Nathan's Insights

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

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  • Destination: Malaysia

    Official Name: Malaysia
    Established: 31 August 1957
    Population: 32,730,000 (2020 estimate)
    Religion: 61.3% Islam, 19.8% Buddhism, 9.2% Christianity, 6.3% Hinduism, 1.3% Chinese folk religion
    Language(s): Malay
    Capital: Kuala Lumpur
    Order of Visit: Thirty-Eighth
    First Visit: 30 September 2012
    Last Visit: 6 October 2012
    Duration: 7 Days
    Visit Highlights: 
    – Melaka: Colourful trishaw tour of China Town, trying Melaka Tree fruit, exploring 485 year old Taoism Temple
    – Kuala Lumpur: The stunning Petronas Towers, the shopping experience, the Istana Negara (National Palace), the grand National Mosque, historic Freedom Square, the magnificent Batu Caves (and monkeys around it), fireflies at Kuala Selangor.
    – Cameron Heights: The amazing mountain and valley landscapes, hiking through Mossy Forest, trying to shoot a native pipe weapon, a mesmerising butterfly farm.
    – Penang: Funicular ride (a type of train), exploring Penang Hill, strong cocktails
    Places Visited    : Cameron Highlands, Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, Penang
    Malaysia Journal Entries  

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  • Destination: Peru

    Official Name: Republic of Peru
    Established: 28 July 1821 (Declared Independence from Spain)
    Population: 32,824,358 (2020 estimate)
    Religion: 76% Catholic, 18.5% Other Christian,5.1% No religion
    Language(s): Spanish
    Capital: Lima
    Order of Visit: Thirty-Fifth
    First Visit: 30 December 2009
    Last Visit: 17 January 2010
    Duration: 19 Days
    Visit Highlights: 
    – Lake Titicaca: Boat ride on the massive Lake, Exploring Taguile Island, staying, playing sport and seeing in the new year with locals on the Capachica Peninsula, visiting the very unique floating villages (man made islands that last around 20 years)
    – Puno: Nothing for me due to being unwell but partying for my tour group!
    – Cusco: The beautiful Plaza de Armas, visiting the Sun Temple, visiting and exploring four amazing Inca ruins – Saqsayhuaman, Pukapukara, Tambomachay and Q’engo, enjoying post Inca Trail hike full body massage.
    – Sacred Valley of the Incas: Paragliding over the stunning valley, exploring the Pisac Ruins
    – Ollantaytambo: hiking around the Ollantaytambo ruins
    – Inca Trail: The stunning high altitude landscape, the camping experiences, the exhilarating and exhausting hikes, looking down at clouds with contempt, somehow surviving Dead Woman’s Pass, reaching the Winaywayna basic campsite  for some well deserved beers, surviving the hike (and only have a few hours of rain to deal with).
    – Machu Picchu:  Exploring the Sun Gate as the sun at sunrise, exploring the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu
    – Colca Valley:  Snow fights at 4,920 metres above sea level, the sparse valley landscape.
    – Colca Canyon: Hiking this deep canyon (especially notable after high altitude hikes), condor sightings.
    – Arequipa: BBQ, wine, singing and music on our hotel rooftop, relaxing around the town.
    – Nazca: Seeing 1,500 year old mummies, viewing the stunning and beautiful Nazca lines from the air and not quite understanding how they were created, extreme driving in Nazca desert, sand boarding at speed.
    – Pisco: Enjoyable tastings at the Pisco Sour and Wine Distillery (well I liked the wine at least), Penguins and sea lions at Ballestas Islands 
    Places Visited: Arequipa, Cusco, Colca Valley, Colca Canyon, Lake Titicaca, Lima, Nazca, Ollantaytambo, Pisco, Puno, Sacred Valley of the Incas, Inca Trail, Machu Picchu
    Peru Journal Entries  

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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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