Expat Adventures: April 2015

Saturday, April 11, 2015

Ecuador 2014: Cotopaxi

Hiking up Cotopaxi was fun! It's the second highest peak in Ecuador and is an active volcano. It was my first time above 16,000 ft. above sea level. Our guide set a good pace for us as we walked (slowly) up to the glacier line. Pacing is key. If you go out too fast you push your body into anaerobic (easy to do with the thin air).

Donkeys coming back down Cotopaxi after bringing up construction supplies

Handstands at base camp

Enroute to the glacier line

Glaciar line

Ecuador 2014: Maquipucuna Cloud Forest Reserve

Maquipucuna Eco Lodge

Ecuador 2014: Maquipucuna Cloud Forest Reserve

Last October, I tacked on some personal time to a work trip. The first stop was to Maquipucuna [ma-kee-poo-koo-na] Cloud Forest Reserve. For more info go here: http://www.maqui.org. This was pretty amazing 2 days at the Ecolodge, where we did a bunch of hiking, bird watching (toucans, wild turkeys, etc.), and tried to find the Andes brown bear.

The EcoLodge

I almost ran into this little bugger on a short hike

So much green!

Leaf cutter ants

Butterfly

We tried to find the Andes brown bear....all we found was this fresh bear poop

Pistols in the forest

All ready to go bird / bear watching

It down poured on us. This is nature's umbrella

The freshest passion fruit one can eat. Our guide knocked it off the tree with a branch. So good!

Sunday, April 5, 2015

Retrospective Series: Malaysia 2014

Petronas Twin Towers

I went to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on a work trip last November. It was my first time to South East Asia. This is what I remember (5 months later) from the trip.

As an equatorial country, it is extremely hot and humid
There were so many mosquitos (probably because of the humidity). In fact, earlier in the year there was an outbreak of Dengue fever in KL
Mosquitos still love my blood and the Malaysian mosquitos left me with huge welts
The city is really populated and kind of dirty
The food was delicious but it reminded me a lot of Chinese food.

Petronas Towers

Largest twin towers in the world. 88 stories and stand 452 meters above street level. The sky bridge (floor 41) connects the two towers and helps assist in the event of an evacuation. The sky bridge isn't attached to the two towers in order to allow the towers to sway slightly with wind.

View from the skybridge (41 stories high)

View of Merdeka Square

Sri Maha Mariamman Temple

Fun little wine jug

Monsoon season means heavy down pours...

...and a ton of mosquito bites.

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Retrospective Series: Travelin' Abroad

I've decided to resurrect this blog that I initially started back in 2010...and then forgot about it in late 2011. Let's see if i can keep this going. I'll start by writing a retrospective series on my recent travels. And by writing, I really mean that these posts will really just be photo essays. :)

Retrospective Series: Travelin' Abroad / Morocco

I recently had the privilege to go to Morocco for a second time. As i never wrote about my first trip to Morocco, this post will include both trips. I suppose the great thing about travelling a lot for work is that I get to visit some pretty sweet places.

First Visit (Early 2012): Marrakech, Tizi-N-Tichka, Ouarzazate, Zagora, M'hamid, Chegaga
This was my first trip to this region, and at the time I was relatively new to traveling internationally. I took advantage of the opportunity and booked at 4 day tour after my business trip into the desert. If you ever find yourself in Morocco, then I highly recommend this tour group: www.arib-voyages.com.