic fruit juices sold on every street corner! In beau... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/876/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/876/ Sat, 12 May 2007 16:31:43 -0700 One of the joyous things about travelling is the excitement of discovering new places, at least new for me that is. This feeling of excitement is the strongest when we´ve packed our bags and leave the place we called home for at least a day. At t... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/875/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/875/ Thu, 10 May 2007 18:56:09 -0700 It was cold and wet. So a good time for reading and playing cards. Oh, and I ate the biggest steak so far in Argentina (and the last one as it turned out).   Greetz, Roy... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/873/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/873/ Mon, 07 May 2007 18:53:34 -0700 After beautiful Cafayate, we managed again to get away from civilization on roads less travelled, with some fellow travellers we had met there. We travelled through tiny villages on the back off pick-up trucks, filled with locals and their undefin... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/845/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/845/ Sat, 05 May 2007 19:45:02 -0700 We had a great night-sleep at the camping and a nice meal in the only restaurant of the tiny village of Molinos...... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/844/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/844/ Fri, 04 May 2007 19:48:41 -0700 Sometimes the curves and colours of nature are beyond a painters imagination. And because paintings are more to look at then to write about this is going to be short. Only a shame we forgot our camera on another beautifull bike ride/hike we did fr... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/843/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/843/ Mon, 30 Apr 2007 19:13:09 -0700 As in San juan we didn´t do much in Cordoba. We wandered the streets a little, looking for the colonial past of this university city, and had a good night out. We were planning to stay a little longer and do some daytrips to neighbouring to... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/842/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/842/ Sat, 28 Apr 2007 19:09:51 -0700 As a one day stop-over place we didn´t do much here, except visit another wine museum and accompanying winery. The only other remarkable thing here was when we saw the first reference to Che Guevarra in Argentina. It was during a street co... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/841/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/841/ Thu, 26 Apr 2007 19:04:55 -0700 Our travels in the south of Argentine have been more like one big organised tour, then really backpacking: We kept going from highlight to highlight. Even though they were HIGHlights and really worth visiting (with for me the hike in Torres del Pa... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/840/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/840/ Sun, 22 Apr 2007 10:36:08 -0700 My gym teacher in high school used to put us students in line according to height. As I was one of the smallest boys I used to stand first or second in this line. It made me feel small at the time. Years later I was in China for a couple of... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/839/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/839/ Fri, 20 Apr 2007 15:23:37 -0700 After all the poetic beauty of Malargüe, it is my turn to talk about: wine. Again... But this time it is justified as it was all part of the educational experience of becoming an ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/760/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/760/ Mon, 16 Apr 2007 17:23:42 -0700 The last few months at home, with the help of National Geographic Channel, I developed some kind of interest in volcanoes. So when Ingrid and I were about to set off to Reser... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/762/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/762/ Wed, 11 Apr 2007 16:09:03 -0700 We have had several beds in Bariloche, main reason: Easter. Apparently all Argentines move around the country at Easter, and Chileans move into the country, so no two-pe... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/684/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/684/ Sat, 07 Apr 2007 21:59:30 -0700 When you go travelling you expect to get bitten by al kinds of insects, at least I do. So when I was bitten by sandflies in Torres del Paine I knew that's part of being outdoors. What I dindn´t expect is to get bitten a zillion times by ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/685/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/685/ Tue, 03 Apr 2007 14:17:16 -0700 The town of El Calafate in Argentina is famous for one thing: the nearby Perito Moreno Glacier (click link for more info). And when in Patagonia this thing is a must see, so we did. ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/683/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/683/ Sun, 01 Apr 2007 07:20:15 -0700 After Roy´s philosophical discourse on first-time hiking, it is my turn to write a few words about something very familiair to us: The PARTY we had afterwards! We hadn´t really talked to most people in these pictures durin... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/652/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/652/ Fri, 30 Mar 2007 10:37:29 -0700 At first I wanted to call this entry "First Time Hiker", as this is about my experiences on my first multi-day-hike ever. But as I had been doing dayhikes before, I wouldn´t be writing about my first hike ever. During the last days however, I ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/650/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/650/ Thu, 29 Mar 2007 22:07:47 -0700 A few days ago we arrived in Ushuaia, also known as "the end of the world". Personally I think it sounds a little bit strange talking about the end of the world since it’s just a spot on a ball-like figure, earth i mean. And where is the end, ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/569/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/569/ Wed, 21 Mar 2007 17:34:29 -0700 Rio Gallegos was a nice place to sleep in between 2 long busrides. Pictures are taken from the bus, here is Costal Patagonia for you... (And yes, we have already been on one of those busses where they played Bingo for ....wine. Ingr... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/568/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/568/ Fri, 16 Mar 2007 17:31:27 -0700 Ingrid was really, really happy to see pinguins. More pictures (Penguins!) to be found at: www.ingeping.nl entry Puerto Madryn... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/562/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/562/ Tue, 13 Mar 2007 17:35:28 -0700 Here I am, writing our travel blog in an Internet cafe in Buenos Aires, while I am trying to upload pictures from my digital camera to the computer (which I am not managing, probably because I am not al... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/513/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/513/ Sun, 11 Mar 2007 10:57:07 -0700 De afgelopen maanden is vaak de vraag gesteld hoe het voelt om een jaar op reis te gaan. En het antwoord was waarschijnlijk: leuk, of spannend. Maar ook dat het besef er nog niet echt is.   En dat is nu nog steeds het geval. Het voelt... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/471/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/471/ Mon, 05 Mar 2007 14:43:48 -0800 With Roy´s passport and all, we made it to Michael´s in Benicasim!... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/459/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/459/ Fri, 02 Mar 2007 09:23:02 -0800 For all of you who were on our party we hope you had a good time. We sure had, despite the enormous headache we developed on sunday and which lasted until monday.  And for those who weren't there, the pictures will probably give a... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/401/ http://www.footstops.com/raverinkie/blog/401/ Sat, 24 Feb 2007 11:00:07 -0800