Category Pages For: Journeys

Information about getting from A to B

Gallipoli - Arrival
JUNE 2019: OVERVIEW: PLEASE NOTE: The currency in Turkey is the New Turkish Lira (I will refer to them as T$s). At the time of writing, US$1 = T$5.82. We are making our way slowly up the Mediterranean (Turquoise) Coast from Antalya to Istanbul. Our last stop was Canakkale: Finally, we go east to Istanbul (via Lapseki and Bandirma) … LAPSEKI: GETTING THERE: I believe that the local bus from Canakkale to Lapseki leaves from the Minibus Terminal located at the junction of Ataturk Cd and the riverside. I have seen it driving along the D200. Ooops! At 10:40am I […]

Canakkale to Istanbul – Turkey – (an unnecessary) Journey

MAY 2019: Why not read our Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: PLEASE NOTE: The currency in Turkey is the New Turkish Lira (I will refer to them as T$s). At the time of writing, US$1 = T$6. My brother (Paul) and I wanted to see some of Turkey’s most famous historical sites. My sister (Diane) and brother-in-law (Jeff) decided to join us half way through the trip to relax in a villa with a swimming pool. My brother (Paul) and I flew from London Stansted (England) to Izmir (Turkey) to do a 4 night Historical Sites Road Trip from Izmir to Kalkan […]

Izmir to Kalkan – Turkey – Historical Road Trip

MARCH 2019: Read our Retirement Reviews to find good places to retire on a budget. OVERVIEW: PLEASE NOTE: At the time of writing, US$1 = GTQ7.50 and US$1 = HNL25. I spent 1 month in San Pedro La Laguna, Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. I stayed in a 5 bedroom house with friends and paid GTQ1,500 for the month (US$200). I had my own Double Room and shared the rest of the house which included a Hot Tub, Balcony with lake view, 2 bathrooms, kitchen, and laundry. THE CA4 COUNTRIES: I entered Guatemala from Mexico and I got my standard (free) 90 […]

San Pedro LL / Panajachel / Lake Atitlan, Guatemala – to – Bay Islands, Honduras

DECEMBER 2018: Why not read our Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: PLEASE NOTE: The currency in Peru is the Peruvian New SOL (I will refer to them as P$s). At the time of writing, US$1 = P$3.36. We (my sister Diane, my brother-in-law Jeff, and I) had completed our tour of Machu Picchu and The Sacred Valley. And, our tour of Lake Titicaca. We ended up in La Paz, Bolivia. It was, now, time to make our way back to Lima on Peru Hop … PERU HOP: We had already used Peru Hop to get from Cusco to La Paz. We paid US$219 each for […]

La Paz to Lima – Peru Hop – Journey

NOVEMBER 2018: Why not read our Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: I was working my way up through north west Argentina into south west Bolivia. Cafayate is definitely worth a visit. I wasn’t so keen on Mendoza, Salta, nor Tilcara. Anyway, I planned to cross into Bolivia on Route 9 at La Quiaca / Villazon. I researched the internet for information and read some ‘horror stories’ about it being disorganised with multi-hour delays. Readers may find my experience useful for their own planning purposes … GETTING THERE: I started my journey in Tilcara. You may start from another location. TILCARA: I walked down […]

La Quiaca, Argentina – to – Villazon, Bolivia – Journey

JULY 2018: Why not read our Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: PLEASE NOTE: The official exchange rate at the time of writing was US$1 = C$2,875 (Colombian Peso / COP); for simplicity, I use US$1 = C$3k. Ecuador uses the US$. Our journey starts in Medellin (where I stayed 15 nights in the Posada Casa Santa Fe). I paid under C$24k / US$8 per night for a small Fan Double Room that included Cable TV (no English Speaking channels), wardrobe, fridge, and (small) hot water ensuite. I enjoyed my 2 weeks in Medellin. City-loving GRANDPAckers should definitely come and have a look. … It was time […]

Medellin Colombia – to – Quito Ecuador – Journey

MAY 2018: Why not read our Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: PLEASE NOTE: The official exchange rate at time of writing was US$1 = C$2,898 (Colombian Peso / COP). I stayed a total of 3 nights in Palomino. I stayed in a hostel about 800 metres from the beach (the Hostel El Bohio) for US$21 / night including Breakfast. In Palomino you can do lots of beach time. You can hang around in the bars and restaurants around main street. Or, you can take a tour. … It was time to move on to Riohacha (the last bastion of civilisation on Colombia’s […]

Riohacha – Colombia – Information

MARCH 2018: Why not read our Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: I made my way from Granada to Puerto Viejo and stayed in Puerto Viejo for 1 week. From Puerto Viejo, I had to make my way to Bocas Del Toro, Panama. PLEASE NOTE: At the time of writing, US$1 = C$570 (Costa Rica Colon) and US$1=P$1 (Panama Balboa). THE PANAMA ‘EXIT TICKET’: To enter Panama, you must have an onwards ticket. Information online differs. Some say that they will accept a return bus or shuttle ticket from / to Costa Rica as long as you can show that you have an onwards flight […]

Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica – to – Bocas Del Toro, Panama – Journey

MARCH 2018: Why not read our Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: After being stranded for 3 days in Big Corn Island (and overnight in Bluefields), I finally managed to get from Big Corn Island to Granada. From Granada, I had to make my way to Puerto Viejo on the Carribean coast of Costa Rica. On paper, this involved: A long distance bus from Granada to San Jose (about 9 hours) A long distance bus from San Jose direct to Puerto Viejo (about 4.5 hours) At the time of this post, US$1 = C$580. I planned to leave Granada early enough for me to make […]

Granada, Nicaragua – to – Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica – Journey

FEBRUARY 2018: Why not read our Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: I spent 1 month living on Big Corn Island and 1 month living on Little Corn Island. From Little Corn, I had to make my way back to Granada. On paper, this involved: A boat from Little Corn to Big Corn A ferry from Big Corn to Bluefields A boat up river from Bluefields to El Rama A bus from El Rama to Managua A bus from Managua to Granada In reality, I took a short-cut and shaved about 1 hour off the journey … LITTLE CORN TO BIG CORN BY BOAT: […]

Corn Islands to Granada – Nicaragua – Journey

DECEMBER 2017: Why not read our Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: I spent several days making my way from Granada to San Carlos via Costa Rica so that I could take a trip down the Rio San Juan to Greytown. I wanted to experience the Rio San Juan villages and the Indio Maiz Biological Reserve … but, still get to Greytown in time to catch the once-weekly (Wednesday) boat from Greytown to Bluefields. My ultimate goal was to get out to the Corn Islands. I have heard some bad things about the Greytown to Bluefields boat trip – so, I wanted to find […]

Greytown to Bluefields – Nicaragua – Journey

DECEMBER 2017: Why not read our Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: I wanted to take a few days travelling down the Rio San Juan from Lake Nicaragua to Greytown to see and experience the Indio Maiz Biological Reserve and, possibly, do some kayaking down the river. I tried to get to San Carlos from Ometepe Island but the ferry between the two does not operate anymore. I ended up in Granada and needed to renew my CA4 90 Day Tourist Visa. So, I made my way from Granada to San Carlos via Costa Rica. My ultimate goal was to take the boat from […]

Rio San Juan – Nicaragua – Information