TravelStream™ news feed for member taouzy on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/taouzy en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Wed, 08 Jul 2009 01:37:21 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/taouzy/1/1247030351/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/taouzy/1/1247030351/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/taouzy/1/1247030351/tpod.html Wed, 08 Jul 2009 01:37:21 -0400 Taouzy´s Trips

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Squamish, British Columbia, Canada

(We are the on July the 7th of 2009, let's back up few months earlier when we made our 1st steps in Canada: end of February)Ok, Ok, so we finally made it after a nice and enjoyable way up from South America, here we are... Final destination!?!,: CANADA...It will be once again a shortcut of summary but it is better than nothing.So we decided to get to Canada with the Working Holiday Visa Program to enjoy new cultures, lifestyles and also make some money... Eh, Eh, savings are getting really low!Mat (with who I was cycling in Australia), Shoko (his Japanese girlfriend), my Brother (also here for a year) and Carly (his Canadian girlfriend) are all sharing a flat in Squamish, Capital Adventure of Canada.We crushed there as a starting point and enjoy the fact of finding back family and friends on an other side of the world. My father even came over for the Bday's and stuff that was really cool.So what to say? It took for us 2 months to get a job, we arrived in between both season: too much or not enough snow left, not enough tourists so it has been hard.Good point is that we came straight from th tropics to end up at the top of the slopes and enjoy some snow board lines...British Colombian is an astonish place where a life might not be long enough to let you appreciate all its tresur. Any kind of outdoor activities are here... Skiing, snowboarding, climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, kite surfing, partying, actually all the stuff finishing by "ing'...So yeah, we had a cool time, looking for job, getting to know people, enjoying our friends, hiking...Then we finally decided to leave Squamish and its quiet vibes to the mad circus of Whistler...We got a big place to live, actually the most beautiful house I have never lived in and jobs. I am working as a landscaper, Anais at the front desk of a tourist agency.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/taouzy/1/1239231180/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/taouzy/1/1239231180/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/taouzy/1/1239231180/tpod.html Wed, 08 Apr 2009 19:07:52 -0400 Taouzy´s Trips

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Los Angeles, California, United States

Why L.A. ????Pfffffffff I don't really know ??? That was cheap to get there and it was also a dream: Hollywood, the Boulevard, the Stars, the beach and all those cliches that correspond to this huuuuuuuuuuuuge city.We only spent couple of days over there but that was really cool, it is like living the Lynch point of view and walking in a movie shot spot.We went to the Universal Sutdio were many movies and series are shot, it is quiet impressive and cool to see that. They also have stuff to keep you busy and entertain you... It is worth to go there actually.While flying over the city, I realized how big it is the city. it is spread over 100km, impressive, especially by night.L.A. is a place that if you have the chance to see, just go there... Next dream: San Francisco... i mean for the West Cost US cities
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/taouzy/1/1239049200/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/taouzy/1/1239049200/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/taouzy/1/1239049200/tpod.html Mon, 06 Apr 2009 16:29:53 -0400 Taouzy´s Trips

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Dominical, Province of Puntarenas, Costa Rica

Hello everyone,Back again and with some work to do... Actually right now in Canada, I have to update the blog for the last adventures...It will be short-cutted but with some pictures...Like usual (kind of bored... no just kidding...) we had a wonderful and pleasant time. A very few meetings but lovelly pictures in mind and days of rest and relaxing.Costa Rica is amazing, compare to the small Panamean exprience, I would even say more beautiful. Only bad part is that it is really expensive. Nearly the same kind of budget than back in Europe... pfffffffff... Hard to end up a trip in this kind of place.The Nature is awesome and wildlife everuwhere... We were not spoiled by the massive tourism even if we were supposed to face the busy season. Thanks to the Crisis... eheheheh !Puerto Jimenz is an absolute chill retreat place on the Osa Peninsula... Lost in between primary jungle and sea. Greeeeeeeeeeeat !Dominical is the hippie hipe surfing spot... Not too much to do but enjoy the beach, the sun and fishing around.Have a look on the pictures and go there only if you have savings... Many people surprised and scared by the life cost are escaping to Nicaragua.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/taouzy/1/1232845620/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/taouzy/1/1232845620/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/taouzy/1/1232845620/tpod.html Sat, 24 Jan 2009 20:17:05 -0500 Taouzy´s Trips

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Boquete, Panama

Wouaaaah Wouaaaaaah Wouaaaaaaaah...Welcome to Paradise... We found the place to be... The place to be a volunteer and have an amazing experience, living the dream every minute : PAradise Garden.Owned and runned by Paul and Jenny a retired English couple, Paradise garden is a refuge, rescuing and releasing animals native from Panama, Costa Rica and the Darien Jungle.It means that we are working : feeding, caring, cleaning animal like monkeys, birds, sloths, wild cats and more... It is just crazy...Around us is a gang of retired American and English that also part time volunteer at the centre. It is a great mix of diferent persons and personalities.We also give tours, mostly in English but also in Spanish or french, good challenge and great experience.It is once again to long to shortcut this epxerience on a blog... Enjoy the photos and come over for a visit... We ask a $5 donation to help maintening the place and pay for the animal food :D
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/taouzy/1/1232843280/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/taouzy/1/1232843280/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/taouzy/1/1232843280/tpod.html Sat, 24 Jan 2009 19:32:27 -0500 Taouzy´s Trips

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Panama City, Panama

Hello everyone,New entry for a New Country...Such a shock while getting out from the Panama City Airport... We did not `reàre our trip and did not know anything about the place...1st surprise, the currency here is the American $$$, same as Ecuador that we just left... but spent all the money that we have left... stupid...2d... It is really expensive here compare to South America... RRRRRrrrrrrrrrrr... Prices are more or less the same than E:U: Pfffffffff...3rd... Our Credit cards do not work in any of the 15 ATM machines that we tried, it is 7 in the evening and after changing the Bolivian and and Peruvian money that Anais had left, we end up with $6 all in all... Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit... hihihihFortunatly we found, THE only ATM that works with our cards and secured our trip here... We couchsurfed at Miguel´s place and enjoyed the old city : Casco Viejo... Realy nice compare to the CBD.A short trip to see the Canal... Amazing, realy impressive and then bye bye hit, city life for : BOQUETE...
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Vilcabamba, Loja, Ecuador

After the mad days in Montanita, we well deserved a rest in a quiet and peaceful area... We found the place : Vilcamba, famous for the seeds and grains thats are growing there and used as part of the dishes and also famous for the high average life time of the people living there... You ca imagine that there are lots of old gringos coming there to retired and hopefully live a bit longer... The photos are telling a lot :
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/taouzy/1/1231266240/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/taouzy/1/1231266240/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/taouzy/1/1231266240/tpod.html Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:09:12 -0500 Taouzy´s Trips

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Malchingui, Montanita, Vilcabamba, Ecuador

Happy New Year Everyone...All the Best, Mucha Suerte, Big Hugs...In 2 weeks, sooooooooooooooo much contrasts, from the family atmosphere up in the cold mountains of Malchingui during the Xmas time, to the hit, the tunes and the madness of Montanita for NYE and now.... AAAaaaaaaaaaah the restful time in Vilcabamba... a lot to say, a lot to see...Some nice meetings once again all along the way, amazing time around the fireplace in the Community. We were 13 to celebrate Xmas. That was my firt Xmas time celebrated with vegetarian / vegan food... But that was nice. We even had a real plastic Xmas tree thanks to acrazy random Ecuadorian girls... Lovely.After this nearly family atmosphere, we decided to go to Montanita... to roch the beach dancefloor, hit the waves and enjoy fresh fruits cocktails all day / night long.... Anais a good friend from home that was traveling through Argentina came up there to reach us for the party time...We got to know a bunch of Mad Chilenos, Italian and tons of randoms funky people... The dancefloor was beating hard... very hard and so till late in the morning...NO WAY to sleep in this village that doesn't stop...I have to say that it was for sure one of the best NYE I have never had... Just go for it nest year if you wanna have fun :DThen after 4 days we had to escape and find some rest in a quiet place : Vilcabamba... A small tiny village, popular for his food and the life hope that is suppose to be longer than anywhere else... Such a dream to recover...And it is great... We have a palace nearly only for Us with all what you need : Food, swiming pool, sauna, turkish bath, pool talble.. sun, mountains... AhhhhhhhhhhhhhhPictures will discribe better than the words... Anyway you have to live it to beleive it...See you soonj
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/taouzy/1/1230401820/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/taouzy/1/1230401820/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/taouzy/1/1230401820/tpod.html Sat, 27 Dec 2008 14:47:06 -0500 Taouzy´s Trips

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Coca, Ecuador

Hello Everyone,It is the greetings time SO :MERRY XMAs and HAPPY NEW YEAR... ALL THE BEST AND HUGS... :DAs an unusual Christmas time the temperature here is around 25 degrees but as usual at this time of the year I manage to get a cold when coming back from the jungle to the mountains... Cough Cough...Here is the summary of the 10 days jungle canoe trip... Don't have Xmas pictures... Be patient.It has been an amazing experience... At the beguening we wanted to cross the jungle on our own and reached Iquitos in Peru but the challenge was (in a question of time) to big... and we would not have seen and experiment as we did...We met a couple of guide (father and son) that are running a family project and ended up to move with them for a 600km loop through the jungle on a canoe : down stream Rio Tiputini and up Rio Napo...The whole journey has been amazing with some animals meetings like : Tapir, insects, caimans, birds and an 7m Anaconda...Our guide, retired commando from the Ecuadorian Marine was such a great source of knowledges and jungles tricks... I have a Shaman book now with medicinales herbs, roots and leaves... We learnt how to find your way back through the green paradise after 2 or 3 hours of hike... Thanks the machete that is use 1st to make your way in the Jungle and then to find it back with the cuts and so on...We even met a Shaman that spent 6 years of his life under the water of a lagoon, living as an anaconda and learning all his knowledges... Incredible story ;)How to break a legend...YOU CAN swim in a river where there are pyrahnas and caimans... We did it 2 or 3 times a day and did not get trouble... We even fished the pyrahnas 5 minutes after the bath...During the trip we had the chance to meet some of the local colours : different tribes that are surrounding the rivers... and made some business with some people of the famous Huaorani Tribes... Cf text below :The Huaorani, Waorani, or Waos are native amerindians from the Amazonian Region of Ecuador (in the Oriente region) with some marked differences with the others ethnic groups from Ecuador. (Auca is another, pejorative, name given by neighboring Kichwa Indians and commonly used by Spanish-speakers as well, awka - awqa in Quechua - meaning "enemy".) They comprise almost 4,000 inhabitants and speak the Huaorani language, a linguistic isolate without congeneres. Their ancestral lands are located between the Curaray and Napo rivers, about 50 miles (80 km) south of El Coca. These homelands are threatened by oil exploration and illegal logging practices. They are approximately 120 miles (190 km) wide and 75 to 100 miles (120 to 160 km) from north to south. The Huaorani have guarded their lands from both indigenous foes and outsider colonials (who they sometimes refer to as cowode, literally "nonhuman cannibals").In the last 40 years, they have become a largely settled people living mostly in permanent forest settlements. As many as five communities, the Tagaeri, the Huiñatare, the Oñamenane and two groups of the Taromenane, have rejected all contact with non-Waorani, and continuously move into more isolated areas, generally towards the Peruvian border.After the jungle trip Alex and me went for a 3 days retreat to Baños, where jungle, mountains and volcanoes meet around this wonderful, clean, relax and peaceful little town... Cheese, wine, olives, grappes and good bread as an award for having braved the jungle and easy times in the public thermal bath of the city...All the best for 2009 big hugs...See you soonju
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/taouzy/1/1228491480/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/taouzy/1/1228491480/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/taouzy/1/1228491480/tpod.html Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:22:23 -0500 Taouzy´s Trips

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Malchingui - Bario San Juan, Ecuador

Hola Hola...It has been a lon time without updating anything on the blog... After coming back from Iceland I spent a week back home in my home town and strait went to work for 3 weeks in Lyon...Then the journey started again :D...Last week in Rennes to enjoy family and friends, a crazy Halloween night in the Paris Metro and train to Germany.... I met back Kung Fu Frog in Frankfurt, one of my volunteers from Iceland... and end up in Bamberg to visit Olga a last time... From there flew to Mallorca ahahahaahh and then Madrid where I spent a night with Veronica (Spanish collegue from Iceland) for a Tapas y Cervezas party... Coooooooool... I didnt know Madrid...After a stop over in Bogota I finally arrvied in Quito where Yvonne, one of the Olga's friend was supposed to pick me up... Sick as hell she is stucked to bed and it is and other blonb girl that poped up and asked if I am "Julian"... Yes I am... so let s go... I ended up in the old part of Quito for a short but restfull night... After 3 nights in Quito and some interesting meeting I moved to Malchingui with Mimi, a Belgo America girl traveling on her own aswell...We are going to volunteer in a comunity... coool... the place is amazing... Surrounded by mountains, a huge house at the cloud level (2620m)... Sounds great... People seems to be friendly (Nicky and Helen : UK, Steph : Austria, Bernardo : Brazil, Stephy : Fce... Alex : Uk and then Pats and Ailish : Ireland)and the food is good.. All what I need...We usualy wake up right before 7 and start the day by one hour of Yoga... then different tasks were assigned : painting, tinting, construction, planting, digging... The aim of this comunity is to offer, once everything is set, the opportunity to come there to relax, eat vegetarian food and enjoy yoga and meditation courses...It is a king of enjoyable chaos in house, always removing stuff and changing room because everything is under construction... Now I am back in Quito with Mimi and Alex and we hope to move tomorrow to Coca, get a guide, a boat and sail down to the Amazona and reach Iquitos in Peru... Let s see what is going to happen ;)
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Everywhere, Iceland

I had the chance to host my best travel mate and friend ! Olga and her family came over for a week to visit me and this amazing country that is Iceland.Even if we can not really communicate me and her Parents (language barrier : French, English - German, Polish) it is always good fun and we experiment new communication style and skills :)I was really glad to share a bit of my Icelandic life with Olga, after all the journeys that we shared together it is for sure a pleasure to see her back...Here are the photos of the trip. Spontaneously we actually ended up by doing the ring road once again. But Icelandic lights are constantly changing and give to the Nature new faces every minutes.Thanks for coming it has been really great to have you my Panto ;)
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