The travel and adventure year ahead

Ngaire at Iguazu Falls, Argentina

At Iguazu Falls, Argentina

As you may realise, I’m on an eight month stint of travel around Africa, South America, Central America and even a brief visit to North America. As we begin the new year I thought its a good time for me to reflect on how much I’ve experienced already and how much to look forward to.

2014 was the year I saved and saved, visited Russia and decided to leave the UK. One of the hardest decisions of my life, but one that I think was worth doing at this stage of my life. You never know what is around the corner and I want to make sure I’ve seen as much of the world and cultures as I can, while I can.

This took me back to Africa to kick off my adventure in October. Volunteering in Namibia and then travelling through Africa from Zimbabwe to Botswana, back through Namibia and down to Cape Town. Some of the best highlights were sleeping under the stars in Spitzkoppe.

Sunset over Spitzkoppe

Sunset over Spitzkoppe

Testing my fear of falling while sandboarding in Swakopmund.

Sandboarding in Namibia

Sandboarding in Namibia

Spending the day surrounded by massive sand dunes on my birthday.

Dune 45, Namibia

Dune 45, Namibia

And seeing elephants (and other animals) up close in the Okavango Delta and Etosha National Park.

Breeding herd of elephants running

Breeding herd of elephants running

Lion drinking in Etosha National Park

Lion drinking in Etosha National Park

December rolled around far too fast and I found myself in South America. Mouth dropping in awe at Iguazu Falls, seeing whales in Peninsula Valdes and stunning scenery of Patagonia.

Southern Right Whale (head), Puerto Piramides

Southern Right Whale (head), Puerto Piramides

Magellanic Penguin

Magellanic Penguin, Peninsula Valdes, Argentina

Blogs will be coming about my Christmas and New Years, current ideas include Bariloche (Lake District, Argentina), Santiago/Valparaiso (Chile) and Mendoza (Wine District, Argentina), but I’m now free from plans and letting go. Something I’m not quite used to.

As this is the travel linkup of my wish list of the year ahead though, here are my current plans…

  • Dipping into Chile and Argentina as I make my way north to Salta and San Pedro de Atacama for a varied array of scenery.
  • From there its up through the Salt Flats of Bolivia hopefully, maybe a visit to the Pampas in the Amazon before hitting Peru.
  • Peru will bring high altitudes and mountains. Both of which I hope to manage without too much sickness. I’ll visit the Nazca Lines and sand dunes for a bit more sand boarding too I think!
  • As March rolls around I’ll aim to be in Ecuador to volunteer at a wildlife rescue centre before hopefully visiting the Galapagos Islands.

By now I know you’re with me in freaking out about my budget. Turns out my flight travel agent was a tad wrong with his suggested budgets, but I’m here now and just hoping I can cut costs with food while still enjoying all the amazing places while I’m here. It’s a once in a lifetime trip for me.

It doesn’t stop there though. I’ll make my way through Colombia, take a boat to Panama and finish up in Costa Rica where I’ll lap up the surfing and yoga to relax.

My final flights will take me to San Francisco for a week where I’ll hope to visit Yosemite if my knee and feet are still functioning.

Then it’s to NZ! I hope to finally start to see some of my own country, maybe by house sitting, while freelancing – but I’m sure my plans will change, that’s just the current idea… but I’m liking the idea of not quite knowing what the next year holds. It could be anything!

Sheep in New Zealand

Sheep on the Papamoa Hills, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand

Category : Africa, Central America, South America, Travel, USA
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