Nathan's Insights

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

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  • Destination: Bolivia

    Official Name: Plurinational State of Bolivia
    Established: 6 August 1825 (Declared Independence from Spain)
    Population: 11,428,245 (2019 estimate)
    Religion: 70% Catholic, 17.2% Protestant, 9.3% No religion
    Language(s): Spanish
    Capital: Sucre (constitutional and judicial), La Paz (executive and legislative)
    Order of Visit: Thirty-Fourth
    First Visit: 18 December 2009
    Last Visit: 30 December 2009
    Duration: 13 Days
    Visit Highlights: 
    – Copacabana: Cute baby llamas, first experience on the stunning and massive Lake Titicaca  
    – La Paz: The unusual rock formations at Moon Valley, the amazing La Paz Cathedral and San Francisco Church
    – Potosi: purchasing dynamite as a gift, exploring a surprising warm Potosi silver mine.
    – Salt Flats: Exploring the massive picturesque Salt Flats, Christmas lunch in the middle of nowhere, staying in a hotel made of salt and celebrating Christmas, stunning sunrise of the Salt Flats 
    – Santa Cruz: Night club drinking and dancing
    – Sucre: Hair rising high altitude plane landing, old Royal Palace (now a library), clothes museum, mini Eiffel Tower, difficult but rewarding high altitude hiking with magnificent views and 4,000 year old rock art.
    – Uyuni: Exploring a sometimes creepy train cemetery.
    – Uyuni Desert: Exploring stunning desert landscape, visiting boiling geysers, enjoying thermal bath, visiting red lagoon of Laguna Colorada, spotting flamingos at Laguna Verde (blue-green coloured lake)  
    Places Visited: Copacabana, La Paz, Potosi, Salt Flats, Santa Cruz, Sucre, Uyuni, Uyuni Desert
    Bolivia Journal Entries 

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  • Destination: Antarctica

    Established: 1959 (Antarctic Treaty signed 1 December 1959)
    Population    : Approximately 4,000 (in Summer months)
    Religion: None
    Language: None
    Original Treaty Countries: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America
    Order of Visit: Forty-Second
    First Visit    : 8 November 2012
    Last Visit: 18 November 2012
    Duration    : 11 Days
    Must Do Experiences: Camping on the Antarctic Continent, Walking on a moving iceberg, Antarctica Convergence (where the ocean’s hot and cold currents meet), Enjoy wild zodiac rides, Endure a Polar Plunge, Experience the magnificent wildlife; Gentoo Penguins, Chinstrap Penguins, Macaroni Penguins, Weddell Seals, Humpback Whale, and Killer Whales
    Places: Drake Passage, Beagle Channel, Half Moon Island, Deception Island, Livingston Island, Paradise Bay, Enterprise Island, Peterman Island, Pleneau Bay, Cuverville Island, Jougla Point, Antarctica Continent, Danko Island, Neko Harbour
    Antarctic Journal Entries

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  • Destination: Paraguay

    Official Name: Republic of Paraguay
    Established: 14 May 1811 (Independence from Spain), 24 October 1945 (Admitted to the United Nations)
    Population: 7,292,672 (2020 estimate)
    Religion: 88.3% Roman Catholic, 7.8% Other Christian
    Language(s): Spanish, Guarani
    Capital: Asunción
    Order of Visit: Thirty-Third
    First Visit: 13 December 2009
    Last Visit: 13 December 2009
    Duration: 1 Day
    Visit Highlights: Itaipu Dam
    Places Visited: Itaipu Dam 
    Paraguay Journal Entry  

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  • Destination: Argentina

    Official Name: Argentine Republic
    Established: 25 May 1810 (Independence from Spain)
    Population: 44,938,712 (2019 estimate)
    Religion: 76.5% Catholic, 11.3% Atheists, 9% Evangelical Protestants
    Language(s): Spanish
    Capital: Buenos Aires
    Order of Visit: Thirty-Second
    First Visit: 12 December 2009
    Last Visit: 21 November 2012
    Duration: 15 Days
    Visit Highlights: 
    – Buenos Aires: Tango Show, Recoletas cemetery, Botanical Gardens, Bike tour of the city.
    – El Calafate: Experiencing Perito Moreno Glacier
    –  El Chalten: Picturesque landscape, stunning hike to Laguna de Los Tres, Ice trekking on Viedma Glacier.
    – Iguassu Falls: A speed boat ride under the Devil’s Throat, awesome waterfalls 
    – Ushuaia: Snow-capped mountains, being strand during a National strike.
    Places Visited: Buenos Aires, El Calafate, El Chalten, Iguassu Falls, Ushuaia 
    Argentina Journal Entries  

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  • 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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