Wrap-Up the 2nd....

... as I am stuck in Phnom Penh at the moment I thought I spend the evenings by writing blog-posts instead of uselessly surfing the net :-). As I didn't find the last South-America wrap-up conclusive, I thought I gonna try it in a different way as well:

- Best Food: Ecuador - pork fritada with grilled plantain and a sugar cain juice with a hint of rum :-)
- Best Beach: Choroni, Venezuela - beautiful sand streches, palm trees, turquoise water
- Best City Sight: El Panecillo (Virgin of Quito), Quito, Ecuador - the statue was really impressive and a good choice of location over the city
- Best Nature Sight: Angel Falls, Venezuela - I think I mentioned this enough already but the most magnificant nature sight I have seen, together with the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland :-)
- Nicest people: Ecuador and Colombia are here both on the 1st place... Ecuadorians are supernice, hospitable but a bit shy.... Colombians are happy, easy to approach and full of life...
- Most relaxed people: Venezuela - you can't do anything to get them out of their "tranquilness"... nothing..
- Best City: Cartagena, Colombia... beautiful city in colonial style and beautifully located at the seaside
- Craziest Drivers: Ecuador - by far the ecuadorians are the craziest drivers - they could easily compete with Indien Rickshaw drivers
- Most useful thing during my travels: While that was my standard question to other travellers and I got answers like: coffee-maker (yes there are backpackers out there carrying a coffee-maker with them), deo-spray (so they didnt had to shower for 2-3 days) and laptop (to watch movies in the evenings) - I have to say my most useful thing were my Goretex Trainers.... Kept my feet always dry (except for the Lost City Trail but we walked through rivers there), got me into clubs, gave me strong hold going running/working out and all that for 59€
- Best Drink: Well this is a hard one.... the Ron (Rum) was good everywhere :-) but the Caipirinhas in South America rocked the most :-)
- Biggest Disappointment: The South America Lonely Planet Guide.... it was just scratching on the surface of cities and regions and at times just wrong - especially when you needed a price reference
- Best Experience: There were so so many, just to mention a couple: Finally being accepted by the kids in Ecuador; standing in front of the Angel Falls; driving in busses which never would be allowed on German streets - Reggaton-Music on full volume - driving 80 km/h downhill and around corners while on the right it goes 300 meter steep down and you cant see if anything is just around the corner; dancing Salsa with colombian women; eating the fruit flesh from kakao-plants and many many more....
- Best Hostel: Definitly "The Dreamer" in Santa Marta, Colombia- even though the location is a bit off... the hostel itself is chilled, got a pool and the people there make the difference - while I wasn't disappointed by any of the hostels I stayed in - this certainly was the best - just my vibe I guess
- Nicest Gesture: The birthday present I got on my way by Teresita - such a nice idea so I had something to unpack on my 30st
- Biggest change of habit: Since Colombia I am a Coffee drinker, in fact I just ordered myself one :-)

Joe