I’ve never been into an active mine, or any mine for that matter, but I had heard the stories about Cerro Rico, a once silver-rich mine dating back to the 1800’s that was one of the major suppliers of silver for the metal-hungry Spanish. Sure Marc, let’s go for a tour in an ancient mine, in the middle of nowhere. Great idea.
travel blog
How to spend 3 and a half weeks in Colombia
Colombia is one of the first countries I’ve come across where everyone has very unique itineraries. I was expecting many people to be following the well trodden Gringo trail north or south around South America, but it turns out this doesn’t really apply to Colombia.
Hiking in the Valle de Cocora from Salento
My last stop in Colombia before an epic 17 hour bus trip to the Ecuador border was Salento – the coffee region of Colombia. The area is situated high up in the mountains and the cool temperatures are perfect for growing coffee. The mountainous landscape makes it a great place to hike too.
Bogota – my first stop in South America
29 hours of flying, and a total of 44 hours in transit later, I arrived in Bogota, Colombia. It’s so refreshing to be out of Asia and experience something so different! The plan is to spend the next 3 weeks in Colombia before continuing with the rest of South America. Challenge accepted!
The never-ending journey to Bohol
Getting to Bohol was a challenge, I won’t lie. We utilised almost all forms of public transport to get there and encountered some pretty hairy situations. Thankfully, we got to the Central Visayas relatively unscathed and in desperate need of a San Miguel!
Tibet – a photojournal
I could wax lyrical about this place until the cows come home, but what they say about a picture speaking a thousand words is so true when it comes to Tibet. Here are some photos from the 6 days I spent there. If you’re moderately interested in visiting this jewel of a place, now is the time – the Chinese are constructing up a storm there and I fear it won’t be the same for much longer.
Guangzhou in photos
Guangzhou – I’ll be honest, in planning my Chinese trip, this city was only on the plan because it serves as a convenient transit hub to Zhangjiajie. Guangzhou is a big, modern city that is trying really hard to compete with the best of them. Here I am typing this and I’m certainly glad I spent a couple days there, if for anything, the architecture is amazing. Here are some pics from the few days spent here.
Xi’an in pictures
I spent a few days in Xi’an, the capital of the Shaanxi Province of China – a place best known for the Terracotta Army. There’s a lot more to the city, though and worth a stop. Here are some photos of my stay there.
Trans Siberian Railway- the first 1800kms
I’m currently writing to you from an English pub called the Britannia, in a city called Yekaterinburg. I guess you could say ‘why am I not in a Russian pub?’, but honestly, I just want to read a menu in English for a change. In the last 2 weeks, I think I’ve inadvertently eaten testicles, plastic (don’t ask) and consumed some pretty nasty tea.
I’ve officially started the Trans Siberian Railway, and will be crossing through Siberia, and Mongolia with an ultimate destination of Beijing in a months time. Technically, the route is called the Trans Mongolian – a 7621 km journey through Russia, Mongolia and China.
Dinks in Transit 