Lake Loving in Lago D'Orta, Italy

Italy is one of the best places on the planet. From the food to the wine to the architecture and history, it's beauty is unparalleled. I sometimes forget that there's an entire country beyond the village where my grandparents grew up. Despite the many summers I spent roaming the Sicilian countryside with my cousins, I've only made it to the mainland once before, so when an invitation to a family wedding on of the lakes arrived, it was more than welcome (and also my mum was maid of honour and my cousin was a bridesmaid).

Situated about an hours drive from Milan and 45 minutes from the Swiss boarder lies Lago d'Orta San Giulio (Lake Orta in English). It's easy to see why so may in love with the lakes of north Italy, set to a backdrop of the snow tipped Alps, the town is post card pretty. 

Exploring the town didn't take long, but you could easily spend days hopping from restaurant to restaurant, eating and drinking. Favourites included Ristorante Venus situated right on the water front. The tables outside are glorious in the sunshine and a bottle of prosecco comes in at a whopping €17. As well as the wedding, whilst away we also celebrated my mum's 50th and completely took over a little restaurant a short walk from the main square called Pizzeria La Campagna. The food is amazing. Large pizzas, flavourful pasta dishes and plenty of seafood made this place so good, we went twice. The staff are also unbelievably friendly, and didn't mind too much when we returned a pepper grinder that had 'accidentally' left the restaurant with us...

The lake even boasts a Michelin star restaurant that, although we didn't make it to, everyone raves about. Well worth checking out if you're in town for a special occasion (even if that occasion is simply that you are not in the office).

The wedding reception was held at the beautiful Hotel San Rocco. Views of the lake, killer espresso martinis and bridal suit like nothing I've ever seen (I'm 22 and single, it's the only bridal suit I've ever seen) made it a dream wedding location. The staff also couldn't be faulted and the menu for the dinner was mouth watering... And that's coming from a vegetarian at an Italian wedding. For a little luxury, this is the place to stay. In the summer months the pool overlooking the lake would completely clog my Instagram feed and I'd live in the little outdoor garden. 

We stayed closer to the main square in a quirky hotel called Hotel Aracoeli. The rooms were kitsch, with open plan shower/bedroom and little bathrooms with a toilet and sink for more privacy. Admittedly, this wasn't so great. I was sharing a room with my brother and cousin, so we were relegated to the balcony or bathroom whenever one of the others wanted to shower, but in the grand scheme of things it wasn't a huge issue. The rooms themselves were spacious, the beds were extremely comfortable and the balconies over look the square which is perfect if, like me, you love people watching. Breakfast at the Aracoeli is a foodie dream come true. Cakes, strudels, cheeses, yogurts, cereals, Italian coffee, eggs, meats, breads and fruits were available fresh every single morning. Porridge at my desk in my London office will simply never be able to compete!  

In terms of things to do besides eat and drink, there isn't a lot. Walks around the lake are strongly recommended, but there isn't a lot in the means of nightlife (although I would make an educated guess that in the summer, the bars are open much later). You can get a boat over to Isla San Guilio or further afield to a smaller town about an hour across the lake. Similarly, hiring a car at the airport is easy and Milan is only an hours drive away. The town does offer plenty of cute antique and clothes shops you can browse through and visiting Luca at 'Il Buongastio' is a must. This authentic food and drink shops sells everything from cheese and meats to 100 year old balsamic vinegar (the 15 year old one is bomb) to Italian liquors. Pop in for tasters of parmigiano, drops if balsamic goodness and shots of grappa and hazelnut liquor, leave with gifts for people who don't even need presents (or a couple of treats for yourself).

As a long weekend getaway or a week long stint in the summer, Lake Orta is offically a Hayley Approved* place to visit. Since it isn't as well known as some of the other lakes *cough* Como *cough* being there won't cost you an arm and leg. 

Bravisima.

-xo

PS: Hugest congratulations to the lovely Pav and Paul who tied the knot. Thank you so, so much for allowing me to be a part of your special day. It was beautiful. 

New Adventures Begin

Back in October, I bagged myself a job. Not just any job, but my dream job doing social media for a big charity in London. Honestly? I didn't actually think I would get it. I applied on a whim because I felt so shit having come back from South America and hated waitressing... In my head, I was half way to Australia on my working holiday visa.

So when the call came and they offered my the job, apart from being utterly gobsmacked and totally excited, I couldn't help but suddenly feel a little stuck. How was I ever going to quench my travel thirst whilst holding down a full time job? Was this it now? Was I to live out the rest of my days, mindlessly commuting in and out of London? Because, frankly, I'd rather die (or maybe something less dramatic) than battle my commute for the next 40 years.

No, no. Instead, to show off my new found move into adulthood and a proper 9-5, I agreed to go on as many holidays as my annual leave would allow.

Which explains why I am currently writing this from the porch of a beachside bungalow, in Kerala, India. As an early birthday celebration for herself, my mum has brought me with her on a yoga retreat. I cannot wait to throw myself into intensive yoga, lounging in the sun and exploring as much of this beautiful region as I possibly can. Stay tuned.

Also coming up in 2016: Vegas, Italy and Rhodes. Who said a real job was a ball and chain?

-xo

Hayley in Wanderlust: Manuel Antonio & Uvita

 

In the name of being a true 'dithery bollocks' (a term lovingly coined by my parents), I found myself heading back to Quepos and Manuel Antonio. This 'retracing of my steps' happened for a few reasons, Firstly, the weather had been so bad along the Caribbean coast that the roads were all over the place and I found myself not wanting to spend any time in the rain and the grey (a nasty side effect of being English). Secondly, Silvia and Olivia, the two girls from my G Adventure's tour, were going to be there and this was going to be our last chance to see each other before we were all back in Europe. Thirdly, I wanted to see a mother loving sloth and according to everyone I'd met, this was the place to see one.

Three Toed Sloth

So I finally made it inside the national park. Entry is $16 and we paid an extra $20 to have a certified guide take us on a tour and point out plenty of animals. WORTH. THE. DOLLAR.
Not only did I get to see Capuchin Monkeys, Howler Monkeys, various types of Grasshopper, Land Crabs, a Vine Snake and (sickeningly) a collection of Spiders, but I also got to see both type of sloth.
It was truly magical and I would just like to thank the baby Jesus and anyone who ate at the TGI Friday's in High Wycombe between August 2014 and March 2015 for the opportunity. The money you paid for your food paid my wages which created this memory for me. Amen.

Beach inside Manuel Antonio National Park

(I'm still not over it)

It's also worth noting that the beaches inside the park are absolutely gorgeous and well worth the entrance fee. Unlike a lot of the beaches along the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, the waters here are perfect for swimming and terrible for surfing. Just be careful that Capuchin and Raccoons don't try to steal your sun cream/food/life.

Once I'd recovered from Sloth-mania, it was time to head further down the coast to the tiny little beach town of Uvita. By this stage of my travels, I'd overcome the fear of turning up some place new without having booked any accommodation, and wandered off in search of 'Flutterby House' hostel. You can only book three days in advance, otherwise you have to chance it and turn up, hoping they've got room for you. Thankfully (especially with it being rainy season) they had room for me. The place is incredible. All of the dorms and private rooms are up in treehouses, you sleep under mosquito nets and the place runs of eco-friendly values. It's also a mere 3 minute walk to the beautiful beaches inside the Marino Ballena National Park.The place has one of the longest whale seasons in the world, and if you have $75 spare (I didn't), you can spend the day on a boat trying to spot them.

Beach inside Marina Ballena National Park

In town, there is a bar and restaurant called 'Roadshack' and Saturday night is Reggae night, (I've leart that they love a Reggae night in Costa Rica), which is where the girls and I spent our last night. I wish I could comment on drink prices, but I can't. I was drunk.

Before I knew it, I was back on the bus and heading back to San Jose ready to catch my flight as my month in Paradise drew to a close.

I blinked, and my little Latin American dream was over.
Just one week left to go.

-xo

Hayley in Wanderlust: Quepos and Jaco

At the fresh, new age of 22, I boarded my flight (the day after my birthday) to Costa Rica. The start of Chapter 2.

I landed in San Jose, which reminded me of Gauyaquil in the sense that it's one of those strange 'nothing' cities. I spent two nights there because I couldn't figure out where to head to first. Apparently, this trip has unravelled all the focus I used to put into planning my life. Now, it appears I'm even more dithery, but I'm definitely not as stressed, which I take as a positive.

Eventually, I decided to head to Quepos, a small town on the Central Pacific coast, located near to the Manuel Antonio National Park. I booked myself into 'Central Backpackers' because my guide book reccomended it...
I should not have listened to my guide book.
I should also, by now, have learnt not to pay for a place until I've actually seen my room.
It's not that the hostel was bad, the manager was lovely and breakfast was good. It's just that the dorms were being renovated so I was put into a small room and I happened to be the only guest staying there. Bit shit. Travelling solo is awesome, but having come off such an amazing couple of weeks surrounded by people I'd grown to know and love, being totally on my own again was a little bit soul destorying. Thankfully, my two nights passed quickly and I checked myself into 'Wide Mouth Frog' a much nicer hostel, that had a pool, a very friendly dog called Mocca, and most importantly, other backpackers.

The beach in Quepos isn't particularly big and practically disappears when the tide rolls in. But the grassy banks are pretty to sit on and watch sunset. In Manuel Antonio, the public beach is much nicer and the bus journey there only took 15 minutes and cost me 320 Colones (about 45p).

Costa Rica is ridiculously expensive but it's public transport is cheap.
I don't really get it.

I had wanted to visit the National Park, but broke out in some hideous allergic reaction and didn't want to leave the hostel for fear of scratching my own arms off in public. That would have been kinda gross.
(But dw I'm all good now, thanks for asking).

Next it was a short 1.5 hour bus journey to the touristy town of Jaco. Despite being over run with Gringos and feeling like a tiny slice of the USA, I actually really liked it. It's one of those places where the touristy tat of it all adds to the atmosphere. I stayed at the incredible 'Room2Board' - a hostel that is basically a hotel. It had a pool, was impressively clean and had a yoga studio to boot. It was more expensive, at a full $16 a night, but the money was completely justified.
At this stage, the allergic reaction was so painful and sore, I sought medical advice from the chemist. She gave me two different sets of tablets to take and said that I was strictly not to drink. They worked, but not drinking was novel. Not that I need alcohol to talk to people (ask anyone who knows me, I'm probably on the annoying side of chatty), but having a beer and sitting around a in hostel come hand in hand. It just makes it easier, because you can, at the very least, nod at someone vaguely friendly looking who's also on their own and drinking in the hope of striking up conversation…

'I am not an alcoholic, I am a drunk. Alcoholics go to meetings and I go to parties' - truth.

 

Anyway, not drinking did encourage me to be healthier and, it has to be said, yoga as the sun sets over the Pacific Ocean is officially my new favourite thing ever. I'd forgotten just how much I love yoga and why I became so obsessed it before I came away. I mean, absolutely no other form of excercise has ever, or will ever, get me willingly out of bed at 6am. It made me almost (almost) look forward to going home, so I can get back to practising more regularly.

Not that I was all that focused on home, as I lounged by the pool and bathed in the Central American sun, that is... 

-xo

Hayley in Wanderlust: Lima & Mancora

 

 

Lima is a 22 hour bus journey from Cuzco, which sounds hideous, I know. But what if I told you it was actually one of the most comfortable 22 hours I'd had on this trip so far? I'd be lying, right?
Wrong.

 Cruz Del Sur are now and forever my favourite transportation company. A bus company that operate through Peru and parts of Ecuador and Columbia, it's first class travel for a fraction of the price. I got asked which meal option I would like, meat, chicken or vegetarian? They couldn't even get the right on my flight from London to Rio! I also had my own personal TV screen, seat that folded all the way back and effectively turned into a bed, blanket and pillow. It was bliss, and it cost me just over £40.
(It was also on this bus journey that I realised I could watch entire films in Spanish without subtitles in English and understand everything... but, that's just me bragging now).

As cities go, I really liked Lima. It's not somewhere I had heard much about in the way that I had, say, Buenos Aires or La Paz, but it certainly exceeded expectations. I was still travelling with an Australian guy I'd originally met in San Pedro, and we stayed at 'Pariwana Hostel' in the Mirafolres neighbourhood. It was lovely. The hostel was big, clean and cheap enough on the food and drink front. They also offered a range of day activities, including a tour of Downtown Lima, which we took up. It turned out to be less of a tour of that actual part of the city (although we did walk through the large Plaza de Armas) and more a tour of an old Franciscan Monastery. It was beautiful, and took my back to being at school, you know, because of the whole 'Roman Catholic' thing? Although, these days I'm more impressed at the fact that I can walk into religious establishments without instantly bursting into flames.

The strangest, and cutest, thing about Lima though is Parque Kennedy. A park in the middle of Miraflores that is full of stray cats. I don't mean stray cats in a maingy, gross kind of way either. I mean it is literally a park fill of fluffy, cuddly cats who are out to scam you for your last chip. There was so many of them, and it made a nice change to the amount of street dogs I've seen across the continents various cities. Bizarre and adorable.

Sadly, it was in Lima that I had to say goodbye to James who was returning to Sydney. Without a doubt, the worst part of travelling and living in this little nomadic bubble is creating bonds with amazing people who live miles and miles away and having to say goodbye. It keeps you on your toes, and just ends up making you want to travel more so you get to see everyone again.

Then it was another fab journey with Cruz Del Sur up to Mancora, a beach town in north Peru. No words to express the happiness I felt at feeling the sun in my face once more. Lima had been both warm and by the beach, but was horribly overcast.

I had been told, by many, many people, that THE place to stay was the Loki del Mar. I had been told it was the craziest of all the crazy hostels and that I should prepare myself for full blown debauchery. In my head, it was like something out of 'Sun, Sex and Suspicious Parents' and my mother was going to pop out of the swimming pool catching me downing 3 litres of rum... It wasn't anything like that. Instead I found a good hostel, with a fab sized swimming pool and decent menu, that had a great vibe and offered alcoholic slushies. It had a little pathway straight on to the beach, where there were planet of opportunities to take part in water sports and surf lessons. Mascara was also fab for shopping, and I spent money out of my now dwindling budget on clothes I wont really be able to wear in a British climate (crochet crop top, anyone?)

It was also here that I met the next group of poor unfortunate souls who'd be stuck with me until way  into Ecuador.

I love the beach.

- xo

Hayley in Wanderlust: Cuzco

 

The Holy Grail of my trip, and one of the main reasons I've been so obsessed with coming to South America, is Machu Picchu. It's just one of those fantasy places. You know, the kind you read about and see pictures of but never actually think you'll get to visit? Like Lapland or the Moon.

There is, however, a lot more to Cuzco than just a fleeting visit on route to the famous Inca ruins. I was there for 11 days and could have stayed so much longer- the place is so much fun.

Following La Paz, I thought it best to avoid staying at the 'Wild Rover' here, and opted for the 'Milhouse' instead. Unlike it's Buenos Aires counterpart, this 'Milhouse' is unbelievably chill, the breakfast is amazing (fruit for breakfast in Bolivia and Peru doesn't really happen in hostels) and each bed is section off slightly and comes with it's own reading light. Sadly, I was only there for one night before opting for a cheaper hostel called 'The Point',  but I probably should have just spent my money. 'The Point' was clean, and offered the same facilities as 'Milhouse' but the place was organised chaos. As receptionists in one of the busiest backpacking point in South America your ONLY job is to assign people to the correct bed. That's it. Tell us where to sleep and get it right. Not rocket science, but when there was an issue every single day I was there, I started to wonder if maybe one required a degree in Quantum Physics in order to get it done.

I would love to say that I used Cuzco as a time for a little RnR, but that would be a lie. The Wild Rover here, although much tamer than the one in La Paz (Thank you Lord baby Jesus, and Mary and all of the saints), still served as the perfect place to start nights out on account of cheap drink offers and fun atmosphere. Then, we'd head to either Temple or Mama Africa's (very little recollection of either).

I also, went to a music festival whilst in Cuzco, and can subsequently never return to Ollantaytambo or The Sacred Valley of the Incas.

Spontaneity isn't really a word i'd associate with the choices I make, no matter how much i'd like to. I'm a control freak, who always tends to have a plan. Pulling an all-nighter at amusic festival in the middle of Sacred Valley was not part of my plan, but in the name of being a good backpacker (and because my friend and I woke up horrifically hangover and looking for anything to brighten up our day) when the opportunity to go to Arkana arose, I didn't say no. The three day pass was about £25, and despite the fact that we were only going for a night, it seemed like good value.
The whole thing was an experience, and I'm still not sure why Psych Trance is allowed to be a type of music, but I'm glad I went. Truth be told, I think I'm still getting over it...

Following Arkana, and once I'd managed to get a decent nights sleep and eat a meal not made on festival grounds, I headed into the Plaza de Armas to book my Inca Jungle Trek. To do the actual Inca Trail, you have to acquire you permits months in advance and be aware that it's over $700 to do. No thanks. I'd already read about, but had also been recommended the Inca Jungle Trek by dozens of people. It's way cheaper and wasn't just a solid four days of trekking - I was sold. I got mine, including white water rafting and zip-lining for $230, then paid an extra $10 to catch an earlier train.

Day one involved mountain biking 2000km down a road... it went horribly. I'm not a cyclists and Peruvians drive like crazy. I was mid panic attack about sixty light years behind the rest of my group when my guide pulled up in the van next to me asking if I just wanted a lift down. I obliged. Don't get me wrong, it was just another thing that made me feel like a big fat loser who can't do anything right, but sometimes it's important to admit defeat. I have other strengths.
The afternoon and whit water rafting where a much bigger success and whilst I'm still unsure as to the safety of the company we went with, it was so much fun I honestly didn't care. The views were unreal too. It looked like someone had painted the mountains and cloud around us.

Day two was hike day. It was hard work. Bloody hard work, actually. The sun shone gloriously and a solid two hours was an almost verticals uphill climb. At the start we walked along a road and I remember looking ahead to this great mountain that stood before us and thinking 'Fuck me, I'm glad we're not walking up that!'
We walked up that.
I resented every single second of the climb, but when we reached the top it was so worth it I wasn't sure if my lungs hurt from the strenuous exercise or the sheer beauty of the valley below me. It was incredible. I should hike more often (hahahahaha). On route, we stopped at two 'Monkey Houses', whilst our guide explained about Inca history, their culture and the way they used the land around them. Fascinating, by the time we reached lunch I felt I'd never earned a meal more in my life! (This 'out door' thing is still all quite new to me).



Day three involved a morning of zip-lining, which is probably the closest I'll ever come to flying and was proof my fear of heights is dwindling as I grow older and wiser and then a three jour walk. Following the pervious day's hike, three hours didn't seem too bad, but it was monotonous. We walked along the train tracks that take you to Aguas Calientes, the town that sits below Machu Picchu. Once you got over the prettiness of the place, the following 2.5 hours were mind numbingly dull. Aguas Calientes is a really cool town, but one that's soul purpose is clearly geared around tourism. Still, it was dinner with the group before heading to bed, ready for a 4am start.

There are two ways up to the Manhu Picchu site. The first, is taking the shuttle bus, which costs you $12 and starts running from 5:30am; the second is to walk up the Inca steps when the park opens at 5am. I chose the steps, you know, in the name of pushing myself. There were 1763 of them. 1763 steps of death that made the steps up to my Zia Gina's house in Sicily feel like an escalator. It was torture, every time I thought I was almost there I was most certainly not  almost there. It took me an hour. Please don't read this and think that it was your average staircase either because it wasn't. Each step was a different height, width and length. Some were gentle, some felt like the spirit of gym memberships past come to kick my arse. Reaching my destination has honestly never felt so good. When I entered the site and finally saw the ancient City of the Incas, I'm not ashamed to say that I had tears in my eyes. It just stunning, the weather was perfect and it was all just a bit 'knock me over with a feather' to be honest. I was speechless at it all because I'd done it. Me. Hayley Devlin who was last for every sports team known to man, the girl that used to hide behind the tennis courts during cross country, had made it to Machu Picchu. My ultimate Bucket List item, officially ticked off.

My return to Cuzco was brief, I arrived back at half 11 and by midnight was out and drinking, celebrating the fact that I'd survived it.

Dramatic and drunk...

They'll probably put that on my tombstone.

-xo

Hayley in Wanderlust: Salar de Uyuni

One of the main stop on the Gringo Trail (the main route/destinations a lot of travellers through South America take/visit), are of course, the Bolivian Salt Flats.
Honestly, before I started planning and researching (and staring enviously at my Facebook feed at those who made it out here before me), I'd sort of forgotten that they were thing. Look, I've never claimed to be any good at geography. Being born with extreme wanderlust doesn't magically warrent you that skill.

Anyway, since I'd been travelling up through Chile, the logical route was for me to enter Bolivia as part of a Salt Flats tour from San Pedro. The place is full of different tour opporaters who all offer you roughly the same package, for roughly the same price. The tours vary in length too, with one option leaving you in Uyuni, and the other bringing you back to San Pedro. I was going to be doing it with two of the girls from my G Adventures tour (as well as one of the girls I has met in Valparaiso and a guy from our hostel) and, to be honest, they did most of the planning.

We booked with a company called 'White and Green' and, admittedly, our tour was slightly more expensive. It meant that we followed a slightly different route and instead of having six passengers and a driver, we had five passanagers, a driver and a tour guide who spoke both English and Spanish. It was definitely a bonus, but since I speak Spanish, I could have easily done one of the cheaper tours and been fine. Not complaining though, it really was amazing going to different spots from all the other tours and the peacefulness of it all was unreal.

On day one, we set off for the Chilean/Bolivian boarded (where I almost froze to death, it's over 4000m above sea level). Once we'd cleared immigration, we headed down to a thermal spring, which was pretty interesting. I'd never been in one before, and after the cold start to the day, it felt amazing to step into nature's bath. The rest of the day was spent visiting three massive lagoons, all of different colours, thanks to the various elements in the earth. My favourite was the 'Coloured Lagoon' as the water looked pink and attracted thousands of flamingos. So cool, flamingos are my spirit animal.



Day Two started with a visit to Rock Valley, which involved climbing up and around various different rock formations. This included rocks that looked like a camel, the World Cup and entire city. From here we headed to Laguna Mysteriosa, which was absolutely unreal. Hidden, thousands of metres above sea level, we had to cross a field/marshland filled with grazing Llamas and scramble across more rocks to get to it, but it was completely worth it. With water black like ink, and reeds taller than me, it was easy to see why they called it 'Mysterious Lagoon' - it was just so beautiful. Following lunch, we visited a canyon that, yet again, tested my stomach for heights, but gave awesome views of the tiny stream that ran through the bottom of it. After this, it was a three hour drove through the national park to reach our 'Salt Hotel' on the edge of the Salt Flats for the night.

Our final day started bright and early, as we were up and on the move by 5:30am to make it to Cactus Island, on the Salt Flats, in time for sunrise. I'll be honest, it was freezing and I really, really, really haven't packed for the cold weather. Had it not been for a jumper given to me by one of the girls I'd met in Cordoba, I would have seriously screwed. Waiting for the sun to come up in the cold was agonising, and I barely stuck it out. The two things I hate to feel the most are cold and hungry, and by sunrise, I was both. Still, it was bloody spectacular and one of the most gorgeous things I've ever seen, so yes, it was worth almost dying for. Following breakfast we spent an hour or so out on the Salt Flats taking a whole range of touristy and perfect photos (although, our driver kept trying to have artistic direction of the pictures, which I hated). Then it was time to go to our final stop, the train cemetery, which lay on the outskirts of the town of Uyuni. The train cemetery was creepy, but so cool and was basically a big kids playground, as all the trains were there to be climbed and explored.

On top of seeing some pretty amazing things, it has to be said that my group were brilliant (and yes ok, I'd met them all before we jumped in a jeep together for three days), as were our guide and driver. The food prepared each day was delicious and they accommodated a vegetarian and a vegan with absolute ease, something I had been told wouldn't be possible in Bolivia!

Yet another beautiful highlight to this continuously amazing trip.

-xo

Hayley in Wanderlust: La Serena and San Pedro de Atacama

 

From Valparaiso, I left the fab group I'd met there behind, and headed further up the Chilean coast for a couple of quiet days in La Serena.

My hostel, 'El Arbol' was basically hotel, and home to the most comfortable beds I'll sleep in all trip. La Serena is a quiet little city, and one of the oldest in Chile, but there's still plenty to do. At the start of the year The New York Times released a list of the top 50 places to visit in 2015, and the Elqui Valley, Chile, was one of them. My geography is absolutely terrible, so when I discovered that it was only an hour or so away from La Serena, I jumped at the chance to visit. Chile has one of the top four skies to stargaze in the world, and it really didn't disappoint. My hostel offered a Observatory tour which  cost CP$16,000 (approx. £17.70) and it was 100% worth the money. We were given a tour by an English speaking astronomer, got to see craters on the moon, Jupiter and clusters of stars that from Earth just look like one. It was SO cool and made me wish I'd had more faith in myself and taken Physics as an A Level.
Besides stargazing, La Serena is home to 29 churches (I saw two), a really beautiful Japanese Garden that's cute to walk around for a couple of hours and the beach. Sadly, the weather resembled London in March (although drier) so sun bathing was off my list... I did go for a run though. Exercise is so much better when you have a beach view!

Next up was an 18 hour night bus to San Pedro de Atacama, which, dare I say it, is possibly one of my top three places so far. The town basically exists for people who want to cross the boarder into Bolivia and it's in the middle of the driest desert on the planet, which means it isn't exactly cheap, but there is so much to do here.
I stayed at my favourite hostel so far, 'La Rural'. Although it didn't offer breakfast, the staff were friendly and helpful and the hammock area was perfect for lying around in the desert sun.

I'd bumped into a girl I'd met in Valparaiso on the bus, and then bumped into one of the girls from the Santiago walking tour at the hostel. I remember when I was in Cordoba and I never thought I was going to find anyone moving in the same direction as me. I'd been on my own, really on my own, for the first time since my G Tour ended and it felt impossible. Turns out, you just have to give it a couple of weeks; sort of like when I started university and never thought I was going to recognise people to say 'hi' to in nightclubs or the supermarket.

One of the most beautiful things I've done so far was a tour of Valley de la Luna. A small group of us from the hostel paid an extra CP$5000 to do a tour with five people, instead of 15-20, so that we could avoid the crowds (who wants hundreds of tourists in the photos?! Yes, I know I am one) and it meant we got to have a cocktail as the sun set beyond the mountains. It was stunning, once the sun had gone down the mountains opposite went the perfect hombre shade of pink to purple, and I found myself oddly nostalgic for the hair I once had. I'd also 85234% recommend the night sand boarding, as its the most fun thing I've done since the boat ride in Iguazu. The light up a sand dune, there's a DJ, you can bring your own booze AND if I didn't die, then chances are anyone can do it. It was bloody hard work carrying a heavy sand board up a sand dune each time, and my calves ached the next day, but it was also hilarious and now I really want to learn to snowboard because j wasn't even that terrible and could totally be the next Sean White!

In San Pedro, I also booked my Salt Flats tour into Bolivia. We went for one of the more expensive options, but it meant we got a tour guide as well as a driver, and went with a company that didn't allow their drivers to drink. Apparently, drink driving on the Salt Flats is a thing and it's a problem.

As always, I'm sad to be leaving. Chile has, for reasons I cant't entirely explain, been my favourite country so far and the idea of living here someday excites me greatly. But for now, it's time to move on and get salty in Bolivia.

-xo

Hayley in Wanderlust: Córdoba and Mendoza

I (sadly, and with the mother of all hangovers) left Buenos Aires and headed west to a city called Còrdoba. 

 

It seemed like a logical stop on my way to Mendoza, before heading into Chile, and I'd heard that it was a large student town with lots going on. I figured two nights and three days would be enough time to check the place out.

 

Còrdoba is a really beautiful city, and so obvious it's densely student populated the second you get into the centre. I stayed in a small but friendly hostel, called 'Che Selguaro', which was close to bus station and served pancakes for breakfast. Something I am rapidly learning about backpacking is that the breakfast a hostel serves is of HUGE importance... It's food that you (usually) don't have to pay for! I spent my first day wandering around the city centre, exploring it's main plaza, plethora of shops and beautiful churches.  I get the feeling I will be doing a lot of church and cathedral visits whilst in South America. They're just so detailed and pretty, and I like that each one is different. The following day, I wandered along the canal and generally pottered about. Truth be told, there isn't a lot to do actually within Còrdoba and the excursions were really pricey. If I could have (you gotta be 25) I would have hired a car and driven out to the mountains. There was a group staying at the hostel who did exactly that and they said it was 100% worth it. 

Being a student town, bars and nightclubs are plenty in Còrdoba, so on my last night there a few of us went out to explore the nightlife. In true Argentine style, the clubs were dead at 2am, and filling up nicely by 3. A lot of them offer deals on drinks and entry. We didn't have to pay to get in, and our group got two free beers. The club had a band playing live, which was a lot of fun and broke up the amount of Reggaton being played. 

I woke up the next morning, hungover, having to check out and waiting around for my night bus to Mendoza...

 

 

 

It'll come as no shock that I went to Mendoza. It was pretty much the only place in Aregntina I was determined to visit. Wine makes up approximately 87% of my bloodstream, and it was important I visit one of the world's most important wine regions. 

I stayed at the 'Hostel Lagares', which is beautiful, clean and super well run. It was, however a little bit quiet. A lot of hostels in Mendoza offer free wine hours, and sadly this one didn't, but it was still a very comfortable three nights sleep and money well spent.

I arrived on Saturday at midday, so spent my afternoon exploring the city. Mendoza is home to MASSIVE park, called 'Parque San Martin' which houses a theatre, a zoo, a university campus, a lake, a sports village and a football stadium as well as a golf course. I walked around the place for FOUR hours and still didn't make it to the amphitheater. Oops.

 

On Sunday's, all the wineries are shut, which I didn't realise so I extended my stay for one more night, and had what I can only describe as my ideal Monday instead. I caught the bus from Mendoza to Maipu (AP$22, £1.70 return) and bumped into two of the boys I'd shared a room with in Còrdoba. I'd been ready to spend a Monday drinking wine in my own (I don't have a problem, I swear), so was happy to have people to do the wine tours with. We hired bikes from 'Mr Hugo's' and set off. There are loads of bike hire places around the main road, go in and talk to a couple to see who will give you the most for your money. We visited 'La Bodega Rural' for our first glass, the place had wine barrels you could swim in (SO much better than an actual swimming pool) and the Malbec was delicious. We went to a beer garden for lunch, and then the boys went off to do a tour of a winery whilst I decided to cycle around in the sun and visit a wine bar instead. 

I can't believe I'm already done with being in Argentina and heading into Chile. I've fallen a little bit in love with the place, especially since the air in Mendoza smells of wine, and what isn't there to love about that?

-xo

Hayley in Wanderlust: Buenos Aires

 

They say that when it comes to love, you'll know when you know. If that's the case then I've found 'The One', because Buenos Aires is quite possibly, the city of my dreams.

 

The first few days spent in the city we're the final few days with my darling G lovelies, so on our first night it seemed only fair that we introduced yourselves to the city with a bang. No trip to Buenos Aires is complete without taking in a Tango show. Essentially, Tango is the It Girl of dance. Sultry, sexy and utterly flawless. We paid AR$600 (around £50) for our evening at 'Complejo Tango.' The evening included unlimited wine, a three course meal, a tango lesson, a tango show, unlimited wine and a hotel transfer to and from (did I mention the unlimited wine?) Easily the best money I spent in Buenos Aires, the food was gorgeous (my veggie option actually had a few of the meat eaters wishing they'd chosen it over steak), the tango class was hilarious (I have the rhythmical ability of frog being electrocuted), the show was mesmerising and to top it all off, we practically fell out of the venue and into that evenings bar. Best. Night. Ever.

The next day a walking tour was a struggle, despite the fact that I had a beer to help me push through, and made me grateful I had more time to walk around again and take it all in.
 

Following the groups departure, one of the other 'BA stragglers' and I headed to our new hostel, and spent the next few days exploring.

I think one of the things I love about it here is the way the people fully embrace that their history has not always been a pleasant one, but show unflinching pride in their struggle. Monuments like 'El Obelisco' and the fact that the biggest road in the city is named after their day of independence show that.

 

Buenos Aires is made up of many different neighbourhoods, and each one has it's own characteristics to fall in love with. The brightly coloured streets of La Boca tell a totally different story to the luxurious streets of La Recoleta and Palermo. We were told not stray from the three main streets when in La Boca, so we didn't, but the place never seemed unsafe. Obviously the colourfulness of the place won me over, and surrounded by Tango once again, I swore my new life's ambition is to remain in BA and become a professional Dancer. I'll send you all a post card once I've made it.
It's also worth taking a walk to Plaza de Mayo and seeing Casa Rosada and the balcony from which Evita gave her famous speech. You will have 'Don't Cry For Me Argentina' stuck in your head for the rest of your stay. 

You're welcome.

 

Truly though, this is a city that lives for the night. Nobody eats dinner until at least 9:30pm, bars don't get going until close to midnight and nightclubs are empty until 3am, when everyone starts the party. Don't expect to get in early but do expect to be hangover the next day.

Following our first hostel, we moved to the better known 'Milhouse' hostel. There's actually two of them, and it's easy to see why they have a notorious party reputation across South America. Both hostels have licenced bars and take it in turns hosting that night a party before moving on to the club of choice. Drink promotions means you probably won't remember a whole lot the next day, and with two vodka & speed's (no, not the narcotic, but the Argentinian version of Redbull) for AR$70 (about £5.30) you won't sleep either.

 

Separately, we caught up with a few of the other girls from the G tour who were still in BA and went for drinks in Palermo's Plaza Serrano, yet another part of town that pretty much never sleeps and sort of reminded me of Camden because everything just spilled out on to the pavements. The waitress in the bar recommended we go to a club called Mika, which was within walking distance. Entrance was AR$80 (about £7) and included a free drink. The place was massive and had two dance floors, one room that played Reggaton (my Spanish singing is coming along wonderfully) and another that played a lot of European and American dance music, meaning I was able to sing along in my own language too. Clearly, being able to sing along to the music in a nightclub is of paramount importance to me. 

 

Honestly, I was a little bit heart broken to leave Buenos Aires. The last time I was this sad leaving somewhere, I was moving home from Manchester. I could stay and (attempt to) find myself a little job and head straight to Ecuador in June, the show must go on. Time to throw all my crap back in my back into my backpack (which, btw, I am now bored of. I miss luggage with wheels) and head west to the wine country and then into Chile.

 

-xo  

Hayley in Wanderlust: My G Adventure

 

Waterfall selfie, because obvz.

 

When I first burst into the Covent Garden branch of STA, I had no real idea what I was doing. I was simply a woman with a dream, who was bored of saving and talking about it but had no idea how to make it happen. All I actually wanted was to book flights, what I got was a whole lot more.

 

G Adventures are a Canadian company that run tours all over the world. Mine was called 'In search of Iguazu: Rio to Buenos Aires'. It was a tour that would last 17 days and take me through three countries (although, in true Hayley style, I didn't realise I was going to Uruguay until I'd checked in to my hostel in Rio... Good work). In a nutshell, our route was:

Rio - Ilia Grande - Paraty - Iguazu - Mercedes (Ranch stay) - Montevideo - Colonial - Buenos Aires.

As a first time solo traveller, I liked the idea that my first few weeks would be paid for and organised for me. It was a good way to fall into the pattern of travelling around and gaining the confidence to then be able to go off and do it on my own.



From Rio, our first stop was Ilha Grande, or 'paradise' as I like to call it. The island is largely uninhabited with many of it's secluded bays and beaches only reachable by hiking through the jungle or by boat and THERE ARE NO CARS! Tropical climate, picture perfect beaches AND no cars?! I had to be dragged away! Ilia Grande is home to Brazil's second best beach, ' Lopes Mendes'. You can hike to it or catch a speed boat for 40RS return. I (contrary to popular belief) really wanted to do the hike there, because there's something captivating about the jungle... but I was way too hangover so gave it a miss. I still haven't entirely forgiven myself. The island has a whole host of cute restaurants and boutique shops and a nightclub that jets out into the sea until the early hours too. I'd go back in a heartbeat.



Next stop was Paraty, a colonial town about two hours from Angra (where you catch the ferry to Ilia Grande). It's hard not to instantly fall for Party's charm. It's cobbled streets and prettily painted colonial houses are hard not to love, plus Caçhaca originated here- I was instantly a fan. Highlights include Thai Brazil, which is still hands down the best meal I've eaten since being away and Arte Caçhaca, a bar that resembles the garden of a student house. Littered with plastic chairs and tables and few beaten up sofas, the bar offered the most incredible array of Calpis (including one with nutella) and the owner simply the loveliest guy, remembering us from the night before and giving us a plate of free sardines (they weren't really my thing).

 

The two biggest highlights from the tour though, came back to back with a trip to the Iguazu Falls and then a Ranch stay in Uruguay.

I don't think I'll ever see anything as awe-inspiring and beautiful as the Iguazu Falls. Our tour included tickets to both sides and I probably can't recommend it enough. You only need a few hours to do the trail on the Brazilian side, which gives you the most amazing view of the falls as a whole. The Argentinian side needs a whole day, but it's absolutely a day well spent. Walking down Devil's Throat allows you stand right on top of the falls, the upper and lower trails give you a greater perspective of just how big the falls are and the boat tour takes you up close and personal with the water. The national park is home hundreds of birds and animals and over 800 species of butterfly. The place is kind of impressive.

 

Following the falls we made our way to Uruguay where our first stop was a two night stay at a ranch. There was another G group also staying at the same time as us (doing the same tour but starting in Buenos Aires), which gave meal times and the evenings a bit more life... Not that our group needed it. The weather was perfect, and the sun must have gone to my head because I played a game of football (my toes still hurts, it was two weeks ago) plus they had three dogs who pretty much just wanted to play or be cuddled all day. I'll never understand cat people.

 

We then spent two nights in Montevideo, Uruguay's capital and I saw approximately four streets of the city. Our hotel had been upgraded, there was a rooftop pool and it was 25 Degrees. As if in was going anywhere. But the rest of the group hired bikes and went for a tour around the old town which they all told me was beautiful. So far, everything about South America is beautiful, I'm going to have to find another adjective...

 

Colonia is another small colonial town that mirrored Paraty. The cobbled streets and mixture of Portuguese and Spanish style buildings are an ode to the way it was fought over for years. You don't really need more than one night here, but highlights include walking up the old lighthouse and getting a stunning view of the town and of the world's largest river and ice cream from 'El Cali'.

My style of my tour was 'yolo', which meant it was of basic standards, but more often than not felt like so much more. It included all of my travel and accommodation as well as some of meals. Our CEO (Chief Experience Officer) was a guy who clearly loved his job and the continent and the group were something else. Big thank you to all of them for some of the funniest nights, and more horrendous hangovers I've ever had. Looks like I'll be taking a trip to Melbourne at some point in the near future, since I am now friends with a whole army of Australians.
 

The tour ended in Buenos Aires, where I am now staying for about a week... But that's a story all of it's own.

- xo

Hayley in Wanderlust: Rio de Janeiro

First stop on my South American adventure is the dream destination; Rio de Janeiro. Admittedly, I was a pretty crappy Rio tourist. Having such a vast city as my first stop on this solo tour, it's easy to say I found it more than just a little bit daunting... But I still tried my best.



It wouldn't fit in my backpack

I stayed in Oztel, a hostel in the neighbourhood of Botafogo. It made Lonely Planets top 10 hostels in the world a couple of years ago, and it's easy to see why. Quirky décor, super friendly staff and a chill bar gave the pace a great atmosphere, and made introducing myself to new people easy, something I was unbelievably stressed about! Its bar is also open to the public giving it more than just a hostel vibe. The downside however, is that it means drink prices aren't super backpacker friendly. At RS16 for a caipirinha, I bought cheaper on Copacabana, but ho-hum.




A cloudy but still perfect Copacabana

Speaking of Copacabana- go. To me, all the buildings along the beach front looked fresh out of an 80s music video, which only added to the magical fact that I, Hayley Devlin, was on Copacabana. Be warned though, you will have that episode of friends where Rachel is a bridesmaid and starts singing it at Barry's wedding stuck in your head, but it's Copacabana. You can't go to Rio and not go, even if Ipanema is nicer (and it is).

Food wise, check out Blue Agave off Ipanema, it's a reasonably priced Mexican place that offered a veggie burrito, which surprised me greatly. So far, veggie food has been relatively easy to come by in Brazil. I've always accepted that at some point I'm going to have to stomach it and probably eat chicken, but I'm happy to put it off for a little while longer! A lot of the restaurants offer veggie options, even if they are limited and I spotted tofu being sold in one of the Rio supermarkets... Maybe this will be easier that I though?



Cristo Redentor

Botafogo, where Oztel is located, is a nice neighbourhood where I felt more than comfortable walking around on my own. It's home to plenty of bars to keep you busy at night too. Saloon 77 is a biker bar two doors down from the hostel that played cool music and was open late. Meza, is a bar and restaurant that served Caipirinhas with a twist and the food menu looked amazing, so it's definitely worth a try.

Sightseeing wise, Rio offers some of the best. Christ the Redeemer was one of the biggest reasons I've wanted to visit and it didn't disappoint. I went with a couple I met at the hostel and the views were spectacular, even though it was a partly cloudy day. I also took myself to Sugarloaf, which was just as amazing and gave you totally different views of the city, making both attractions worth the RS62 entry. The only thing I didn't get to do that I was desperate to, was hand gliding. All of the quotes I received for it were at around RS550 (about £118) and when you're on a £250 a week budget, I just couldn't justify it. Busses and taxis in Rio were cheap, making me further despair at the price of transport in London. The busses are weird though, many have two members of staff, a driver and another conductor who sits to the side, takes your money and lets you through a turnstile. Busses in Brazil have turnstiles. Mind = Blown.

Rio lived up to all of my expectations and so much more. The beaches are beautiful, the people are super friendly and I always felt safe, which was probably the biggest shock of all. As with most cities, I get the feeling that in Rio, you generally only get trouble if you go looking for it or leave all of your stuff unattended. I'm so glad I started my journey here.

Until next time...

-xo