Indonesia

--- Versió Catalana ---
This 2018, Aida and I have done a 20-day route around some of the islands of Indonesia where we have been able to see ancient Hindu Temples near Yogyakarta, observe orangutans with semiberty on a klotok in Borneo, be amazed with some Java volcanoes, discover Bali by motorcycle and explore the Nusas Islands.

We are still preparing the post of our route, but Aida has prepared a great video summary that we hope you like it.

Video Summary

The experience of noticing up to 6 earthquakes near where we were marked the last days of the trip, although none of the places where we were was damaged, we were alerted by a tsunami on one of the Nusa Islands , and we met travelers who did suffer from experiences to forget.

Itinerary
Day 1. Arrival at Jogja (Yogyakarta)
Day 2. Play Prambanan
Day 3. Borobudur
Day 4. Tour 3D / 2N Klotoc to Borneo
Day 5. Tour 3D / 2N Klotoc to Borneo Tour 3D / 2N Klotoc to Borneo
Day 6. Tour 3D / 2N Klotoc to Borneo and Transport to Probbolingo
Day 7. Bromo
Day 8. Probbolingo
Day 9. Bali, Ubud
Day 10. Bali, Ubud
Day 11. Bali, Ubud
Day 12. Bali, Munduk
Day 13. Bali, Lovina
Day 14. Bali, Ubud
Day 15. Nusa Lembongan
Day 16. Nusa Penida
Day 18. Denpasar
Day 19. Denpasar and fly to Jakarta
Day 20. Jakarta 

Route Map 

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Sri Lanka

--- Versió Catalana ---

In November 2017 I visited Sri Lanka, the tear of India .... And this has been my experience.

Itinerary 
Day 1. Arrival at Colombo and meet Laura
Day 2. Train to Kandy (මහනුවර) and visit to the Royal Palace
Day 3. Bus to Dambulla, visit of the Temple of the Caves of Dambulla (දඹුලු ලෙන් විහාරය), bus to Sigiriya. Climb to Pidurangala Rock (පිදුරංගල පර්වතය)
Day 4. Tuk tuk to Polonnaruwa (පොළොන්නරු) and Kaudulla National Park
Day 5. Sigiriya Rock, Dambulla and Kandy
Day 6. Kandy
Day 7. Royal Botanical Gardens of Peradeniya and tuk tuk to Dickoya
Day 8. Adam's Peak and relax
Day 9. Train Hutton - Ella
Day 10. Little's Adam's Peak and Ella's Rock
Day 11. Tuk tuk safari to Kataragama
Day 12. Safari at Yala National Park and tuk tuk to Hiriketiya Beach
Day 13. Hiriketiya and tuk tuk to Midigama Beach
Day 14. Surf and Galle with Laura
Day 15. Beach and taxi to Negombo
Day 16. Breakfast and flight back home

Some Photos

What would I do if would return (Recommended Route)

Map of the route

Cavalls del Vent (Horses of the wind). The hike route that links the eight Refuges in the Cadí-Moixeró Natural Park.

Veure la versió Catalana / Ver la Traducción en Castellano

The Cadí-Moixeró National Park is the largest in Catalonia and is located between the provinces of Barcelona, Girona and Lleida, areas of Berguedá, Alt Urgell and Cerdanya.

The entire route is marked with oranges marks.

All the Route takes place in altitudes between 910 meters and 2,510 meters. The total positive altitude is approximately 5200 meters and 5200 meters of total negative altitude.

We did the Route in 4 days (3 nights).

Stage 1 - Refuge Lluís Estasen - Refuge del Gresolet - Refuge Sant Jordi
19.5 kilometers - +1100 / -1200
Stage 2 - Refuge Sant Jordi - Refuge de Rebost - Refuge Niu de l'Àliga
18.58 kilometers - + 1700 / - 850
Stage 3 - Refuge Niu de l'Àliga - Refuge Serrat de las Esposes - Refuge Cortals de Ingla
18.39 kilometers - + 630 / - 1500
Stage 4 Refuge Cortals d'Ingla - Refuge Prats d'Aguiló – Refuge Lluís Estasen
23.59 kilometers - +1307 / - 1256

The Route

Philippines

---  Versió Catalana ---

In November 2016 I visited some parts of the Philippines. This has been my experience.

Itinerary

Day 0 Flight to Manila
Day 1 Manila and Night bus to Manaue
Day 2 Banaue and Batat 
Days 3 y 4 Sagada and Night bus to Manila
Day 5 Flight Manila - Puerto Princesa
Day 6 Puerto Princesa
Day 7, 8, 9 and 10 El Nido
Days 11 and 12 Port Barton and bus to Puerto Princesa
Day 13 Flight Puerto Princesa - Cebu and Ferry Cebu - Taglibaran (bohol)
Days 14, 15 and 16 Alona Beach, Bohol and Buceig at Balicasag
Day 17 Boat to Siquijor
Days 18 and 19 Siquijor
Days 20, 21 and 22 Apo Isalnd
Days 23 and 24 Dumagete 
Days 25 Flight Dumagete - Manila and Bus Manila - Tagaytay 
Day 26 Tagaytay and bus to the Airport of Manila

Some Photos

Myanmar (Birmania), Bangkok and Kho Chang

This May 2015 I went for 3 weeks around Myanmar and Thailand…

Inle Lake

Itinerary

Day 0 Flight

Day 1 Contact with Bangkok

Day 2 flight to Mandalay and Mandalay Hill

Day 3 Pyin Oo Lwin and Anisakan Falls

Day 4 Train to Hsipaw for the Gokteik Viaduct

Day 5 Bikeing arround Hsipaw

Day 6 and 7 Walking/trekking arround the Shan and Palaung villages 

Day 8, 9 and 10 Nyaungshwe / Inle Lake. 

Day 11 and 12 Bagan

Day 13 Mt. Popa

Day 14 and 15 Mandalay and sorroundings

Day 16 Flight to Bangkok and bus to Trat

Day 17, 18 and 19 Ko Chang. Relax, Jungle and motorbike

Day 21, 22 and 23 Bangkok

Some Photos

Costa Rica

This time I decided to visit Costa Rica!

Traveling to Costa Rica in October-November is risky, you can have rain all day... Theoretically it is still rainy, but it depends on the year is good enough to discover the country. The best is that is still low season (cheaper and accommodation without booking requirements).

As I was traveling alone I didn’t consider renting a car. The public transport system works well and is cheap.

I didn’t have a defined route, just a list of places I wanted to go and things I wanted to do:

- After a day in the PN Corcovado the Osa Peninsula.

- The summit of Cerro Chirripó Chirripó PN.

- Visit the PN Tortugero

- See animals to get tired

The route I've done:

Day 1 and 2. San Jose and Poas Volcano

Day 3 and 4. Tortugero

Day 5. La Selva Biological Reserve (Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui)

Day 6 and 7. La Fortuna and the Arenal Volcano)

Day 8 and 9. Santa Elena (Monteverde)

Day 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 Puerto Jimenez and Corcovado National Park

Day 16, 17, 18 and 19. San Gerardo de Rivas and Parque Nacional Chirripó

Day 20 and 21. Orosí

Day 22 and 23. Volcan Irazu and Alajuela.

Some Photos.

Carros de Foc (Chariots of Fire). The hike route that links the nine Refuges of the Aigüestortes National Park and Lake Sant Maurici

After the also classic mtb route Pedals de Foc (Pedals of Fire) last year, I did the classic hike route Carros de Foc (Chariots of Fire). This time with my cousin Isabel! that we had the same holidays and desire of fresh mountains!

Before starting, and because of the rain and the forecast of rain, we postpone the starting day of the route a couple of days. At least we don’t want to start all wet! So we do some sightseeing around the Vall d’Aran (Arhan Valley) .

We visited the waterfalls of Saut deth Pish and make a walk to the Monastery of Montgarri following the river Noguera Pallaresa.

In Viehlla two sincere recommendations:

- Hotel Iori, www.iorihotel.com , charming small hotel. (There is also the option of Refuge Iori)

- Woolloomooloo, Carrer Major 8 Vielha, bar-restaurant that you can eat well at a very reasonable price.

Just before going to rent crampons and ice axes we checked at the carrosdefoc.com if the recomendation still stand… and hapily for us they tell us that is no longer nesesary! Ufff, we just save money and weight ... literally weight!
At the organization of Carrosdefoc.com they give the card to seal at the shelters, a route map, walking sticks and a technique hat. So we started Carros de Foc!!!

Pedals de Foc (Pedals of Fire). MTB route around the perimeter of Aigüestortes National Park and Lake Sant Maurici

This September we made the Carros de Foc (Pedals of Fire) in 4 stages , 220km and 6500m of ascent accumulated .
This is the bike version of the famous Carros de Foc (Chariots of Fire)
We have chosen the cheapest option at Pedals de Foc , that include the acomodation, dinners, breakfasts, the transportation of ours bags and the transport to the southern part of the tunnel of Vielha.

So we doing the first night Vielha, we have to be at 8 in the morning at the pick up point of the van that will take us to the southern side of the Vielha tunnel .

Route

Catalonia MTB Tour #Cataloniamtbtour / Catalunya MTB Tour

In 11 Stages 

Catalunya MTB Tour / Catalonia MTB Tour

I wanted to make some MTB trip near home and decide to do one route that I found at the web www.rutabike.com named Transcatalunya (I call it #Voltaacatalunya)

Beside the route of rutabike there is another similar one Transcatalunya of the bike’s centers 

The route follows parts of the Camino de Santiago and covers the four provinces, and some of the most representative and charming landscapes (Tarragona, Prades, Solsona, Ripoll, Olot, Girona, Barcelona and Vilanova i la Geltrú). I re-design the second stage of Prades - Lleida and I ended up doing Prades - Ponts through Ivars i Vila-sana Pond.

Some days in Lisbon

Versió Catalana - Traducción Automática al Castellano
Second Part. Some days in Lisbon. (View the first Part)
Map of Lisbon


Starting the year traveling is priceless

Lisbon welcomes us with sunshine and pleasant temperatures.
Cathy works at a high-end hotel in HK, and they give a few days each year to use at the hotel chain network ... neither more and nothing less than the Four Seasons!
Backpackers at Four Seasons .... a little weird ...

Rediscovering Catalonia and Lisbon with Cathy

Versió Catalana - Traducción Automática al Castellano 

On Boxing Day (Sant Esteve) has arrive direcly from Honk Kong my friend Cathy that I met at Hong Kong  and we coincide again at the New Years Eve in Sydney. She wanted to come for hollidays around, and we finally end up visiting a bit of Catalonia and Lisbon.

1st part. Rediscovering the Catalonia I know.... (See 2n part)
Tarragona
Visit the city that you live as a tourist it's okay once in a while, especially if the city has so much history like Tarragona.
The first days of the we visit the Roman ruins of the Roman Praetorium, the Circus, the Amphitheatre, the Roman City Walls , the aqueduct an we also go to tuch iron (Tocar ferro) at the end of the Rambla.

Mallorca to do the Pedra en Sec Hike route GR221

Versió Catalana - Traducción Automática al Castellano
I’m going to walk through the Serra deTramuntana (a mountain range in Mallorca) folowing the GR221!

This is my first time I visit the Balearic Islands ... and I live very close!

Coincides with the first anniversary of the end of my around the world trip ... already a year!

At the airport Anna came to pick me up. She is a cousin that lives in Mallorca ... and accompanied me to the center, showing me the old town of Palma, where she does her live during the week.

Camino del Cid (Burgos to Tortosa in mtb)

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Traducción Automática al Castellano
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Bike time!
Santi and I have been preparing a trip of few days with ours mountain bike and panniers. The addiction to mountain biking continues!

With the Camino del Cid as a base paths, that goes from Burgos to Valencia by a variant ending in Catalonia.
We design the trip with some routes that we have found in Wikiloc and looking for some possible ways with Google Earth. We had several alternatives into ours GPS. We did a search for accommodation prior to the villages where we intend to sleep, although we have not booked any. We carry a tent and sleeping bag if we want to camp.

We went to Burgos by bus from Tarragona stopping at Zaragoza (44 € cycling). Trains (Renfe) not support bikes on trains Intercity or trains Alvia. The only trains that support bikes are the train-hotel but arrive at Burgos at 3 in the morning!

Pedales de Léon. Léon Pedals. Peaks of Europe

New experience on the bike! This time in Leon (North Spain)!

Jordi, Santi and I have decide to do the circular mountain bike route Pedales de León (Leon Pedals).

This route is for 3 to 6 stages (according to preparation and desire to enjoy the scenery and places) to the mountainous eastern part Leonesa. A total of about 220 km and accumulated about +6500 m. The organization Pedales de León apart of organizes the accommodation bookings and informarte you about the route, they take your backpack between the accommodations.

II Congress of bloggers Around the World

This Saturday I was with 28 bloggers and 400 attendees at the Second Congress of Bloggers Around the World Tour at Alexandra Teatre ... Organized by Travel Club (Marc and Mireia)

8 hours of lectures on information from countries, routes, quotes, blogs, experiences, problems, new friends ... but also about dreams, challenges and life projects.

Merry Christmas and better 2012

Now from Tarragona ...
happy days!

Pedales de Lava. Pedals of Lava Lanzarote in a pure state.

After a fast week in Tarragona, I return to the backpack live. This time I travel with three friends and an objective ... Make the route with mountain bike Pedals of lava, which covers the island ofLanzarote and La Graciosa.

The route of Pedales Lava is by a type of terrain that makes hard route, but with the greatsvolcanic landscapes of the island's at the background.

This trip I've already planned before returning to Tarragona. Santi and Jordi were plotting to do this trip, and I arrange the dates to go with them and convince David for joining us ... I am super happy to go one week trip with my friends!

We have coordinated all with www.pedalesdelava.com who have been great. (Nowadays is www.vulcanbike.com/)

We do the route in 5 stages:1- Puerto del Carmen - Orzola. 66km i 390m asc.acumul.
2- La Graciosa. 31 km i 300m asc. acuml.
3- Orzola - Caleta de Famara. 53km i 1300m asc. acumul.
4- Caleta de Famara - Playa Blanca. 71km i 750m asc. acumul.
5- Playa Balnca - Puerto del Carmen. 34km i 700m asc. acumul.

Back Home, back to Tarragona

Whether I arrived to London in 15 minutes in advance, I arrive at Reus airport 45 minutesprematurely! So no one was waiting for me! Jordi and my mother arrives in 5 minutes ... I am at home!

After 528 days around the world I'm back in Tarragona. Here I have my family, friends and many places with many good memories.

The most striking news has been the baby boom has happen in to my closest circle of friends ... It will be hard to remember it cost me all the new names!

It has been great to make this dream I had for the past ten years. I've done in my rhythm, meeting many people along the way, doing a lot of CouchSurfing (which I will continuedoing it when I have my own house) and I knowing myself a little more each day, letting myintuition guide me.

And London when I came back too

Low cost airlines from New York to London for 200 € means that you will have an small aircraft that has uncomfortable seats for many hours without food and making a stopover in Reykjavik for 3 hours.

I can’t complain for the price, right!

The plane arrive 15 minutes earlier at my London, a second home for me. It has been a long time since I stepped territory I known (such as 16 months and a half!)

I stay at the Yasmine's home as is now common in my visits to London.

I stay just a few days, but we have lot of time to chat about the trip with Chantal, her roommates and job friends …

New York and Philadelphia

New York
Philadelphia



A month and a half ago I bought a plane ticket Bogota to New York with Sprites Airlaines (240€). I was in Iquitos and I decided to make the leap to New York because I've always been curious to know it, and why not say it, is cheaper to fly to USA and then to Europe from South America that directly.

So, my first stop is Miami (scale and do migration). I have just time todo all the controls and inspections of luggage, and there is a huge queue of people ...

At the final step controls where I have to check the suitcase to NY I realize that I don’t have my small baggage! First, Panic! And after analyzing the situation, I think I left it at the last baggage check ...

I check in the large suitcase and go to see how I can get to last checkpoint, is banned and we say that I go with someone of the company ... Employees say the company or juice accompany me and that I have to do a claim to them to receive by mail my luggage ... Fuck!

I try to access the checkpoint again, and I speak with police, who want to HELP. Accompanies me to the checkpoint ... and my suitcase is there! At the end of the tape ... Ufff.

So I take the plane to New York La Guardia Airoport ...

In New York I stayed with Jong Dae (South Korea), a friend I made at the Walk in Huaraz (Peru) , and has some friends that can host me in Queens ...

So the first thing I do to get to New York is calling it. Is 11:30 at night and the phone has given me doesn’t exist! Ouch what day that I have!

I make time at Airport. I connect to the Internet through computers for some coins that aren’t very quick to leave a message ... there isn’t free Wifi

I stay the night at the airport. There are many people that are waiting to cach a flight at 6 am, ...

In the morning ... 7am ... still have not answered from DJ (Dae Jong), so I decided to go to Manhattan to find accommodation. At 8 am already in the Hostelling International ... Very expensive! 50 U.S. $ per night for a shared room! I left my baggage there.
New York
I go for a walk through Central Park which is two hundred meters from the Hostel. I walk until I find the Solomon R. Guggengeim Museum. There is a small cue, is not open yet. And as if it is a signal, starts to rain lightly. So, I visit the museum! I like the building and the main display of conceited Lee: Marking Infinity. I spend many hours inside the museum.