We were in Bogota for a quick layover. I really liked the city, but sadly, we were only there three days.

We stayed at a hostel called Masaya. We got to sleep in bunk beds that I, personally, was a big fan of. They had big breakfasts with exotic fruits and pancakes. They also had a fun game where you could throw disks into metal holes shaped as frog mouths. The further back the mouth, the more points you got. The last night we were there, they had an activity called a “jam session.” We decided to check it out. I got to play drums while a guy was playing the piano and another guy was playing guitar. It was a blast.

I am not a big fan of museums and the Museum of Gold was not an exception. However, we did go there our first and second day due to my mom’s persuasion. It might sound cool, but it was just another one of “those” museums. There were lots of rooms and things to read, that’s what I mean by “those museums.” Not any interactive stuff, just words.

We also went to a museum of plump people, the person who did the art (Botero) claimed that he was just painting and sculpting with different proportions. The museum had a very nice garden. We started getting hungry towards the end and decided to eat lunch at the museum’s restaurant. It was there that I had the world’s best churro. The churro was under a blanket of powdered sugar and was paired with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce.

After lunch, later in the afternoon, we went to a famous hot chocolate and cheese place. Apparently, you are supposed to dunk your cheese in hot chocolate. I tried it and it was yummy.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

NEXT STOP: SANTIAGO, CHILE

So far we have stayed in Medellín the longest this trip. Our idea was to learn Spanish there, so we stayed two weeks. Something threw a wrench in our plan. Not a big wrench, but it was definitely disappointing and depressing to me and my family. Now, since you’re dying to find out, I’m just going to move on to something else.

Medellín is bigger than we expected. The city is tucked into a valley of mountains. I felt like we were in a little cave inside the world. This little cave used to be dark, scary and violent. Medellín was the most dangerous city in the world. Now, Medellín is far from its past. Medellín is now filled with delicious Colombian cuisine, art, views and many friendly people.

Now, about that wrench; it was the flu. My mom just had a cold but colds spread fast in our house. I soon caught it. But, on the first day we realized that mine was not the cold. I had a bad flu. I threw up three times the first day. Each time I threw up it was terrible. I just kept asking and asking when it was going to stop. I learned that you can’t be sure how many times you’re going to throw up but you can dare to think that you will only throw up for one day. We had recently been in a malaria zone so my dad started worrying that I had malaria, which totally freaked me out. It was chaos. My mom didn’t think I had malaria and was trying to calm me down. We reached the hospital and we waited in the waiting room. I was feeling horrible. We finally went in after what seemed like forever. They gave me some medicine and I started to feel better. They also delivered the news that I did not have malaria. But, the only downside of going to the hospital is they made me drink Pedialyte, which is like Gatorade and is high in electrolytes. Electrolytes are supposedly good for you after you loose a lot of energy when you throw up. It was grape flavored and I swear if you took a big gulp of hand sanitizer with grape juice in it that’s what Pedialyte would taste like. I was really glad it wasn’t malaria but the flu wasn’t much fun. While I was sick I also developed a phobia for throwing up. Every once in a while I would think about throwing up and I would get so scared I was going to throw up I would start to gag and cry. My mom would calm me down though and I did get better.

Before and after I got sick we went to learn some Spanish; that’s the reason we came to Medellín. We hired a tutor and met her at a café every day for an hour. I enjoyed these sessions, but my brain got fried. I would be concentrating so hard that I wouldn’t blink, and then at the end I would blink and my eyes would fill with tears. It would look like I was crying. Our tutor would send us homework and then the next day before class we would study it.

Food was what I missed most while I was sick. While I was sick, I planned a big food day for when I got better. It would go like this: bagel and lox for breakfast, then pizza for lunch at a delicious pizza place we went to before I got sick, then I would try ice cream at a place our tutor recommended, and then finally for dinner we would go to a fancy vegan restaurant called KAI that we also went to before I got sick. When my big day arrived, we headed out to the Hija Mia Café to get my bagel and lox. My mouth watered. It finally arrived and I took a bite. The saltiness, sweetness and sour all mixed in; it ran down my throat. I smiled a big smile. My food day had begun. We ended up not going to the pizza place, but we did go to the ice cream place called Elixor. There was a flavor called black ice cream. It was ash flavored. I’m not joking it was disgusting, but my dad got it. I got coconut with honey drizzle, and it was delicious. We also ended up not going to KAI either. We went to a place called Modongos, which has a specialty called modongo. We actually tried to go to Modongos before but I had one of my phobia incidents on the way there, and then I just wanted to go back and sleep. Modongos was yummy. I was just glad I could have my food day.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

NEXT STOP: BOGOTA

We were only in Salvador for one day so we didn’t get to explore much. We went to a church with golden colored walls and gargoyles. We wanted to go to a street where there were supposed to be ladies doing a traditional dance but it started raining and no one was dancing. We decided to go have lunch. We went to a fancy place and had delicious food.

To get to our Air BnB we had to go up a gigantic elevator like a gondola to go up the hillside. My biggest fear is elevators because we once got stuck in one. So this was like my biggest nightmare. It ended up being ok. Later, we found out that it was the world’s first mechanical elevator. We stayed at the Bahia Cafe Hotel. I really liked that hotel. When we woke up in the morning, we had a huge buffet breakfast with pastries, salami, make your own parfait and a bunch of things we had never heard of before.

Morro de São Paulo

General Impressions

This doesn’t have to do with general impressions but is about how we got to Brazil. The flight to Brazil was the longest flight yet: 10 hours 30 minutes. I watched 4 movies and 3 episodes of my favorite tv show. I also did school work and lots of starring into space. Ok, Morro de São Paulo is a little beach town off the coast of Brazil. To get here from the nearest airport you had to do an assortment of transportation, like this: taxi, ferry, bus, boat. Let me tell you, it’s not that easy. The ferry was blazing hot, and once it was getting very bumpy and a baby couldn’t hold his cookies. When we got off the bus, someone told us it wasn’t the right stop but the bus driver said it was. We kept on going, following some people from the bus. We asked them for clarification if this was the way to the boat terminal. They all said no. There was one taxi driver there. It was our only option because the bus was already driving down the road. We got in the car. The seats were torn and the paint on the taxi was coming off. The taxi driver accelerated and sped us down to the terminal at what felt like 100 miles per hour. Once we got there, we were stuffed into a speedboat. I had never been on a speed boat but when we started it was the best time ever! We finally reached Morro de São Paulo.

Morro de São Paulo was so awesome. It’s a very small town but I wouldn’t have been more happy had it been larger. The water was a brilliant turquoise blue and was never cold. Every day we would walk or, for me, skip down to the beaches and have an awesome day. Yes, there were multiple beaches. In fact, there were five.

---

First beach

First beach was not touched by us more than to walk across to get to second beach. It could have been cool, and we will never know, but it really just didn’t look as interesting as the other four beaches.

---

Second beach

Second beach was the ultimate party beach and by far my favorite. People were always there partying, laughing and having fun. There were restaurants alongside that could provide needed shade and were a good place to get piña coladas and coconut water. Also, there were courts for a Brazilian sport called fut volei. It’s like volleyball but played with your feet.

---

Third beach

Ughhh! Third beach was such a disappointment. We read on the internet that it was great for swimming. I don’t know why they wrote that, maybe just to give it something. However, it was simply a parking place for rusty boats and, in general, the beach wasn’t as clean as the others.

---

Fourth beach

We never really stopped at fourth beach. We could tell it was popular but we were in a hurry to get to fifth beach. And at high tide 19/20ths of the beach was immersed in water. Although, we did get coconut water there once.

Fifth beach

I think my parents liked fifth beach the best. Fifth beach was very long so we never explored all of it. At low tide a tide pool formed and their were tons of different kinds of fish in the pool. They would swim around you and you could feed them. My mom and I once explored further down the tide pool, when we reached the end we realized there were two little silver fishes swimming around us. We started heading back. I turned around to look back, and to my surprise the same two fishes were following us! They followed us all the way back to the start. In some parts on fifth beach, the water temperature was blazing hot like a hot tub. There were also horses pulling carts, galloping across the beach. We had one spot on the beach that we particularly liked; there were no rocks and it was calm. The first day we arrived at fifth beach, we had sought out this spot and had stayed there until the fruit carts started packing up. Finally, we got out of the water. We started heading back to fourth beach, but like I had said in the paragraph above, at high tide 19/20ths of the beach was immersed in water, not calm water but big waves slamming and crashing into the bank. There was no other way to go. Razor wire was at the top of the bank. So, what did we do? We took off our flip flops and headed in. We could all touch, but when the waves came crashing down they came uncomfortably close to my head. We finally made it through. Next time, we left before the fruit carts started heading in.

More

The dominant language in Brazil is Portuguese. One time when we where at second beach a boy came up to me and motioned to the fut volie courts. I followed him and he got another one of his friends and we attempted to play. He could do a bicycle kick but I could not. When he went home I tried practicing the bicycle kick. Then I got my first injury of the trip. I hiper extended my elbow. I was doing a bicycle kick and landed on my arm. It was better though the next day.

The inside of the city was very small. There was music and food at night. We also had a delicious meal multiple times called moqueca. It was a fish stew that was limey, salty and delicious.

Okay even though the title says “Africa” we actually only went to South Africa, but that’s a minor detail. This won’t have sections divided by cities like Ireland for multiple reasons but, anyways, here’s a summary of our first stop.

---

The First Section

We are in Graskop first. This is a small town but has awesome attractions nearby. The second day we got here, we went to a place called God’s Window, and wow. There were sheer cliffs straight down, and when you’re driving up you can’t even see to the bottom of the cliff, it’s just sky! The next day, after waking up from our freezing cold hut, we went to a canyon that rivaled the Grand Canyon in Arizona. At the end of the canyon was a sparkling blue lake. Next, we went to a place called The Potholes, which wasn’t a very good name because I could just find potholes on the road. But this place was amazing despite its very boring name. Super smooth rocks went twenty feet down into a ravine with turquoise water and hence the name; there were big holes shaped into the smooth rocks. Inside Graskop is an amazing pancake place. Graskop was awesome. And the safari next is bound to be great.

---

The Second Section

Our next section is a private reserve called Umlani. I loved Umlani, it was my favorite. We saw so many animals and had so much fun and made lots of friends. If you’re going to go on a Safari you have to go to Umlani. On the first day we got there we saw something never expected. We drove up on a herd of elephants. It was so incredible, a baby was swinging her trunk around curiously. There was a female across the road acting weird. We didn’t suspect anything. Then, SHE HAD A BABY right then!!! The ranger started up the car. I didn’t know why because I wanted to watch the baby elephant, but then all of a sudden the other 15 members of the herd came trumpeting across to her at full speed. If we still had been there we could of gotten smushed. The rest of the trip was just as good. We saw lions, leopards, zebras, giraffes, an assortment of deer-ish creatures and much more.

---

The Third Section

The third section is about when we had to move out of Umlani and head to Kruger National Park. I felt so low down in our little car after being up in the Land Cruiser. Bedsides that, Kruger was good. If you saw one grazing animal there were hundreds near them. It was a lot different though. In Umlani you went to the animals, in Kruger the animals had to come to you.

---

The Fourth Section

We struggled through the six hour drive, waiting in the airport and then being on the plane for two hours. Then we finally arrived at Cape Town, which is at the very southern tip of Africa. Cape Town, to my surprise, actually looks a lot like Hawaii! It’s also bigger than I thought. The population is about six and a half million people! I thought one of the best things about Cape Town was the beaches. The waves are huge and turquoise, and the sand on the beaches is so warm and nice. This was a big change in landscape from the safaris. There is also a scenic area by Cape Town called Table Mountain. On the second day, we went up to Table Mountain by gondola. My mom and I started getting nervous when we saw how steep the cliff was but when we got in the gondola it was fine. The gondola was nice and ventilated, and the floor of the gondola spins gently so you can see in all directions. The view on Table Mountain is spectacular. You can see out to the sea, the downtown, Lions Head (not actually a lion’s head, just another mountain) and if you’re at the right time, the sunset is magical.

---

The Fifth Section

We were only at this place for one day. The town is called Hermanus. They call it the ultimate whale destination. I see why because we had five whale sightings. We saw Southern Right Whales and Humpback Whales. It was so amazing looking out to sea and seeing a whale come above the surface and flip onto their back right in front of you. When a whale does this, “Life literally stops in time,” said one of our waiters, a local in Hermanus.

---

The Sixth Section

The sixth section is a little town: Franschhoek. Wine, mountains and beautiful scenery is what Franschhoek is all about. On the second day, we went on a wine tour. Not my personal choice, but I’m glad I did because it was a great experience. At the first winery, there was a cheetah rescue center. We went over to see it and we actually got to pet the one of the cheetahs! It was purring as loud as a lawnmower! It was so cool! We had to leave the enclosure after a couple minutes because some person was running around to buy tickets. The cheetah gets on alert when “prey” is running. Every once in a while my dad or my mom says out of the blue, “I wish we were petting that cheetah.” We had lunch at a winery and then afterwards, we walked down the vineyard and petted horses. I didn’t expect this but I was sad to leave Franschhoek, too.

---

The Seventh Section

For the last part of Africa, we went to Johannesburg and Soweto. Johannesburg was good, not fantastic or anything, but Soweto was one of the best times in my life! We went on a guided tour of Soweto with a few other people. First on the tour, we went to a very poor township. A township is a neighborhood/town that has lots of people with low income. Their houses are the size of one of our bathrooms in Washington. They’re made out of any scrap material they find. Also, they have communal toilets. Despite all this, when we arrived kids greeted us, asked us to pick them up, hugged us, and were as happy as could be. We went into their school – first we went to their preschool and kindergarten. The kindergarteners chanted our guide’s name as we entered. They all stood up and told us their names and what they wanted to be, in English. Then, we went into the elementary school and they had a surprise for us. They preformed a dance they had choreographed, learned and practiced. It was so amazing! I could not believe these kids. Life was obviously hard but they were fighting through it with a big grin on their faces and dancing their hearts out in front of these strangers. That experience left a happy feeling deep down for the rest of the trip. I needed that feeling because the next part was so sad I felt like crying. Soweto is where the famous uprising of apartheid happened. Students from all over marched down the streets of Soweto. Unfortunately, the cops confronted them. The cops fired their guns at wherever they could point. One cop even let the police dog loose. The youngest student killed was only thirteen. During the whole uprising 176 students got killed.

Okay on that happy note;)

It was time to leave Africa, I can’t believe we’ve been traveling now for a month.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Click here to see my videos of the elephant birth and the children dancing!

Welcome to the Emerald Isle. The trip has begun! Our first stop is Ireland.

Ireland is a country with lots of history. We are going to Dublin, Galway and Dingle.

Dublin

Dublin is a modern city with lots of neat architecture. We visited Trinity College, the Dublin Castle and Christ Church. Trinity College is a very old looking college. It is home to the famous Book of Kells, which is almost 12 hundred years old, made with poisonous ink. What I thought was funny was that Queen Victoria signed the Book of Kells. No one knows why. Maybe she thought it was customary or something, I don’t know. The glass surrounding it is now bullet proof, shatter proof and tightly sealed. The students at Trinity College call it “queen proof.” We didn’t get to spend much time at the Dublin Castle but it looked very cool. In second grade, I did a project with a friend of mine about the Dublin castle so it was cool to see it in person. The big stone walls towered above me. No wonder this place draws tourists near and far. To the Christ Church we took the Hop On Hop Off Tour Bus. I highly recommend it. Being at the Christ Church, I thought it would probably be helpful to not be there at the most crowded times, but otherwise it was great. Very medieval looking. Go and see Dublin!

Galway

I loved this city, so cute and fun. Just so you know though, your parents will say “quaint” 30 times ( I counted). Also you absolutely need to go to the Quay Street Kitchen! It had delicious food and a cozy vibe. We also found TAYTOS which are Irish potato chips. Go to a pub in Galway. Also between Galway and Dingle we saw the Cliffs of Moher. It was extremely windy but yet beautiful.

Dingle

Dingle is a beautiful little city that my family loved. They also have good pubs in Dingle too. Just off the coast of the city is the island that they filmed The Last Jedi on. They also have beautiful hidden beaches squished into the rocky cliffs. This city is also home to Europe’s friendliest dolphin named Fungie. [fun-gee] He would come into a little cove at night and we would watch him swim around. It was amazing.

Gallery of Ireland

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

NEXT STOP: AFRICA

Pack your bags its time to go! The hurry, stress, confusion and chaos can seem overwhelming sometimes. But relax, its going to be okay.

The Golden Strategy

So you’re going on a long trip couple months maybe more, backpack or suitcase? Well it depends on what you’re looking for. Do you want your vacay to be chill and relaxing. Or do you want it to be exotic, exciting and full of adventures. If you’re looking for chill, use a suitcase. You might want to pack more to make your perfect vacation more perfect. If you’re seeking more adventures use a backpack, this minimizes the weight. A backpack is also more easy to move from one place to another. When packing your backpack the best way to pack is lay your clothes as flat as possible.

BACKPACK Somethings We Found Helpful

1. Making a checklist of packing items
2. Practice runs of packing
3. REI co-op
4. Lighter versions of things: Down Jacket vs Fleece
5. Little day pack

Our Backpacks

Below: Above the Rocky Mountains – Maimaipapya

Getting ready for a big trip can be exciting but many times I end up in a different country only to realize I forgot a key item. You can avoid this by simply making a checklist or have a family member go over a list of items that you should have in your backpack, suitcase, or bag. Some people go on a trip for two days, a week, a month but my family is going on a trip for nine months!

Tips For a Long Trip

• Make a check list of all the things you need to bring on the trip.

• Go on a little trip, maybe even just to the nearest big city just for a couple hours, make sure all your stuff fits in your bag, suitcase, backpack etc. Walk around a little, if you have a backpack make sure it is not too heavy or uncomfortable; if it is too heavy try to minimize the amount of stuff. If your backpack is uncomfortable, try a new backpack. REI co-op is a great place to start. You can go on their online website and they have a great selection of bags and equipment for your trip. They also have a great return policy. I got my bag from there and so did my parents; my personal opinion is that it’s probably the most comfy backpack I’ve ever had! https://www.rei.com/

Our Trip

My family is going on a trip around the world for nine months. We are only bringing a backpack (mine is just 18 liters). My parents’ backpacks are around 45 liters. We find this is all we need for nine months, no more, no less. We are touching every continent except Antarctica.

♦Bonjour! Ciao! Hola! However you want to say it, welcome!♦

“Not all those who wander are lost.” -J.R.R. Tolkien