Nathan's Insights

World Traveller: 7 Continents, 90 Countries, 871 Days Overseas


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Travel Categories:
Flight Reviews | Lounge Reviews | Destinations | Short Breaks | World Trip 1986 | World Trip 1998 | World Trip 1999-2000 | World Trip 2006 | World Trip 2009 | World Trip 2009-10 | World Trip 2010 | World Trip 2011 | World Trip 2012-13 | World Trip 2015 | World Trip 2016 | World Trip 2017 | World Trip 2017-18 | World Trip 2018 | World Trip 2019 | Australia 2022 | World Trip 2023 | World Trip 2024 | World Trip 2024-25 | World Trip 2026-27

  • Destination: Brazil

    Official Name: Federative Republic of Brazil
    Established: 7 September 1822
    Population: 210,147,125 (2019 estimate)
    Religion: 64.6% Catholic, 22.2% Protestant, 8.0% no religion.
    Language(s): Portuguese
    Capital: Brasília
    Order of Visit: Thirty First
    First Visit: 5 December 2009
    Last Visit: 18 December 2009
    Duration: 14 Days
    Visit Highlights: 
    – Rio De Janeiro: Christ the Redeemer statue, the beautiful people on Copacabana beach, watching Christmas Tree being light on Lagoa Rodrgo de Freitas (a lake).
    – Ilha Grande: enjoying strong caipirinhas, drinking under the stars, watching football match at a local view party, Prison ruins, a long National Park hike, calm ocean swimming and floating, catching fish and drinking beers on a boat
    – Paraty: Jeep tour, trying to learn (unsuccessfully) capoeira martial arts
    – Iguassu Falls: The greatest and grandest waterfalls I have ever experienced!
    – Bonito: Chilling by a river with friends, snake handling
    – Rio da Prata: Snorkelling with colourful and beautiful topical fish.
    – Pantanal: A night walking safari, finding caiman (small crocodiles) everywhere, day safari, horseback riding, stunning sunrise.
    Places Visited: Bonito, Iguassu Falls, Ilha Grande, Pantanal, Paraty, Rio da Prata, Rio De Janeiro
    Brazil Journal Entries  

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  • Destination: Egypt

    Official Name: Arab Republic of Egypt
    Established: 3150 BC (Unification of Upper and Lower Egypt), 28 February 1922 (Independence from United Kingdom)   
    Population: 100,075,480 (2020 estimate)
    Religion: 85% Muslim, 10% Coptic Christians
    Language(s): Arabic
    Capital: Cairo
    Order of Visit: Thirtieth
    First Visit: 6 June 2009
    Last Visit: 21 June 2009
    Duration: 16 Days
    Visit Highlights: 
    Cairo: Sakkah Pyramids, Giza Pyramids, Egyptian Museum, Mohammed Ali Mosque, Turkish Bazaar
    Aswan: Negotiating in local marketplace, Felucca ride, Nubian village visit with dinner at a local house.
    Abu Simbel: Experiencing the Great Temple, dedicated to Ramesses II, and the Small Temple, dedicated to Queen Nefertari
    Kom Ombo: Felucca sailing from Aswan to Kom Ombo, swimming in the Nile, sleeping on the Nile under the stars, beautiful sunrise over the Nile, Temple of Kom Ombo, Temple of Edfu
    Luxor: Luxor Temple, Mummification Museum, Karnak Temple, Luxor Museum
    Valley of the Kings: Riding a donkey to the valley (and not falling off), visiting the stunning Queen Hatshepsut Temple, inspecting Ramesses II, Ramesses IV and Ramesses IX tombs. 
    Hurghada: ATV desert safari
    Dahab: Snorkelling in the Red Sea
    Sinai Desert: St Catherine’s Monastery, Hiking up Mount Sinai and watching the sunrise over the mountain range.
    Places Visited: Aswan, Abu Simbel, Cairo, Dahab, Hurghada, Kom Ombo, Luxor, Sinai Desert, Valley of the Kings 
    Egypt Journal Entries  

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  • Destination: China

    Official Name: The People’s Republic of China
    Established: 221 BCE (First imperial dynasty), 1 January 1912 (Republic established), 1 October 1949 (Proclamation of the People’s Republic)   
    Population: 1,400,050,000 (2019 estimate)
    Religion: 74% Atheist, 16% Buddhists, 2% Christians, 1% Muslims
    Language(s): Chinese  
    Capital: Beijing
    Order of Visit: Twenty-Ninth
    First Visit: 14 August 2006
    Last Visit: 27 August 2006
    Duration: 14 Days
    Visit Highlights:
    Beijing    : Hiking the Great Wall of China (Jinshanling section), Beijing Acrobats, Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City. 
    Xi’an    : The beautiful Terracotta Warriors, The Great Mosque.  Luoyang:  Longmen Grottos, White Horse Temple, the Smiling Buddha. 
    Yangtze River    : The entire 3 day cruise, the lock system, The Little Three Gorges, the Hanging coffins, visiting a ‘Ghost Town’. 
    Yangzhou    : The striking landscape, biking to Moon Hill, learning tai’chi, watching hundreds of performers in a ‘Chinese Lightning’ show.   
    Places Visited: Beijing, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Guilin, Louyang, Yangtze River, Yangzhou, Yichang, Xi’an
    China Journal Entries  

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  • Destination: Hong Kong

    Official Name: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China
    Established: 29 August 1842 (Treaty of Nanking), 1 July 1997 (Transfer from the United Kingdom)
    Population: 7,500,700 (2019 estimate)
    Religion: Buddhism 20%, Confucianism 20%, and Taoism 20%, Christianity 12%, Islam 4%
    Language(s): Chinese, English 
    Capital: Hong Kong
    Order of Visit: Twenty-Eigthth
    First Visit: 9 August 2006
    Last Visit: 30 October 2018
    Duration: 14 Days
    Visit Highlights: Stanley Market, Victoria Peak, Sampans, Ladies Market, Disneyland, Giant Buddha (Po Lin monastery), Cathay Pacific First Class Lounges  
    Places Visited: Hong Kong
    Hong Kong Journal Entries  

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  • Destination: Canada

    Official Name: Dominion of Canada
    Established: 1 July 1867 (Independence from the United Kingdom)
    Population: 38,008,005 (2020 estimate)
    Religion: 67.3% Christian, 23.9% No Religion, Islam 3.2%
    Language(s): English, French
    Capital: Ottawa
    Order of Visit: Twenty-Seventh
    First Visit: 6 January 2000
    Last Visit: 8 August 2006
    Duration: 15 Days
    Visit Highlights: Banff: Gondola ride up Sulphur Mountain, magnificent Chateau Banff.  Cheainus: Beautiful murals.  Jasper: Hiking on Athabasca Glacier and Edith, Jasper National Park.   Lake Louise: the majestic photogenic Lake Louise.   Niagara Falls: The stunning Niagara Falls.  Vancouver: Stanley Park, China Town, friendly locals.  Victoria: Beautiful Butchart Gardens, British Columbia Legislative building.  Whistler: Grand views of nature.  
    Places Visited: Banff, Cheainus, Jasper, Kelowna, Lake Louise, Lac Le Jeune, Niagara Falls, Vancouver, Victoria, Whistler
    Canada Journal Entries  

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  • Destination: Estonia

    Official Name: Republic of Estonia
    Established: 12 April 1917 (Independence from Russia), 1940–1991 (USSR State), 20 August 1991 ((Independence from USSR)
    Population: 1,328,976 (2019 estimate)
    Religion: 16.1% Orthodox Christians, 9.9% Lutheran Christians, 54% No religion
    Language(s): Estonian
    Capital: Tallinn
    Order of Visit: Twenty-Sixth
    First Visit: 20 July 2006
    Last Visit: 21 July 2006
    Duration: 2 Days
    Visit Highlights: Historic buildings of Tallinn in particular Tallinn Town Hall
    Places Visited: Tallinn
    Estonia Journal Entry  

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  • Destination: Latvia

    Official Name: Republic of Latvia
    Established: 6 July 1253 (Kingdom of Lithuania), 16 February 1918 (Independence from Russia)
    Population: 1,907,675 (2020 estimate)
    Religion: 34.3% Lutheranism, 25.1% Catholicism, 16.9% Eastern Orthodox, 3.7% Other Christian
    Language(s): Latvian
    Capital: Riga
    Order of Visit: Twenty-Fifth
    First Visit: 18 July 2006
    Last Visit: 19 July 2006
    Duration: 2 Days
    Visit Highlights: Museum of Occupation, The Baltic Sea
    Places Visited: Riga
    Latvia Journal Entry  

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  • Destination: Lithuania

    Official Name: Republic of Lithuania
    Established: 6 July 1253 (Kingdom of Lithuania), 16 February 1918 (Independence from Russia)
    Population: 2,795,334 (2020 estimate)
    Religion: 93% Christianity
    Language(s): Lithuanian, Polish, Russian
    Capital: Vilnius
    Order of Visit: Twenty-Fourth
    First Visit: 17 July 2006
    Last Visit: 18 July 2006
    Duration: 2 Days
    Visit Highlights: Vilnius – Gediminas Square, St Peter and St Paul Church.  Trakai – Trakai Castle. The sad but impressive Hill of Crosses.
    Places Visited: Trakai, Vilnius
    Lithuania Journal Entry

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  • Destination: Belarus

    Official Name: Republic of Belarus
    Established: 25 March 1918 (Independence from Russia)
    Population: 9,408,400 (2020 estimate)
    Religion: 48.3% Orthodox Christian, 41.1% atheist, 7.1% is Catholic
    Language(s): Belarusian, Russian
    Capital: Minsk
    Order of Visit: Twenty-Third   
    First Visit: 16 July 2006
    Last Visit: 17 July 2006
    Duration: 2 Days
    Visit Highlights: Dour and gloomy Minsk
    Places Visited: Minsk
    Belarus Journal Entry  

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  • Destination: Russia

    Official Name: Russian Federation
    Established: Duchy of Moscow (1283), Monarchy abolished (1917), Russian Federation (1991)
    Population: 146,748,590 (2020 estimate)
    Religion: 70% Russian Orthodoxy, 15% No religion, 10% Islam
    Language(s): Russian 
    Capital: Moscow
    Order of Visit: Twenty-First   
    First Visit: 09 July 2006
    Last Visit: 16 July 2006
    Duration: 8 Days
    Visit Highlights: 
    St Petersburg; Peter and Paul Fortress, Pushkin Palace (Summer Palace), Petredvoert (Tsar Peter the Great’s summer residence), ballet performance – Swan Lake, Yusupov’s Palace, St Isaac’s Square and Cathedral, the amazing Hermitage and it’s art collection.  
    Novgorod; Millennium Monument, Kremlin Fort and St Sophia Cathedral.  
    Moscow: Metro Rail system (really it is stunning), Red Square, Peter the Great Statue, Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, St Basil’s Cathedral (very colourful), Borodino Panorama Exhibition, The Kremlin (in particular Kremlin Armoury Chamber), Russian White House
    Places Visited: Novgorod, Moscow, St Petersburg
    Russia Journal Entry  

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