#backpackers life

[mouchequilouche]

travel diary entry

travel itinerary so far: Serena - Copiapo - Antofagasta (a ride through the desert…amazing!) - bus to San Pedro de Atacama. (bicycle ride to the Valle de la Luna) Stuck here because 5000m pass is closed due to difficult weather. next step…..well…maybe back to Calama….hmm - *edit* done, back in Calama....destination unsure...probably North...

[artmill-danaan]

Bringing the Witching Hour to @the.witchery ! 😉 A great way to end my last backpacking trip.

And Happy Birthday to @fitxel.sportswear which is celebrating its first year this week! 🎂

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Gaelle (@artmill_danaan)

[zoeefx]

I miss the days where we cured everything with coconutwater

[misslindyyy]

#16  Hawaii- 9 days in paradise

There are no words for the beauty of this place...  I considered myself the luckiest person being able to catch a decent prized flight from Seattle to Honolulu on the 2nd of january and going on a a little unconventional trip with my awesome German friend Wanda. We lived the life of a backpacker, had bonfires on the beach with burnt Marshmallows, rented bikes to ride along the shore, had coconuts and sea food from those picturesque food trucks, chilled on the beach next to turtles (they were literally sitting 1 inch next to me...), went whale watching, paddled to a little island in the ocean and made sure to take home some of those epic tan lines... 

Who would ever want to leave this place? 

We stayed on Oahu, the island with the highest population (out of the 8 main islands). On this island, you can find both: beautiful nature (beaches, exotic forests, mountains etc.) and busy cities with nightlife, the university of Hawaii and jobs. Also, it's the surfer's favorite place to surf at: the famous Pipeline beach is located in the north of the island. There is also Waikiki Beach located on this island which is pretty popular.  Moreover I could dive into some World War II history when visiting Pearl Harbor.  I also get to spend my birthday in the sun on one of the prettiest beaches I have ever been to!! 

 We started our journey in the south of the island, in Waikiki where we rented a cheap hostel room. Always a great way to get in touch with other backpackers and tourists, that are eager to explore, too. We made friends with another German guy and climbed Diamond head together which is a "mountain" on that side of the island. Standing on the top you have an awesome view:

We left Waikiki and the very touristy area around to take a handy $2,50 bus up to the Northshore, the surfer's paradise. Everybody knows gestures like "hang-loose", you meet people that are living in a hostel for 3 months straight always trying to "catch that perfect wave". Obviously, never Germans. This is just not as much our thing as it appears. The closest it got was an Austrian woman who saved all her free days of the year to come to Hawaii for 3 weeks.  At the so called Northshore we had a bonfire one night eating S'mores (a super sweet American Marshmallow-chocolate-caramel-cracker). The next morning we rented retro bikes which were marked by all year usage in the salty air and we rode all the way to Haleiwa, a cute little village with markets and fresh coconuts sold on the street. 

On our way we stopped at the different must-see beaches but our favorite one was hidden just a 20 minute rock climbing adventure behind one of the famous bays. What seemed like a private beach is home to 10 huge turtles that do not have a care in the world for 2 German tourists and an American girl laying down next to them and taking selfies. Definitely a moment I'll never forget. 

We also got to met Kama, the Surfing Pig. And the name is so on spot- it's not even funny. Recently National Geographic even did a feature on him:

This photo is REAL!! I am not even kidding. 

Our last stop: Kailua. Wanda's friend (who studied at the University of Hawaii for a semester) lives here and we got to stay with her. Kailua is located in the South East of Oahu and is home to beautiful beaches. We went on a little kayaking adventure across the ocean to a lonely, uninhabited island. And I got to celebrate my birthday with a real Hawaiian flower in my hair, the pua aloalo (or as we know it: hibiscus). 

On my last day I had to say goodbye to Wanda who has been such a great friend throughout my first semester at WSU. Sadly, she has to go back to Germany now. I will miss you heaps but I am thankful for all our adventures and the endless memories we made

Eventually, I had to go back to Honolulu and to board the plane to Seattle. But on my way to the airport I stopped at Pearl Harbor and took a stroll around the memorial site. Quiet moving and interesting at the same time:

Hawaii is the 50th and therefore last state of America. But it is my little, tropical paradise that I would return to any time. This place has both magic and a relaxing atmosphere that you cannot resist: Mahalo for an epic vacation and the perfect "winter" break!

[feijoaaas]

don't know how I'm supposed to have my own apartment later in life.

I won't understand the concept of no hot/cute people arriving weekly.